WWE News and Notes - 8/28

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Summerslam Poll Results

 

Thumbs Up: 131 (32.7%)

Thumbs Down: 149 (37.2%)

Thumbs in the Middle: 121 (30.2%)

 

Best Match Poll

 

John Cena vs. Edge: 224

Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley: 91

Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton: 27

DX vs. McMahon’s: 23

 

Worst Match Poll

 

Batista vs. Booker T: 183

Big Show vs. Sabu: 84

Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton: 49

DX vs. McMahon’s: 34

Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero: 33

 

 

The “biggest party of the summer” ended up being just another monthly PPV. Despite having so much star power, the show fell flat. With seven apparently big matches it came across as a transitional show rather than an event where issues ended. Dave said there is nothing wrong with inconclusive finishes to build, but that this show had them for no real reason other than to have them. Even worse, four of the seven matches had the same finish of a woman interfering, and it went from ridiculous to beyond ridiculous. In the case of Vickie Guerrero it was a step in the storyline, which Dave calls as nauseating a storyline as the company as ever done. Dave says as bad as it looks, he can understand the company’s mentality. In there eyes, they are helping Vickie out by making her a heel manager because it gives her a better income than she could otherwise get and feel they are honoring Eddie. The problem is that only the biggest WWE apologist would see it as not exploiting Eddie, and the crowd showed that by turning on the match, and the fans have shown that over the past few weeks by not caring about the feud at all. The company goes back and forth on crowd reactions by either listening to them or pushing back even harder, and in this case the company will be pushing back and are determined to see this angle through.

 

Dave understood the Melina finish in the I Quit match and thought it was clever as part of the storyline. Said Foley was never going to let Flair say “I Quit”, and that it would take something beyond physical punishment to get Foley to say it without violating his entire character.

 

Said that with them having those two finishes, which is one too many, the Sharmell interference finish in the Batista vs. Booker T match was a bad idea. Also said it was telling of them having no ideas because there were numerous other DQ finishes they could have done, seeing as it wasn’t going to lead to anything as it was just a way to get out of beating Batista or changing the title.

 

Said the finish to the main event, with Lita interfering, would have been fine except for what happened on the undercard and the match stipulation and said it ended a damn good main event by rubbing in how bad the overall booking of the show was.

 

Said the match quality was ok and apart from the ECW and World title matches nothing was bad as far as the wrestling goes. Called it a mix bag, with a show that should have had memories having nothing you’d really remember except for a lot of blood in the I Quit match and the Hogan comeback.

 

Said the Cena vs. Edge match was the best match, but no better than most WWE PPV main events and calling it the same good match they’ve been having at house shows since the start of the year.

 

Called Foley vs. Flair a bloodbath of major proportions and said that if it was 20 years ago it would have been considered a gruesome classic but that it wasn’t long enough or diverse enough to be labeled a classic. Dave said that it felt like the blood and barbed was done just for the sake of it, but that it wound up telling the only real story in a match of the whole night.

 

Said the live crowd considered Hogan the biggest thing on the show, and said he treated Orton as a stooge for his routine as opposed to a serious opponent, but it worked as well as anything on the show and it led to some funny insider stuff…

 

Hogan did the crotch chop to Orton as a buzz to Shawn Michaels as the two haven’t any interaction since the year before where Michaels spent hours trying to get to beat Hogan to no avail due to Hogan having creative control. Later on at Summerslam, Hunter did Hogan’s ear cupping deal to get a reaction and got less than half the reaction Hogan did earlier and you could tell Hunter was bothered by that. However, at Raw the next night, when Vince and Kevin Dunn were telling people how much of a success the show was and how the DX vs. McMahon’s angle was the hottest in the company, they specifically said that DX outdid Hogan and that is now the official company line as to what happened at the show.

 

While Hogan had the sympathy in-built from the knee injury and it could have made the match famous with Hogan battling valiantly but losing in the end because of the knee, Hogan didn’t see it that way and won instead in a match that was forgotten the next day. Said given how the booking committee works, you can’t blame Hogan or Foley for doing what they were able to do with creative control, and that it also showed the difference between the two. Hogan is all for his own legacy, which Dave said is fine because it’s a business where selfishness is a virtue, at least for your own career. Foley was for creating a story where he could lose but in doing so elevate Melina, who he is friends with and wanted to give the main event rub to.

 

The show drew a sellout of 16,168, with about 13,500 paid. The gate is likely to be around $800,000.

 

Chavo Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio: **1/4. JBL got heat for his comment about Eddie falling off the wagon, and for something he said later in the show about Batista crying like a bitch when he had to give up the title.

Big Show vs. Sabu: *1/2. Called it a garbage style match and not even a good one.

Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Orton: **1/4.

Ric Flair vs. Mick Foley: ***1/2. Said that the fans chanting “we want fire” during the heavy bloodshed gave it a sense of them viewing it a geek show performance rather than a dramatic wrestling match.

Batista vs. Booker T: ½*. Almost everyone Dave spoke with internally were pretty open regarding Batista’s work. Said Batista was slow and tentative, with none of the explosiveness he used to have, and with his age, losing some size and his injuries said all he has going for him now is the star power he got from playing off of Hunter and Flair.

DX vs. Vince and Shane: ***1/4.

Edge vs. John Cena: ***3/4. Said the story once again was Cena getting booed, and how heavily he was booed depended on where in the building you were, with reports of the crowd being anywhere from 40%-75% pro-Cena.

 

Other News

 

WWE and Sci-Fi are close to signing a new deal for ECW.

 

On the 8/15 ECW show, the Foley beatdown by Knox and Test was meant to lead to Sandman, Dreamer and Foley vs. Test, Knox and someone else the following week. When Foley decided the blowoff to his angle would the match with Flair and combined with the angle the next night, it made the idea redundant. Foley didn’t nix the beatdown, but because the match it was to have led to got scrapped, the beatdown made no sense.

 

The 12/3 ECW PPV will be held at the Richmond County Civic Center in Augusta, GA, and will be called the December to Dismember.

 

Matt Striker and Hardcore Holly were moved to the ECW brand this week.

 

Kurt Angle was being examined over his groin injury on 8/21, and there is now fear that he has a new injury. The Angle/ECW deal has gotten worse in the last few weeks, with people having apparently gone to Vince and John Laurinitis to get Angle taken out of ECW after Angle supposedly said he didn’t’ want to be in ECW unless he got a main event title push. Angle’s biggest issues are non-wrestling. Angle’s family relies on him for financial and emotional support and his wife, who is pregnant with his first son, is leaving him again. Dave mentioned that that would throw anyone for a loop, but combine that with Angle’s breaking down, and his denial of it, and it could see some major issues down the line.

 

The 2007 PPV schedule looks like this: New Year’s Revolution on 1/7 in Kansas City at the Kemper Arena, Royal Rumble on 1/28 at the SBC Center in San Antonio, No Way Out on 2/18 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wrestlemania on 1/ 4 at Ford Field in Detroit, Backlash on 4/29 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Judgment Day on 5/20 at Savvis Center in St. Louis, and One Night Stand on 6/10 at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

 

While Vince was snapping at people on Raw, he was also snapping at people in real life backstage as he was in a foul mood.

 

There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

[tominator89 0]

There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

 

This has to be the weirdest thing I've heard in a long time. What are the announcers supposed to say?

 

Perhaps it'll sound like an episode of the $20,000 Pyramid. The thing that goes around your waist that holds up your pants? You can also whip someone with it.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Call me crazy, but they might call it... "title".

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

What's the point? It's not like hearing those words is turning off fans. There's plenty of other stuff they should be concerned about before "words sounding too 'old school'" (which is pretty laughable).

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Thanks for posting.

[Jericholic82 0]

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There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

 

lol that wacky senile Vince

[JHawk 0]

There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

 

Kinda hard to enforce this when the titles are represented by belts. What's next? The WWE Intercontinental Trophy? The ECW Television Birthday Cake?

[Ravenbomb 0]

The ECW Television Birthday Cake?

 

Well, maybe if RVD had been defending a big cake for 2 years straight, ECW on TNN would've gotten better ratings

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

When I first read the PPV sked, I read New Year's Revolution, incorrectly, as being in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

Have they been back there since Owen's accident?

[Hawk 34 0]

When I first read the PPV sked, I read New Year's Revolution, incorrectly, as being in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

Have they been back there since Owen's accident?

 

It is in KC. They have been there many times since Owen's death. I believe they had one of the early Smackdowns just a few months after the fact.

[Toxxic 0]

I want to see the ECW Television Birthday Cake. It's Hardcore.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

A Tammy Sytch replica crack pipe?

[bob_barron 0]

When I first read the PPV sked, I read New Year's Revolution, incorrectly, as being in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

Have they been back there since Owen's accident?

 

Backlash 2002 was held in KC

[Vampiro69 0]

When I first read the PPV sked, I read New Year's Revolution, incorrectly, as being in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

Have they been back there since Owen's accident?

 

Backlash 2002 was held in KC

 

The first Smackdown was televised from KC.

[Guest Doombiscuit]

Dave understood the Melina finish in the I Quit match and thought it was clever as part of the storyline. Said Foley was never going to let Flair say “I Quit”, and that it would take something beyond physical punishment to get Foley to say it without violating his entire character.

 

Why wouldn't Foley let Flair say I quit? I don't understand that at all

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

 

Dave understood the Melina finish in the I Quit match and thought it was clever as part of the storyline. Said Foley was never going to let Flair say “I Quit”, and that it would take something beyond physical punishment to get Foley to say it without violating his entire character.

 

Why wouldn't Foley let Flair say I quit? I don't understand that at all

Foley respects Flair a great deal. He'd never want Flair to have to lose like that.

[Taker666 0]

So any guess on who Hogan will beat at next year's Summerslam?

[Hawk 34 0]

The only realistic names left are Cena and Foley. Foley will probably the easiest time Hogan ever had to convince someone to lay down. I'm convinced Hogan would get confused by Foley's actions and demand to do the job himself.

 

Hogan was willing to dicuss working with Cena and they appear to be on good terms with each other. Hogan, verbally put Cena over already.

 

The rest of WWE roster has been through Hogan or aren't worth it in the eye of the company. There is Batista but they can't have two injury prone workers like Hogan and Batista working each other. Besides, Batista got as big a rub as you can get from HHH and getting one or laying down for Hogan doesn't do him any good.

 

Cena is the one guy that Vince would go to the wall for against Hogan and Hogan is more likely to put Cena over then Austin because he knows that Cena will never directly challenge his status. Austin will always challenge it and there isn't a chance Hogan is willing to give Austin that.

[Taker666 0]

The only realistic names left are Cena and Foley. Foley will probably the easiest time Hogan ever had to convince someone to lay down. I'm convinced Hogan would get confused by Foley's actions and demand to do the job himself.

 

Hogan was willing to dicuss working with Cena and they appear to be on good terms with each other. Hogan, verbally put Cena over already.

 

The rest of WWE roster has been through Hogan or aren't worth it in the eye of the company. There is Batista but they can't have two injury prone workers like Hogan and Batista working each other. Besides, Batista got as big a rub as you can get from HHH and getting one or laying down for Hogan doesn't do him any good.

 

Cena is the one guy that Vince would go to the wall for against Hogan and Hogan is more likely to put Cena over then Austin because he knows that Cena will never directly challenge his status. Austin will always challenge it and there isn't a chance Hogan is willing to give Austin that.

 

Maybe, but a Cena/Hogan Match would be just as bad, maybe worse, that Orton/Hogan. the build-up might be better sence Cena would have to be the heel in this feud. but overall I don't think anyone would care other wise. Hogan needs to just not comeback anymore and just concentrate on making his daughter's career not suck.

[Just John 0]

The 2007 PPV schedule looks like this: New Year’s Revolution on 1/7 in Kansas City at the Kemper Arena

 

Awesome. A ppv close to home. Hopefully they do the EC again.

 

KC has had plenty of shows since the Owen accident. We got Backlash 02, and we usually get a Raw/SD episode each year. The 3/31 SD (ME'd by Angle vs. Rey befre Mania) this year was in KC.

[Precious Roy 0]

Forget belts and trophys and birthday cakes, I think they should have a world championship monster truck!

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

"There is Batista but they can't have two injury prone workers like Hogan and Batista working each other."

 

Orton's just as injury-prone as Batista.

[Hawk 34 0]

"There is Batista but they can't have two injury prone workers like Hogan and Batista working each other."

 

Orton's just as injury-prone as Batista.

 

Batista had two seperate injuries in the last year, while Orton has maintained his health more consistantly over the last year.

[Mecca 0]

Hrm, I'm from KC so now I have to think about if I want to go to the show or not.

 

Me and my buddy went to the Nitro that had the Hart vs Benoit tribute match, I'm pretty happy I decided to get tickets for that one.

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

I'm probably not goign to renew my Observer subscription when the current one runs out (last envelope had a 3 on it and I believe it was the last of the set, and this weeks sounds like a double issue, so I have at least 6 more, unless he keeps double-issuing... and I know next week's will be one too thanks to Angle). I really do enjoy it, but honestly I am getting tired of it arriving Thursday or even Friday - days after the net is a buzz with WON conversation. Of course, I told myself this last time too and my last two issues arrived on time on Monday, causing me to change my mind.

 

The point of all this is when that day comes, I will be really appreciating this thread, so an in-advance "well done, sir" to you, HTQ.

 

JR said "belt" on Raw tonight. Hope he doesn't get yelled at. Will JR (assuming he hasn't already) ever reach the level where he can just say whatever he wants (ala Gorilla Monsoon repeatedly calling The Dragon "Ricky Steamboat" when they were trying to phase that name out - or so I've heard)?

[Mike wanna be 0]

JR said "belt" on Raw tonight. Hope he doesn't get yelled at. Will JR (assuming he hasn't already) ever reach the level where he can just say whatever he wants (ala Gorilla Monsoon repeatedly calling The Dragon "Ricky Steamboat" when they were trying to phase that name out - or so I've heard)?

Doubt it; Monsoon was on a lifetime contract. JR, while crucial to the company, is too fun to shove in Mr. McMahon's ass and fire when RAW needs a ratings boost to get a lifetime deal.

[benn 0]

JR is damn near painful to listen to on commentary these days. I almost hope something like that happens.

[Guest bobrock29]

JR is damn near painful to listen to on commentary these days. I almost hope something like that happens.

 

 

Yes I agree.

[Vyce 0]

There is apparently a list of words that announces are no longer allowed to say on-air, including the terms “belt” and “strap”. They are banned from WWE, OVW and DSW, because Vince thinks they are linked to old-time wrestling.

 

God forbid the announcers use an accurately descriptive noun like "belt."

[BigDawgCarl 0]

The only realistic names left are Cena and Foley. Foley will probably the easiest time Hogan ever had to convince someone to lay down. I'm convinced Hogan would get confused by Foley's actions and demand to do the job himself.

 

Hogan always has to stay one step ahead in the politics department.