Ace Austin 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 Well guys I just made this with Photoshop: http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1456/montymaybedi3.jpg I really think that it's Monty Brown... Looks sorta like Monty but why would he be on the cover? It has to be Lashley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 It's going to be interesting to see how they build towards Backlash. After next week they go on a European tour for about two weeks and don't return to the States until the Backlash PPV. They have to work around the European crowds reaction to wrestlers for two weeks worth of TV. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 Since all 3 World Champs are now on at least 1 PPV a month (January, June, November two each), I would expect some upper midcarders (Finlay, Booker, sadly Snitsky, Orton) to get title shots on upcoming PPVs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Exslade ZX 0 Report post Posted April 6, 2007 Well guys I just made this with Photoshop: http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/1456/montymaybedi3.jpg I really think that it's Monty Brown... Looks sorta like Monty but why would he be on the cover? It has to be Lashley That's totally Lashley, and Lashley only. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest NateW Report post Posted April 6, 2007 Looks like the post-Mania Spring cleaning has just begun. WWE has come to terms on the release of DSW talents Jon Bolen and James Rogers. We wish them the best in all their future endeavors. James Rogers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hunter's Torn Quad 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 What makes the Bolen one potentially funny, is that I believe he was the guy who had his name tattooed on his stomach, figuring that way, he couldn't be stuck with a shit gimmick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Chaos 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Chris Benoit was originally slated to drop the US title to Montel Vontavious Porter but the finish was changed when WWE decided to keep him on Smackdown rather than making the rumoured switch to Raw. wrestling observer newsletter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarvinisaLunatic 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 What makes the Bolen one potentially funny, is that I believe he was the guy who had his name tattooed on his stomach, figuring that way, he couldn't be stuck with a shit gimmick. Thats not that smart..they could have made him wear something that would cover his stomach. He should have put it on his forehead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanks for the Fish 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 From what I can gether James Rogers was an actor hired on in November, claiming to have a three year deal, though Meltzer thought it more likley being a three month try-out sorta deal. He was filming a movie at the time (November) so if he finished taping in the new year and reported to a developmental, that is about three months. Bolen only hurt his potential with his tattoo. If I was the wwe and he really did that for the reasons that have been floated, I could have used him as one time enhancement talent with a dyslexic bowler gimmick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I was looking at the new Michelle McCool photo's on WWE.com and I think they brought her back too soon. She looks skinner now then she did before she put herself in the hospital. I use to think she was hot, but now she's too skinny. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JohnFTW Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Didn't Bolen win the TNA Gut Check challenge a few years back?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoff 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 What makes the Bolen one potentially funny, is that I believe he was the guy who had his name tattooed on his stomach, figuring that way, he couldn't be stuck with a shit gimmick. Thats not that smart..they could have made him wear something that would cover his stomach. He should have put it on his forehead. Nothing is ever truly safe. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taker666 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Chris Benoit was originally slated to drop the US title to Montel Vontavious Porter but the finish was changed when WWE decided to keep him on Smackdown rather than making the rumoured switch to Raw. The Originals victory over the New Breed in the ECW match was a gesture of goodwill towards Rob Van Dam. WWE wanted to show that they still value him and would like him to sign a new contract rather than leave for TNA in the summer. He has still to make a decision either way. The Undertaker has been told this will be the first long-term title run of his career. Vince told him he wanted to give him a long-run but needed a commitment to a full-time schedule in return. It remains to be seen just how long Undertaker can keep up the schedule as he is in need of a hip replacement. The idea of Undertaker/Batista was first pitched last August by Dusty Rhodes and Alex Greenfield. Vince approved it in September but said no decision on the finish would be made at that time, prompting many to think he wanted Batista to end the streak. In truth, Vince doesn't want the streak to end and so it probably never will. wrestling observer newsletter Benoit staying on SmackDown, Sweet!. A Long Undertaker title reign. Double Sweet. SmackDown is gonna rule 2007. A Benoit/Undertaker feud for the World Title would be my dream feud actually. These two would definlly tear the house down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaxxson Mayhem 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 YES! A long title run for Taker and his streak won't end! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I miss the days when Taker was public enemy #2 around here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoff 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I still think he's shit. Should form an anti-Undertaker union, or something. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest robrabies Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I still think he's shit. Should form an anti-Undertaker union, or something. He's a complete tool. He's revered for being around for a long time, but what has he done to really help out the business and elevate other stars aside from himself? Has anyone ever truly won a feud with him besides Austin?? Is he really that big of a draw?? Nope. Who has he cleanly lost to?? You can count it on two hands at most. Of his title reigns, his first didn't end cleanly (chair-shot from Hogan), nor did his second (chair shot from Michaels, nor did his loss at Vengeance 2002 (The Rock pinned Angle, not UT). I believe that he jobbed clean to Austin in June of 99 when he lost the title back to him...but that's a pretty fucking pathetic track record if you ask me. He wrestled against Bret Hart, Michaels, Hogan, Ric Flair, Steve Austin, and the Rock on multiple occasions, and to the best of my knowledge, the only one of those to pin him cleanly was Austin. In recent years, he's been reticent to help elevate younger stars, as it is widely rumored that he balked at putting Lesnar over, and we all know that he massacred Orton w/o help from Cowboy Bob, and in the end...even with his help. If the guy had a different entrance he probably would have been a journeyman...just like he was in WCW. Plus, for 80% of his career he's never sold anything. He's the guy who's held up as a pillar of the community when in reality he cheats on his taxes, treats his wife like shit and ignores his kids. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaxxson Mayhem 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Just a hater.......... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.T. 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Aside from everything being true robrabies said, he also is a "average at best" worker most of the time. He is unmotivated unless its a PPV match WITH an oppenent who can sell and bump well enough to make him look great. If not, fuck it. One time, in a 3 way vs Benoit and Angle, he was in a crossface and an ankle lock at the same time, for at leats 10 seconds. It was broken up some way, he gets up, SHAKES HIS FUCKING LEG, no sells the body parts and chokeslam someone. Fuck him, he is almost as bad for the business as HHH. No selling cunt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mecca 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Uh part of the gimmick he's portrayed for the better part of 15 years, other than biker phase was to basically not sell....... I love how when a guy is treated as a big deal and as special, you get people flipping out about how he never did anything to help anyone. Quick note most guys who reach his level do not lose clean very often. List off all the top tier mainevent guys and think about how willing any of them were to job especially clean. The only one who would was the Rock.....all of the rest of them have had problems jobbing. If Taker did what you wanted him to do he wouldn't be thought of nearly as special as he is.......take a look at Big Show. His awful booking made him nothing, sadly Khali is better booked due to his limitations. A guy like Taker shouldn't be jobbing very often to begin with due to alot of factors. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I was about to post the same thing. Look, the Undertaker is over, he's credible, he's a good worker and he has now been with WWE for 17 years. I'm betting he'll have a permanent backstage position when he retires, and quite honestly I think he deserves an extended run. There aren't any wrestlers right now ready for their first World title. Better to keep an established name on top and give the contenders a slow build. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haVoc 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I can't see Taker working backstage when his career is over. By everything I've read over the years, he doesn't seem like a guy who'll give back to the business. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoff 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I think the main point of contention here is "The Undertaker is a good worker." Some -- many, even -- of you believe that to be true, and so many of his faults are accepted or overlooked. Those of us who don't agree, however, see a guy who can't work very well being placed on a pedestal and allowed to get away with things. I don't think that Taker is TERRIBLE, but to me he's never been more than adequate, and to see him lauded by the company and the majority of fans is irritating. It's also infuriating to see him as a World Champion when he has, to date, been nmaking "rare televized appearances" and doing little of note on those appearances. It's not that I want him on TV more; it's that the World Champion should be a fixture of your programming. I have other complaints about his character and some of the rumors you hear backstage, but those are minor. They just all add up, and they make me feel very anti-Takerish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Amazing Rando 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 There was a point made from the Observer that Vince pretty much gave Taker the title solely to get him back on TV much much more regularly and only will give him the long reign if he can keep himself on the heavier schedule. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest robrabies Report post Posted April 7, 2007 It's not that I'm a hater of the guy at all--I'm just realistic about what he brings and what he doesn't....hell, I've said multiple times on here despite my antipathy towards him, I thought he should have gone over Batista...what happened at WM 23 is not the point. What is the point is that he is so revered now, despite being every bit the backstage politician that HBK ever was. If you look at the list I mentioned above, Michaels, Hogan, Rock, Austin, Hart, Flair---those are five of the top ten talents the business has ever seen, whether it be a combination of workrate, drawing power, and/or charisma. For Taker to have wrestled all of them, many of them multiple times at multiple PPVs, and to have jobbed clean to exactly one, Austin, is ridiculous. Say what you will about Hogan--the guy put over Warrior, Goldberg, Lesnar, and Undertaker and helped make them. For all of Michaels' bullshit, the guy did job to Cena, Angle, Hogan clean. Bret put a lot of people over. Here's the real killer--HHH had a chance to make a star like Batista, and he put him over in about the biggest way you could. UT had the same chance with Orton and beat him despite interference on multiple occasions and only lost to him when a Hall of Famer interfered on Orton's behalf. Which one truly did the job, and which one kept his own spot. Another thing---the Undertaker is not a good worker--he's not bad, but he's not good. He's alright, passable, but he needs someone truly great to drag his ass to a match of ***+. Regarding the Dead Man gimmick--it's probably the last vestige of the cartoonish era. Everyone knows that the no-selling is part of that gimmick, but it's not 1990 anymore. If something knocks you down and makes you stay there, why wouldn't it also make you write just a little bit in pain? If it doesn't hurt, why are you staying down? That's my problem with it--it destroys the psychology of his matches. Just my .02 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLAGIARISM! 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 Taker's not top of my hate list anymore, he was at his absolute worst in 2001. I guess I've just grown to accept him as a constant. Of course, I admit he's not buried any of my personal favourite wrestlers for a while, and obviously that makes him more annoying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.T. 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 I was about to post the same thing. Look, the Undertaker is over, he's credible, he's a good worker and he has now been with WWE for 17 years. Dont look me. Sure he is over, so what? Lots of people are over. His drawing ability does not match how many fueds he wins and many people he makes look liek dog shit. And he is not a good worker. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enigma 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 The Undertaker is great as a special attraction, but he's never, ever been a draw as champion. That's why his title reigns have been so short. #1: 6 Days #2: 4 Months #3: 1 Month #4: 2 Months Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mecca 0 Report post Posted April 7, 2007 When he's motivated he's a good worker......see Mania. Taker is an untouchable figure to WWE fans, if you touch him you'll be booed regardless of who you are. Personally I like Taker more now than I have in a long time. All wrestlers play backstage politics, Taker for whatever you wanna say about him never had a prolonged title reign at any time. He's never hogged the ME scene like a Triple H. I'm gonna sit back and enoy this because I think when he motivated as he should be right now he can still put on some outstanding matches with some of these guys on Smackdown right now. These are the last years of Takers career, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy them instead of bitching about it because frankly the guy is incredible for a man that size at his age. He has truly been a very captivating character, while being a very solid hand in the ring especially when you compare him to other guys of his size. How about we sit back and enjoy what this brings? He really is in my mind one of the better big men we've ever seen and he's become a legend in the business. I personally didn't fully appreciate this until recently. Ond day we'll be sitting here thinking about when he wrestled and saying "there aren't big guys like that anymore" so how about we enjoy the guy while he's still around instead of bitching about his faults? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest robrabies Report post Posted April 7, 2007 When he's motivated he's a good worker Isn't that contemptible enough? That is takes a mania-level match for him to bust his ass? Granted everyone steps it up at big shows, but he's been a case study in going through the motions for years. Regarding your other point: >HHH in regards to politics/ME hogging does not=good. That's an extreme case. And it doesn't matter if you aren't hogging the ME all the time if you are established and still never putting anyone over in your feuds, regardless of their placement. That's just another symptom of the same disease. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites