The return of Matt Hardy!!!

[snuffbox 0]

Purpose two--To make Adam Copeland, Amy Dumas, and the WWE regret what they did to me, what they did to us.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The irony is that what Edge and Lita 'did' to Matt Hardy made him more popular than he's ever been in his career and has inadvertedly put him in a high-profile feud when he would have surely been floundering in the midcard otherwise.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

which is where he'll return once they've sapped one or two PPVs out of this lame fued...hopefully they cut all 3 of them once this is all over...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Im willing to give them the benefit of the doubt with this feud after how well they put together the angle on Raw.

 

And, even if they do end up releasing Matt down the road again, his stock will be even higher after this.

[Precious Roy 0]

I mean, you have to draw people in to want to PAY to see the blowoff Hardy/Edge match. Do you keep Matt offscreen and play up the "this is real" side of it, how much should be acknowledged, how should Matt be brought back in officially, how much "insider" info should be used on TV for this? What shouldn't be brought up that'll fly over casual fans heads.

 

I can't handle reading through 4 pages of this, so I don't know if it's been suggested, but I think you need to go pretty slow with things. Keep going with the idea that Matt isn't under contract, keeping his Indy dates is a nice touch and Matt should keep talking about that, have Edge and Bischoff put this over and claim he'll never get that close to Edge and Lita again, hold off a few weeks w/ Edge & Lita taunting him a bit but also acting paranoid about him showing up, find a way to pull off a KILLER angle with Matt getting to Lita and scaring the shit out of her (this is where they need to channel Stone Cold), and build to the match from there with Edge demanding an unsactioned match or something. I actually think it's better if they hold off on the match for now and just do the DDP/Taker "confrontation" at SummerSlam, without the squashing of course, and do the first real match on the next RAW ppv. Ideally they should get two big PPV matches out of this, and I think they'll ultimately have Edge going over as the final step to building him for the main-event, so the key is really getting Matt over as a hot character to the point where it won't matter when he loses the last match, and everyone wins.

 

That said, I'm more excited about Jericho getting a main-event

[redbaron29 0]

I actually feel bad for Jericho getting his first singles title shot in years and having to do it on the same ppv as this angle

[nl5xsk1 0]

Well since we are throwing out "what if's," how about at least some of the wrestlers recently released are tied in to this loosely? 

 

You already have Shannon Moore, who is Hardy's good friend.  Add the fact that Matt Morgan was out of nowhere and needed to have a different gimmick, the Dudleyz are needed for the tag scene, and Spike cut the same kind of promo as Matt, etc.  I'm not saying have them get involved in the Hardy/Edge/Lita program, but have them be inspired by Matt and do similar things leading to a new age in the WWE, or as heavily thought, part of an anti-WWE ECW.

 

 

Just some more fantasy to think about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Let me be the first to say it ... Bret Hart is going to lead the invasion.

 

And - in a completely unrelated note - the level of 'smart' in smartmarks is pretty damn low in this post. Guys, I understand wanting it to be real ... but it's not. It's a work, 100%.

[Boon 0]

OH NOES BRET HART COMING BACK! OH NOES!

[redbaron29 0]

BrET HaRTz!!!! OMGZ

 

 

although isnt RAW in Phily next week?

[Precious Roy 0]

I actually feel bad for Jericho getting his first singles title shot in years and having to do it on the same ppv as this angle

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah, but personally I don't give a shit about Edge/Matt Hardy. I hope it's done well and is entertaining, but they're not getting my money based on it. A Jericho world title match is the first thing they've booked this year that I would consider ordering a PPV solely to see. I realize that Matt/Edge should and probably will draw quite well, but Jericho's drawing power shouldn't be discounted. It's plain silly that they've keep Jericho down for so long. I'm not the biggest John Cena fan, but it's hard to put on a bad match with a face as hot as he is, and I think Cena can step up his game enough to really give Jericho a good match. Just Jericho on dick heel offense combined with the heat for Cena should be enough to carry it to ***, anything else is gravy.

[Guest KingofHarts]

And - in a completely unrelated note - the level of 'smart' in smartmarks is pretty damn low in this post. Guys, I understand wanting it to be real ... but it's not. It's a work, 100%.

 

I think the main problem is most people on this board want to believe its a shoot, because we are supposed to be smarts, nobody wants to admit the WWE could catch us completely off guard. Ecspecially with Steph doing the writing.

[dubq 0]

Definitely a work, IMO. And kudos to all involved for pulling it off. It's nice to be legit surprised once in a while.

[Guest jumpingbombangel]

And - in a completely unrelated note - the level of 'smart' in smartmarks is pretty damn low in this post. Guys, I understand wanting it to be real ... but it's not. It's a work, 100%.

 

I think the main problem is most people on this board want to believe its a shoot, because we are supposed to be smarts, nobody wants to admit the WWE could catch us completely off guard. Ecspecially with Steph doing the writing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Unless you hadn't signed on all day or visited any wrestling forums in the last two weeks, it wasn't THAT big of a surprise, ya'll. People have been speculating a Matt Hardy worked return on forums ever since the news broke that Matt and Lita broke up. If anyone was completely caught off guard it was the casual fans that probably wouldn't even know Stephanie holds the ball(s).

 

The shock of it all is that the WWE would actually do this. That's where my surprise came from. The pleasure is in that if they're willing to extend this much of a view-haloo to the internet, then to what other ends will they go?

[redbaron29 0]

The shock of it all is that the WWE would actually do this. That's where my surprise came from. The pleasure is in that if they're willing to extend this much of a view-haloo to the internet, then to what other ends will they go?

 

See thats where I tend to disagree. See sure the smart fans are getting the fued they want but I dont think thats the E's angle on this. See there are marks out there who will buy this, even on this board. Its like the people who will say "wrestling is fake, but this is real" That is where they are gonna play up this fued, and thats why they went with the full blown arrest, and WWE.com blackout of the situation, but in the heads of creative this is in no way playing up to the smarts or the IWC.

[Guest jumpingbombangel]

The shock of it all is that the WWE would actually do this. That's where my surprise came from. The pleasure is in that if they're willing to extend this much of a view-haloo to the internet, then to what other ends will they go?

 

See thats where I tend to disagree. See sure the smart fans are getting the fued they want but I dont think thats the E's angle on this. See there are marks out there who will buy this, even on this board. Its like the people who will say "wrestling is fake, but this is real" That is where they are gonna play up this fued, and thats why they went with the full blown arrest, and WWE.com blackout of the situation, but in the heads of creative this is in no way playing up to the smarts or the IWC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They're not playing up to smarts, they're just saying "hey, we know you've heard about THIS one..."

 

What I'm saying is yes, they're purposely drilling a hole through the 4th wall in giving us this type of "reality" angle. However, as an internet fan, the whole thing just makes me feel...I dunno, more included, since I've seen all this play out in front of my computer screen.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

The Michaels collapse was a little better than this (that fooled almost everyone), but this is a very, very close 2nd.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

In November 95, Michaels 'passed out' during the middle of a match, allegedly as a result from an Owen Hart enziguri the week previous.

 

I vividly remember Vinny Mac saying 'Even Michael's opponent, Owen Hart(who had just been thrown out of the ring by HBK) stopped and was clearly concerned for HBK".

 

Which added some belief to it. From what I've seen/heard/read about Owen, it was plausible.

 

As for last night, the attack before the match was buy-able as a shoot,(even with Lita's awful acting). Once they hit the next commercial, I knew it was a work.

[caboose 0]

Two things that have crossed my mind after last night:

 

1) Edge has to lose this feud else, Hardy is finished as a character. If Edge was to still come out on top, Hardy looks like a bitch.

 

AND

 

2) The actual showdown match cannot be a normal WWF/E brawl. The match has to be different. If Hardy and Edge end up having a typical match it will make no sense in the context of the feud.

[Guest Big_Jay101]

It is kind of weird because they bring Matt in to do what Kane was already doing and the fans then wonder why Matt is mad at Edge he should be mad at Kane and then Kane at Edge. Storyline wise anyways.

[Black Lushus 0]

the timing of it was the shock, not the fact that it happened...I hadn't been online since about 3:30ish yesterday and I hadn't read any wrestling news sites the past few days so I didn't see the early report that he was supposed to be there, so at first it was a WTF moment...oh and didn't he call her Lita? if it was real you think he'd call her Amy, so there's one more work/shoot point...

[Black Lushus 0]

Two things that have crossed my mind after last night:

 

1) Edge has to lose this fued else, Hardy is finished as a character. If Edge was to still come out on top, Hardy looks like a bitch.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree...

 

there's no real way to have BOTH men come out of this thing looking good...if Hardy loses, he looks like a little bitch that can't defend his own honor...if Edge loses, a trend he's been on a lot lately, he will continue to look less and less like a threat for whoever the world champ is once he decides to use his MITB shot...

[Boon 0]

The pleasure is in that if they're willing to extend this much of a view-haloo to the internet, then to what other ends will they go?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Didn't you read?! OMFGz0r BRET HART CUMING BACK OMG PUSH BENOIT OMG I HATE HHH

 

Anyway- I concur w/ those who are pleasantly surprised- I didn't think the WWE had it in them to come up with something rather, well, surprising.

[redbaron29 0]

From WWE.com

 

Following the events that occurred Monday night on RAW involving Matt Hardy, Lita and Edge, Hardy has posted comments on his own personal Web site.

 

In his comments, Hardy attempts to explain the reasoning behind his actions. According to Hardy, it's time stand up for those that chanted his name. Click here for more of Hardy's comments.

 

I guess they are gonna comment on it

[JoeDirt 0]

Meltzer wrote this:

 

Although I'm sure most everyone has figured it out by now, what happened last night involving Matt Hardy was a planned part of the wrestling show.

 

In hindsight, it's been pretty clear ever since they played his music at the wedding that WWE had a deal with him to return. The WWE simply isn't that stupid. I have to give Matt Hardy credit in that the internet posts he wrote last week were very clever, enough to where I actually thought he was going to TNA and turning down the best potential angle in his career for the chance to fully control his life and schedule. The only problem has always been his failure to commit to doing TNA and failure to commit to new indy bookings over the past few weeks from people who had agreed to his price. He will make his indy bookings he had agreed to up to this point, from what we understand. It is possible he may commit to some new ones if he and the company will attempt to go to great lengths to get over that he's not with the company. At this point, they really need to make it as believable as possible on television, without insulting people's intelligence off televisoin by trying to believe everyone's hand hasn't been tipped.

 

As to when the deal was made for him to return, certainly most evidence indicates before June 20th, and likely by June 13th, as that was the date it seemed pretty evident to me it would turn into an angle. It is possible it was planned dating back longer than that. Last night's deal was well done in the ring. But if this was a longer and more elaborate work, I can't believe they'd have given it away by teasing the brawl with the Hardy music footage early, and the brawl backstage before the main brawl gave away the main brawl before it started. Taking him backstage as opposed to out the door was a technical mistake I was shocked they made. It's a minor point overall, but consideing how much thought had been put into other aspects, I was surprised at the minor points of execution considering what was trying to be portrayed. At some point stopping shooting him as if an order was made to not air this on the show (making sure he got his face time in with the idea in the chaos nobody at first knew how to react) would have at least allowed people to question whether it was or wasn't supposed to be on the show.

 

It's clear everyone involved believes they can continue the work and people will believe it, from the WWE web site not acknowledging it, and Hardy trying to put it over as a shoot. For WWE's site to continue the work is fine and good, and it should, as that's the job of the company. For Hardy, under his own name, to insist on his own site to his own fans, when everyone knows better, is going to turn pathetic in a hurry.

 

It will be interesting how he plays it on Saturday at the ROH show. It'll be interesting how the crowd reacts as well. If he tries to put over what happened as a shoot and cuts an anti-WWE promo, I could see the crowd turning on him like they did when Shane Douglas claimed he turned down appearing at the ECW PPV when the live crowd all knew the TNA contracted performers were never offered a slot to begin with. Hopefully in the end, Matt Hardy's most brilliant work won't end with the sad sight that the person being worked the most is Matt, when he doesn't realize from this point forward, you can make it as real as possible on television, but from this point forward, if you try and go any farther with "it's a shoot, really, still," the worker ends up working mostly himself.

[notJames 0]

So now can we stop with the "worked shoot OMG 4 realz!!!" shit? It's obvious it's all a work.

 

As for Hardy's involvement with ROH and TNA, one has a working relationship with WW_, and the other is small potatoes. Vince is not afraid to let Hardy show up at TNA's PPV because they're not a threat. No way, no day.

 

It's a great day to be a wrestling fan.

[nl5xsk1 0]

oh and didn't he call her Lita?  if it was real you think he'd call her Amy, so there's one more work/shoot point...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd just guess that he fucked up in the heat of the moment ... he remembered to call Edge by his real name but just screwed up when he called Lita by her 'stage name'. I figure he's spent the last few years reminding himself to refer to her by her wrestling name while at a wrestling event and then just slipped up and forgot that he was allowed to/supposed to call her "Amy".

[goldengreek 0]

oh and didn't he call her Lita?  if it was real you think he'd call her Amy, so there's one more work/shoot point...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd just guess that he fucked up in the heat of the moment ... he remembered to call Edge by his real name but just screwed up when he called Lita by her 'stage name'. I figure he's spent the last few years reminding himself to refer to her by her wrestling name while at a wrestling event and then just slipped up and forgot that he was allowed to/supposed to call her "Amy".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was a work people!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wake the f* up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Precious Roy 0]

Hopefully in the end, Matt Hardy's most brilliant work won't end with the sad sight that the person being worked the most is Matt, when he doesn't realize from this point forward, you can make it as real as possible on television, but from this point forward, if you try and go any farther with "it's a shoot, really, still," the worker ends up working mostly himself.

 

I hope Hardy reads that, because he's already come off lame enough with the emo poser kufi shit, it would just be sad to see the ROH fans turn on him due to a botched promo

[dubq 0]

So, how far back does this extend in terms of being a work? Obviously everything from last night was, but was his initial release a work? Was Edge fucking Lita and getting shit on by Johnny Ace a work? Or am I potentially giving the WEEWEE writers too much credit?

[Boon 0]

That'd be one fucked up angle for them to come up with on their own. And why put Kane in Matt's place? I think the cheating events were probably real, they canned Matt, then once they realized that it was interesting to the fans, tried it out w/ Kane, then went for it.

[nl5xsk1 0]

oh and didn't he call her Lita?  if it was real you think he'd call her Amy, so there's one more work/shoot point...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd just guess that he fucked up in the heat of the moment ... he remembered to call Edge by his real name but just screwed up when he called Lita by her 'stage name'. I figure he's spent the last few years reminding himself to refer to her by her wrestling name while at a wrestling event and then just slipped up and forgot that he was allowed to/supposed to call her "Amy".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was a work people!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wake the f* up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ummm, why'd you quote me? My entire post indicated that I'm well aware that it's not a shoot ...

[Lord of The Curry 0]

If they're any kind of smart that match at SummerSlam will be billed as Adam Copeland vs Matt Hardy. Matt can cut a promo talking about how Edge is just another aspect of Adams life but it was Adam himself who wronged him so that's who he's coming for. Ditto for using Amy Dumas.

 

BTW, if anybody here is going to SummerSlam this year and can get a "Lita is a Dumas" sign on camera that'd be awesome. I'd love for this to become a trend.

[Dandy 0]

Well since we are throwing out "what if's," how about at least some of the wrestlers recently released are tied in to this loosely? 

 

You already have Shannon Moore, who is Hardy's good friend.  Add the fact that Matt Morgan was out of nowhere and needed to have a different gimmick, the Dudleyz are needed for the tag scene, and Spike cut the same kind of promo as Matt, etc.  I'm not saying have them get involved in the Hardy/Edge/Lita program, but have them be inspired by Matt and do similar things leading to a new age in the WWE, or as heavily thought, part of an anti-WWE ECW.

 

 

Just some more fantasy to think about.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Let me be the first to say it ... Bret Hart is going to lead the invasion.

 

And - in a completely unrelated note - the level of 'smart' in smartmarks is pretty damn low in this post. Guys, I understand wanting it to be real ... but it's not. It's a work, 100%.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I'm sorry, maybe you didn't see where I said "since we are throwing out *what if's.*" If you read my posts in this thread, you will see that I am almost 100% sure that everything is a work. EVERYTHING from last night. The punches, what he said, EVERYTHING. There are several people on here that have posted more ridiculous things about this angle and you picked out the post where I came up with a fantasy angle?

 

Is it impossible to believe that during their releases, WWE announced a couple of releases that they didn't actually plan on releasing? It is very, very improbable, but not impossible.

 

Everyone else was posting all these different conspiracy theories that are far-fetched, and I was helping debunk a lot of them, or discuss a lot of them. I also threw out a far-fetched conspiracy theory myself for fun.

 

I'm sorry that you feel you must label me as dumb, but I fail to see how contributing an idea that would be a nice ripple effect from this one is not "smart." I will run everything by you and a few others before making any further posts so I won't take the "smart" out of smartmarks.

[nl5xsk1 0]

Imarkout4eldandy ... I really meant it when I said "in an unrelated note" ... I wasn't calling you dumb. I made the Bret Hart joke because it's an old-ass joke, and all the rags used to throw that out everytime they wanted something hot as a rumor.

 

A bunch of the other "OMG, it's a shoot" posts made by other people were indeed dumb to me. But yours was not.