Batista out indefinitely

[Guest JMA]

I had a bad feeling about Batista's injury. Hopefully he's only out for a few months. Who are they going to replace him with in the Survivor Series match, though?

[hyperchord24 0]

Ouch.

 

Considering his physique they might have to actually use a hook on the muscle to pull it down into place to be secured again. It may only keep him out 2 months but you can bet he'll be advised to stay away from the weights for a while so he doesn't tear it again. I hope he likes swimming.

 

The way this could work is have Batista out with an injury, have Eddie win the belt after "fighting in your honor, ese" and winning maybe an eight man tournament on SD. Eddie can defend the belt, cheating to win and reverting to his old ways, all the while telling Batista over the phone and backstage that he's keeping it warm for him until he's 100%. Eventually Batista comes back and Eddie says he's the real champ and he will give it to him in the ring, Eddie beats the piss out of Batista with the belt and they have a gimmick match (Last Man Standing?) at the Royal Rumble where Batista regains the belt after one of Eddie's attempts to cheat backfires. I'd buy that for a dollar.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As they here, WWE, hire this man.

 

This looks like a good angle. I think everyone's been waiting for the inevidable eddie heel turn, and this is the perfect way to do it.

 

Of course, the WWE are bumbling idiots, so they'll probably make batista drop it as quick and as uncerimoniously a match as possible (to avoid aggravating the injury) to the wrong guy, or just keep the belt on him and have something of the babyface version of the RNN. Both of which will fail

[Dogbert 0]

I will agree though that Gurrero should be a huge face again and the strap should go to him. It will make up for last years buriement.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

That might explain his wacky theories about Batista not being over.

[Carnival 0]

Whatever it takes to get the belt of the lame duck, I like.

[cameron chaos 0]

Batista would never accept the belt to just be handed to him after recovering from injury.  Eddy could just beat the snot out of him during a tag match or something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Who is to say? If he's saying all the time "I'm fighting for you, homes, this belt belongs to you, I'm just keeping it safe until the Animal is back" and trying to convince Batista he is sincere while subtly becoming more obsessed with the belt (changing the name plate over, instead of carrying it to the ring in his hands wearing it around his waist, slipping up in interviews and referring to it as "my belt") it could be built for 2-3 months as Eddie gets crazier and Batista becomes more suspicious.

[cabbageboy 0]

Well, this whole thing is very unfortunate since Batista has been just about the only stable thing in the company this year. For those who think Batista isn't over, hell, at least he hasn't had crowds turn on him like Cena.

 

I'd just put the title on Eddie right now, but with this Batista injury I honestly can't think of anything all that decent they can do with the Smackdown main event scene. There's just no "there" there. Put it on Eddie? Sounds good, who are his opponents? Put it on Orton? Why would this draw a dime?

 

If they aren't going to put it on Eddie I'd almost just shoot someone up the card (Lashley, Kennedy, whoever). Unlike Orton, those guys don't have the stigma of a previous title run that was a flop.

[hyperchord24 0]

The brand extension needs to end now. However, I understand the the WWE is making BUTT loads of money and from a financial standpoint would never end it. They need to though. The ME roster on both sides is not doing so well.

[Guest JMA]

The brand extension needs to end now.  However, I understand the the WWE is making BUTT loads of money and from a financial standpoint would never end it.  They need to though.  The ME roster on both sides is not doing so well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have to agree with you. And it's not just the main event roster that's doing bad; lets's not forget about the tag team division (or lack thereof) on boths shows.

[iliketurtles 0]

This would be the perfect time for Eddie to turn heel on Batista, that we've all been waiting for.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

Yeah but how are they even letting Batista lose the belt when he can't even take a normal hit? Maybe they should just acknowledge that he is injured and they vacate the belt resulting a tournament. Eddie Guerrero wins the belt and the brands unite after Survivor Series, Eddie versus Cena at Royal Rumble.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

More hopes that Batista jobs the title to Guerrero at SSeries (if they can stretch it out that long).

 

Slinging the title back on Randy Orton's green ass? Bad idea. Orton is, lets face it, a failure

 

I'm not a big Orton fan, but its bullshit how he was handled. I mean he defeats Chris Benoit clean for the title in one of the best matches of 2004 then has a lameduck reign only to go on a wild goose chase after HHH only to get turned against by the fans because they kept on bullshitting with the angle that even the people got tired of it. Orton was OVER and doing just fine until they did the Batista tease and booked NYR. If those 2 things never happened, Orton wouldn't have had a problem doing the usual face chase into Mania IMO. But then again, I'm glad in a way it did happen because I really enjoyed the first Orton / Taker encounter, well on PPV anyway.

[claydude14 0]

FUCK. This really sucks for Smackdown! Maybe if it goes on Eddy Benoit could step up from the midcard for a feud?

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Batista has done a solid job as champ and worked pretty hard. Here we have the problem that can occur if your champ is roided up with more muscle mass than his body is naturally designed to take.

 

Don't bet on Eddie getting the title back, given how reports were he couldn't handle the pressure last time. I *would* bet on Vince thinking "Hey, who's a reliable, company guy to turn to?"

 

His answer - JBL.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

I just read a "classic" RAW thread, it was the one where Orton just won the World Title. Everybody said it was an excellent RAW and it was one of the best turns EVER. You guys gave it so much praise and Orton was a part of it. The Orton/Benoit match on that RAW was good as well. Seriously, just because Orton didn't do everything damn near perfect doesn't mean he can't be a main eventer. I actually enjoy his work on SD!. His promos are solid, not bad not really good either, his matches are fine. He can actually have a good match if he wants to (against Taker, against Eddie Guerrero) so give him some more time and I think he can be a good Heel for the WWE. Ken Kennedy > Orton though but I mark for Kennedy.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

The thing is, with the way the injury occured, they could really use it to play up the whole brand feud going on right now...

 

I like the idea someone had of Eddy winning the title and defending it "in Batista's honor" or something, and then turning on him when he finally gets back. That would be a hot storyline.

[hyperchord24 0]

I just read a "classic" RAW thread, it was the one where Orton just won the World Title. Everybody said it was an excellent RAW and it was one of the best turns EVER. You guys gave it so much praise and Orton was a part of it. The Orton/Benoit match on that RAW was good as well. Seriously, just because Orton didn't do everything damn near perfect doesn't mean he can't be a main eventer. I actually enjoy his work on SD!. His promos are solid, not bad not really good either, his matches are fine. He can actually have a good match if he wants to (against Taker, against Eddie Guerrero) so give him some more time and I think he can be a good Heel for the WWE. Ken Kennedy > Orton though but I mark for Kennedy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really don't understand why everyone likes Mr. Kennedy . . . Kennedy. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy too . . . it's just that I don't know why? His pre-match theatrics make me giggle the way the rock used to do. I just don't get it.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

The thing about Kennedy is that he's a heel, but he doesn't have the generic "full of himself pretty boy" or "scary big man" gimmick that most of the heels in WWE have right now. The ring intro thing is something that hasn't really been done before in WWE, so it automatically sets him above most of Smackdown right now. Plus he's pretty solid in the ring and has a great, devastating looking, finisher.

[hyperchord24 0]

The thing about Kennedy is that he's a heel, but he doesn't have the generic "full of himself pretty boy" or "scary big man" gimmick that most of the heels in WWE have right now. The ring intro thing is something that hasn't really been done before in WWE, so it automatically sets him above most of Smackdown right now. Plus he's pretty solid in the ring and has a great, devastating looking, finisher.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see. Problem is that I think he does fit the "full of himself" role. Cole hates him b/c he's egotistical and cocky. Yuck. Also, they need to hype up and call out the name of the finisher when he does it. Inverted samoan drop from the 2nd turnbuckle? They know it's called the lambeau leap, so they need to call it that way.

[razazteca 0]

Just make HHH the undisputed champion again.

[The Tino Standard 0]

Somehow, given their mentality about having to come up with a story (no matter how convoluted) to explain everything when just explaining the truth would be SO much easier, I can't see them taking the belt off Batista and announcing he's injured.

 

And that's a shame. I mean, is anybody really going to think he's a wuss because he has a TORN MUSCLE IN HIS BACK? That's not like rolling your ankle or jamming your thumb.

 

Being honest with people and just explaining why he's being stripped of the title would: A) Keep Batista strong and give him a built-in angle when he returns (chase for the title); B) Put some MAJOR heat on the Survivor Series match (Smackdown: "You took out our champion... Payback's a bitch"; C) Freshen up the title scene without jobbing the champion; D) Lead to a potentially blockbuster title angle as outlined by other posters here; and E) Build some credibility with fans because they'll KNOW the real reason Batista's out of action anyway.

 

Having said that, expect them to do something stupid like have Palmer Cannon come out with a half-baked excuse why Batista has been stripped of the title and JBL is your new World Heavyweight Champion.

[hyperchord24 0]

Having said that, expect them to do something stupid like have Palmer Cannon come out with a half-baked excuse why Batista has been stripped of the title and JBL is your new World Heavyweight Champion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So . . . true.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

The chemistry between Batista & Eddie is terrible. It's like Angle-Brock 'best friends' all over again and it doesn't do much for either guy, personally.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Except that it has gotten Eddy the most over he's been since April of last year.

 

There are two ways they should go here, which probably means they won't, but still, Batista is the biggest star in the company right now and it would be nice if they didn't ruin his image by panicking and forcing him to do a quick job.

 

1) If he's only going to be out for a handful of weeks, do nothing. Just leave the title on Batista.

 

2) If he has to miss significant time, strip him of the title due to injury (of course, Batista would be willing to fight, but Long would refuse to let him wrestle without clearance ala Austin 97). Give it to Orton in a tournament, have Batista return later having never been defeated, he gets the title shot (by winning the Rumble for the second year in a row if he's healthy by that point) and then go on to crush Orton at Mania. Then WWE gets the match they seem to want (Batista/Orton), the proper result (a Batista win), and Batista won't lose any heat for taking a quick loss in the ring. You can replace Orton in the feud with practically anybody, but we all know that's probably who they would use.

[AndrewTS 0]

the positive side is that we'll likely see Orton...as World Champion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't see a positive there.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I disagree, I think Orton with another world title run, this time as a heel (like it SHOULD have been) would be positive.

[Guest Reservoir_Kitty]

Ugh. My interest in Smackdown drops 50%. This is bad luck for Batista and bad luck for SD, really. No one's really the "monster face" that Batista has been for the past few months, and if he's out indefinitely, it just leaves a big space on the roster.

 

As far as Randy is concerned, I do think that if they would've left him as a heel for his run as champion that it would've gone over a hell of a lot better. Turning him into a simpering face was not the right move. He's best as the cocky "legend killer" than anything else. They need to learn to stick with what works for someone instead of shoving people down the fans' throats.

 

I'm AMAZED that they haven't fucked up Batista's face run, although personally, I'm more fond of him as a heel. But hey, whatever keeps him on my TV screen makes me a happy gal.

 

...well, I'm not happy right now, but you get the idea.

[cabbageboy 0]

Going back, yes there was a lot of praise for the initial Orton angle where he was tossed from Evolution. That lone night was a very hot angle. The problem is that they had no idea how to book it from there. Orton wasn't exactly a sympathetic figure and he was just thrown into matches teaming with the very guys he'd spent months fucking over (Benoit, Shawn, etc).

 

There's no way they can put the title back on Bradshaw. No fucking prayer of that. That might be the kiss of death that makes me stop watching Smackdown entirely. The only other guys even in contention at the moment are Eddie and Orton, so it's got to be one of them.

[Dangerous A 0]

Man, when it rains, it pours. Just a bad break. I'm very disappointed because Batista was one of the few guys WWE has gotten over as a top guy. He has the best unspoken charisma in all of WWE and while he lost steam with the move to SD, he was still garnering great reactions and WWE hadn't cut his legs from under him. If it's a total tear of the lat, he's out at least a year, if not a little longer.

 

The kids in my wife's class (she teaches 3rd grade Bilingual elementary kids) are going to be big time disappointed because he is their favorite wrestler, even over guys like Rey and Eddy.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I'm very disappointed because Batista was one of the few guys WWE has gotten over as a top guy.

 

Try only one. At least recently. Lesnar doesn't count because he's no longer there.

[Team Angle Pusher 0]

Cena.

[Vyce 0]

I really like the Eddy as champ idea. Strip Batista of the title, set up a tournament or a battle royale or something in which Eddie wins the belt and dedicates it to his buddy, Batista, claiming that as soon as he gets well, Batista will get an automatic title shot. Then once Batista comes back, turn Eddie heel and have him refuse to give Batista the shot, which sets up a REAL Eddie vs. Batista program culminating in a match for the belt at Mania.

 

It would mean pushing back the Orton push (unless they want to go with Eddie vs. Orton while Batista is injured), but so what. Eddie vs. Batista will be better than Orton vs. Batista anyway.