WWE News & Notes from the 10/04 Observer

[Enigma 0]

While the company is billing Taboo Tuesday as leaving the booking up to the fans, it is pretty clear, like with the Diva Search, that they know what they want and will be manipulating that final result.

 

As things stand now, the plan is to keep HHH and Randy Orton away from each other in a singles match until WrestleMania (unless HHH changes his mind and decides he wants a different opponent). Even though they originally announced Orton, Edge, Chris Benoit, and Shawn Michaels as the four people the fans can pick from (narrowing it down to eliminate the usual wacky WWE web site voting where a match like Tyson Tomko vs. Steven Richards gets tons of votes for best match on a PPV; in particular the idea Ric Flair or a goof vote like Richards would take over). At Raw on 9/27, they had a match where Batista beat Orton due to Flair hitting Orton with a chair, to eliminate him from contention. The company wants fans to pick Michaels, who HHH himself wants to work with once again, but they are willing to accept Benoit might win, and that's cool as well. The plan for Benoit is to team with William Regal against La Resistance, if they can get the voting in that direction. The other plan is to set up Flair vs. Orton in a singles match on the PPV. The new idea is to push Orton hard from this point forward, to make people want to vote for him to face HHH, but not be allowed to, with the idea it'll make them want the match even more as they hold it off for seven months.

 

After the Raw contender is announced, they will have a poll as to who Chris Jericho will face (I'm guessing Michaels, if Benoit wins, or Edge, if he's ready, or Christian, with maybe a wild card choice like Tomko who they hope nobody votes for); as well as for La Resistance (Hurricane & Rosey upset top contenders Rhyno & Tajiri on Raw, so they'll probably be figured into the balloting, which will be pushed toward Benoit & Regal provided Benoit doesn't get the shot at HHH). The Eugene vs. Eric Bischoff match will either be a loser wears a dress, the loser becomes the servant of the winner, or the company plan, which is a hair vs. hair match. You knew Bischoff still had dues to pay. They also will have a match where the fans choose what the women will wear. They also want to have a Carmella DeCesare vs. Christy Hemme match, which may be with that stipulation, or they may have a match with that stipulation involving the actual women wrestlers. As things stand right now, DeCesare is supposed to be used until 10/19, but she has not been offered anything past that point. There will also be voting during the show on who is the show MVP.

**********************************************************************

An interesting guest backstage at the 9/21 Smackdown tapings in Phoenix was Rulon Gardner, who, because of his win over Alexandre Karelin to win the 2000 Olympic Greco-Roman super heavyweight gold medal in Sydney, Australia, is among the most well-known amateur wrestlers in the history of the country.

 

Gardner was there to talk about getting into pro wrestling after being invited down by WWE officials to open negotiations. After beating Karelin, there was dialogue, although exaggerated as to far it got, back in 2000. At the time, Gardner wanted to remain in wrestling until 2004, so he was only interested in maybe doing one gimmick PPV match at a high price. WWE wasn't interested because the price he wanted was so much. Gardner's career ended with a bronze medal in Athens, and his taking off his boots and retiring from amateur wrestling. He was one of the most publicized American athletes at the games, because of his great story where he came back from losing a toe while nearly dying in sub-zero weather when he got lost skiing and was left in the elements; as well as dislocating his wrist before the Olympic trials, and nearly not even making the team. He's been a regular on lots of talk shows, including Jay Leno. Gardner's background as a huge farm boy is not that different from Brock Lesnar, but they are very different. Lesnar had the great look, but was not a good talker. Gardner is a very eloquent speaker, which doesn't necessarily translate to wrestling promos, but is a good start. But he's not a muscular beast, and is your classic powerhouse farm boy, with deceptive strength and even more deceptive agility, but not the in vogue look. Also, his age is a factor, starting out at 33, as compared to Kurt Angle, who was 29 when he signed, and Lesnar, who had just turned 23 when he started at OVW. Gardner reportedly told WWE officials that he would listen to the offer, but needed to talk it over with his family before deciding, and didn't seem to indicate to anyone in the company that he was leaning either way.

 

However, others who have spoken with Gardner say he's very seriously considering the offer. Gardner was considered the biggest star what was going to be involved with the Real Pro Wrestling promotion that does its TV tapings 10/8 and 10/9 in Los Angeles, although he was not going to wrestle for the group, which would do real matches. Gardner was telling people that his mother was against him doing pro wrestling, but his wife was positive on it. Even though Angle won a gold medal, Gardner got 100 times the publicity for his, and was a much bigger celebrity coming out. There would be a small window where Gardner debuting as a pro wrestler could get the company some publicity, but that would only be if he's rushed (which the company's track record indicates he would be), and in that case, he's almost guaranteed to get off on a bad foot like Mark Henry.

 

Gardner had received offers from Pride (big money offers) and UFC, but had decided that wasn't a direction he wanted to go. As it turned out, also backstage at the show was Don Frye, who Gardner spoke with about his decision.

**********************************************************************

The 9/12 Unforgiven PPV with the first HHH vs. Randy Orton match is estimated at doing 235,000 buys on PPV, or a 0.44 buy rate. That has been along the lines of all the recent singular brand PPV shows after Backlash, which has ranged at this point from 220,000 to 235,000 buys. So it appears we are at that level of core viewers. Keep in mind the original estimates for these shows are usually at least 10% below what the final number will end up being.

 

On one hand, the number has to be disappointing since the HHH vs. Orton angle was supposed to be a big one, and this did the same numbers as two shows headlined by JBL vs. Eddie Guerrero (220,000 buys at Judgment Day and 233,000 buys at Great American Bash), one headlined by HHH vs. Chris Benoit (232,000 buys at Vengeance) and slightly below another headlined by HHH vs. Shawn Michaels (264,000 buys at Bad Blood) in a Hell in a Cell match. However, it really is no surprise. The angle was rushed and there was clearly no buzz that the match was anything special, and live ticket sales in Portland, a strong market, weren't good. As of right now, as compared with last year's Unforgiven show, which did 300,000 buys for the match where Bill Goldberg won the World title from HHH, it's a drop of 21.7%.

**********************************************************************

WrestleMania tickets sold out in just less than one hour when they were put on sale on 9/25, to the surprise of nobody. One of our regular correspondents was actually the next person in line when tickets sold out. There are still tickets available at inflated prices from scalpers, and for several thousand dollars you can get into the luxury boxes. For the first time ever, they are doing Raw the next night from the same building as Mania, and that Raw is already close to sold out. For some reason, WWE sent out a press release two days alter stating the show sold out the 15,000 available seats in less than one minute, claiming it as the fastest sellout in WWE history. There will be a limited amount of new tickets released for sale down the line. Even stranger, the release quoted Brenda Tinnen of the Staples Center as claiming that all ten previous WWE events at the Staples Center had sold out, which is hardly the case.

 

At the WrestleMania press conference, Vince McMahon said while there are 14 PPV shows per year, and four joint shows, Mania will be the only show which wrestlers from Raw can wrestle wrestlers from Smackdown. Other than that, everyone was in character and they teased HHH and Randy Orton getting into it.

 

As things are currently scheduled, the HHH movie vehicle, "La Jornada," is looking at being filmed in February. There is no Raw PPV that month, and WrestleMania isn't until April, so that looks to be a good time for him to be off for several weeks.

 

Here is some more background of the Eddie Guerrero/Kurt Angle situation. Guerrero complained that he thought Angle was disrespecting him in their matches. In particular, he thought Angle was working too stiff with him, and specifically noted Angle slapping him in the head hard a few weeks back when he asked Angle to stay away from his head. Angle did immediately apologize to Guerrero when it was brought up. Angle & Luther Reigns have also had troubles working with him because at times when he's down and selling and they try to pick him up off the mat, he refuses to let them. The incident itself was blamed on both guys being frustrated and Guerrero's nerves being frayed. Coming back from the airport in Tampa after Smackdown in Phoenix, on 9/22, Guerrero got in an auto accident, but his injuries weren't serious enough to keep him out of action.

 

Vince McMahon was listed as the 364th richest man in the U.S. in the current Forbes Magazine list, with an estimated worth of $700 million.

 

This past year's Mania will end up not being the biggest PPV event of 2004, as the Oscar de la Hoya vs. Bernard Hopkins fight is estimated at doing 1 million buys and grossing $56 million. Mania's current estimate is 885,000 buys. The show also did a $12.7 million live gate.

 

Kurt Angle did an interview for The Sun in the U.K., and mentioned HHH, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero as the best workers, Edge and Randy Orton as the guys coming on well and Christian and Jamie Noble as top workers who don't get the credit (the interview was done before Noble was fired). He also said the correct political thing, noting Undertaker and Big Show, who will be two of his biggest rivals going forward, as impressive big men. "But when it comes down to it, I don't think anybody has as much technique, credibility and charisma as I do. I have the whole package." He said his 2003 Rumble match with Benoit was his favorite match, although he also said it went 40 minutes (actually 19:48). But it was a hell of a match. In fact, people who saw the Benoit DVD all the way through, and you can imagine the quality of the matches on that one, said it was the best match on the entire DVD. He also has changed his feeling about long-term, saying he's going to be around for a long time to come. His answer used to be he was taking it day-to-day and hoping for three more years. He said he's going to work smarter, which he has been doing, and will not take any chair shots to the head (I wish everyone thought that like because mush brains in later life is not a good thing). He talked about toning down the style due to so many neck injuries. He said he'd never do anything like take a German superplex or do a moonsault off a cage again. He again noted he hated the G.M. role and said if he was asked to do it again, he'd turn it down.

 

Billy Gunn has been sent to rehab. He was found passed out in an airport a couple of weeks back.

 

This week's Tess Broussard (Steve Austin's ex-girlfriend) notes: According to a National Enquirer article that has been confirmed, when Austin met Broussard, she was advertising herself (all of this unknown to him) on the web as 26-year-old exotic Playboy model Tia (she would have been 36 at the time), and was charging $750 for sex. She also worked as a prostitute using the name Brenda Bing. She was arrested by undercover police officers in Los Alamitos, CA, on January 15, 2003, which would be around the time she met Austin. She was arrested at a Best Western hotel, carrying 113 condoms in her purse. She pleaded guilty last September, was put on probation, fined $600, and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service. Broussard's attorney claimed she was the victim of an overzealous police sting operation and pleaded guilty only to spare her family the ordeal of a trial.

 

Speaking of legal issues, the lawsuit from many months back against Ric Flair, Scott Hall, Dustin Runnels, and WWE regarding the 2002 plane flight from hell has disappeared. Don't know how it was settled or if it was dropped, but it no longer exists.

 

John Laurinaitis is trying to start a new developmental territory based in Atlanta.

 

Hulk Hogan being positioned as a bigger deal than Steve Austin on TV was not deliberate, or something even thought about when the show was being laid out.

 

Kurt Angle, Luther Reigns, and Mark Jindrak are going to form a top heel group with a name, as Smackdown's answer to Evolution. Angle is going to have to be a miracle man to make that one work given Jindrak's total lack of charisma. At least Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin, as Team Angle, turned out to be an awesome team.

 

Rey Mysterio & Rob Van Dam are scheduled to become a regular tag team, and are at this point at least, scheduled to get the tag titles at some point.

 

The Raw show had to be rewritten this week due to this week's communications snafu. Lita was supposed to be a major part of the show, but at first she had been told they were going to hold her off selling the miscarriage angle. Anyway, she was never told to come and wasn't there. The Raw writers blamed the Talent Relations department for the screw-up and Talent Relations blamed the Raw writers for it. John Laurinaitis was feeling the heat over it.

 

Jesse Ventura has been doing lectures as college campuses over the past week talking about politics, mainly saying he's not going to vote in the presidential election, that the two party system is evil and ripping on President Bush, saying he's sending people to go overseas and fight, which is something he himself wouldn't have been willing to do. He also said he was considering running for president in 2008. Well, as long as he doesn't run for talk show host, he’ll be alright. On 9/22, he was at the University of Illinois and wrestling came up. He was asked if he still felt as strongly about unionization of pro wrestlers and mandatory drug testing as he did a few years ago. He didn't answer, just saying he almost got killed trying to unionize wrestlers once, so he got his SAG card instead. When asked whose side he took in the Vince McMahon/ Bret Hart dispute, he said Vince, because Vince was the owner. Nobody can ever accuse Jesse of thinking deeply on any subject. Then, out of nowhere, he asked the crowd if they had heard of Ric Flair. The whole place started doing the "Whooo! He said that he estimates Flair has taken 27,000 backdrops during his career (three per match times 300 matches per year times 30 years, and granted, that math is faulty because Flair hasn't worked 300 matches in a year for just about the last half of his career). He said anyone who thinks wrestling is fake should chew on that.

 

The Mick Foley/JBL debate on 9/29 in Miami, the day before the first Bush/Kerry debate, was Foley's idea brought to Gary Davis of WWE. The idea was to debate Val Venis at first. As some people know, Venis is a staunch Libertarian and very smart when it comes to the subject, particularly when it comes to being strongly Anti-union. Foley's idea was a four-person panel of him, Venis, Chris Nowinski (legit left wing leaning Harvard grad who is said to be very smart politically), and someone else. Foley asked for Ric Flair, as he is very willing to do a debate with Flair, but doesn't want to wrestle him. Foley's children's book is being released on 10/18, so a TV return could be timed for right about then.

 

Raw in the U.K., which would be the first rating for the new Thursday night time slot, did 160,000 viewers. The show had been ranging from 180,000 to 210,000 on its traditional Friday slot, in the heyday, the show usually topped 300,000, and so while house shows continue to sell out in the U.K., the overall interest level has dropped significantly there as well.

 

As things stand today, based on what people understand about where things are scheduled, the WM top matches are supposed to be HHH vs. Randy Orton and Undertaker vs. Kurt Angle. There are no deals in place for big names to return, but those probably wouldn't even be thought about seriously until November or December.

 

At the WrestleMania press conference in Los Angeles, KMEX-TV reported that 40% of the fans there were from outside the Los Angeles area and they also reported 40% of the fans there were Hispanic. They said most of the non-LA fans were from San Diego, who said they specifically came to see Eddie Guerrero (who wasn't there) and Rey Mysterio (who was). They also said fans came from Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tijuana, Tokyo, Vancouver, and San Francisco for the press conference.

 

Starting with the 10/25 show in Des Moines, Raw is going to have a weekly interactive element to the show.

 

For the week of 9/19, Smackdown was the No. 14 rated show in the U.S. among all shows on both cable and broadcast TV among teenagers, with 720,000 teenage viewers that week. Seventh Heaven on WB was the most watched with 1.19 million viewers. No WWE show made the top 30 in any other demo.

 

Bob Orton hasn't been asked to do the obvious angle, now that his son is a babyface, where Evolution beats him up. Orton, 53, has a bad disc in his neck and probably wouldn't want to be in a position to take much punishment.

 

JBL said in an article in the Wichita Kansan that he is considering going into Republican Party politics after his taste of being involved at the convention. He said his biggest concern is heath care and listed Ohio congressman Bob Ney as his political role model.

 

WWE has a registration system that will make it difficult, but not impossible, for a single person to flood the balloting for the Taboo Tuesday voting. Still, a recent WWE web poll had tons of people vote (although apparently that system didn't have the mechanism to avoid the flooding) for Steven Richards vs. Tyson Tomko as the best match at Unforgiven as a joke.

 

A correction on the deal we did about the youngest world champions. Besides Lou Thesz, Danno O'Mahoney, and Kerry Von Erich, another name forgotten would be Paul Wight. As The Giant in WCW, the Big Show was born February 8, 1972, and won his first WCW title from Ric Flair on April 22, 1996, on a Nitro in Albany, GA (at the time it was really controversial the idea of doing a title switch on a TV show), making him 24 years and 2 months old, meaning he was younger than anyone except Thesz, when he won his title at the age of 21 from Everett Marshall in 1937.

 

With Taboo Tuesday on 10/19, the Smackdown tapings for the 10/21 show will be taking place on 10/17 in Rockford.

 

The Raw show on 11/6 at Arena Monterrey has Shawn Michaels & Randy Orton vs. HHH & Batista in a cage match, Chris Jericho vs. Edge for the IC title, Trish Stratus vs. Victoria for the women's title, and fans pick the stipulations tag title match with La Resistance vs. Rhyno & Tajiri (choices being falls count anywhere, hardcore rules, or no DQ.

 

For November, the TV taping dates are Raws on 11/1 in Peoria, 11/8 in Corpus Christi, 11/15 in Indianapolis, 11/22 in Buffalo and 11/29 in Baltimore. The Smackdowns are 11/2 in St. Louis, 11/9 in Corpus Christi (same arena two straight nights), 11/16 in Dayton, 11/23 in Rochester, and 11/30 in Richmond.

 

Big Show did an interview promoting the Smackdown tapings in Wichita, since he played basketball (back-up center) at Wichita State at one point. He said his real weight is 470 pounds. He said he's looking to wrestle for five years after his current contract expires. I'm not sure exactly when it expires. He signed a ten-year contract at $950,000 per year in 1999, when Vince McMahon thought he'd been booked poorly in WCW and he could make him a modern Andre the Giant. Then, naturally, to make sure that didn't happen, in his first major match, he was pinned by Steve Austin on TV. As it turned out, McMahon's company did a far worse job of booking him than WCW. When it looked like he'd been a giant bust, they renegotiated his deal and cut a few years off. Show said that he recently bought a bus which is driven for him to his destination spot on tours. He flies to the city, and the bus transports him from city to city so he can avoid cities where he had to squish to fit into rental cars.

 

WWE has been having more problems with overseas continuity. They advertised on the TV shows this weekend No Mercy would be airing live on 10/10 (the show is on 10/3, and it is airing live on Sky Sports 2), and then advertised Taboo Tuesday as being shown live on Sunday, 10/19 (which is a Tuesday, hence the name).

 

Among ideas being batted around are a Booker T babyface turn on Smackdown, to join Eddie Guerrero & Big Show against Kurt Angle's group and William Regal going heel on Eugene. I don't think either is a definite, but the Booker turn is strongly being considered, I'd guess probably right after the PPV. They already tried it out at the weekend Smackdown house shows, as they had him work as a face against JBL. I believe John Cena is flying in from Australia just for the PPV, and will be flying back to Australia after the show. The reason "The Marine" and "Eye Scream Man" (Kane's movie) are both being shot in Australia is the Australian government is offering a great tax break to movie producers who shoot in the country. The Regal turn, based on last week, seems likely at some point. There was never a plan to make Regal a face and he didn't want to be one, but the crowds were cheering him so much that they went in that direction.

 

The reason the Bashams appear to be in the doghouse when it looks to how they are being used, is somehow they rubbed the wrong officials the wrong way when it came to asking agents questions.

 

Bubba Ray Dudley missed the weekend house shows due to problems at his home stemming from the hurricane.

 

For those who pay attention to these things, yes, there was a suggestion this past week to bring back Johnny Nitro as a babyface. You know, he's young, nice looking, and has a good body. Sometimes I want to scream at the incompetence.

 

Former UFC tighter Wes Sims was recruited by WWE for the Tough Enough contest. Sims is a huge wrestling. In fact, at the Smackdown tapings a few months ago when Eddie Guerrero stole JBL's hat, he was one of the fans spitting in the hat. He's 6’10’’ and about 240 pounds and a former college basketball player. He has a 4-5 MMA record, but because of his size and look, was signed to a UFC contract. His most notable match was being DQ'd against Frank Mir on June 6, 2003, for going crazy and stomping on Mir. He then played to the crowd and got into trouble with the commission, and he tried to explain it that he was playing heel pro wrestler and trying to get a deal. He was knocked out in a rematch with Mir, and after being knocked out by Mike Kyle on 4/2, UFC dropped his contract. As far as the 50 people being brought to Venice Beach on 10/15 for the tryouts to get to the final ten, Sims is said to be one of a few fighters.

 

After all the hurricanes, a lot of the Florida based wrestlers (which a lot of the crew are based on weather in Tampa, proximity to easier flights, and nice tax laws) have started thinking about moving out.

 

9/13 Raw TV in Seattle drew 5,500 paid and 9/14 Smackdown TV tapings in Spokane drew 4,200.

 

9/24 Raw house show in Sioux Falls, SD, drew 2,400 and $90,000. 9/25 Raw house show in Sioux City, IA, drew 3,500 and $120,000. 9/26 Raw in Columbia, MO, drew 1,600 and $58,000. 9/26 Smackdown in Springfield, MO, drew 1,500 and $50,000, and that's in a traditionally very strong mid-sized market that used to draw 2,800 every time out for WC W when it couldn't draw anywhere. 9/27 Smackdown house show in Joplin drew 1,700 and $60,000.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Johnny Nitro as a face!

 

W00!

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

The new idea is to push Orton hard from this point forward

Wait, that's a "new" idea? What do they call what they've been doing with him up to now?

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

The new idea is to push Orton hard from this point forward

Wait, that's a "new" idea? What do they call what they've been doing with him up to now?

Did a miss the last year and some odd months?

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Kurt doesn't know the importance of selling? I'm.. I'm shocked.

[Australian Pride 0]

There will also be voting during the show on who is the show MVP.

Gee, wonder who will win that.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Kurt doesn't know the importance of selling? I'm.. I'm shocked.

Well who wants silly things like that when he can throw 50 german suplexes that'll lead to another broken neck?

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

"And now, the MVP award for Taboo Tuesday...

 

... Stephanie McMahon!"

 

I'm all grown up...

 

*Coach hands Steph giant trophy of... Stephanie McMahon.*

 

"WOW! Thank you soooo much! Thanks you fans!"

 

*Steph starts picking at the trophy*

 

"Uh Steph, there's no chocolate under there"

 

"AAAAAAW"

 

I'm all grown up...

 

*This shameless "Steph is fat" post has been brought to you by:

 

Rudo Barn, Norwarys most fashionable baby depot.

[Guest Phenom]

The idea was to debate Val Venis at first. As some people know, Venis is a staunch Libertarian and very smart when it comes to the subject, particularly when it comes to being strongly Anti-union.

That's a good idea. One of the best WWE wrestlers in the past 5 years against someone who never made it past mid-card.

 

At least they went with JBL. Nothing says, "Conservative Bullshit" like JBL.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I thought Venis was a Staunch Conservative.

[Guest wildpegasus]

"The company wants fans to pick Michaels, who HHH himself wants to work with once again..."

 

Yeah, I just had to say this

 

It's the feud that never ends

It goes on and on my friend

Some people starting fighting it not knowing what it was

And they'll continue fighting it forever

Just because it's the feud that never ends

It goes on and on my friend

Some ..

[Guest GreatOne]

Are they necessarily feuding if they have a throwaway random PPV match?

 

It's not like when Luger wrestled Flair on Nitro in March '98 it was 'OMG THEY'RE STILL FEUDING!!!!!!

 

I think as long as they have 'face group A' against 'heel group A' and Michaels is gonna be at least in the upper midcard, it's pretty realistic to assume that he'll interact with HHH at some point especially if that's what they do at Survivor Series (Orton/Benoit/Edge/Benjamin/Michaels vs Evolution/Christian/Tomko).

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

If Michaels gets the PPV match against Triple H I bet they'll feud till Orton wins the RR.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

The last thing we need is another HHH/HBK circle jerk, where they needlessly bleed all over the ring in order to add "drama" to the match. But, hey, they'll bill it as 15 YEARS IN THE MAKING!!1!11!!

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

C'mon, each time they wrestle it's more years in the making.

 

"HBK and HHH, 20 years in the making!"

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Well, last time it was 10, so I just upped it by 5. I was thinking about making it 25 originally.

[Promoter 0]

It has been going on since the beginning of time. The feud between the "greatest performer of all-time" and the "greatest world heavyweight champion of all-time". I mean who are we to dispute Ric Flair. He is qualified after all isn't he?

[Guest suplexmasta]

I thought Venis was a Staunch Conservative.

Libertarians can be either conservative or liberal, depending on the person. It isn't like a Democratic platform where it's all geared to liberals, or a Republican platform where it's geared towards conservatives. The libertatian platform is centrist, and has portions geared towards both sides of the political spectrum.

 

I, for one, am a conservative libertarian, in that I am financially conservative (no new taxes!), but socially liberal (legalize it!).

[JoeDirt 0]

Ahhh, so Billy Gunn is in rehab.

 

You know, with Angle/Taker scheduled for WM, either Angle's streak of losing the main Smackdown match at WM is going to have to end, or Taker's WM streak. I guess Angle is losing again this year!

[Promoter 0]

You know, with Angle/Taker scheduled for WM, either Angle's streak of losing the main Smackdown match at WM is going to have to end, or Taker's WM streak. I guess Angle is losing again this year!

I suppose that is going to be the selling point of UT/Angle and it is a good one(still think it shouldn't be a title match), but really Taker is going to lose the milestone for no reason? If this indeed are the two main title matches for Mania I guess people will be asking for Rock/HBK. That wouldn't be too shabby a card with those three matches on top. I still want HBK/Angle though.

 

I wonder how the creative team has this mapped out. If I was told to do UT/Angle at Mania 21 I suppose it can go like this from what is currently happening.

 

Big Show defeats JBL at Survivor Series. You have Big Show make claims that he never loses wwe title matches at Survivor Series. Angle gets his victory back by winning the title from Big Show which would explain the clean job on sunday. More likely at Royal Rumble.

 

Randy Orton goes over Ric Flair at Taboo Tuesday. We get a Survivor Series match with Evolution vs. Orton/Benoit/Benjamin. I bet Edge joins Evolution after fans don't pick him to face Trips at Taboo Tuesday. Orton goes over Batista at either the December ppv or the January ppv. He then goes on to win the Rumble.

 

Angle talks smack about not wanting to lose another main event match at Mania and Undertaker shows up with his undefeated streak promo. The two matches are set.

 

The Rock comes back and challenges Shawn Michaels in an icon vs. icon match like Hogan/Rock. In the perfect world we get heel persona Shawn against "hollywood" Rock, but we'll get both pansy face characters. Benoit may face Jericho for the IC title. They may keep the I-C title on Jericho to prevent any backlash of not doing Jericho/HHH for Mania. Jericho would have to face a challenger being champion.

[humongous2002 0]

After reading on what's going on with the WWE backstage all I want to say is that it's not getting any better, Orton getting push down our throats over and over, JBL still WWE champion, RVD stuck in a tag team, Booker being turned face after he was a heel for a few months, Angle and Trips being assholes backstage, and Luther/Jindrak getting a push? I truly hate the WWE.

[Guest GreatOne]

With a few of those I'm tempted to say 'and the problem is...............?'

[Guest Phenom]

C'mon, each time they wrestle it's more years in the making.

 

"HBK and HHH, 20 years in the making!"

Al Snow: Welcome to WrestleMania XXX, where the HHH vs. HBK feud has come to the absolute, definitive, 110% Final Match, we swear! Don't beleive us? Well, it's a Hell in a Cell/Lumberjack/Last Ride/Bullrope Match! We have no idea how it'll work, but we'll do anything for $55 of your hard-earned money!

[Guest Quik]

Am I the only one who really cringes now every time Michaels comes out? They act like he's still massively over, but the pops are dwindling, he's going bald, and he looks like he weighs 170 pounds. It's real awkward watching him wrestle, especially in these big matches against guys who are, y'know... in shape and don't look like 45 year-old washed-up wrestlers.

[Guest krazykat72]

Am I the only one who really cringes now every time Michaels comes out? They act like he's still massively over, but the pops are dwindling, he's going bald, and he looks like he weighs 170 pounds. It's real awkward watching him wrestle, especially in these big matches against guys who are, y'know... in shape and don't look like 45 year-old washed-up wrestlers.

please....whether you want to admit it or not, he's consistently the most over guy on RAW. I don't think he should be wrestling for the title, but he's still in very good physical shape and still puts on very good matches.

 

 

-Paul Jacobi-