OAO Great American Bash Thread

[Angle-plex 0]

That would create no interest in the match, though. The way Rey's been doing anything that Eddie wants, most people would think that Rey just goes in and lays down, which kind of defeats the purpose of a match.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

But Eddie has leverage over Rey, so shouldn't he be using it for his own benefit? How does it benefit Eddie to reveal the secret to Rey if he has already beaten Rey?

 

The better thing to do would have been to make Rey/Eddie a number one contender match for the World Title at SummerSlam, then Eddie saying that if Rey won he would reveal the secret. That would create interest to see how Rey would react during the match.

[Downhome 0]

From PWInsider:

 

Judd sent this. ... I'm not sure if any of you saw this on WWE.com but in the video preview for the Muhammad Hassan vs. Undertaker match tomorrow night at the Great American Bash the "terrorism" (unless you work for WWE apparently) angle is shown again. The video ends with the whole angle repeated only this time there is a voice singing in Arabic.  Thanks to Brian Keir for also sending it along.

 

Go check that out people. The singing, mixed with the wind sound effect, makes this look about a million times worse than it did when it was aired live.

 

 

Also from PWInsider:

 

Devin Cutting sent this one. ... Rey Mysterio has taken control his website back from Eddie Guerrero and posted a message for Eddie on the splash page.

 

http://www.reymysterio.com/

[Dangerous A 0]

Nothing blow away at all on this show. Are they trying to make SD bad? Keep promoting shows like this and I'll start to believe it.

 

NoCalMike, I kind of feel the same way you do. (since I am one of the guys in the group and all)

 

Here are my thoughts and predicitons...

 

 

World Championship

Batista © vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

This will actually test JBL more than Batista since Batista isn't the one who will be pacing the match, it'll be Bradshaw. With the new revelations about the Hassan character, they may end this in a schmozz of some kind if they don't want to do Batista/Taker yet.

 

 

WWE Tag Team Championship

MNM © vs. Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich

This can't be anything but bad. Animal looks to have eaten a small child. Heidenreich is one of the top 3 worse workers in the company. Nitro has the same amount of offense as Carlito and Mercury is decent, but can't work for 4. We should all pray this ends in less than 5 minutes.

 

 

U.S. Championship

Orlando Jordan © vs. Chris Benoit

As RRR brought up, this actually takes Benoit down a peg since he should be in the World title hunt, not fighting for the most poorly protected championship against the most poorly protected champion. Still, Orlando is nowhere near the level of Benoit and has no business on SD or Raw. This should basically be one huge squash since Orlando has no credibility whatsoever. I normally don't advocate squashes or not making guys look good, but this is one instance where Benoit needs to go into business for himself and kill this idiot.

 

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio.

If Eddie wins, he will tell Rey's "secret". If he loses, he will never reveal it.

For WrestleCrap reasons, I am morbidly curious as to what this secret is. I can damn near guarantee it won't help either man one iota and may help destroy one or both of them. They are not going to do anything in the ring that they haven't already done or we haven't already seen, so I don't expect the in ring work to suck, but it also won't blow me away.

 

Number One Contender Match

The Undertaker vs. Muhammad Hassan

The ONLY reason I have an interest in this is to see a) if they write off Hassan as a character and b) if they do, will they kill him as in a squash match or literally kill him a la Paul Bearer? Other than that, this match will stink. Unless Hassan let's UT take him by the hand and walks him through a watchable match, this thing has no prayer of being anything but a bad match. UT couldn't do anything with Heidenreich, and Hassan is as bad as Heidenreich in the ring.

 

Bra & Panties Match

Special Referee: Candice Michelle

Melina vs. Torrie Wilson

This has zero appeal to me. I've already as much as I'm going to see from these women in regards to skin. Hell, I've already seen Torrie naked. What makes this match any more appealing than the other B & P matches? It's filler and I get that we "have" to have this crap on the show, it's just that since we've already seen everything there is to see skinwise from these women, why waste my time?

 

Booker T vs. Christian

A nothing match. Even if they turned Christian face or Booker heel, where is it really going to go in the big picture? This is spinning the wheels in the mud if I've ever seen it in regards to these 2 guys careers. Look at it this way, if Booker wins, who cares? If Christian wins, who cares? They've positioned as unimportant and it's obvious that Creative doens't care about them. So why should I? Because the IWC likes them? Methinks not.

 

The Mexicools vs. The BWO

I like the Mexicools and don't hate the BWO, so hopefully this can at least be fun. Other than that, I don't have any real expectations either way for this match

[death_by_burrito 0]

World Championship

Batista © vs. John Bradshaw Layfield

Batista wins this one in a brawl. Goes on to face UT at SS.

 

 

WWE Tag Team Championship

MNM © vs. Road Warrior Animal & Heidenreich

There is no reason for Animal and Heidenreich to win this one. MNM had some pretty good momentum up until getting mixed up with Heidenreich. MNM gets the victory.

 

 

U.S. Championship

Orlando Jordan © vs. Chris Benoit

Benoit takes OJ to school in this one and gets the victory. Sad that Benoit is taken down to the midcard, but hopefully this will lead to Benoit v. Christian for the title at SS.

 

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio.

Rey wins, but afterwords Eddie beats him down and tells the secret anyway, leading to another match at SS. It's obvious Eddie is Dominic's real father, so it would be cool if Rey's son turned on him ala Raven/Sandman in ECW.

 

Number One Contender Match

The Undertaker vs. Muhammad Hassan

'Taker wins this one and destroys Hassan, never to be seen again (until being repackaged). It would be cool if during the match, the lights go out and come back on and Brock Lesnar lays them both out (also destroying Hassan, sending him packing) and this match ends in double DQ. Than SS ends up being Taker/Batista/Lesnar instead of just Taker v. Batista. Prolly won't happen though

 

Bra & Panties Match

Special Referee: Candice Michelle

Melina vs. Torrie Wilson

Who cares. As someone else already pointed out, we've already seen as much skin from these chicks as possible. Torrie wins with help from Candice.

 

Booker T vs. Christian

Christian wins after hitting Booker with the chair then Unprettier. He needs this win more than Booker does.

 

The Mexicools vs. The BWO

Mexicools have more of a future on SMDN! than BWO does, so Mexicools get the win. Afterwords, London comes out to get revenge on Juvi leading to London v. Juvi at SS (I hope).

[Angles Broken Fricken Neck 0]

From PWInsider:

 

Also from PWInsider:

 

Devin Cutting sent this one. ... Rey Mysterio has taken control his website back from Eddie Guerrero and posted a message for Eddie on the splash page.

 

http://www.reymysterio.com/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

wait now, threatining to tell the world a deadly secret that will ruin reys life is ok.. but "hacking" his website is crossing THE line?

[snuffbox 0]

Im guessing that GAB will lead to Taker vs. Bradshaw vs. Batista at SummerSlam.

[Guest Ransome]

Batista vs JBL

Winner: JBL

 

Orlando Jordan vs Benoit

Winner: Benoit. This is, of course, a lose-lose situation; if Benoit wins, he's tied down to the doomed US division, but he simply can't be pinned by Jordan nor can Jordan's interminable title reign continue any further.

 

MNM vs Animal/Heidenreich

Winner: MNM. I imagine we'll see Heidenreich in Road Warrior makeup and attire, but I feel it would greatly damage MNM if Animal/Heidenreich were allowed to win the titles here just to add a meaningless footnote to the Road Warriors legacy.

 

Eddie vs Rey

Winner: Eddie.

 

Undertaker vs Hassan

Winner: Undertaker. I imagine they'll do away with Hassan in a cheesy manner, say, by burying him alive or some such.

 

Melina vs Candice

Winner: Melina

 

Booker T vs Christian

Winner: Christian

 

Mexicools vs bWo

Winner: Mexicools.

 

All in all, a terrible line-up, but the continuation of Eddie-Rey, the end of Hassan (hopefully) and the Mexicools should be worth seeing.

[SuperJerk 0]

Bra & Panties Match

Special Referee: Candice Michelle

Melina vs. Torrie Wilson

This has zero appeal to me. I've already as much as I'm going to see from these women in regards to skin. Hell, I've already seen Torrie naked. What makes this match any more appealing than the other B & P matches? It's filler and I get that we "have" to have this crap on the show, it's just that since we've already seen everything there is to see skinwise from these women, why waste my time?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I realized, if the heel in this match had been Sable instead of Melina, it'd be the first match in the history of professional wrestling where the face, the heel, and the ref had all appeared in published nude photographs.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

If JBL wins, Batista can use his "rematch clause" and Undertaker beats Hassan. Then you have Taker v. JBL v. Batista at Summerslam for the belt and you can add Randy Orton to the mix as well. I would be interested to see that match.

[cabbageboy 0]

JBL beating Batista would make Batista look really horrible though. We just saw Cena destroy JBL on 2 PPVs, so Batista has to beat him down as well or look a lot weaker.

 

I say just do Batista/UT at SummerSlam. If they want have Orton run in there to cost the Taker, or at least attempt to.

[Boon 0]

[praying for a Brock Lesnar run-in, anytime throughout the show]

[Guest Deadbolt]

Concerning Benoit, I don't see it as a step down for Benoit like everyone else do but rather as a step up for the title since someone of Benoit's caliber finds the tille to be important, then maybe it is. Maybe he should be in the world title hunt but most months the champ and one contender are in the big picture so I'd rather Benoit be involved with a lesser title than not have involvment at all.

[Dangerous A 0]

The problem with that is Creative doesn't think the US title is important, so they don't book it properly and it ends up looking bad. Even when Cena had the title, it didn't mean shit and it was more Cena being over than him having the title. The US champs before and after Cena have all been forgotten.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Concerning Benoit, I don't see it as a step down for Benoit like everyone else do but rather as a step up for the title since someone of Benoit's caliber finds the tille to be important, then maybe it is. Maybe he should be in the world title hunt but most months the champ and one contender are in the big picture so I'd rather Benoit be involved with a lesser title than not have involvment at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

If you can name me one time since he's come to Smackdown that Benoit has expressed the smallest amount of interest in the US Title then what you're saying might hold water.

[Just John 0]

He did agree to compete in a #1 contender match, so he must think highly of the belt.

 

Actually, this is just a way to get Benoit on the show. He didn't have an angle, and while people are upset that Benoit is back in the midcard, I imagine the outrage would be bigger if he were left off the show completely.

[CanadianChick 0]

Well they could of at least made the effort for the two to interact, even if it was just once. Even as something as simple as Benoit saying he's sick of how the US belt is being degraded and he'll put some prestigue in it, blah blah blah.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

Yeah true, they didn't even do that. Good thing is if Benoit wins the belt it'll be more prestigious and if he feuds with JBL for the US Title it'll make the title seem almost as important as the WWE Title because JBL held the WWE Title a long time and he has been main eventing SD! for a year now.

 

Man would I mark out for a Brock Lesnar return, oh my god I would just dance like a little bitch. Thing is I don't think he'll return to the WWE at GAB. First of all: why? Why would he return now. Only thing I can see Lesnar doing is going after Batista and I think it'll happen either at Summerslam or Survivor Series. Lesnar has ring rust. If he appears tonight he'll interrupt the JBL/Batista match and the only thing I can see happening then is Batista/Taker/Orton/Lesnar at Summerslam for the WWE Title what IMO would seriously RULE but the WWE isn't smart so it won't happen.

 

I'm exited about the PPV tonight.

[Just John 0]

I really can't figure it out by looking at the card, but I am quite interested in the show. If I could get some friends together, I'd strongly consider buying it. I think the Eddie secret and the intrigue on how they deal with Hassan are the selling points for me. I could see Eddie/Rey, Benoit/OJ, and the 6-man all being 3+ stars if done right.

 

Another possible factor for my interest is that every guy (or girl) on my fantasy team has a match tonight.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

He did agree to compete in a #1 contender match, so he must think highly of the belt.

 

Actually, this is just a way to get Benoit on the show. He didn't have an angle, and while people are upset that Benoit is back in the midcard, I imagine the outrage would be bigger if he were left off the show completely.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

He agreed to nothing. Did we see Teddy Long talking with Booker or Benoit beforehand? No. Did we see Booker or Benoit alone mentioning the US Title or the match? No. This is easily the worst-booked title feud in a long, long time. And I'm being generous with the use of the word "feud".

[SuperJerk 0]

The only interaction I remember Benoit and Jordan having was Benoit attacking Jordan during the Undertaker/JBL match on the 6/16 episode. That was over a fucking month ago.

[gWIL 0]

I'm hoping for a swerve and Hassan gets the win.

[Just John 0]

He agreed to nothing. Did we see Teddy Long talking with Booker or Benoit beforehand? No. Did we see Booker or Benoit alone mentioning the US Title or the match? No. This is easily the worst-booked title feud in a long, long time. And I'm being generous with the use of the word "feud".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I wasn't being completely serious with my reasoning, just grasping for straws to justify the match. Although I don't think there always has to be a feud necessarily for a title match to take place, I agree that there should have been some interaction.

 

I think OJ should have cost Benoit his match against Eddie by hitting him in the leg with a foreign object. That kind of levels the playing field for the Benoit/OJ match, and creates a little interest, as well as giving the SD match a better ending that it desperately needed.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

If you're grasping for straws then you probably have nothing to justify.

 

They should've had Benoit and OJ brush shoulders with each other backstage the night Benoit debuted.

 

*Benoit gives Jordan a death glare. Jordan brushes the dirt off his shoulder*

 

Cole: I think these two are going to have a problem with each other!

 

Tazz: Awwww, big time heat between Benoit and OJ!

[Downhome 0]

For once, I don't care that the Benoit/OJ match doesn't have any type of storyline to it. The point of the match is one of two things:

 

1) To finally get the belt off of OJ, and to hand it off to Benoit so he can move and hopefully make the belt seem important again. His winning it will not be what does that, which is why there isn't no feud for the match. All of that will come with what Benoit does with the title, his future feuds, etc... A Benoit/JBL feud over the US title would work perfectly, and would make a lot of sense.

 

2) The Benoit/OJ match is just a pawn in a greater plan. We could see JBL help OJ defeat Benoit, which could then lead to a JBL/Benoit feud without a belt even being in the picture. The Benoit/OJ match could just be the setting for the JBL attack to take place, which could explain why there isn't any interaction going on betwen Benoit and OJ.

 

Now I hope to God choice #1 is what we'll be seeing. I don't know about everyone else here, but I really am glad that Benoit/OJ isn't an actual feud. Who wants to see Benoit get tossed into an actual feud with that guy? I sure as hell don't. Let's just have Benoit kick OJ's ass, and then move on to doing bigger things with the title.

 

This isn't the first time that a match for a title has taken place without a feud involved. I could think of quite a few times where they did the same thing only to get the title off of the other guy, and to keep it growing into a long term deal.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

"Make the title seem important again"

 

There is one gigantic flaw in that statement: The title has never meant anything.

[Downhome 0]

Once upon a time the US title most certainly was important.

 

Now maybe not at any point of it being involved with WWF/WWE, but at a point nonetheless.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

So, Benoit wins the title and then JBL calls him out on the fact that he's Canadian? Awesome. If not for the whole "From Atlanta, Georgia" thing they've been doing for well over a year now.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

A Benoit/JBL feud over the US title would work perfectly, and would make a lot of sense.

 

Zuh?

[King Cucaracha 0]

JBL and Benoit started a feud at the start of the draft and then kinda stopped for no reason. It gives Benoit something to do for Summerslam, drops JBL from the main event for a month or so. Plus, Benoit/JBL could be a pretty good match.

 

It's their best option for Benoit going into SS.

[Guest mdr1013]

"Make the title seem important again"

 

There is one gigantic flaw in that statement: The title has never meant anything.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The thing is, you're wrong. The title meant a lot in the old NWA days. The problem is, no one knows that because the WWE doesn't care about it. It used to be a stepping stone to the world title, in fact at one point in the Crockett promotion, the US champion was the #1 contender to the world title. Vince just doesn't see it the same way.

 

I think that Benoit can restore credibility to this belt and hopefully work his way back into the main event in the process. The only question is, how will they handle it?

 

 

 

Just for the hell of it, some former US Heavyweight Champions:

Harley Race

Ric Flair

Ricky Steamboat

Blackjack Mulligan

Jimmy Snuka

Greg Valentine

Roddy Piper

Magnum TA

Tully Blanchard

Dusty Rhodes

Barry Windham

Lex Luger

Sting

Rick Rude

Steve Austin

Vader

Bret Hart

 

not a bad list, huh?