Undertaker vs Batista vs CM Punk vs Rey Mysterio WWE Bragging Rights 2009 Highlights

Here is some video footage of WWE Pro wrestlers The Undertaker, Batista, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio bouncing around in the ring, while some cool rock music plays.
Okay guys, what song is playing?

• Edge vs. Shawn Michaels – Street Fight (Raw, 1/22/07)
  

After Triple H had torn his quad (2001 was the left, this time it was the right leg) two weeks before this match at New Year’s Revolution in a tag match with Shawn Michaels against Randy Orton and Edge, Shawn Michaels was left to defend DX against the World Tag Team Champions Rated RKO. Both men came to the fight in t-shirt jeans – old school-style. Immediately, I’m interested. Edge stops an early attack from Shawn with a trash can lid to the face when he tries a pescado to reopen an old wound. After the commercial break, Edge SUPERPLEXES a ladder onto Shawn! Take that, Jerry Sags. Edge sets up a ladder scaffold on the ring steps, but Shawn counters the powerbomb and uses the chain against Edge to open him up. Edge stops a Flying Elbow on the ladder scaffold, but Shawn BULLDOGS him on the ladder instead. Shawn gets the Flying Elbow after all, but Edge counters SCM with a botched electric chair drop. DANGEROUSSSSSS. Even so, Shawn avoids the SPEAR and goes for a Conchairto when Randy Orton shows up behind him and turns him around for an RKO. Boy, that’s an awesome visual. Plus seeing both men busted open with Orton coming in with his face all bruised – it’s just rugged. That gives Edge the win. Such a great street fight with lots of risks. Outside of the ladder match, it’s pretty much Edge’s specialty.

• WWE Champion John Cena vs. Umaga – Last Man Standing Match (Royal Rumble 2007)
  

If you STILL weren’t convinced that Cena’s a tough dude, this match will. And if you still don’t think he’s somebody to notice, well then you’re just fooling yourself. Umaga works the ribs most of the match and leaves Cena hurting, but he refuses to quit. Cena makes his comeback with his signature moves and one-ups the impact by landing them all on the ring steps. Throwback, Protobomb, Five Knuckle Shuffle – everything. Just when he thinks he’s got Umaga defeated, Cena’s head gets caught between Umaga and the ring steps! INSANITY. Let’s not discount Umaga for being awesome. With Cena laid out on the ECW announce table, Umaga runs over the Raw and Smackdown tables to splash Cena, but Cena moves and inevitably Umaga wipes out the ECW announce table. Back inside, the entire top rope is pulled apart thanks to Armando Alejandro Estrada. Cena winds up benefiting as he chokes out Umaga and locks in the STFU for the win. One of the first times the STFU was taken seriously in my book.

• The Rumble Match - (Royal Rumble 2007)
  

An above average Rumble match that in my view was NEVER boring. The big men (Kane, Great Khali) dominated and of course there’s Viscera who didn’t really do anything except require a bunch of people to eliminate him. All of this came down to HBK and Undertaker after Shawn managed to eliminate a disorganized Rated RKO all by himself. Despite being involved in several Royal Rumble matches, Undertaker had never came out the winner. This was his first opportunity at closing out a Rumble match since he battled Brock Lesnar in 2003. HBK and Taker went through their typically great back and forth counters before the Undertaker ducked a superkick and flipped Shawn out of the ring. Just an amazing final ten minutes of wrestling between these two that set the pace for their WrestleMania 25 match. With the crowd that hooked, they were definitely doing something right.

• Mr. Kennedy vs. Edge vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy vs. King Booker vs. CM Punk vs. Finlay vs. Randy Orton – ‘Money in the Bank’ Match (WrestleMania 23)
  

Finlay starts the match off with a bang as everybody fights to the floor except him. He dives off the top onto all seven men. Booker pulls out a Hornswoggle ladder from underneath the ring. TELL ME HE DIDN’T JUST SEE THAT. Edge sets up the ladder scaffold, which will eventually lead him closer to his demise. Meanwhile, the Hardyz break up a SPINAROONIE by jumping King Booker with ladders. Eventually, Edge starts spearing everybody – except CM Punk. He goes all Terry Funk with the ladder, but takes a SPEAR anyway that knocks down Orton and Finlay. Orton dumps Edge off a 20-foot ladder to the floor. Jeff wipes out Randy with a front suplex while Matt sets Edge up on the ladder scaffold. Oh man, here comes Jeff as he flies off the 20 foot ladder and LEGDROPS EDGE THROUGH THE LADDER! I bet he immediately regrets that decision. Well, now we’re down to six people. Both men end up doing stretcher jobs. Two ladders are set up to do moves off of for a little bit. Booker about reaches the briefcase when Matt threatens to drop Sharmell with the Twist of Fate. WHOA. So Booker comes down and takes the Twist of Fate. HA! Finlay comes over and gives Matt the CELTIC CROSS ON A LADDER! That’s pretty nasty. Hornswoggle comes out to climb the ladder for his daddy when Kennedy stops him and delivers a GREEN BAY PLUNGE TO THE MAT BELOWWWWW! Pretty awesome. It comes down to Punk vs. Kennedy on the ladder. Punk kicks him off, but Kennedy jabs him in the face with a ladder and makes the easy climb up to the briefcase for the win. I was really hoping Kennedy would clear the ring and treat the briefcase like they do for his entrance by lowering it down to him as though it were the mic, but that didn’t actually happen. As history tells the story, the injury prone Mr. Kennedy (…KENNEDY) would prevent himself from actually cashing in the briefcase when he tore his right tricep muscle in May.

• World Heavyweight Champion Batista vs. The Undertaker – (WrestleMania 23)
  

I was expecting the worst from these two because I’ve always thought that Taker was only as good as his opponent, and the way Batista had been performing since his return in the summer of 2006, I wasn’t really looking forward to this one. They definitely surprised me though. Batista did his best work since ohh, when he beat hHh at Vengeance 2005, and Taker had his best match since his stuff with Angle back in early ‘06. Great stuff and I really hope they don’t ever end Taker’s win streak and that no one actually surpasses it when he finally does retire. Just allow the legend to remain a legend, and ruining it to put over someone would’ve just been the absolute wrong move.

• John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels – (Raw, 4/23/07)
  

Some people HATED the execution of the psychology in the Cena/HBK WrestleMania main event. Shawn Michaels and I were two of those people. Cena hardly even sold the leg during the match like he should have and this match was Cena’s chance to make up for the ‘mistake’. Perhaps the only even minor mistake was that it was a non-title match — it was the first time we had a match on free TV go near an hour’s length that wasn’t a 60 minute ironman match in close to twenty years. Just an unbelievable match with both men trying to outdo the other with great WRESTLING and the easiest pick for the WWE match of the year.

• WWE Champion John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Edge vs. Randy Orton – Fatal Four Way Match (Backlash 2007)

Fresh off Cena’s loss to Shawn Michaels in the UK, now he has to defend the WWE title in a fatal four way. This was one of the most exciting uses of the fatal four way concept that I have ever seen executed in WWE. You have the Rated RKO team working together, but you know they will have to explode on each other at some point. Edge was the one to do the dirty deed with the chair on Orton. Back in the ring, you have failed finishers after failed finishers that kept you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end. When you did see somebody hit their finish like for example with Cena being consumed with hitting Edge with the FU, Orton comes out of nowhere and drops HBK with the RKO almost getting the win. What ended up happening for the finish was Cena shoving Orton off into the Spear from his partner Edge, but then turning around and eating Sweet Chin Music from HBK and falling on top of Orton for the win. This way, 1) nobody looks weak by taking the fall, 2) it has the appearance of realism, and 3) it gives the fatal four way concept that a huge shot of the ‘anything can happen’ aspect. I had decided to stop watching WWE religiously after 2006, but I came back for WrestleMania and heard great things about Backlash that had me thinking the summer of 2007 wasn’t going to be so bad. For the most part, the trend ended here and we were back to the abysmal normal with Judgment Day, but Backlash 2007 was overall a great PPV.

• World Heavyweight Champion Edge vs. Chris Benoit – (Smackdown, 6/8/07)
  

After his progressively intriguing series of matches over the US title with MVP, Benoit had this little gem which I consider the final great televised match three weeks before the biggest tragedy ever to happen to wrestling. Just your typical intense Benoit encounter. He owns Edge for the majority of the match – hitting the Three Amigos (which watching it now makes me feel somewhat sad for Chris knowing he’s missing his friend) followed by the Hat Trick of Germans to lead into the Swandive Headbutt for a nearfall. With Edge in a main event program against Batista, they didn’t want to make Benoit appear too strong however. Benoit applied the Crippler Crossface, but missed a corner charge and ate a Spear before getting his shoulders pinned for the 1-2-3. Okay, so I never said I wasn’t a bit bias creating this list.

• WWE Champion Triple H vs. Randy Orton – Last Man Standing Match (No Mercy 2007)
  

So on a night where Randy Orton was awarded the WWE title after John Cena tore his chest muscle off the bone prior to the show, Triple H insults Vince McMahon into giving him a WWE title shot against Orton where he wins the the belt in an absolutely RIDICULOUS turn of events. Then, Triple H successfully defends the WWE title over Umaga and at Vince’s order has to make even more history by facing Randy Orton AGAIN for the WWE title in a Last Man Standing match – ALL ON THE SAME SHOW! While the booking would have anybody confused, it turned out okay because they used the beatings Umaga dished out on Triple H earlier in the evening into the context of the match. If you’re not a Triple H fan, I hope you didn’t buy this PPV. Not counting the backstage segments he was involved in, he wrestled over 35 minutes in three different matches at No Mercy 2007. Anyways, a back suplex on the guardrail from Orton to HHH doesn’t get the job done. He moves on to CHOKING Triple H with a cable. He still can’t keep HHH down for the ten count. He tries an RKO on the announce table, but HHH shoves him off onto the opposite table. That was pretty sweet. Triple H follows up with a AA spinebuster and tosses the stairs into Orton’s face. Orton gets up and blocks a chairshot with a kick to HHH’s injured ribs. DDT on the chair won’t keep HHH down. RKO ON THE CHAIR? A busted open Triple H still gets up and tells Orton to suck it. This was when Orton’s deadly kick to the head was fresh. He had already took out legends Shawn Michaels and Dusty Rhodes, but HHH refused to suffer the same fate. Orton temporarily stops HHH with a catapult into the ringpost, but Triple H stops Orton while he’s got the ring steps up in the air and slams a chair down on the back of Orton’s head while he’s stuck down in the grooves of the steps. You just have to see it to know what I’m talking about. It at least looks like a gruesome spot although there’s got to be some Houdini-ness to it. Triple H tries the Pedigree on the table that’s still standing, but Orton leaps up out of nowhere and hits the RKO ON THE TABLE! Triple H just can’t make it back to his feet in time after that to give Orton back the WWE title. Match reminded me of the best stuff we saw from Triple H against Chris Jericho in 2000, but in the opposite role.

• WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels – (Survivor Series 2007)
  

Randy Orton punted Shawn Michaels out of action back in May (of course HBK always seems to want the summer off) and now he’s BACK for revenge. Except in this match, Shawn can’t use Sweet Chin Music or he’ll be disqualified. If Orton gets disqualified, he loses the WWE title. This made for an AWESOME example of ring psychology because Shawn had to rely on other high impact moves to defeat Orton. On the other hand, Orton didn’t know what to watch out for because with HBK, you’re always trained to just look for the superkick. Some people take offence to the fact that Shawn used the Crippler Crossface in this match only five months after the Benoit tragedy. I choose to take the perspective that this was a tribute for a man who one day snapped over his pent up personal issues and not dwell on whether or not HBK was trying to be tongue-in-cheek or anything like that. As Shawn catches himself trying Sweet Chin Music, Orton seizes the moment and drills HBK with the RKO for the win. If you love excellent ring psychology, don’t overlook this seemingly forgotten Survivor Series classic.

Oh man, only TWO more years to go! Come back next week for the year that was 2008!

ROH: Final Battle 2009
December 19, 2009
New York City, NY
Manhattan Center

ROH World Champion: Austin Aries (6/13/2009)
ROH World Tag Team Champions: The American Wolves (4/10/2009)

EDIT: I know this review is a little rough. I didn’t expect a FOUR AND A HALF HOUR show. In the morning, I will correct any major errors, but at least for now you have my knee-jerk opinions and thoughts on Final Battle 2009.

Due to weather conditions beyond everyone’s control, some flights have been delayed coming from several different airports from around the country, so we’ll see what sticks and what gets changed throughout the show.

Your hosts are Dave Prazak, Eric Santamaria (from the WRESTLING ROUNDTABLE~!), and LARRY FN SWEENEY.

• Kenny Omega vs. Rhett Titus vs. Colt Cabana vs. Claudio Castagnoli (w/Prince Nana & Mr. Ernesto Osiris)
  

Since I last saw him on ROHDNet, Dirty Ernie has become Mini Claudio or Claudiocito for you lucha fans out there. Titus has a Badd Blaster with him. That’s pretty SWANK~! Prazak says he’s ’shooting off his load’. Anyways, you know I was pulling for the current reigning and defending PWG world champ Kenny Omega in this one. Early on, Cabana and Omega showed off some of their signature comedy stuff leaving Claudio and Titus to take them like a champ. This is pretty short, and before you know it, they all go into a finishing sequence that makes your head spin. Speaking of spinning, Claudio puts Titus (I believe) in an awesome INVERTED AIRPLANE SPIN. He gets Titus going so fast that he LETS GO of Titus at certain points. Pretty sweet. Anyways, everybody hits their finisher, but Claudio puts Titus away with the Dragon Suplex to pick up the win at 6:10. **½

• Bison Smith & Erick Stevens (w/Prince Nana & Mr. Ernesto Osiris) vs. Delirious (w/Daizee Haze)
  

Necro’s stuck in Florida due to the weather, so Delirious goes into this match all alone. Sucks for him. Eventually, Pelly Primo comes out to replace Necro. He’s a little guy. When he gets destroyed, Bobby Dempsey helps out. HOT TAG TO DEMPSEY! Cannonball to Bison, Delirious takes a dive out onto Stevens. Back in, Stevens shoves off SHADOWS OVER HELL. Clothesline Sandwich on Dempsey sets up the DOUBLE TEAM CHOKEBREAKER which almost takes out Stevens. Lariat from Bison to Dempsey gets two. Not even Bison can set up Dempsey for a back superplex. Instead Bison settles for a running powerbomb out of the corner for the win at 10:10. **½

• Eddie Kingston vs. Chris Hero (w/Shane Hagadorn & Sara Del Ray) – Fight Without Honor
  

They meet in the aisleway. When Kingston tosses Hero in, he baseball slides Kingston down. Out comes the chain. He wraps it around Kingston’s head ala Piper-Valentine. Crowd is absolutely PRO Chris Hero. In the ring, Kingston welcomes some kicks even with the chain still wrapped around his head. A busted open Kingston fires back and dares Hero on, but Hero nails him with the rolling elbow. You can finally hear Larry Sweeney’s commentary. CHAIN WRAPPED ROLLING ELBOWS! Kingston counters the powerbomb with a rana on the pile of chain. URANAGE on the chain. Northern Lights Bomb from Kingston gets two. A series of rolling elbows gains a nearfall. OFF COMES THE WIFEBEATERS! Here comes the chops. ROLLING ELBOW COMBO gets Hero another two count. Hagadorn helps Hero bring a part of the guardrail into the ring. Doesn’t work and Hero has to counter the Backdrop Driver into the Guardrail with one of his own onto the mat. Now the guardrail becomes a scaffold laid in the corner. That allows Hero to throw some elbows. He wants a powerbomb and winds up dropping Kingston’s neck on the tip of the guardrail. That gets two. Crowd has changed over to Eddie’s side. Hero wraps the chain around Kingston’s neck to set up for the DEATH BLOW, but Kingston fires back with a Straight Jacket Suplex followed by the CHAIN WRAPPED LARIAT! Cover, 1-2-NO! Del Ray comes in and kicks Kingston around, but she gets caught with a Capture Suplex. See ya. LOADED ELBOW from Hero misses. BACKDROP DRIVER, but Hero ducks the SPINNING BACKFIST and low blows Kingston. KISS OF DEATH? LOADED ELBOW gets 1-2-NO! Boy, Hero is pissed. TWO SPINNING BACKFISTS and Hero still kicks out. “Hero” chants go up. Kingston pulls off the loaded elbow pad. Whoa, LOADED ELBOW from Kingston gets the 1-2-3. (14:52) Finish makes sense in storyline terms, but a tad anticlimactic. Still a brutal fight without honor to hopefully end the feud that has spanned all over the independent scene over the last decade. ***½

• Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. The Young Bucks
  

Generico and Nick start the match. Basic feeling out process. A bearded Kevin Steen takes his turn with Matt. The beard makes him look FATTER. They trade chewing gum, which ends up in Nick’s face. Generico helps out with a drop toehold and the flipping legdrop. Steenerico cuts the ring off with Matt Jackson. Standing Sliced Bread helps Matt reach his brother. Springboard Swinging DDT on Generico gets two. Tag to Matt, DOUBLE STOMP TO THE ARM! After a bunch of OLES, Generico slips out of a back suplex from Nick and hot tags Steen. He runs the Bucks down with a clothesline. Cannonball on Matt in the corner, DDT through the ropes on Nick! Matt trips up Steen, but Generico jumps off Steen onto Matt with a somersault plancha. FISHERMAN BUSTER ON THE KNEE. That gets two. Nick enziguris away from the PACKAGE PILEDRIVER. Reverse DDT—DOUBLE STOMP combo on Steen gets two from Matt. LUNG BLOWER to Matt! Hot tag again to Generico. Flying Crossbody gets two. Nick catches Generico with a slingshot facebuster, but then Steen pulls him out and powerbombs him on the apron. Matt wipes out Steen with a baseball slide and skins the cat back in while Nick takes out Steen with a somersault plancha. Standing moonsault-springboard splash gets two on Generico. Steen shoves Generico away from a missile dropkick. Out goes Matt, YAKUZA KICK to Nick! FROG SPLASH from Steen to Nick gets 1-2-NO! Nick avoids the PACKAGE PILEDRIVER. Steen catches a superkick and swings it around into Matt. SHARPSHOOTER to Nick! Matt kicks at Steen and spits in his face. Generico takes Matt to the floor. WILL NICK TAP OUT? No, Steen’s injured knee gives out and he collapses. PACKAGE PILEDRIVER? No Matt saves with a superkick. MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK! Cover, 1-2-NO! FOUR SUPERKICKS followed by STEREO SUPERKICKS give the Young Bucks the three count. (16:52) Well the Young Bucks certainly earned that one. Does that mean the Young Bucks could soon be ROH & PWG tag champs? Time will tell. Afterwards, Steen yells back at some rowdy New York fan who thinks he sucks. I love it. He thanks some people and then KICKS GENERICO IN THE NUTS! Chair shot DIRECTLY on the head. What is going on. Colt Cabana confronts Kevin Steen – who kisses him away. So much for the farewell speech? I didn’t know he was even leaving. ***

INTERMISSION: CM Punk vs. Spanky – (Third Anniversary Celebration, Part One) (2/19/05)

They trade some stuff on the mat to start. Spanky unleashes some lucha moves, but Punk cuts him off with a swinging neckbreaker. That draws some neck work from Punk. He catches Spanky with a Randy Savage running hotshot, but Spanky blocks the springboard with a dropkick to the knee. And THAT draws some leg work from Spanky. They’re wrestling a smart match, but not necessarily an exciting one. It picks up once SLICED BREAD #2 is blocked and Punk brings Spanky out of the corner with a reverse superplex. Flatliner from Spanky gets two. Frog Splash hits knees, which is bad for Punk. Shining Wizard is blocked with a superkick from Spanky for two. Punk shoves off SLICED BREAD #2. Knee gives out on the Welcome to Chicago, so Punk settles for a butterfly piledriver for a two-count. After a series of reversals, Spanky hits SLICED BREAD #2 for the win. (14:24) As I said before, they wrestled a smart match instead of an exciting one. Still solid though, just not what you think they could do. **½

ROH’s answer to Rob Bartlett is here: Pete Rosenberg from Hot 97 replaces Larry Sweeney on commentary for this next match so he can say what’s HIP HOP and what ain’t. What a retard, I say.

• Roderick Strong vs. Kenny King – Pick Six Series
  

Strong controls to start with chops – culminating with a clothesline from the apron to the floor. King surprises Strong with a corkscrew senton off the guardrail! Back in, King hits a suplex and floats over into a barrage of rights. Spinning leg lariat gets two. Kenny hits our first backbreaker! SNAP. Springboard legdrop misses though. Kenny gets cocky and pays for it with an enziguri and a clothesline in the corner. Uranage backbreaker gets two. Strong stops a forearm exchange with chops, but runs into a spinebuster for two. They trade kicks before Strong hits a back suplex on the apron for two. Strong gets crotched off a corner enziguri and takes a ROUNDHOUSE KICK for 1-2-NO! Strong fights off a superplex, but eats a jumping enziguri. ROYAL FLUSH gets 1-2-NO! Elijah Express misses, and Strong hits a torture rack backbreaker for two. King grabs the tights for a rollup and gets the 1-2-3. (10:16) Once again, they could do better. Pete Rosenberg really murdered this match for me too. **

• Rocky Romero vs. Alex Koslov
  

COMMUNISM EXPLODES~! Too bad Teddy Hart and Jack Evans couldn’t make it. This match is UNSCRIPTED~! Knucklelocks and monkey flips to start. Springboard crossbody followed by the HAND OF KOZLOV! RUSSIA! CUBA! With Kozlov fallen to the floor, Romero hits him with a suicide dive into the front row. Back in, they trade chops and kicks. Romero cuts him off with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Kozlov catches Romero in the back of the head with a superkick for two. RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP to Romero connects. Kozlov puts on the hat and Russian kicks Romero. Whoa. SURFBOARD IN THE ROPES from Kozlov. Romero comes back with a jumping knee and mocks Kozlov by putting on the hat. SPRINGBOARD SWINGING DDT gets two. To the floor, Kozlov chops Romero into the crowd and launches himself onto Romero. Back in, Romero catches Kozlov coming off the top with knees. Enziguri from Romero gets two. Superkick catches Romero for two. Romero stops Kozlov up top and delivers the FLYING ARMBAR! That gets the submission? (11:05) Pretty decent considering they probably had very little time to prepare. Few wrestlers can just hop in the ring with somebody at the last minute and deliver a classic unless your names end with Steamboat or Flair – and you can remember the 1970s. **½

• ROH World Tag Team Champions The American Wolves (w/Shane Hagadorn) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe
  

Briscoes look for their unprecedented SIXTH tag team championship reign in ROH. Stiff start as Richards busts his mouth open. Edwards yakuza kicks Mark off the apron and pays for it with a yakuza kick from Jay. Double-team shoulderblock takes down Richards to a huge pop. From there, the Briscoes cut the ring off on Edwards while they try and mess with Richards on every chance they get. Finally, Richards leg whips Mark in the ropes and *that* changes the whole match around as they work on the formerly injured knee. Tag to Jay, he runs in and double stomps Edwards. Spinebuster lands Edwards on his injured elbow while Richards whips Mark into the guardrail. In comes Davey, and Eddie’s playing possum. ALARM CLOCK sets up the SUPERKICK-GERMAN SUPLEX combo for 1-2-NO! To the floor, Richards whips Jay around and drives a chair into his knee. He even chokes him down a little bit. Back in, that gets two. More choking. Big Boot in the corner sets up a Northern Lights suplex from Davey for two. Jay comes back with a DVD on Eddie. Hot tag to Mark. He takes care of the Wolves. He dumps out Eddie so he can give Richards the Northern Lights Suplex for two. Davey gets pulled out, but Mark doesn’t let him get away as he dives out with a plancha onto the Wolves. Back in, Mark flips Davey out of the corner for two. Meanwhile, Jay wipes out Eddie with an reverse STO into the corner. SIDEWINDER to Davey gets two. Richards avoids the J DRILLER, but gets rolled up for two. Edwards nails Jay with a jumping enziguri from the apron. Eddie avoids a second DVD and enziguri kicks Jay around for the BACKPACK STUNNER for 1-2-NO! Edwards hits the SUPER HURRACANRANA while Richards hits the DR DRIVER for 1-2-NO! Edwards has the half crab on Jay, Richards has the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF on Mark! Both counter into a small package. Powerbomb-backcracker combo gets 1-2-NO! Edwards floats over into the HALF CRAB! Jay reaches the ropes. “Man UP” chant goes up. Doomsday Device from the Wolves is countered with suplexes from each Briscoe. Lariat by Jay to Edwards gets two. J-DRILLER is countered, but the STEREO SUPERKICKS to Edwards are not. J DRILLER to Edwards gets 1-2-NO! Doomsday Device to Edwards gets 1-2-3! (22:34) Chances are this will eventually lead to a Tyler Black-Davey Richards series over the ROH world title. I don’t know if it was the crowd or the quality of the presentation, but I wasn’t feeling this one. While it’s a good match, these two teams should be having a MOTYC. ***¼

Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero show up to attack the new champs. THE KINGS OF WRESTLING ARE BACK~!

And the lights go off. And they come back on. JACK EVANS, TEDDY HART, and JULIUS SMOKES are in the ring.

• Teddy Hart vs. Jack Evans
  

IMPROMPTU MATCH~! No ref. SPACE FLYING TIGER DROP to Hart! Springboard 450 Splash! Powerbomb backbreaker to Evans. JUMPING PILEDRIVER THROUGH THE ROPES. CRADLE DDT! COBRA CLUTCH BACKCRACKER! Standing Corkscrew Senton! 630 SPLASH HITS KNEES! BACK SUPLEX INTO A POWERBOMB gets two from Teddy to Jack. DOUBLE HAMMERLOCK PILEDRIVER gets two? SPRINGBOARD DOUBLE KNEE STRIKE from Evans. Another 630 SPLASH gets 1-2-3. (5:40) Didn’t these two have a fantastic match in some indy fed here in the US already this year? Check it out on Youtube. Great exhibition that I can’t possibly rate though. However the NYC crowd LOVED this.

• ROH World Champion Austin Aries vs. Tyler Black
  

Aries sticks with the headlock to start. Black uses one of Austin’s shticks and escapes a headscissors with a dropkick. Failed skin-the-kitten from Aries sets up some guardrail action. Aries goes on the run while the stupid NYC crowd tries to get itself over. Yankees are dumb. Aries takes a backdrop to the floor and lands his face on the apron. To the floor, Black hits a moonsault off the guardrail. This has been ALL Tyler Black. More guardrail action. Aries comes back with a swinging neckbreaker through the ropes and then drops a Double Ax Handle to the floor. More guardrail stuff. Back in the ring, Aries takes Tyler to school and works the knee. WOO! Eventually, the Pendulum Elbow gets blocked with a kick. Neckbreaker by Black! Clotheslines follow. Aries tries the Ric Flair corner flip down to the other top turnbuckle, but Black dropkicks him off to the floor for a running SSP. Springboard Clothesline gets two. Tyler blocks the shinbreaker-back suplex and hits the Shining Wizard for two. Quebrada misses and sets up the standing SSP for two. Aries flips out of PAROXYSM and hits the shinbreaker-back suplex after all. IED is blocked with a boot. SUPER DDT from Aries gets two. He changes over into LAST CHANCERY! Black pushes the BRAINBUSTER off into the corner. Aries makes him pay for it with shots. While Aries is busy mocking Tyler, he hits him with the Corner Dropkick followed by PAROXYSM into the LAST CHANCERY. Aries elbows out. As Black heads up for the PHOENIX SPLASH, Aries shoves him off and hits Tyler with the HEAT SEEKING MISSILE. Back in, a slingshot corkscrew splash from Aries gets two. SUPER BRAINBUSTER? Nope. Tyler Black sunset flips into a running powerbomb, but Aries counters with a rana. Armdrag into the corner sets up the PHOENIX SPLASH, but Tyler rolls through. Shinbreaker sets up the FIGURE-FOUR! WOO! Tyler reverses and Aries reaches the ropes. Aries headbutts the life out of Black from the apron. Black fights back with turnbuckle smashes, but Aries sends Black to the mat. Enziguri kick sends Aries falling through a needless ringside table. Black goes after Aries, but Austin fights back with one good arm. Back in, Tyler gets two. Aries stalls a little bit on the floor, but comes back in fighting with one good arm. BRAINBUSTER? Nope. Tyler sends him crashing on his arm. Aries rolls away from the seated superkick and he’s back on the floor. All of that arm stuff draws Tyler into a Death Valley Driver on the apron. While Tyler is down on the floor, Austin shows off with some jumping jacks in the ring. Back in, Aries hooks in the LAST CHANCERY. Tyler reaches the ropes – again.

I’m afraid they’re going for a heatless 60-minute draw or a 55 minute-long Tyler Black title victory. Both guys are stalling big time and that’s not good at 40 minutes into the match. On the floor, Tyler hits the somersault plancha and Aries decides to leave again – this time through the crowd. Aries tries to leave and Black brings him back out on his shoulders for an F5 on the ramp. That busts Aries open. Black runs back to the ring to stop the count at 19. Alright. Back to the ring, they counter some stuff and Aries dumps Black out after a ten-count corner punch. 45 minutes gone. Aries tries to leave though the crowd again and takes a BUCKLE BOMB on a chair over in the corner of the guardrail. Superkick to Aries! Back in, Tyler covers for 1-2-NO! WHAT. PHOENIX SPLASH misses. Aries tries to leave AGAIN and drops Tyler on the rampway with a BRAINBUSTER to bust him open. Tyler makes it back in at 19. Knee strikes followed by the LAST CHANCERY. Now Aries is trying to get DQ’ed while he’s choking and dishing out low-blows to Tyler. At Tyler’s begging, the ref WILL NOT DQ Austin. WHAT. Headfirst to an exposed turnbuckle. Ref still refuses to call for the bell. Russian legsweep into the exposed buckle. Aries hits the 450 SPLASH for 1-2-NO! Again with the LAST CHANCERY. They lead to exchanging blows on their knees. They brawl up to their feet. This goes for about a minute until they both collapse. Back up, Aries hits the Rolling Elbow. Tyler comes back with the enziguri and CATTLE MUTILATION! Tyler unloads with elbows and goes back to CATTLE MUTILATION! Aries fights out into the BRAINBUSTER for 1-2-NO! WHAT. More brawling on their knees. Back up, there’s one minute left. Tyler delivers some slaps and hits GOD’S LAST GIFT for 1-2-NO! Oh, and we have come to the time limit draw. (60:00) Not sure what happened with these two. They told a good story that could have been told with 30 minutes, but then they lost it by killing A LOT of time with Aries stalling around. I know what they were going for by having Aries try to get Black to make a mistake, but come on. If something isn’t working, DON’T KEEP DOING IT. Just goes to show that Tyler Black can put on a great 20 minutes, but don’t let the man go for an hour. He can lose a crowd like nobody’s business. Really disappointed with this one. All they had to do was give Tyler Black 30 minutes and send the crowd home happy. What was so hard about that? **¾

Meanwhile the Briscoes and the Kings of Wrestling brawl in and out of the crowd. They leave us with the newly reformed Kings of Wrestling on the run with the Briscoes and Tyler Black standing tall inside the ring.

Final Thoughts: Everything before the intermission was great, but all the main attraction stuff left me out in the cold. Some of it was out of their hands like with the AAA match all messed up because of the weather and some of it was just odd. The Briscoes need the titles why? Austin Aries and Tyler Black go to a time limit draw? Why? I’ll go with a ‘thumbs in the middle’ because the first half of the show was fun to watch (including the awesome Kevin Steen heel turn), but don’t even bother watching after the intermission. If you’re like me, you’ll be disappointed.

Rey Mysterio def. Batista in a No. 1 Contender’s Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Friday night began in a fury of Animalistic rage as Batista interrupted SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long, demanding a rematch with World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker following the GM’s controversial actions at WWE TLC. However, when Rey Mysterio emerged to challenge the irate Animal, Teddy Long declared that the two former comrades-in-arms would face each other, with the winner becoming the No. 1 Contender to the World Title, challenging The Demon of Death Valley Christmas Night!

No matter what punishment Batista threw Mysterio’s way in the grueling main event, The Master of the 619 with the heart of a lion simply refused to be beaten. Then, from out of nowhere, the WWE Universe erupted into a mad frenzy as the masked Superstar overcame the odds, using a sudden small package to snatch the win from his bewildered adversary.

As a result of his huge triumph, Rey Mysterio will challenge The Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship on Christmas Night.

… for more visit wwe/smackdown results

CM Punk has really come up in the ranks on WWE, he was almost invisible before and now  he’s building a much bigger fan base.

It was weird the other night to see and hear people booing John Cena.

I don’t remember that happening before?

Do you think Cena is losing fans to someone else?

This video was posted by youtube JayWrestlingUploader

TLC Results

Shelton Benjamin vs. Christian
ECW Title (Ladder Match)
Results : Christian wins the ladder match over Shelton Benjamin to retain the ECW Championship.

Drew McIntyre vs. John Morrison
Intercontinental Title match
Winner: Drew McIntyre wins via pinfall over John Morrison to become the new Intercontinental Champion.

Mickie James vs. Michelle McCool Womens Title match
Winner: Michelle McCool wins via pinfall over Mickie James to retain the WWE Womens Championship.

Sheamus vs. John Cena WWE Title (Tables Match)
Winner: Sheamus wins the Table match against John Cena to become the new WWE Champion.

Batista vs. The Undertaker
World Championship (Chair Match)
Winner: The Undertaker wins via pinfall over Batista to retain the World Heavyweight Title.

Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton
Winner: Randy Orton wins via pinfall over Kofi Kingston.

D-Generation X vs Chris Jericho & Big Show
Unified Tag Team titles (TLC Match)
Winners: D-Generation X wins the TLC match over Chris Jericho & Big Show to win the Unified Tag team Championship belts.

So tonight is the Slammy Awards and I figured I’d give my predictions. I debated between stating who I think should win and who I think will win. So, this is a combination, with me giving both who I think it should be and who I think it will be.

SUPERSTAR OF THE YEAR
• The Undertaker
• John Cena
• Randy Orton
• CM Punk
Is there an option for none of the above? Punk would have been my choice until about September, when his push seems to have been seriously derailed. The Undertaker was gone half the year, so that leaves us the over-exposed duo of Orton and Cena. Ugh. I’ll go with Orton on this one, though I think that if the year had ended in September, Punk would have been a shoo-in.
Who Should Win: Randy Orton
Who Will Win: Randy Orton

EXTREME MOMENT OF THE YEAR
• Kofi Kingston lands a Boom Drop on Randy Orton at MSG
• Big Show chokeslams John Cena into arena spotlight at Backlash
• Jeff Hardy jumps from a ladder onto CM Punk at SummerSlam
• Triple H invades Randy Orton’s home
The Triple H moment is a rehash of an older Stone Cold storyline and thus shouldn’t count and I didn’t find the Kingston moment that extreme. I think it should be the Big Show chokeslamming John Cena, but it probably won’t be. It’ll probably be the Hardy ladder jump.
Who Should Win: Big Show chokesalms John Cena into arena spotlight at Backlash
Who Will Win: Jeff Hardy jumps from a ladder onto CM Punk at SummerSlam

SHOCKER OF THE YEAR
• Batista turns against former friend Rey Mysterio
• Randy Orton DDTs Stephanie and forces Triple H to watch
• CM Punk forces Jeff Hardy to retire after steel cage match victory
• Sheamus slams Raw host Mark Cuban through a table
This should be an obvious one. The Sheamus moment was ‘meh’ and while Hardy’s retirement and Batista’s heel turn had a bit of a OMG factor (more so the Batista turn, since it was well-reported that Hardy was leaving after SummerSlam), they couldn’t compare to the shock and horror of Randy Orton chaining Triple H to the ring, DDTing his wife and then kissing her. It was definitely the most stunning moment of the year.
Who Should Win: Orton DDTs Stephanie and forces Triple H to watch
Who Will Win: Orton DDTs Stephanie and forces Triple H to watch

MATCH OF THE YEAR
• Jeff Hardy vs. Edge ladder match at Extreme Rules
• Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania
• John Cena vs. Randy Orton “I Quit” match at Breaking Point
• Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown at Bragging Rights
I know I’m in the minority here, but I found the HBK/Undertaker match boring. It just didn’t do it for me. I found the Cena/Orton “I Quit” match to be much more compelling with it’s intensity. Still, the rest of the world loved the Wrestlemania match, so that’s what it’ll be, I’m sure.
Who Should Win: John Cena vs. Randy Orton “I Quit” match at Breaking Point
Who Will Win: Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania

THE “OH MY” MOMENT OF THE YEAR
• Chris Masters performs special “dancing pecs” routine for Osbournes
• Shawn Michaels superkicks little girl in cafeteria
• Michael Cole vomits on Chris Jericho at Smackdown’s 10th Anniversary
• Santino Marella accidentally nails Vickie Guerrero with a pie
Most of these were actually pretty funny and I’d be happy with any of them, actually. However the Chris Masters one was definitely the most memorable, so it would be my choice.
Who Should Win: Chris Masters performs special “dancing pecs” routine for Osbournes
Who Will Win: Chris Masters performs special “dancing pecs” routine for Osbournes

DIVA OF THE YEAR
• All divas are eligible. This is the only award that will be determined by fan voting.
Who’s the most popular diva? It seems to be Mickie James, so she’ll be the winner. I personally find all the divas pretty useless, so not a category I care about.
Who Should Win: No idea
Who Will Win: Mickie James

BREAKOUT STAR OF THE YEAR
• Yoshi Tatsu
• Drew McIntyre
• Sheamus
• Abraham Washington
I don’t watch ECW, so I don’t know who two of those guys are. I was a little confused by this category, because I expected to see Kofi Kingston, John Morrison and The Miz all nominated. I know that none of them debuted this year, but this is definitely the year they broke-out, however I guess the WWE and I have different ideas about how this category should work. Both McIntyre and Sheamus have gone through major pushes, so it definitely comes down to the two of them and while I like McIntyre better, I have to go with the new WWE champion.
Who Should Win: Drew McIntyre
Who Will Win: Sheamus

TAG TEAM OF THE YEAR
• Jerishow
• DX
• Legacy
• The Hart Dynasty
I love, love, love the Hart Dynasty and I adore Legacy, but neither of them has a chance. Honestly, Jerishow barely has a chance, no matter how dominant they’ve been. I think it should be Legacy, since they’ve been together the whole year and have come across as so strong (even though they never held the titles this year), but we all know who it will be. DX reunited this year, sold lots of merchandise and won the tag team titles and now they’ll be tag team of the year.
Who Should Win: Legacy
Who Will Win: DX

RAW GUEST HOST OF THE YEAR
• Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne
• Bob Barker
• Seth Green
• Shaquille O’Neal
I want it to be Seth Green, since he was my favourite non-wrestler guest host, but I know it won’t be. I was torn between Shaquille O’Neal or Bob Barker, since both were huge, but I think it’ll be Bob Parker since The Price is Raw was a huge hit and got some mainstream publicity, which is the point of the whole guest host concept.
Who Should Win: Seth Green
Who Will Win: Bob Barker

There you go, of the nine categories, my should and will picks line up only three times, but that’s because I tend to see things differently than the average wrestling fan and I know it. What can I say? I’m an original.

The WWE Slammy Awards will air tonight on a three hour Raw, hosted by Dennis Miller.  Go to WWE.com to vote.

Superstar of the Year:

Undertaker

John Cena

CM Punk

Randy Orton

Diva of the Year:

All WWE Divas are eligible.

Extreme Moment of the Year:

Kofi Kingston lands a Boom Drop on Randy Orton at MSG.

Big Show chokeslams John Cena into arena spotlight at Backlash.

Jeff Hardy jumps from ladder onto CM Punk at SummerSlam.

Triple H invades Randy Orton’s home.

Breakout Star of the Year:

Yoshi Tatsu

Sheamus

Drew McIntyre

Abraham Washington

Shocker of the Year:

Batista turns against his former friend Rey Mysterio

Randy Orton DDTs Stephanie and forces Triple H to watch.

CM Punk forces Jeff Hardy to retire after Steel Cage match victory.

Sheamus slams Raw host Mark Cuban through a table.

Tag Team  of the Year:

Jeri-Show

D-Generation X

The Legacy

The Hart Dynasty

Match of the Year:

Jeff Hardy vs Edge Ladder match at Extreme Rules

Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker at WrestleMania

John Cena vs Randy Orton “I Quit” match at Breaking Point

Team Raw vs Team Smackdown at Bragging Rights

Raw Guest Host of the Year:

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

Seth Green

Bob Barker

Shaquille O’Neal

The “Oh My” Moment of the Year:

Chris Masters performs special “dancing pecs” routine for the Osbournes

Shawn Michaels superkicks little girl in cafeteria

Michael Cole vomits on Chris Jericho at Smackdown’s 10th Anniversary special

Santino Marella accidently nails Vickie Guerrero with a pie

From: Nashville, Tennessee

National Wrestling Alliance/Total Non-Stop Action presents Weekly PPV #12 9-18-2002

NWA-TNA opening video

Goldylocks hypes up the gauntlet for the gold match for the NWA-TNA Tag Team Championships. Goldylocks introduces the returning Scott Hall! Hall says that he has a great partner. Goldylocks says that his partner is Sean Waltman. Hall says that is indeed the case. Waltman shows up and embraces Hall and they head out of camera view.

Mike Tenay and Don West welcome everyone to the broadcast. They hype up the Gauntlet for the Gold. West goes over some of the teams involved in the contest. Tenay hypes up the NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Championship match which will see Jerry Lynn challenge Ron Killings. Dustin Diamond will also be on the show for a special announcement. Tenay wonders who the masked man is in TNA.

Footage from earlier in the day where Brian Lawler is with Goldylocks who is waiting for Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett uses his luggage to back Lawler against the wall and tells Lawler that he didn’t touch his girlfriend. Jarrett says Lawler is a puppet master and that he can’t trust his girlfriend.

Jeff Jarrett makes his way down to the ring. Looks like the arena is PACKED this week. Jarrett says that his day didn’t get started off on a good note. Jarrett wants Bob Armstrong to bring his masked henchman to the ring. Jarrett makes his way backstage and shoves Bob Armstrong against the wall but is attacked by the masked bullet. They brawl back to the ring. Jarrett misses a clothesline is met with several right hands from the henchman. The henchman reveals himself to be… Brian James aka the Road Dogg from the WWF! James says that seven years ago he thought he had a friend in Jeff Jarrett but he was wrong. James mentions DX and gets a cheap pop. James says that he has had a change of heart. James has not forgiven Jarrett and is not happy with Jarrett attacking his father, Bob Armstrong. James says he is going to find a partner and win the NWA-TNA Tag Team Championships. Brian James says that he will be known as BG James.

Backstage, Goldylocks is with Jorge Estrada and Sonny Siaki. Siaki says that he has had a change of heart. He realizes that its not all about him, but rather it is about the team. Siaki says that his time will come to be a superstar. Siaki mentions that Jerry Lynn has a chance to put the X-Division on the map. Siaki says that the X-Division should show support for Jerry Lynn.

Before the first match of the night, AJ Styles grabs a microphone and rips on Jerry Lynn. Styles says no one will be supporting him in the title match later tonight. Styles isn’t finished with Jerry Lynn until he gets his belt back.

Opening Contest: Kid Kash versus AJ Styles

Both men trade go behinds until Styles takes Kash down and they trade hammerlocks. Kash misses a leaping kick and Styles leg sweeps Styles down. Styles dropkicks the knee of Kash to gain control of the contest. Kash with a springboard dropkick that sends Styles off the apron to the floor. Kash with a slingshot hurricanrana on the floor. Styles with a kick to the face of Kash and leaps off the apron connecting with a moonsault. Springboard dropkick by Styles for a near fall. Kash with the Bank Roll off the middle rope for a near fall! Kash locks in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring, but lets go after a few moments. Kash blocks a kick and goes for the Money Maker but Styles blocks and drops Kash throat first across the top rope. Styles leaps off the apron and drives Kash down face first to the floor. Styles gets a near fall back in the ring. Head scissors by Kash that sends Styles face first into the middle turnbuckle. Kash with a bridging German suplex for a near fall. Styles with a springboard reverse DDT for a near fall. Kash with a double springboard hurricanrana and a tornado DDT for a near fall. Styles with a dropkick to the groin area and nails Kash with a discus lariat for a near fall. Styles with a dropkick to the back of Kash as he was left chest first on the middle rope. Styles springs off the top rope but is met with a dropkick in midair to the groin. Kash with a leaping lariat to gain some momentum. Kash goes for a double springboard splash, but Styles moves and Kash crashes down to the mat. Kash crotches Styles on the top turnbuckle and goes for a hurricanrana but Styles catches him and connects with a Styles Clash off the middle rope to pick up the win!

Goldylocks is standing with the returning Marcus Bagwell, backstage. Goldylocks asks why Bagwell is back in TNA. Bagwell says that he is back here for a second chance as Marcus Bagwell not Buff Bagwell. BG James walks over to the interview and says that he understands where Bagwell is coming from. James wants Bagwell to be his partner tonight. Bagwell accepts and hugs James.

Jeremy Borash introduces Dustin “Screech” Diamond from Saved by the Bell. Diamond says that he has watched TNA and loves the product. Diamond pokes fun at winning at the Celebrity Boxing event few days before. Diamond says that he could get in the ring in the future with some training. Diamond does poke fun at Borash saying that he could take him. Borash suggests Don West, but West declines. West recruit’s the timekeeper Tiny. Diamond will be facing Tiny in a boxing match.

Goldylocks is backstage standing with the Hot Shots, Cassidy O’Reilly and Chase Stevens. Stevens says that they do not have an ego, so they gave up their spots in the gauntlet for the gold. O’Reilly says that they were young at one time. Goldylocks rips on the Hot Shots for being the tenth ranked team in TNA. Disco Inferno comes over and asks if Goldylocks has seen Brian Lawler. Inferno says that Goldylocks will not get him in bed with a bad attitude.

Second Contest: Tiny the timekeeper versus Dustin Diamond (Boxing Match)

Diamond shoves Tiny before the bell for the boxing match. Diamond with a shot to the midsection and a right hook to knock Tiny out. Diamond wins the match in under ten seconds.

Third Contest: Jimmy Rave/Derek Wylde versus Hot Shots versus Ace Steel/CM Punk (Losing team loses spot in the Gauntlet for the Gold)

If you are pinned, you and your partner lose your spot in the gauntlet for the gold. Punk and Stevens start the match. Stevens backs Punk into the corner but Punk comes back with a jaw breaker and a flying cross body off the top. Punk with a tilt a whirl and drops Stevens face first onto the knee of Steel who got the tag. Delayed vertical suplex from Steel for a near fall on Stevens. Wylde tags Steel and attempts to flip into the ring but is caught by Stevens and power bombs Wylde down. O’Reilly is met with a hurricanrana from Wylde. Rave enters the ring but is controlled with a springboard moonsault from O’Reilly. O’Reilly with a handspring back elbow. Double dropkick by the Hot Shots on Rave. Stevens backdrops O’Reilly onto Rave for another near fall. Standing heel kick by Stevens to continue to control Rave. O’Reilly with a front suplex on Rave for a near fall. Rave rolls O’Reilly up but is nailed with a clothesline. O’Reilly attempts a springboard moonsault but Rave gets his knees up. Rave connects with a super kick and both men are down. Punk gets the tag and really botches a missile dropkick that hits O’Reilly on the knee. Punk with a neck breaker but Stevens enters and clotheslines Punk. Steel charges but is sent over the top to the floor. Wylde is met with a super kick from O’Reilly and is taken down with a suplex by Stevens. O’Reilly misses a dive on Rave on the floor. Punk with a swanton bomb on O’Reilly. Wylde with the Sky Drill Press onto several guys on the floor. Steel with a springboard clothesline on Stevens. Steel with the Twist of Kane on Stevens to pick up the win. The Hot Shots are no longer in the Gauntlet for the Gold.

Backstage, Goldylocks is with Chris Harris and the goofy James Storm. Storm says they don’t need to worry about the Hot Shots. Harris is really putting over the NWA-TNA World Tag Team Championships and the importance of them. Harris wants to win the gold.

Jeremy Borash introduces Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. Hall mentions the first night he saw Waltman in the ring and that he beat some wrestler named Razor Ramon at the Manhattan Center. Waltman says that all the stories people have heard are true. Waltman says that they love wrestling and not sports entertainment. Waltman says that they will probably get fired from this place, but they might as well kick some ass. Brian Lee and Ron Harris run down and sneak attack Hall and Waltman. That doesn’t last long as Waltman connects with a face buster on Harris and Hall connects with the Outsiders Edge on Lee before walking to the back.

Backstage, Goldylocks is with a worried Brian Lawler. Lawler is wondering where his girlfriend is. Goldylocks reminds Lawler of his match tonight, and Lawler says that he doesn’t appreciate the humor of Goldylocks and says that tonight is very serious.

Jeremy Borash introduces NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler. Tenay welcomes Sadler to the show and Sadler puts over the talent in TNA. Tenay puts over Sadler’s in-ring performance last time he was around. Sadler doesn’t mention that he technically beat the now NWA-TNA Heavyweight Champion, Ron Killings.

Bruce makes his way out to the ring and puts himself over as the greatest athlete in TNA. Bruce says that he would beat the crap out of Mike Tenay’s wife. The crowd wants Athena to face Bruce. However, Bruce ignores them and continues to look for someone.

Fourth Contest: © Bruce versus Blonde Female Fan (Miss TNA Crown)

Bruce attacks the fan before she enters the ring and slams her face into the mat a few times. Bruce sends her into the ropes and drives her down face first into the mat. Bruce takes her down with a vertical suplex Bruce with a power bomb.

After the match, Bruce taunts Hermie Sadler and attacks the female fan. Sadler storms the ring and punches Bruce a few times, and connects with a inverted atomic drop and kicking Bruce out of the ring to the floor.

Backstage, Goldylocks is with NWA-TNA X-Division Champion, Jerry Lynn. Lynn says that winning the X-Division Championships is only one of his goal. Lynn says that he has a chance to be the heavyweight champion. Ron Killings comes over and gets in Lynn’s face. Killings says that he is best and that he is “all of that and a bag of chips as well.” Killings tells Lynn he better get ready to commit a homicide as that is the only way he will get the belt from him.

Fifth Contest: Gauntlet for the Gold (Final two move onto compete in a title match)

(Tag Teams involved in the match: Brian Lawler/Disco Inferno, Chris Harris/James Storm, Maximo Brothers, Derek Wylde/Jimmy Rave, Marcus Bagwell/BG James, Ace Steel/CM Punk, Cobain/Slash, Brian Lee/Ron Harris, Jorge Estrada/Sonny Siaki, Syxx-Pac/Scott Hall)

Order of Entry: Brian Lawler, James Storm, Joel Maximo, Derek Wylde, Marcus Bagwell, Cobain, Ace Steel, Jorge Estrada, Brian Lee, Syxx-Pac, CM Punk, Jimmy Rave, Ron Harris, BG James, Jose Maximo, Slash, Sonny Siaki, Disco Inferno, Scott Hall, and Chris Harris)

Order of Elimination: Derek Wylde, Joel Maximo, James Storm, Cobain, Ace Steel, Jorge Estrada, CM Punk, Jimmy Rave, Buff Bagwell, Brian Lawler, Jose Maximo, Syxx-Pac, Ron Harris, Slash, Sonny Siaki, Disco Inferno, BG James and Scott Hall)

Sixth Contest: Ron Harris/Brian Lee versus Chris Harris/James Storm (NWA-TNA Tag Team Championship)

Ron Harris choke slams James Storm on the entrance ramp. Jeff Jarrett runs down and attacks BG James to the backstage area. Ron and Lee work on Harris as Storm struggles to get on the apron. Ron knees Storm off the apron into the guard railing. Harris with left hands on Lee but misses a splash in the corner and Lee connects with a clothesline for a near fall. H-Bomb on Harris but they don’t go for the cover. Storm rolls into the ring but is double teamed by Ron and Lee. Storm avoids a double team move and clotheslines Ron and Lee down several times. Lee and Ron catch Storm and drive Storm down with the H-Bomb. Ron goes to the floor and sets up a table on the floor. Ron places Storm on the table. Lee sets Harris up for a power bomb in the ring but Harris rolls off the back of Lee and rolls Lee up to win the titles.

Backstage, BG James is being attended to by a referee as he has been busted open thanks to Jeff Jarrett.

Main Event: © Ron Killings versus Jerry Lynn (NWA-TNA World Heavyweight Championship)

Killings sucker punches Lynn as the referee checks the knee pads of Lynn for weapons. Lynn works on Killings in the corner with right hands and takes Killings down with a tilt a whirl head scissors. Lynn gets a near fall following a backbreaker. Lynn sends Killings face first into the middle turnbuckle with a drop toe hold. Lynn with a springboard elbow drop to the groin of Killings in the corner. Killings sends Lynn to the floor to stop the momentum of Lynn. Killings drops Lynn face first onto the X-Division championship on the announcers table. Lynn has been busted open and Killings punches the cut on Lynn’s forehead. Killings with a side slam for a near fall. Killings shows the bloody Lynn to the camera. Lynn comes out of the corner with a twisting rollup for a near fall. Killings with a spinning leg kick to control Lynn. Killings again sends Lynn to the floor. Killings sends Lynn into the guard railing and continues to open up the cut even more. Lynn sends Killings back first into the guard railing but runs into a big boot from Killings. Killings rams Lynn head first into the ring steps and begins to gouge the cut of Lynn to open Lynn up even more. Killings with a modified surfboard submission but Lynn reaches the ropes. Killings misses a big boot, but they re-do the spot and Killings connects on the second attempt to get a near fall. Killings with a scissors kick but Lynn kicks out at two. Lynn with another rollup but gets another near fall. Killings with a clothesline and chokes Lynn. Lynn with a cross body and we see AJ Styles walking around ringside. Kid Kash and the Maximo Brothers also come down to support Jerry Lynn. The Flying Elvises also come down as Lynn connects with a back suplex. Sonny Siaki is also at ringside rooting Lynn on. Lynn with a backdrop and a series of clotheslines for a near fall. Killings avoids the cradle pile driver with a backdrop. Lynn with a DDT reversing a vertical suplex but only gets a near fall. Styles was trying to knock Killings foot off the bottom rope which distracts the referee. Lynn goes up top but is crotched by Sonny Siaki. Killings with a ace crusher to retain the championship

After the match, the X-Division wrestlers chase Sonny Siaki to the backstage area.

Mike Tenay and Don West put over the effort of Jerry Lynn while they wonder what Sonny Siaki’s problem is.

Don West gets ready to sell everyone on getting next weeks show. Next week, Jeff Jarrett will take on BG James, Syxx-Pac will meet Brian Lawler, West says that Low Ki will be returning next week..

BG James comes down to cut a promo, but is attacked by Ron Killings. Jarrett runs down and works on BG James as well until Scott Hall and Syxx-Pac come down and get the advantage on Killings and Jarrett. BG takes Jarrett down with a pump handle slam.

End of show

My Take: This week the TNA Asylum was packed, and that really helps the show in terms of entertainment. A riled up crowd is always a good thing, just ask people involved with ECW. People were really pumped up for action. BG James being the masked man was obvious since day one, and when he revealed himself, he didn’t get that big of a reception. I don’t see a James/Jarrett feud being all that entertaining. It took fifteen minutes before the opening contest was presented. A very, very enjoyable opening contest with Styles/Kash that went around ten minutes. A great way to start the show in terms of in ring action. Though, I am confused as to call Kid Kash a baby face or heel. I mean, he did attack Amazing Red after their match the other week, turning heel, but this week he faces a heel AJ Styles. Hopefully in the coming weeks, Kid Kash will choose a side. Diamond/Tiny was completely a waste of time. What is the purpose of getting Dustin Diamond over? I guess the Hot Shots aren’t seen as a priority in TNA as they lose to four guys making their TNA debut. Cassidy O’Reilly is someone who really impresses me and I see him as someone who will thrive in TNA. Bruce is a good heel, I just wish he would start working with guys and not with woman. Bruce continues to get some the best heat in TNA. I really think that Ron Harris and Brian Lee should have won the straps over Chris Harris and James Storm. Ron and Brian Lee could be a dominate force and then lose the straps to Chris Harris and James Storm in a few months. The main event this week was nothing that special. Lynn was a bloody mess, so if you like seeing that kind of stuff, then you’d like seeing Lynn busted wide open. TNA showcased their first swerve in their history with people thinking AJ Styles would screw Jerry Lynn over, but instead it was Sonny Siaki. I liked that, caught me off guard considering the camera was usually on Styles. Next week, BG/Jarrett and Syxx/Lawler are the top matches. However, I am looking forward to seeing Low Ki return and begin his quest to get his title back.

I have just been looking over some old wrestling footage from the attitude era. Oh the good time, some of the best matches eg The Rock vs. Stone Cold at Wrestlemania 17.

One of the biggest questions is when did the WWE go wrong? All the main superstars such as the Rock, Stone Cold, Mankind are gone and I don’t think Cena, Randy Orton etc cut it. Also the storylines are not as good eg Corporate Ministry and McMahon Helmsley Faction eras.

Now we just have rubbish storylines like CM Punk and his ‘Straight Edge’ lifestyle and just matches and no plot. Have they ran out of ideas.

In my view the WWE is going to struggle against against TNA when they started iMPACT on Monday Nights because TNA have better storylines and better superstars. Especially in the X Division. The Ultimate X matches are just immense and intense!

We’ll just have to see!

There is perhaps no family so intimately connected with wrestling as the Anoa’i. Their family tree reads like a who’s who of pro wrestling and it is with sadness and sympathy that the thoughts of the wrestling world are turned to them, after the tragic passing of Eki “Eddie” Fatu, known to millions of wrestling fans as Umaga, on Friday. Aged just 36, Fatu appears to have suffered a heart attack at home, followed by a second in hospital.

 If anyone can be said to have been destined for a career in wrestling, it would have been Eddie Fatu. His uncles, Afa and Sika Anoa’i, attained great success as the tag team The Wild Samoans in the 70s and 80s. They considered High Chief Peter Maivia to be their uncle, thus connecting them to Rocky Johnson and his son, The Rock. Eddie’s older brothers, Sam and Solofa Jr found fame as The Tonga Kid and Rikishi respectively, while his cousin Rodney became a WWE Champion in the mid-nineties as Yokozuna. His cousins Reno and Matt are also successful professional wrestlers, not to mention the fact that WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka is also related to the family by marriage.

 Eddie first came to national prominence in 2002 as one half of the tag team Three Minute Warning, under the name Jamal. His cousin Matt, wrestling under the name Rosey, was his tag partner and the pair initially acted as enforcers for then Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff. When verbally berating someone, Bischoff would frequently work the words “three minutes” into his speech, at which point he would interrupt himself, saying “did I just hear myself say three minutes”, at which point Rosey and Jamal would emerge to give the hapless individual a severe beating. Frequently, this beating would conclude with Jamal delivering a splash from the top rope which, given his 350lb frame, was a highly impressive move visually.

 After just under a year, Eddie was released from his contract. At the time, rumours circulated on websites such as Slash Wrestling had it that the team were frequently working very “stiff”, which is to say that they were not protecting their opponents well enough. According to the same rumours, Eddie’s attitude and commitment to the business were not all they should have been. Regardless of the truth of these rumours, Eddie stayed in wrestling and soon turned up in TNA, teaming with fellow Samoan Sonny Siaki. However, this team did not last long before Eddie had moved on again, this time to All Japan Pro Wrestling.

 Eddie spent over a year in Japan, mostly wrestling in tag teams and began to gain a reputation as a good “big man”. By the end of 2005, WWE had re-signed him and, in April 2006, he returned to Raw, now repackaged as Umaga and accompanied by a manager, Armando Alejandro Estrada. Many fans and observers initially took shots at the WWE, seeing this new gimmick as a shot at/rip off of TNA’s Samoa Joe. In point of fact, Umaga was a gimmick that harked back to the earlier days of WWE and was far more old-school than the image Samoa Joe presented. Moreover, sneering comments about the new gimmick quickly vanished as it became apparent that Umaga was getting over and getting over fast with the vast majority of fans. WWE presented Umaga as an unstoppable, almost uncontrollable savage and fans, myself included, ate it up. The initial criticisms soon gave way to praise, with many internet wrestling writers commenting on how much Eddie’s stint in Japan had improved him as a wrestler.

 Umaga worked a series of feuds with Ric Flair, D-Generation X and Kane, before taking on the ultimate opponent, John Cena, the WWE Champion. At New Year’s Revolution 2007, Cena handed Umaga his first pinfall loss. Nevertheless, Umaga had looked strong in defeat. He had dominated most of the match, only for Cena to surprise him with a roll-up pin. The match was not terribly well received but a re-match was inevitable. When it was signed for The Royal Rumble, it was announced that the match would be a Last Man Standing match. Umaga’s manager, Estrada, taunted Cena, saying that there was no way Cena could get Umaga to stay down for a count of ten. This match was truly outstanding and will surely be remembered as the high point of Eddie Fatu’s career. Cena won when he choked Umaga out with a loosened ring rope but the real story of the match was that the reputations of both men had been greatly enhanced.

 From there, however, it seemed to me that Umaga’s career began to lose focus. For whatever reason, just as he seemed poised to take the next step to the top tier of the business, it didn’t quite happen. His role at Wrestlemania remained a high-profile one as he acted as Vince McMahon’s champion in the McMahon/Trump feud. The association with the McMahons did not work for me, as it led to Umaga’s separation from Estrada. The two had worked extremely well together and, I think, should have stayed together.

 Even so, Umaga stayed with the WWE until June of this year and, while he may not have quite been at the top of the card, he was always involved in high profile spots and there is nothing to say that he might not have gone still further. His final feud in the WWE was on Smackdown with CM Punk. However, on the 8th of June, Fatu was released from the company, reportedly after refusing to go into rehab. Since then, Eddie Fatu wrestled on Hulk Hogan’s recent tour of Australia, working with the former Mr Kennedy, Ken Anderson. The tour only finished on November the 28th. No one could have imagined that, less than a week later, Eddie Fatu would have passed away.

 In mourning Eddie Fatu, we as wrestling fans mourn the loss of an athletic and highly skilled big wrestler who achieved considerable success and had the ability to achieve even more, had he been spared. Nevertheless, we must not forget that the real loss lies not with us, the wrestling fans, but with his family and loved ones, most of all, his wife and children. All we can really do for them is make sure they know that he did make a difference. We will miss him.

 Sadly, I must also address something else while on a subject that is, frankly, painful enough already. Hardly had the news of Fatu’s passing been announced before certain people were commenting, in the most heartless terms imaginable, on Fatu’s Wellness Policy violations. Not only is this utterly insensitive – do these people not imagine that his children might go online to see what people thought of their father? – it is rampant speculation. We do not know, what, if any, role in his death Fatu’s earlier Wellness issues played so any such speculation is premature. Moreover, what does it matter? The death of a 36 year-old man is a tragedy, regardless of what role his own actions played in it. I won’t name any names, because I don’t wish to give any of these heartless creatures publicity, but some of the things I have read make me ashamed to think that anyone might think I have something in common with these people, since we are all wrestling fans.

“No pity, no sorrow” wrote one particularly foul individual who should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. Have these people never done anything to jeopardise their own health? Got roaring drunk one night, for example. Would they want their own death to be greeted in so insensitive a manner? I understand that people wish to prevent similar tragedies by pointing out the mistakes made by the dead so that the living will not repeat them but, if there are any lessons to be drawn from this affair, they can surely be drawn in more kindly and sympathetic manner. Anway, enough of that. The bottom line is this: Eddie Fatu has died. As a fan, I will miss him. As a human being, my condolences go to his family.

CM Punk’s new protege Luke Gallows cut a groundbreaking promo on Friday night’s edition of Smackdown.  Unfortunately, it was ground that WWE should have left unbroken.

Punk and Gallows were interviewed by Josh Matthews for a backstage segment, in which Gallows shed some light on his recent conversion to a straightedge lifestyle.  He spoke of his previous WWE persona, the by turns manic and catatonic hayseed Festus, as if it were a past life and a drug induced stupor, from which he’d recently awoken.  Gallows went on to specify that it was a dependency on prescription painkillers that had consumed and hindered him in the past.

 WWE needs to tread very lightly when telling the story of Punk’s and Gallows’s crusade against substance abuse.  Theirs is a fresh gimmick and Punk especially sells it brilliantly, but prescription medicine abuse is such a genuinely wide-spread problem in pro wrestling, that turning it into an onscreen angle is in poor taste.  Addictions to such meds have sent innumerable performers down some very dark paths, from which they in many cases did not return mentally and physically intact.  In the infamous cases of Eddie Guerrero, Brian Pillman, and Chris Benoit, they did not return at all.

Turning the addiction epidemic in pro wrestling into a gimmick would be acceptable, if said epidemic was (or was on its way to being) a thing of the past in WWE.  However, that clearly is not the case.  Though WWE has publicly addressed the substance abuse among its performers to some extent (when the notorious Benoit tragedy forced it to), and recent suspensions and firings of big names like Rey Mysterio and the late Umaga do intimate that the company is enforcing its wellness policy, drug use is still rampant.  Moreover, insiders have publicly stated time and time again that WWE does not do enough to discourage it.

In his 2008 book Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry, Matthew Randazzo quotes legendary wrestler Konnan as saying that every single performer in the industry is on painkillers, uses steroids, abuses alcohol, or takes recreational drugs, and “fifty percent of them do all four.”  Even if Konnan’s statement is an exaggeration, that a performer as well known and tenured as he would even be confident enough to publicly make the exaggeration speaks volumes.

 If drug use is the scourge of the industry that so many insiders have claimed it to be, then WWE should be concentrating on solving the problem (perhaps by offering healthcare to its performers and/or imposing a less excruciating schedule) rather than fashioning it into a narrative angle.  If the company would rather echo its own demons in on-air gimmicks, rather than address them in a meaningful, productive way, then it will only doom itself to further public scrutiny in the future.

Of course, that Gallows and Punk, crusaders against painkiller addiction and all drug use, are heels only complicates the problem and casts WWE in an even more suspicious light.  If the company wishes to continue and even escalate this angle, it needs to give airtime to another character who supports a clean lifestyle but does so without Punk’s righteousness and insistence.  R Truth would be a fine candidate for that role at present time.  This tactic wouldn’t make the real-life issue informing the angle go away, but at least it would send a clearer message to the kids among Smackdown’s audience.

 All that being said: the rest of the show was fine.  Punk and Gallows’s first appearance on the program was well booked and played out well.  Punk competed against R Truth in a match that garnered the former even more heat and continued to build up Gallows as an effective henchman, as powerful as he is loyal.

I liked Gallows as Festus, but such a heavily gimmicked character has an inherently shallow life-expectancy.  Questionable narrative choices aside, pairing Gallows with Punk is good move.  A smaller, epically smug, silver tongued heel always benefits from having a bigger, malleable-minded lacky at his side.

Chris Jericho sold the TLC match between Jerishow and DX effectively during his backstage promo.  They should make more mention of the fact that DX has never held the tag team championship, to build more fan interest.

Seeing Natalya and Beth Pheonix trade shoulder blocks was a throwback to big man V.S. big man matches of yore, and it was cool to see the irresistible force meeting the immovable object within the context of a women’s match.  I’m sure Neidhart made her father proud in that exchange.

Their triple threat bout with Mickie James was one of the best Divas matches in recent memory. It culminated in an exciting ending, in which Phoenix landed her Glam Slam on Neidhart and then went for the cover, only to have James kick her out of the ring and score the fall herself.  James’s post match promo on McCool was well done as well.  By the way, I’m wearing one of those “Piggie James” tank tops McCool and Layla were sporting as I write this.  

Seriously though:  those few fans who tried to start a Piggie James chant during James’s and McCool’s altercation should be pretty much completely ashamed of themselves.

I was surprised that a Morrison and McIntyre match happened so soon.  They should have built McIntyre to number one contendership without having him face the IC champ.  WWE consistently underestimates fan interest in “First time ever” encounters.

Both looked strong in the match.  It looked good for Morrison to strike the first blow, since McIntyre has become known for ambushes.  McIntyre looked good in that he was given a chance to react, rather than only act, in the ring.  He showed that he can look convincing and entertaining while taking offense.  Near match’s end the Scotsman, after taking a springboard kick to the jaw, fell to the outside and squirmed under the ring (a nether region usually ventured only by leprechauns, clowns, and identical twin Divas).  Morrison followed him to the outside, where McIntyre pulled him into a steel ring support.  He then dragged the stunned champ into the ring and pinned him following a double-arm underhook DDT.  The ending came off a sloppily and made me wonder if there was an invisible botch somewhere that threw them off.

Still, it was a good match.  McIntyre kept a good pace with Morrison and showed why he’s on the track to stardom.  He certainly was more compelling to watch than his RAW counterpart, the squash-fest Sheamus.  And it was a good call to have him come out on top.

Viki Geurrero’s “Excuse Me!” might be the most heat-garnering catch phrase since Ravishing Rick Rude’s pre-match soliloquy (you know the one that began with his calling the crowd either “Piss ants” or “sweat hogs,” [depending on which was more alliteratively matched with the town he addressed] and ended with, “hit my music!”)

I guess Eric Geurrero and Eric Escobar are officially broken up.  The two had an in-ring meltdown, where Escobar colorfully stated that being physical with his ex made his skin crawl.  Getting the crowd behind a performer by giving him mic time to cruelly deride Viki Geurrero is becoming as tired and cheap as it is mean.  Eric Escobar should have criticized her ethics and poor class (which are part of her in ring character) rather than making fun of her looks (which are obviously not kayfabe).  The Hart Dynasty certainly could have been better used as anything other than Viki’s tool for retribution.

So what would be the polar opposite of “Biggest Upset Ever?”  Whatever it is: that’s what Jerishow’s victory over Cryme Tyme was.

On the Official Lateral Press Ratings Scale, this Episode of Smackdown scores: 

Two Stars* (out of Five).

*I only docked the program one star for its bad taste in the Punk/Gallows promo

Samoa Joe, CM Punk, Jay Lethal, Desmond Wolfe (Nigel McGuiness), Bryan Danielson, AJ Styles, Daniels, Low Ki, Hernandez , Evan Bourne (Matt Sydal), Mickie James (Alexis Laree) and Homicide are all names that you have heard at least once in the last few years while watching WWE Raw, Smackdown or TNA Impact. But what some of you may not know is that these guys and gals all got their start in a little promotion called Ring Of Honor, or as the fans call it ROH.

One of the most  important aspects of ROH is the “Code Of Honor”. This code not only helps make the wrestling more realistic and also helps introduce the audience to “Heel” wrestlers or bad guys for their disregard of the code.  There have been changes to the code since the start of ROH. ROH considered it a “moral requirement” to follow these rules. They were (usually in this order):

1. You must shake hands before and after every match
2. No outside interference: no interfering in others’ matches or having others interfere on your behalf
3. No sneak attacks
4. No harming the officials
5. Any action resulting in a disqualification violates the Code of Honor

In 2004 the rules were changed from 5 to 3 and were as follows:

1. Shake hands before and after the match—if you respect your opponent
2. Keep the playing-field level
3. Respect the officials

 The code of honor was one of the things that made me a fan of this organization, not to mention the fantastic wrestling I have witnessed. Matches with Samoa Joe & CM Punk were classics as well as matches involving Homicide or Christopher Daniels and AJ Styles. It is unfortunate that so many mainstream fans have yet to experience Ring of Honor and see some of the future stars of pro wrestling. Guys like Tyler Black,  Austin Aries, Colt Cabana, The American Wolves, The Briscoe Brothers and many more put on mat classics on a regular basis and many of you are missing it.  Here is  glimpse of what you are missing out on:

ROH, unlike other organizations, did not have a weekly TV program until recently. You can now catch Ring of Honor on HDnet and of course order DVD’s and merchandise from the ROH website. Worst case,  good ‘ole YouTube has plenty of ROH videos.

Hello Wrestlegasm faithful!

I thought you might be interested to know that I submitted a guest blog post about Wrestlegasm favourite, CM Punk, to SilverVision.co.uk – official distributor of WWE DVDs in the UK. To my surprise, my entry was chosen. YAY! If you’d like to see how I write about wrestling with my grown-up head on, click here.

Raw, ECW and Smackdown recaps should all go up over the next few days.  Can you tell I’m putting off recapping this week’s Raw? Surely not! For those waiting for a new installment of Crotch Watch, I’ll try to get it posted ASAP. Clearly that grown up-writing was  just a fluke after all.

This week on PWI Weekly, Brady Hicks focuses on WWE’s upcoming TLC show, how it is shaping up, and how WWE sent the wrong message to its young fans, recently. He also brings on Joe Zanolle to talk about the rebirth of the old Tri-State Wrestling Alliance.

CM Punk is NOT wasting away.

Despite what many fans and critics have said lately—myself included—the WWE appears to know exactly what they’re doing with CM Punk.

In my Survivor Series recap I stated that I felt his talent was being wasted in subpar midcard feuds with the likes of R-Truth and referees.

I’ve since been involved in many conversations regarding Punk’s future direction and I’ve found myself repeating the same dream scenario for Punk.

I want Punk to become a cult leader.

His recent ranting and raving on Smackdown has him coming off as preacher of sorts and logically the next step should be to acquire followers.

The WWE took the first step in the right direction on last week’s Smackdown by having Luke Gallows, formerly Festus, accompany Punk down to the ring.

Punk then proclaimed that he had “saved” Gallows from a life of drugs and neglect.

Festus—who was last seen as a balding, overweight mental patient—was “born again” as Luke Gallows, a menacing giant with new-found loyalties to his personal savior, CM Punk.

Gallows aided Punk in his match with Matt Hardy and eventually laid Hardy out with a sloppy, yet effective new finishing maneuver.

When it was all said and done, fans saw a brilliant pose as Gallows sat overtop of a fallen, beaten Hardy and Punk stood over Gallows as though he were his personal hound who had done his master’s dirty work.

Punk figures to continue his “crusade” to convert those in need to a straightedge lifestyle.

My hope is that they’ll use this as a chance to build Punk an army of his own, a church of followers much like Raven’s Flock from ECW/WCW.

This would serve multiple purposes.

First and foremost it would allow Punk the chance to shine as the leader of his cult.

He has become a more impressive heel with each passing week and having an army of ruthless—and eternally loyal—minions would only paint him as a more despicable heel as he works his way back into the World Heavyweight Title picture.

Imagine a Royal Rumble that consists of Punk and half a dozen of his reborn, straightedge slaves. The thought is very intriguing.

The second major purpose of a CM Punk Church of Followers would be to put over some lower midcard talent.

Rebranding Festus as Luke Gallows is the first of what could be many superstars shedding dead in the water gimmicks to be “reborn” as Punk’s disciples.

The list of superstars currently going nowhere in WWE is a lengthy one and if WWE pushes through with a CM Punk faction, superstars like Carlito, Primo, Chris Masters, Evan Bourne, and dozens of others could be brought in to revive their faltering careers.

Thirdly, this faction would provide opportunities for other midcarders who are currently searching for a storyline. John Morrison is currently without any real direction. The same could be said for Matt Hardy and, for the most part, Christian in ECW.

Any of these midcard faces could use a feud with a diabolic heel stable to push them to new heights in the WWE.

In the end, the WWE may decide that Gallows is all Punk needs for a sidekick and that’ll be the end of the story.

If the WWE decides to press on with this storyline and give Punk the reins of his own heel stable, it could finally be the move that puts Punk on top for good and helps rebuild an otherwise floundering midcard in the process.

Either way, I’m very impressed with what I saw out of CM Punk last Thursday and I now know for sure, that Punk is not wasting away on Smackdown.

Rather, he’s still evolving and we’re all going to be the benefactors of his evolution.

Just when you are already on the edge of convincing yourself that the world is becoming an annoying habitat, you happened to watch Batista, The Edge, The Undertaker and other big guys in the TV fighting in and out the ring, almost naked. Then the bells ring and the wrestlers are happily saving the world.

Sorry Powerpuff Girls, the wrestlers are willing enough to save the day. And if you’re thinking they don’t have the chemical X to make them fly and fight the monsters for them to be labeled as “superheroes”, technically, they are still superheroes because they are proudly appearing in public with just their underwear on (like Batman and Superman). Here are my theories why wrestlers could save the world:

*Because we have problems regarding the world’s higher oil demand and some factories that manufacture clothes offer higher prices for the cost of the production because they are consuming oil for their machines, majority of the wrestlers refuse to wear any clothing except their underwear. By just wearing underwear, they are encouraging their fans to shop less, which leads to lower production of clothing manufacturers and less consumption of oil. (I am unsympathetic right now, no to shopping as of this moment)

*Wrestlers inflict violence against their enemies without getting them killed (even when they are jumping on each other’s heads and swinging chairs on their faces)- a good influence to terrorists to promote torture against their enemies and not totally killing them. Thus, there will be no more deaths in the world.

*Wrestlers motivate people to eat and take care of their body. Strong and healthy people can build a strong nation. Wrestlers make other people realize that you don’t have to be skinny to be famous. Therefore, there will be no dinner bell to be ignored by people who are considered victims of fashion TV (and other porn videos promoting that sex is only for the skinny girls and lean men).

*Wrestlers teach the world to fight for love- that women are worth fighting for in front of hundreds of people. Thus, the world will be free from acts of cruelty.

Imagine the world becoming a nice place to live in, where people are only wearing their underwear and the terrorists are too busy watching the wrestlers and enjoying their gym equipment for them to make bombs and become suicide bombers. Imagine the no-longer-violent-men buying farm bells to bring back good old memories instead of buying high powered guns and grenades to mark tragic scenes. To all the wrestlers, thank you for saving the world.

PS
You are the reason why I am writing with just my underwear right now. I love the violence.

wwe.com

WWE presenta Smackdown, desde el Hampton Coliseum de Hampton, Va

RESULTADOS:

• Inicia Smackdown
• 1) R-Truth venció a CM Punk por DQ luego de la intervención de Luke Gallows (antes conocido como Festus)
• 2) Kane venció a Mike Knox

• 3) Triple Threat match para ser contendiente número 1 al WWE Women’s Championship: Mickie James venció a Beth Phoenix y Natalya
• 4) Non-title match: Drew McIntyre venció a John Morrison
  • Vickie guerrero programa a Eric Escobar en un match de desventaja (Recordemos que hace una semana terminaron su relación)
• 5) Handicap match: The Hart Dynasty venció a Eric Escobar sin mayor problema
• 6) WWE Unified Tag Champions Chris Jericho & Big Show vencieron a Cryme Tyme.
• Promo Undertaker vs Batista en camino a TLC 2009
• Termina Smackdown
• 7) Dark Main Event: Triple Threat Match: The Undertaker venció a Batista y CM Punk

ANTECEDENTES:

Las grabaciones para el Smackdown del 4 de diciembre, tendrán que realizarse esta noche, es decir, con dos días de anticipación al acostumbrado martes, esto debido a que parte del elenco de ambas marcas, viajará para el tradicional Tribute to the Troops (El cuál será transmitido por NBC el 19 de diciembre)

• Se espera un dark-main-event entre Undertaker vs Batista vs CM Punk

The John Report: Talking Smack for 11/27/09 (Undertaker vs. Jericho II)

Taped from Bridgeport, CT let’s talk some smack…

We started off with the best in the world, Chris Jericho. Never a bad way to start the show. He cut a vintage (yeah I said it) Jericho promo talking about how he should be the number one contender to the World title and also that TLC matches are the most dangerous in WWE. I guess we should forget that a month ago they told us Hell in a Cell matches were the most dangerous. And we’ll forget it again February when they tell us Elimination Chamber matches are the most dangerous. He mentioned being in two of the eight TLC matches saying that he won one (with Benoit in 2001, but they can’t say his name of course). He was also in the TLC match with Christian on Raw in 2002 that Kane and Hurricane won even though Hurricane was “injured” in the match. Man, I went off on a tangent. Like usual, this was an excellent promo. He’s the best talker in the company with CM Punk in a close second. Anyway, Teddy Long came out to say Jericho will wrestle the Undertaker later in the night in a non-title match.

The Hart Dynasty d. Cryme Tyme (*1/2)
This again? I love the Hart Dynasty and I think Cryme Tyme’s fine for what they do, but this match has been done too much this year. If they were revolutionizing the tag division like E&C vs. Matt & Jeff then by all means put it on every week. They’re not, though. It’s just another tag match for a company that lacks real tag teams. The Hart Dynasty is one of the most underutilized commodities in all of WWE right now. They could be doing so much more.

They went to Teddy’s office for some bad acting with John Morrison. They have absolutely no chemistry. At least they didn’t sing Michael Jackson songs this time. Vickie came in with Eric Escobar. Morrison said he needs a better catchphrase than calling himself Essssscobar. Is it a catchphrase when you just exaggerate one letter? I don’t think so. She wants Eric to get a title shot. Teddy says no, then she threatens to call Vince and Teddy gives Eric a title shot against Morrison.

CM Punk came out next with an unidentified big guy. He explained that sometimes people overdo drugs and need help, just like the guy he was with. It was Festus, now known as Luke Gallows. I’m not sure about the new name, but I’m glad they dumped the terrible “ring the bell” gimmick. This storyline had been rumored to happen for a while now. Is it the best way to forget about the stupid gimmick? Maybe not, but I’m at the point where I’m happy it happened because I think Luke/Festus actually has good potential as a big man heel. Punk went on this rant saying that on Tuesday something would be released that was dangerous, the Jeff Hardy DVD. What a creative way to plug a DVD for somebody that doesn’t work for WWE anymore. He said to watch the last chapter, which was the cage match that saw Punk force Jeff to leave WWE. The Summerslam match is better, for the record. This brought out a jobber. Oh wait, it’s Matt Hardy. Same thing. Matt defends his brother and said if Punk stopped worrying about everybody else he wouldn’t be a former World Champion. Kids, that’s how you talk trash if you’re a ten year WWE employee that loses more than he wins. This set up a match.

Matt Hardy d. CM Punk via DQ (*3/4)
This was a predictable match that saw Hardy hit the Twist of Fate leading to the DQ finish after Gallows attacked him. They got about five minutes or so before the finish. I was thinking that R-Truth would come out here to save Matt since he was feuding with Punk, but no sign of him. They beat up Matt after the match with Gallows hitting some power moves. I think this pairing will work well because Punk can be that type of heel that talks a lot of stuff, but relies on his bodyguard to protect him. Hopefully they don’t break them up too soon like WWE tends to do.

My beloved Mickie James-Canton did an interview backstage saying she’s not leaving Smackdown despite the tactics of Michelle McTaker and Layla. I should point out too that I find Mickie to be even more attractive with the dark brown hair. Being on TV for only 30 seconds isn’t enough for me, though. I need my Mickie fix.

Batista d. Kane via countout (*1/2)
On the list of matches that I don’t need to see ever again, Batista vs. Kane is up there. This was pretty sloppy. They tried hard and they gave them 15 minutes, but this is one of those matches that needed to be under ten minutes. The finish they did saw Batista beat Kane by DQ after attacking his knee on the floor. That seems to be his new patented move. The Ric Flair like chopping of the back of the leg. I’m surprised that they would protect Kane like this. He lost to Jericho in a number one contender’s match a few weeks ago, yet Batista (a supposed heel monster) can’t even pin a guy he has pinned plenty of times before? That’s weak. Batista needed to have a dominant win here. Why the soft finish when there’s probably nothing in Kane’s future like always?

John Morrison d. Eric Escobar (1/2*)
This was a three minute squash basically. They called up Escobar two months ago, they put him in a few matches and they apparently soured on him quickly. Didn’t they know what they were getting into with this guy based on his work in Florida Championship Wrestling? I mean, that’s why you have that developmental territory. Why call a guy up if he’s not ready? Weird. Post match, Vickie yelled at Escobar and walked off in a huff as if she had walked up to the buffet table and nothing was left. See, I can make fat jokes too.

Backstage, Escobar caught up to Vickie and said he was sick of her. He basically said she was disgusting and it’s not worth it anymore, so they’re done. I don’t expect to see Escobar on Smackdown next week or anytime soon. It’s probably back to the minors for him, which is why they put Vickie in there as a consultant to Teddy Long. It keeps her around without keeping Escobar on Smackdown.

We get a video package replaying Monday. I’m dreading the next Raw with all the midgets. At least I get to watch a great Saints/Pats game that night.

They brought Batista out again to do guest commentary. He said nothing the entire time. He’s a better announcer than Michael Cole already and he’s only done this two times. He might win a Johnny Award if he keeps up this amazing consistency.

The Undertaker d. Chris Jericho via DQ (**1/4)
Two weeks ago they did their first ever match. Now they’ve wrestled in two tag matches (one on Raw, one on SD), a triple threat (Survivor Series) and on this show in another singles match. Way to kill a fresh match in about three weeks. I’m not complaining about seeing this match. I like seeing them wrestle. However, there’s something to be said about saving matches and finding a way to present good matches on PPV that people actually want to see. It’s foolish to lose sight of that. The match two weeks ago was better. It got a bit more time and due to the freshness factor, it had me marking out for stuff more. This time it was a replay of that in a lot of ways although neither guy really went for the big finishers. They did a spot where Batista got up out of the chair, stared at Undertaker, did absolutely nothing and that allowed Jericho to get the advantage. They did some counters with Undertaker hitting a big boot, then a legdrop and a two count. Jericho came back with the bulldog and the Lionsault. He was about to cover when Undertaker chokeslammed him. He set him up for the Tombstone, which was the cue for Batista to come in to clip him in the back of the leg for the DQ.

Post match, Jericho hit a Codebreaker while Batista got a chair. He beat Undertaker in the back with it although he didn’t do that great of a job of making it look real because it was obvious he was hitting the top of the chair on the mat. A couple of the shots looked okay. They ended it with a shot to the head with the chair, which was more of a grazing shot. It’s safer than a direct shot, so that’s fine. I was thinking Batista would beat on his lower leg with the chair and then put him in the ankle lock, which he has been using. He stuck to hitting him in the back before that killshot to the head. Oh well. I like creative beatings, what can I say?

I have no problems with Batista vs. Undertaker. I really liked their feud in 2007 although to be fair I didn’t pay that close attention to all of it because some of the matches happened after the Benoit murders and I wasn’t really watching every week. I’ve seen all the PPV matches, though. They have a bunch of very good matches in their history. I expect another good one with Batista now in the heel role. The question is what exactly is a chair match? A ladder match involves the winner climbing a ladder to retrieve something to win the match. A tables match ends when somebody gets put through a table. What’s a chair match? Does it mean a chair is the only weapon that can be used in the match? Can it be multiple chairs or just one? Will it be hanging, on a pole or be under the ring? We don’t know. We’ve got two more episodes of Smackdown to find out.

Three Stars of the Show
1. Chris Jericho – Strong opening promo like usual and solid in the ring as usual.
2. CM Punk – Fun promo again. Like his pairing with Luke/Festus so far.
3. Batista – I enjoy heel Batista a lot more than I ever enjoyed face Batista.

4.5 out of 10
Last week: 6

Smackdown was just average this week. For the first time since the draft lottery, Raw has been better than Smackdown for consecutive weeks. To me, the biggest problem on Smackdown are the lack of babyfaces in the midcard. They should really move Christian over soon because I’m tired of seeing guys like Hardy and Kane in the same type of midcard matches week after week. They booked Kane to lose to Jericho in a number one contender’s match a few weeks back. Why does he get another opportunity? Because there’s nobody else? That shouldn’t be a reason.

On the plus side, the top three heels on this show are excellent. I love Jericho and Punk while Batista has looked fresher than he has in the last five years.

Where was Drew McIntyre? They booked him to be one of the final three guys in his Survivor Series match and then completely left him off this show? He should be feuding with John Morrison for the IC title.

———

That’s all I got this week. See you on Tuesday for the Raw Deal and keep on checking the blog for other random posts on a variety of topics. On Monday morning I’ll let you know what column is going to be posted on Thursday. One of them has a lead right now, so I’m starting to write it already. It will be fun.

Thanks for reading.

John Canton – oratoryjohn@gmail.com
Visit the blog: johnreport.wordpress.com
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Survivor Series 2009, November 22, 2009, Verizon Center, Washington, DC

Announcers: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler, & Matt Striker

Opening Match: US Champion The Miz (Captain), Dolph Ziggler, Jack Swagger, Drew McIntyre, & Sheamus vs. IC Champion John Morrison (Captain), Evan Bourne, Fit Finlay, Matt Hardy, & Shelton Benjamin

Bourne and Swagger start off with Bourne using speed to get a rollup for 2.  Swagger gets a suplex and tags Ziggler who hits the jumping neck snap for 1.  Cool looking inverted slam gets 2, and then he gets another 2 off some elbows.  He and Swagger trade off again and Ziggler gets Bourne in a half crab.  Bourne kicks him off and gets a rana for 2.  He follows with a high knee and tags Hardy.  They hit a double elbow from the 2^nd rope.  Hardy hits the Side Effect, then tags Bourne who hits the Air Bourne shooting star press for the 3 count to eliminate Ziggler at 3:59.  No time to celebrate though as in comes Drew McIntyre and he hits the double arm DDT to finish Bourne off at 4:12.  Finlay is in next and he takes McIntyre down with the Finlay Roll.  McIntyre avoids a second one and tags Sheamus which sets up the big showdown between the Irishmen.  That lasts almost no time at all as Miz provides a brief distraction and Sheamus hits the big boot for the pin at 5:14.  Hardy comes in and fares a bit better, but then his Side Effect is blocked and he takes a powerslam for 1.  Sheamus drops some elbows and gets a 2 count, then tags Miz.  Miz controls with a slam and legdrop, and then hooks a rear chinlock.  Hardy fires out but then takes a neckbreaker for 2.  Miz goes to a front facelock, which Hardy escapes as well, and follows up with a Russian legsweep.  Miz tags Swagger, who cuts Hardy off from making the tag.  He controls for a bit before Hardy finally escapes and tags Morrison.  Morrison comes in hot with a dropkick and knee for 2.  He corner whip is reversed and he goes down, but Swagger misses the pump splash.  Miz tries to provide the distraction again, but to no avail as Morrison still connects with a springboard kick.  The cover draws everyone in and in the melee, Scott Armstrong takes a knee to the back of the head from Sheamus.  He stays down and they would later announce him has having suffered a concussion.  But it’s a big break for Justin King as he gets to step in and save the day.  After everyone is cleared out, Morrison takes Swagger down and connects with Starship Pain for the pin at 12:09.  Miz jumps him, nailing a clothesline in the corner and a double ax off the top for 2.  Benjamin takes a blind tag and surprises Miz with a rollup for 2.  He then hits a back suplex.  Stinger Splash follows and then a Northern Lights suplex gets 2.  Corner whip sees him run into a boot though, but he follows by getting his own boot up on Miz’s charge.  German suplex gets 2 and he sets up a neckbreaker, but Sheamus nails him to break it up.  Miz follows with the Skull Crushing Finale to end Benjamin’s night at 14:59.  Hardy comes back in as McIntyre gets the tag.  Hardy nails a couple of clotheslines for 2 and a headbutt, but he misses a charge.  He still hits a neckbreaker though and follows with the 2^nd rope legdrop for 2.  He hits another neckbreaker and goes up, but after a distraction by Sheamus, he misses a moonsault.  McIntyre gets the double arm DDT for the 3 count at 17:11.  This leaves Morrison one on three, and the odds take over quickly.  He gets caught by McIntyre and then Sheamus gets the tag and pounds away.  Tag to Miz who’s in with some kicks.  Morrison comes back with a dropkick, but Miz tags right away to Sheamus.  He hits a clothesline and runs Morrison to the corner where the partners beat on him while he distracts the ref.  Morrison tries fighting back and goes for a springboard move, but gets nailed coming down.  Sheamus the hits the Razor’s Edge, and that’s it for Morrison at 20:55.  Survivors: The Mix, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre.  Obviously the heel team has the guys they want to protect and build up so it makes sense for them to win.  Ziggler and Swagger, who were seemingly the pet projects a few months ago, appear to have been shuffled downwards, only being used as token eliminations for the face team here.  I have to say that I’m not confident about a main event push for Sheamus, but I guess we’ll find out next month at TLC as he’s getting thrown right in there with John Cena.  **1/2

Next we get a dumb segment with team Kofi as they reassure Christian there’s nothing awkward about him being the only white guy on the team.  Christian of course manages to make it awkward by the end by rapping about it.  Just a dumb segment that does nothing to make me care about any of the guys, or the match they have coming up, but someone must have thought it was hilarious, I guess.

Rey Mysterio vs. Dave Batista

After the big turn by Batista last month, the feud comes to a head here in Batista’s hometown, which means he’s the crowd favourite regardless.  Definitely an example of poor planning there.  Mysterio starts off going for the knee, and quickly sets up a 619, but Batista rolls out.   Batista drags him to the floor and runs him to the apron.  Back in, Mysterio kicks him and tries a springboard, but Batista ducks it and nails a clothesline.  Mysterio keeps managing to escape Batista’s power moves and clips the knee for 2.  He sets up the 619 again, but Batista catches him.  He sets up the Batista Bomb, but Mysterio takes him to the floor with a rana.  Mysterio follows with a baseball slide and then leaps at him off the apron.  Batista then just starts no selling and beats Mysterio up.  Mysterio knees him coming in and hits a 619 to the back to set up the regular version, which also hits.  After the springboard press hits, he goes up and does the Eddie Guerrero dance to big boos prior to hitting knees on a frog splash.  Batista then gets him with a spear and spinebuster.  Batista Bomb follows, but rather then cover, he hits another, and then another before the ref stops it at 6:49.  Batista is not done though as he comes in with a chair.  The crowd wants him to kill Mysterio, which is probably not the reaction they were going for.  He teases doing nothing for a bit, but then ends up dropping Mysterio with a spinebuster on the chair.  Mysterio does a stretcher job and so begins yet another period of surgery and rehab for him.  *1/2

Randy Orton lets his team know that they’ve failed to live up to his expectations so far, and that they’d better come through tonight.  Punk stands up to him in a tease of dissention, but nothing comes of it.  At least this segment focused on the match and the issues between the guys rather then lame comedy.

Randy Orton (Captain), CM Punk, William Regal, Cody Rhodes, & Ted Dibiase vs. Kofi Kingston (Captain), MVP, Mark Henry, ECW Champion Christian, & R-Truth

Orton and Henry are in first with Henry whipping him to the corner and nailing a clothesline.  He takes shots at the entire heel team and then puts Orton in a bearhug, but Legacy comes in and breaks it up.  That sets up an RKO and Henry is done at 0:53.  MVP comes in as Rhodes gets the tag.  Rhodes gets MVP to the corner and they go to work with Dibiase, Regal, and then Punk all getting tagged in in succession.  Punk stays in and works him over a bit longer, but soon gets tossed away and MVP tags Truth.  These guys have an issue going so they get some heat.  Truth gets a hiptoss and then flips over him on a corner whip.  However, Rhodes distracts him and Punk takes advantage to nail the GTS for the pin at 3:14.  Christian comes in and rolls him up for 2.  He nails a forearm off the ropes for 1 before Punk knees him.  After a slam he tags Dibiase who comes in with a double stomp off the 2^nd rope for 2.  He follows with a powerslam for another 2.  He tries hooking the Dream, but can’t get it.  Christian counters to a Killswitch, which Dibiase in turn counters to a catapult to the buckle.  Christian comes back out with a kick and then a sunset flip gets 3 at 5:04.  Is Dibiase being shuffled down too?  His issues with Orton have pretty much disappeared and here he’s just beaten like an afterthought five minutes in.  Regal comes in for Team Orton while Christian tags Kofi who comes in with a dropkick, some punches in the corner, and an uppercut for 2.  He’s not really getting a superstar reaction though so expect them to give up on him any time now.  Corner whip is reversed with Kofi leaping back off the ropes, but Regal moves and Kofi hits the mat.  Tag to Rhodes, who drops a knee before tagging back to Regal.  Kofi fires back and tags MVP who comes right in with a big boot on Regal for 3 at 6:51.  Rhodes comes in off the top with a bodypress, but MVP rolls through for 2.  He then gets a suplex for another 2.  Tag Christian, whose tornado DDT is blocked and Rhodes kicks him down for 2.  To a bodyscissors, but Christian gets on top of him for 2 and forces a break.  Rhodes then clotheslines him for 2 and tags Orton.  Orton is in with a dropkick for 2 and works Christian over for a bit before tagging Rhodes back in.  Kneedrop by Rhodes misses and that allows a tag to MVP.  He’s in with multiple clotheslines and a facebuster.  He goes Ballin’ but Orton then distracts him and he takes the Cross Rhodes for the pin at 10:11.  Kofi immediately rolls him up for 2 and then tags Christian who comes in with a shot off the top.  Tag back to Kofi who gets a springboard double ax handle for 2, followed by a snapmare and splash for another 2.  Tag to Christian, on whom Rhodes is able to briefly take advantage, but he then quickly falls victim to the Killswitch and is pinned at 11:36.  See, now unlike his partner, Rhodes at least got to job to the guy’s finisher, and not only that he also got an elimination before being eliminated himself.  I don’t understand.  Orton comes in next and works Christian over.  He drops a knee and then takes a cheap shot at Kofi.  Christian gets a cradle for 2 and then Punk provides the distraction to set up the RKO, but Christian counters to the Killswitch.  He covers, but Punk saves at 2.  Christian beats him up and tosses him, but then misses a charge on Orton and takes an RKO for the 3 count at 13:27.  Kofi is in as the last member of his team, but Orton wants nothing to do with him and tags out to Punk.  After this Orton actually goes as far as not even standing on the apron for the entire time Punk and Kofi go at it.  Kofi wins a slugfest which leads to them trying and missing the finishers.  Kofi does get a dropkick and the SOS for 2.  He misses a splash in the corner though and Punk works him over with knees and kicks.  Kick to the back gets 2 and then he uses a headscissors.  Kofi escapes, but ends up charging into a powerslam.  Now Punk goes to a bodyscissors forcing me to note that his moveset in this segment would have Gorilla Monsoon impressed.  Kofi elbows his way out, but a splash hits knees.  Punk gets him with a superplex for 2, followed by the running knee.  He goes for a bulldog, but that gets countered to a back suplex.  Kofi goes up, and after fighting Punk off a couple of times, he gets a crossbody for 2.  He follows with a dropkick and clothesline, and then hits the Boom Drop.  Orton distracts him which allows Punk a rollup, but Kofi rolls through and gets the 3 count at 20:42.  Orton is immediately in, but Kofi is aware and catches him with Trouble In Paradise which gets another 3 count at 20:50.  Survivor: Kofi Kingston.  So the story is that Kofi beat two former World Champions in an incredibly short span of time.  Really good match here, but as noted Kofi is not quite to the superstar level of reaction yet.  If they keep it up, he may get there, but it’s gonna take some time.  ***1/2

World Heavyweight Championship Match: The Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho vs. The Big Show

Obviously the theme of our two Title matches tonight is that the Champion is defending in a Triple Threat Match against both members of a regular tag team.  Jericho and Show have teased some dissention leading up to this, but none the les they start right off with a double team on Taker.  Show nails a clothesline and then Jericho clotheslines Taker to the floor.  Taker lands on his feet though and drags Jericho out, ramming him to the barrier in the process.  Show slowly follows, but gets nailed as well, but then Taker misses a charge at Jericho and hits the barrier.  They set Taker up for the Big Right Hand, but Show opts to nail him in the gut for some reason.  Why would you do that when he’s wide open like he was?  Jericho follows up with a mic shot and then they get Taker in the ring for more double teaming.  Show goes to whip Jericho into Taker, but Taker moves and Jericho hits the post.  Now Taker takes over with a flying clothesline on Show and a couple of bodyblocks on Jericho.  He follows with Snake Eyes, but now Show drags him back to the floor.  Taker manages to send him to the post anyways while Jericho then springboards right into a fist from Taker.  He sets up Old School, but Jericho crotches him.  After a couple of tries, he gets a superplex for 2.  Lionsault hits knees, but he’s unhurt and goes for the Walls instead.  He gets it on and Taker struggles for quite awhile before Show comes in and breaks it in the first sign that it’s everyone for themselves here.  Show then chokeslams Jericho, and goes to do the same thing to Taker, but Taker counters to a DDT.  Jericho sneaks over and gets covers on both guys for 2.  They all slug away now until Show and Taker grab each other by the throat.  Jericho grabs the physical representation of the Championship and goes to nail Taker, but he ducks and Show takes the shot instead.  The announcers play up that Jericho may have intentionally nailed Show, but if that’s what they were going for it didn’t look like it at all as Taker clearly pulled Show forward into it and there was no hesitation by Jericho.  Taker then takes Jericho down with a big boot for 2.  He stomps Show to the floor and sets up the Last Ride on Jericho, but Jericho has the, oh screw it, the belt and clocks Taker on the upswing.  That gets a couple of two counts which frustrates Jericho.  He goes for a Tombstone, for no conceivable reason other than so Taker can reverse it to his own, which sure enough happens, but Show comes in and knocks Taker out with the Big Right Hand.  Show covers, but Jericho saves at 2.  Jericho then covers, but Show breaks that one up at 2 as well.  Now Jericho goes for the Codebreaker on Show, but it’s blocked and Show hits the BRH on him to put him out.  He then goes for the chokeslam on Taker, but Taker hooks him in the Hell’s Gates and that gets the submission to retain at 13:39.  Not a bad match, but not that great either.  Undertaker is seemingly going on to face Batista, while any issues between Jericho and Show are set aside as they are currently announced to defend the Titles against DX at TLC.  **1/2

We get a promo by the survivors of Team Miz as they put themselves over.  Now this was good stuff.  No stupid comedy or anything.  They just came out and talked about what they’ve done and what they’re going to do next.  Was that hard?  The writers must have been on vacation for something like this to slip by.  Either that or they spent all their time working on Christian’s rap.

Women’s Champion Michelle McCool (Captain), Layla, Beth Phoenix, Jillian Hall, & Alicia Fox vs. Mickie James (Captain), Gail Kim, Kelly Kelly, Eve, & Divas Champion Melina

Ok, here we go with the token women’s match, which is bound to be bad, but they’ve spent all night talking about “tradition” and that’s as long running of a tradition as any in this company I guess so it makes sense.  Kelly and Layla are in first and they trade some shots with Kelly then hitting two clotheslines and a legdrop for 3 at 1:16.  Michelle and Gail go next with Gail hitting a dropkick and getting a rollup for 1.  Michelle then gets her with the Styles Clash for 3 at 2:05.  Eve tries a rollup for 1 and then Michelle tags Jillian who drops an elbow for 2.  She gets a hairtoss and then Eve misses a dropkick and Jillian covers for 2.  She goes for the handspring elbow but gets kicked in the back and Eve comes off the top rope with a sunset flip for 3 at 3:35.  Beth is in and immediately hits Eve with the Glam Slam for the pin at 3:52, which is followed by Kelly also taking a Glam Slam for another elimination at 4:09.  Mickie is in next, hitting a dropkick and then pinning Beth with a crucifix at 4:44.  This is rather brisk so far.  That’s not a bad thing though.  Beth nails her after the fact which lets Alicia Fox sneaks in for the cover and get a 1 count.  Alicia then gets a Northern Lights suplex for another 1.  They get backed to the corner and Mickie kicks her off, and then hits a top rope Thesz press for the 3 count at 6:25.  Michelle comes in and pounds Mickie, dropping a knee and a leg for 2.  They trade some shots, but Michelle is able to cut her off from making the tag.  She stomps Mickie down and gets a 2 count, but this time Mickie gets away and tags Melina.  Melina is in with a spear and she pounds away.  She gets a spin kick, followed by a rope straddle and faceplant for 2.  She does her “Matrix” avoiding of a big boot, but Michelle ends up dropping her anyways.  She hits a belly to belly suplex for 2 and then sets up a powerbomb, but Melina rolls through and gets the 3 count at 10:39.  Survivors: Mickie James and Melina.  Nothing more to say here.  ½*

Main Event, WWE Championship Match: John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels

So like the earlier Title match we again have the Champ against a tag team, but in this case Shawn Superkicks HHH right off the bat and puts him out of the ring.  This gets a big positive reaction from the crowd by the way.  Even Cena seems stunned by this course of action.  So now he and Shawn go one on one with Shawn hitting a neckbreaker, followed by a Thesz press.  Corner whip is reversed and Cena nails a bulldog off of it.  Suplex gets 2 for Cena.  He sets up the Attitude Adjustment, but Shawn counters it to a DDT for 2.  Shawn then clips the leg and hooks the figure four.  Cena eventually reverses and Shawn breaks the hold.  Cena goes for the shoulderblocks, but misses the second one and goes to the floor.  Shawn nails a dive and then preps the announce table, but takes too long and is set up for the AA again.  But finally, after about five minutes, HHH has recovered from that Superkick and makes the save, but only because he wants to put Shawn though the table himself, which he does with a spinebuster.  He then gets Cena in the ring and hits him with another spinebuster for 2.  After working Cena over a bit, he gets 2 off a corner whip and a neckbreaker.  He sets up for the Pedigree, but Cena blocks and catapults him to the buckle.  HHH comes out of there though with a clothesline for 2.  Cena gets sent off, but connects with a shoulderblock.  He follows with a second one and then hits the Protobomb.  Five Knuckle Shuffle hits and sets up the AA, but now Shawn makes the save, sending Cena to the post.  Now we have a DX showdown, but HHH has to stop and toss Cena for good measure and that allows Shawn to hit him with an inverted atomic drop.  Irish whip is reversed and HHH hits the high knee.  He then gets the facebuster, but Shawn comes back with a clothesline.  He kips up, but is right into a HHH spinebuster.  Shawn then backdrops out of a Pedigree attempt and goes up, but Cena is there to crotch him.  Cena now goes up for the legdrop on HHH, but that misses.  Shawn is up top again, and comes off with the elbow on Cena.  HHH tosses Shawn, but quickly gets hooked in the STF by Cena.  Shawn makes it back to save though by hooking a crossface on Cena, who powers to his feet, then drops Shawn and puts him in the STF.  Shawn makes the ropes, and after they break, he gets Cena with the Superkick.  He hits another on HHH as well, but HHH falls on top of Cena and the ref counts, but Cena kicks out at 2.  The crowd was convinced that was the finish.  Cena then hits HHH with an Attitude Adjustment.  Both Shawn and Cena crawl to make the cover on HHH and the there at the same time, but HHH kicks out at 2 anyways.  Another Superkick is blocked by Cena and then Shawn goes for a piledriver on HHH.  HHH backdrops Shawn to avoid it, but he lands right on Cena’s shoulders.  Shawn slips off and hits another Superkick on HHH, but turns right into an Attitude Adjustment.  Cena opts to cover HHH instead, but still gets the 3 count to retain at 21:14.  Really good stuff here, but then I would expect nothing less with these guys as they’ve all done so many main event three ways that they could probably put one on in their sleep.  Cena will have a bigger challenge next month as he gets to face Sheamus, who is completely untested in a big match environment, so we’ll see what kind of miracle working abilities he’s got.  As mentioned earlier, DX goes on to what will probably be the real main event of TLC to face Jericho and Show for the Unified Tag Team Titles.  For this match, it squeaks ahead to take match of the night honours at ****.

Final Thoughts: If this year’s WWE PPV’s could be summed up in one phrase, I think it would be “Solid, but completely unremarkable”.  From an in ring perspective, they rarely put on a bad show and this was certainly no exception, but there’s just nothing there that’s gonna make you remember this show even a few months down the line.  The Divas match was the lowlight, but that’s to be expected, and Mysterio/Batista wasn’t that good, but it worked for the story they were telling so it’s forgivable.  Main Event was the big highlight, although it suffers from the dreaded Same Old Match Syndrome.  Thankfully they do appear to be legitimately addressing that issue, although it will take time to see if they’re doing it with the right guys.  As for Survivor Series, I can’t say it was a bad show overall.  In fact, it gets a Thumbs Up, but the truth is that if you missed it, it’s not a big deal which is becoming more and more of the trend.

Video promocional del DVD “My Life My Rules”

En los últimos días CM Punk en cada aparición que tiene en WWE, habla sobre Jeff Hardy, sobre los problemas que tiene este, señalando que se destruyen vidas por consumir pastillas, en la ultima aparición saco el nuevo DVD de Jeff Hardy de una bolsa de basura, dice que es algo espantoso que la gente consumirá

La salida de Jeff  le dolió a WWE, y no lo dejan de mencionar, tendrían la razón de hacerlo si solo fuera por promocionar el nuevo DVD de Jeff, pero parece que esto tiene más fondo, WWE posiblemente esté tratando de convencer a Jeff, y sobre todo cuando los problemas legales que tiene este se arreglen. ¿CM Punk en su papel seguirá “calentando” esta rivalidad, lanzando retos y ofensas contra la carrera de Jeff? , ¿la posible presión de la gente que no olvida a Jeff?

¿Podría ayudar para su regreso buscando acabar a Punk, y porque no enfrentarlo en WrestleMania 26?

Si el tema legal se arregla, ya veremos si WWE tiene la capacidad de convencerlo

Los números entre paréntesis indican ganar, perder y empate. El porcentaje representa el porcentaje de encuentros  que han ganado.

Mas de 125 matches

• John Cena: 137 matches = 83 singles matches (66-13-4, 84%) + 54 tag matches (52-2-0, 96%)
• CM Punk: 135 matches = 108 singles matches (65-40-3, 62%) + 27 tag matches (10-17-0, 37%)
• Randy Orton: 128 matches = 63 singles matches (20-36-7, 36%) + 65 tag matches (5-59-1, 8%)

Mas de 100 matches

• The Big Show: 124 matches = 71 singles matches (36-33-2, 52%) + 53 tag matches (14-38-1, 27%)
• Chris Jericho: 123 matches = 75 singles matches (20-54-1, 27%) + 48 tag matches (20-27-1, 43%)
• Kofi Kingston: 121 matches = 96 singles matches (65-30-1, 68%) + 25 tag matches (15-10-0, 60%)
• Jack Swagger: 116 matches = 99 singles matches (62-34-3, 65%) + 17 tag matches (7-10-0, 41%)
• Mike Mizanin: 113 matches = 73 singles matches (39-33-1, 54%) + 40 tag matches (25-15-0, 63%)
• Christian: 113 matches = 87 singles matches (48-36-3, 57%) + 26 tag matches (15-11-0, 58%)
• Primo Colon: 112 matches = 44 singles matches (18-26-0, 41%) + 68 tag matches (56-12-0, 82%)
• MVP: 110 matches = 86 singles matches (34-51-1, 40%) + 24 tag matches (16-8-0, 67%)
• John Morrison: 110 matches = 67 singles matches (52-14-1, 79%) + 43 tag matches (29-14-0, 67%)
• Rey Mysterio Jr.: 104 matches = 62 singles matches (41-21-0, 66%) + 42 tag matches (32-10-0, 76%)
• William Regal: 101 matches = 84 singles matches (20-64-0, 24%) + 17 tag matches (7-10-0, 41%)
• Mark Henry: 101 matches = 67 singles matches (32-35-0, 48%) + 34 tag matches (20-14-0, 59%)
• Cody Rhodes: 101 matches = 10 singles matches (4-5-1, 44%) + 91 tag matches (24-66-1, 27%)

Mas de 75 matches

• Ted Dibiase Jr.: 97 matches = 12 singles matches (4-8-0, 33%) + 85 tag matches (19-65-1, 23%)
• Triple H: 96 matches = 37 singles matches (24-9-4, 73%) + 59 tag matches (55-4-0, 93%)
• Melina: 95 matches = 47 singles matches (33-14-0, 70%) + 48 tag matches (35-12-1, 74%)
• Finlay: 95 matches = 79 singles matches (46-29-4, 61%) + 16 tag matches (11-5-0, 69%)
• Dolph Ziggler: 93 matches = 79 singles matches (28-50-1, 36%) + 14 tag matches (3-11-0, 21%)
• Carlito: 91 matches = 24 singles matches (2-22-0, 8%) + 67 tag matches (56-11-0, 84%)
• Beth Phoenix: 91 matches = 42 singles matches (18-24-0, 43%) + 49 tag matches (11-37-1, 23%)
• Jeff Hardy: 90 matches = 72 singles matches (32-37-3, 46%) + 18 tag matches (15-3-0, 83%)
• Matt Hardy: 87 matches = 72 singles matches (30-40-2, 43%) + 15 tag matches (8-7-0, 53%)
• Kane: 87 matches = 52 singles matches (25-26-1, 49%) + 35 tag matches (8-26-1, 24%)
• Edge: 85 matches = 52 singles matches (25-25-2, 50%) + 33 tag matches (9-24-0, 27%)
• Shelton Benjamin: 84 matches = 69 singles matches (27-42-0, 39%) + 15 tag matches (5-10-0, 33%)
• Evan Bourne: 80 matches = 73 singles matches (58-15-0, 79%) + 7 tag matches (2-5-0, 29%)
• Tyson Kidd: 76 matches = 32 singles matches (8-24-0, 25%) + 44 tag matches (11-33-0, 25%)

Mas de 50 matches

• Chavo Guerrero Jr.: 75 matches = 64 singles matches (4-60-0, 6%) + 11 tag matches (3-8-0, 27%)
• JTG: 75 matches = 2 singles matches (1-1-0, 50%) + 73 tag matches (35-38-0, 48%)
• Shad Gaspard: 74 matches = 2 singles matches (2-0-0, 100%) + 72 tag matches (35-37-0, 49%)
• Santino Marella: 74 matches = 62 singles matches (23-38-1, 38%) + 12 tag matches (7-5-0, 58%)
• Vladimir Kozlov: 70 matches = 50 singles matches (35-14-1, 71%) + 20 tag matches (10-10-0, 50%)
• the Undertaker: 68 matches = 39 singles matches (32-6-1, 84%) + 29 tag matches (28-0-1, 100%)
• Tommy Dreamer: 66 matches = 48 singles matches (17-29-2, 37%) + 18 tag matches (7-11-0, 39%)
• Mickie James: 66 matches = 33 singles matches (20-13-0, 61%) + 33 tag matches (25-8-0, 76%)
• Goldust: 66 matches = 54 singles matches (19-33-2, 37%) + 12 tag matches (6-6-0, 50%)
• Mike Knox: 59 matches = 36 singles matches (9-27-0, 25%) + 23 tag matches (2-21-0, 9%)
• Michelle McCool: 57 matches = 29 singles matches (20-8-1, 71%) + 28 tag matches (10-18-0, 36%)
• Ezekiel Jackson: 54 matches = 17 singles matches (13-4-0, 76%) + 37 tag matches (8-29-0, 22%)
• The Great Khali: 53 matches = 47 singles matches (33-12-2, 73%) + 6 tag matches (3-3-0, 50%)

Mas de 25 matches

• R Truth: 53 matches = 49 singles matches (23-24-2, 49%) + 4 tag matches (3-1-0, 75%)
• Maryse: 53 matches = 26 singles matches (17-9-0, 65%) + 27 tag matches (8-19-0, 30%)
• Gail Kim: 51 matches = 10 singles matches (6-4-0, 60%) + 41 tag matches (32-9-0, 78%)
• Kelly Kelly: 50 matches = 16 singles matches (3-13-0, 19%) + 34 tag matches (21-12-1, 64%)
• Natalya Neidhart: 49 matches = 12 singles matches (2-10-0, 17%) + 37 tag matches (6-31-0, 16%)
• David Hart Smith: 49 matches = 7 singles matches (4-2-1, 67%) + 42 tag matches (11-31-0, 26%)
• The Brian Kendrick: 47 matches = 22 singles matches (1-21-0, 5%) + 25 tag matches (0-25-0, 0%)
• Sheamus: 47 matches = 45 singles matches (35-8-2, 81%) + 2 tag matches (2-0-0, 100%)
• Shawn Michaels: 46 matches = 13 singles matches (7-5-1, 58%) + 33 tag matches (30-3-0, 91%)
• Jimmy Wang Yang: 43 matches = 43 singles matches (11-32-0, 26%)
• Alicia Fox: 42 matches = 16 singles matches (4-12-0, 25%) + 26 tag matches (10-16-0, 38%)
• Paul Burchill: 41 matches = 37 singles matches (8-29-0, 22%) + 4 tag matches (3-1-0, 75%)
• Batista: 41 matches = 23 singles matches (14-9-0, 61%) + 18 tag matches (16-2-0, 89%)
• Eve: 39 matches = 13 singles matches (7-5-1, 58%) + 26 tag matches (21-5-0, 81%)
• Brie Bella: 37 matches = 7 singles matches (5-2-0, 71%) + 30 tag matches (23-7-0, 77%)
• Drew McIntyre: 37 matches = 33 singles matches (20-10-3, 67%) + 4 tag matches (3-1-0, 75%)
• Jamie Noble: 35 matches = 33 singles matches (8-25-0, 24%) + 2 tag matches (0-2-0, 0%)
• Chris Masters: 34 matches = 30 singles matches (14-16-0, 47%) + 4 tag matches (1-3-0, 25%)
• Nikki Bella: 34 matches = 5 singles matches (4-1-0, 80%) + 29 tag matches (17-12-0, 59%)
• Eric Escobar: 33 matches = 30 singles matches (5-25-0, 17%) + 3 tag matches (1-2-0, 33%)
• Layla: 33 matches = 8 singles matches (1-7-0, 13%) + 25 tag matches (4-21-0, 16%)
• Zach Ryder: 32 matches = 27 singles matches (10-17-0, 37%) + 5 tag matches (1-4-0, 20%)
• Umaga: 31 matches = 24 singles matches (16-7-1, 70%) + 7 tag matches (3-4-0, 43%)
• Rosa Mendes: 31 matches = 4 singles matches (0-4-0, 0%) + 27 tag matches (6-21-0, 22%)
• Charlie Haas: 29 matches = 17 singles matches (3-12-2, 20%) + 12 tag matches (1-11-0, 8%)
• Yoshi Tatsu: 26 matches = 16 singles matches (11-5-0, 69%) + 10 tag matches (5-5-0, 50%)
• Jillian Hall: 26 matches = 8 singles matches (1-7-0, 13%) + 18 tag matches (2-15-1, 12%)

Mas de 10 matches

• Maria: 23 matches = 5 singles matches (1-4-0, 20%) + 18 tag matches (15-3-0, 83%)
• The Hurricane: 20 matches = 13 singles matches (4-9-0, 31%) + 7 tag matches (2-5-0, 29%)
• Katie Lea: 19 matches = 5 singles matches (1-4-0, 20%) + 14 tag matches (1-13-0, 7%)
• Tyler Reks: 16 matches = 12 singles matches (3-9-0, 25%) + 4 tag matches (1-3-0, 25%)
• R-Truth: 16 matches = 8 singles matches (3-5-0, 38%) + 8 tag matches (5-3-0, 63%)
• Alex Riley: 16 matches = 16 singles matches (0-16-0, 0%)
• Hornswoggle: 14 matches = 9 singles matches (8-1-0, 89%) + 5 tag matches (4-1-0, 80%)
• Kizarny: 13 matches = 13 singles matches (12-1-0, 92%)
• Hurricane Helms: 13 matches = 10 singles matches (0-10-0, 0%) + 3 tag matches (0-3-0, 0%)
• Ricky Ortiz: 11 matches = 10 singles matches (1-8-1, 11%) + 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Festus: 11 matches = 6 singles matches (2-4-0, 33%) + 5 tag matches (0-5-0, 0%)

Mas de 5 matches

• Sho Funaki: 9 matches = 8 singles matches (2-6-0, 25%) + 1 tag matches (1-0-0, 100%)
• Shane McMahon: 9 matches = 4 singles matches (0-2-2, 0%) + 5 tag matches (3-1-1, 75%)
• Jesse: 9 matches = 4 singles matches (1-3-0, 25%) + 5 tag matches (1-4-0, 20%)
• John Bradshaw Layfield: 8 matches = 7 singles matches (1-6-0, 14%) + 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• The Boogeyman: 7 matches = 7 singles matches (4-2-1, 67%)
• Ricky Steamboat: 7 matches = 5 singles matches (4-1-0, 80%) + 2 tag matches (1-1-0, 50%)
• DJ Gabriel: 6 matches = 4 singles matches (0-4-0, 0%) + 2 tag matches (1-1-0, 50%)

Mas de 1

• Heath Slater: 5 matches = 5 singles matches (0-5-0, 0%)
• Candice Michelle: 4 matches = 3 singles matches (0-3-0, 0%) + 1 tag matches (1-0-0, 100%)
• unknown: 3 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%) + 2 tag matches (0-2-0, 0%)
• Vickie Guerrero: 3 matches = 2 singles matches (1-0-1, 100%) + 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Vance Archer: 3 matches = 3 singles matches (3-0-0, 100%)
• Jerry Lawler: 3 matches = 2 singles matches (1-1-0, 50%) + 1 tag matches (1-0-0, 100%)
• Vince McMahon: 2 matches = 1 singles match (0-0-1, 0%) + 1 tag matches (1-0-0, 100%)
• Mike Williams: 2 matches = 2 singles matches (0-2-0, 0%)
• Eugene: 2 matches = 2 singles matches (2-0-0, 100%)
• Sim Snuka: 2 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%) + 1 tag matches (1-0-0, 100%)
• Ryan Braddock: 2 matches = 2 singles matches (0-2-0, 0%)

1 Match

• Bill Baine: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jack Meridol: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Adam Evans: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Caden Mathews: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Ricky Hatton: 1 matches = 1 singles match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Ken Kennedy: 1 matches = 1 tag match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Bao Nguyen: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Roddy Piper: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Roman Cornell: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Rory Fargo: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Johnny Curtis: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jesse Guilmette: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Russ Taylor: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Brett Barnes: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Sammy Savard: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Dustin Carwile: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Scott Armstrong: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Scotty Goldman: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Seth Green: 1 matches = 1 tag match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Dustin Brady: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Marty Jannetty: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jason Blackwell: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jimmy Snuka: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• David Floridia: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Brandon Young: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Curt Hawkins: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• JT Quinn: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jenny Brooks: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Chad Collyer: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Cima: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Frankie Sloan: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Lisa Taylor: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Matt Boyce: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Tiffany: 1 matches = 1 tag match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Oliver John: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Tony Atlas: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Adam Green: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Trish Stratus: 1 matches = 1 tag match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Logan Jones: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Maria Menounos: 1 matches = 1 tag match (1-0-0, 100%)
• Johnny Andrews: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Joey Munos: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Mike Tolar: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Victoria: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Luke Hawx: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Danny Danger: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Chris Lewie: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Jim Parks: 1 matches = 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Brittany Carter: 1 matches = 1 singles match (0-1-0, 0%)

SINGLES STARS

• John Cena: 83 singles matches (66-13-4, 84%) (50 clean wins + 16 wins via DQ/CO + 13 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 4 draws.)
• Evan Bourne: 73 singles matches (58-15-0, 79%) (55 clean wins + 3 wins via DQ/CO + 15 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• John Morrison: 67 singles matches (52-14-1, 79%) (49 clean wins + 3 wins via DQ/CO + 12 clean losses + 2 losses via DQ/CO + 1 draws.)
• Sheamus: 45 singles matches (35-8-2, 81%) (34 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 7 clean losses + 1 losses via DQ/CO + 2 draws.)
• the Undertaker: 39 singles matches (32-6-1, 84%) (29 clean wins + 3 wins via DQ/CO + 4 clean losses + 2 losses via DQ/CO + 1 draws.)
• Ezekiel Jackson: 17 singles matches (13-4-0, 76%) (13 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 4 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• Kizarny: 13 singles matches (12-1-0, 92%) (12 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 1 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• Hornswoggle: 9 singles matches (8-1-0, 89%) (7 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 0 clean losses + 1 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• Nikki Bella: 5 singles matches (4-1-0, 80%) (4 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 1 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• Ricky Steamboat: 5 singles matches (4-1-0, 80%) (4 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 1 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)
• Vance Archer: 3 singles matches (3-0-0, 100%) (3 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 0 clean losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws.)

TAG MANIACS

• Primo Colon: 68 tag matches (56-12-0, 82%) (46 clean wins + 10 wins via DQ/CO + 12 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Carlito: 67 tag matches (56-11-0, 84%) (46 clean wins + 10 wins via DQ/CO + 11 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Triple H: 59 tag matches (55-4-0, 93%) (53 clean wins + 2 wins via DQ/CO + 4 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• John Cena: 54 tag matches (52-2-0, 96%) (51 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 2 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Rey Mysterio Jr.: 42 tag matches (32-10-0, 76%) (31 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 10 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Gail Kim: 41 tag matches (32-9-0, 78%) (32 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 9 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Mickie James: 33 tag matches (25-8-0, 76%) (25 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 8 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Shawn Michaels: 33 tag matches (30-3-0, 91%) (29 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 3 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Brie Bella: 30 tag matches (23-7-0, 77%) (23 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 6 losses + 1 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• the Undertaker: 29 tag matches (28-0-1, 100%) (28 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 0 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 1 draws)
• Eve: 26 tag matches (21-5-0, 81%) (21 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 5 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Jeff Hardy: 18 tag matches (15-3-0, 83%) (14 clean wins + 1 wins via DQ/CO + 3 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Batista: 18 tag matches (16-2-0, 89%) (16 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 2 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Maria: 18 tag matches (15-3-0, 83%) (15 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 3 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Hornswoggle: 5 tag matches (4-1-0, 80%) (4 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 1 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)
• Sheamus: 2 tag matches (2-0-0, 100%) (2 clean wins + 0 wins via DQ/CO + 0 losses + 0 losses via DQ/CO + 0 draws)

Con mas matchs pérdidos:

Individuales

• Chris Jericho: 123 matches = 75 singles matches (20-54-1, 27%) + 48 tag matches (20-27-1, 43%)
• MVP: 110 matches = 86 singles matches (34-51-1, 40%) + 24 tag matches (16-8-0, 67%)
• William Regal: 101 matches = 84 singles matches (20-64-0, 24%) + 17 tag matches (7-10-0, 41%)
• Chavo Guerrero Jr.: 75 matches = 64 singles matches (4-60-0, 6%) + 11 tag matches (3-8-0, 27%)

BAJO porcentajes de victoria

• Carlito: 91 matches = 24 singles matches (2-22-0, 8%) + 67 tag matches (56-11-0, 84%)
• Chavo Guerrero Jr.: 75 matches = 64 singles matches (4-60-0, 6%) + 11 tag matches (3-8-0, 27%)
• The Brian Kendrick: 47 matches = 22 singles matches (1-21-0, 5%) + 25 tag matches (0-25-0, 0%)
• Rosa Mendes: 31 matches = 4 singles matches (0-4-0, 0%) + 27 tag matches (6-21-0, 22%)
• Alex Riley: 16 matches = 16 singles matches (0-16-0, 0%)
• Hurricane Helms: 13 matches = 10 singles matches (0-10-0, 0%) + 3 tag matches (0-3-0, 0%)
• Shane McMahon: 9 matches = 4 singles matches (0-2-2, 0%) + 5 tag matches (3-1-1, 75%)
• DJ Gabriel: 6 matches = 4 singles matches (0-4-0, 0%) + 2 tag matches (1-1-0, 50%)
• Heath Slater: 5 matches = 5 singles matches (0-5-0, 0%)

Tag

• Randy Orton: 128 matches = 63 singles matches (20-36-7, 36%) + 65 tag matches (5-59-1, 8%)
• Cody Rhodes: 101 matches = 10 singles matches (4-5-1, 44%) + 91 tag matches (24-66-1, 27%)
• Ted Dibiase Jr.: 97 matches = 12 singles matches (4-8-0, 33%) + 85 tag matches (19-65-1, 23%)
• Mostrar forma romanizada
• BAJO porcentajes de victorias
• Randy Orton: 128 matches = 63 singles matches (20-36-7, 36%) + 65 tag matches (5-59-1, 8%)
• Mike Knox: 59 matches = 36 singles matches (9-27-0, 25%) + 23 tag matches (2-21-0, 9%)
• The Brian Kendrick: 47 matches = 22 singles matches (1-21-0, 5%) + 25 tag matches (0-25-0, 0%)
• Jamie Noble: 35 matches = 33 singles matches (8-25-0, 24%) + 2 tag matches (0-2-0, 0%)
• Charlie Haas: 29 matches = 17 singles matches (3-12-2, 20%) + 12 tag matches (1-11-0, 8%)
• Katie Lea: 19 matches = 5 singles matches (1-4-0, 20%) + 14 tag matches (1-13-0, 7%)
• Hurricane Helms: 13 matches = 10 singles matches (0-10-0, 0%) + 3 tag matches (0-3-0, 0%)
• Ricky Ortiz: 11 matches = 10 singles matches (1-8-1, 11%) + 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)
• Festus: 11 matches = 6 singles matches (2-4-0, 33%) + 5 tag matches (0-5-0, 0%)
• John Bradshaw Layfield: 8 matches = 7 singles matches (1-6-0, 14%) + 1 tag match (0-1-0, 0%)

Los resultados no están completos – por lo menos 60 eventos  este año (en su mayoría house shows) no se han llenado – pero este es un buen indicador de las tendencias de 2009 .

Fuente, www.thehistoryofwwe.com

No dia 22 de novembro, foi ao ar a vigésima terceira edição do Survivor Series, a segunda mais longa exibição em pay per view da WWE. Quase 20 mil fãs lotaram o Verizon Center, em Washington – fora os milhões de expectadores em mais de 20 países ao redor do mundo – para presenciar mais um espetáculo protagonizado pelas maiores estrelas do wrestling internacional.

O tio Ogro demorou um pouco, mas cá está uma breve cobertura do que rolou no evento mais legalzudo do mês:

Team Miz X Team Morrison (Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match)

O primeiro combate da noite serviu como uma excelente amostra do que os astros da nova geração podem fazer, mostrando que o futuro da WWE está em boas mãos. Para a surpresa de muitos, o United States Champion, The Mizz, Drew McIntyre, Jack Swagger, Sheamus e Dolph Ziggler abraçaram a tarefa de deixar seus egos de lado e executaram um ótimo trabalho de equipe para derrotar o time do Intercontinental Champion John Morrison, formado por Matt Hardy, Finlay, Evan Bourne e Shelton Benjamin.

Iniciada com Bourne e Swagger, a luta logo tomou caráter caótico, com golpes e pinfalls pipocando por todo o ringue e estrelas colidindo como se não houvesse amanhã, incluindo um show à parte protagonizado pelo irlandês durão Finlay contra McIntyre e o guerreiro celta Sheamus.

Quando a poeira abaixou, restava o solitário John Morrison de um lado contra o trio Mizz, McIntyre e Sheamus. Jogando a cautela às favas, o ‘Shaman Of Sexy’ partiu para uma ofensiva explosiva, mas Sheamus o subjugou, conquistando a vitória para o Team Mizz.

Batista X Rey Mysterio

A sequência tinha um tempero especial: rancor, vingança e ódio. O universo da WWE assistiu ao gigante Dave Batista despejar toda sua fúria no antigo amigo Rey Mysterio, fazendo juz ao seu apelido, “The Animal”. Batista culpa Rey por tê-lo impedido de realizar o pin em Undertaker – em luta realizada no Bragging Rights, em outubro – o que o nomearia Heavy Weight Champion. Segundo Dave, ele está cansado do ‘quase’, de ver o título escapando das suas mãos, e não admite que isso tenha sido feito por um ‘amigo’.

Apesar de Rey ter lutado com todo o seu coração, partindo para a ofensiva com todas as armas que tinha, a fúria do “The Animal” sobrepujou sua coragem. Como uma locomotiva, Batista avançou sobre e Mysterio sem misericórdia. Após uma Spear fenomenal, um Spine Buster e três (sim, três!!!) Batista Bombs devastadoras, o árbitro não teve escolha a não ser finalizar o combate. Batista não esboçou qualquer sinal de satisfação com a vitória. Conforme comentado durante a tranmissão por Michael Cole, “Batista never went for a cover, never looked for a win…it was all about punishing!”, o que, em português, quer dizer que Batista é um badass motherfucker! Há!

Com Rey ainda caído na londa, Dave retornou ao ringue com uma cadeira de metal. Por um momento, todos esperaram que o gigante desse continuidade ao seu ataque, mas ele simplesmente sentou-se para assistir à agonia do antigo amigo. Após alguns momentos, Batisa se levantou sem dizer uma palavra, erguendo Mysterio do chão e executando mais um Spine Buster, em cima da cadeira de aço, para o choque de todo o Verizon Center.

A WWE tem agora um prato cheio para eleger seu novo vilão.

Team Kingston X Team Orton (Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match)

Kofi Kingston e Randy Orton: eis uma nova rivalidade que vem dando o que falar na WWE. Com Kofi, Mark Henry, R-Truth, Christian e MVP de um lado e Orton, Ted DiBiase, Cody Rhodes, William Regal e CM Punk do outro, o ringue foi palco de uma batalha épica. O combate prosseguia, astros eram derrotados e outros mostravam tudo que tinham a oferecer.

Até que, ao final da luta, restavam apenas Kofi contra dois já condecorados campeões da WWE, o “Straightedge Superstar” CM Punk e ninguém menos que Randy “The Viper” Orton. No entanto, acostumado a nadar contra a corrente, Kingston não se intimidou e, movido pela torcida, mostrou toda a sua versatilidade e atleticismo, justificando o porquê de ser uma das novas estrelas mais adoradas pelos fãs da WWE.

Após uma sequência acirrada com Punk, Kofi realizou o pin. Orton, pretendendo pegar o jovem astro de surpresa, adentrou o ringue tão logo o companheiro é dado como eliminado. Mas Kofi Kingston tirou a noite para mostrar que tem tudo o que é necessário para lutar de igual para igual com estrelas já eternizadas na WWE. Com um vôo espetacular, ele aplicou um Trouble In Paradise em Orton, que desabou sem nem poder reagir. E foi assim que esse combate se encerrou: Kingstone aplicando o pinfall em dois antigos World Champions em menos de 6 segundos! O neguinho não é mole não, há!

World Heavyweight Champion Undertaker X Big Show X Chris Jericho (Triple Threat Match)

Há quase 20 anos, na primeira edição do Survivor Series em 1990, Undertaker subia no ringue da WWE pela primeira vez. Na época, ninguém sabia muito o que esperar do sinistro “Demon From Death Valley”. Já em 2009, todo o universo da WWE está ciente do que este homem obstinado é capaz de fazer, incluindo entre seus feitos, um recorde de 17-0 no Wrestlemania. E é com mais uma entrada triunfal que Undertaker sobiu ao ringue do Verizon Center.

A quarta luta da noite começou com Jericho e Big Show unindo forças contra o “Dead Man”. Mas tão logo Chris tentou finalizar o campeão com um Walls Of Jericho, o maior atleta do mundo interrompeu, ficando então cada um por si.

Depois de uma franca troca de pins interrompidos, golpes incríveis e massivas demonstrações de força física, Big Show – que havia nocauteado Jericho com um Right To The Head – partiu para cima de Undertaker com um gigantesco choke slam. Quando parecia o fim para o lutador das trevas, Undertaker reverteu o ataque e aplicou uma das mais temidas manobras de submissão da WWE, o Hells Gates em Big Show, obrigando-o a bater.

Mais uma vitóroia incontestável do “Phenom” e mais uma pergunta no ar: se nem mesmo o maior atleta do mundo pode parar Undertaker, quem poderá?

Team Mickie X Team Michelle (Traditional Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Match)

Concluindo uma semana de insultos por parte de Michelle McCool, Lyla e Beth Phoenix à superstar Mickie James – levando a mesma até as lágrimas durante o Smackdown – esse foi mais um combate que se iniciou com sabor de acerto de contas.

A noite das divas da WWE foi marcada, entre outras coisas, pela impressionante força física da “Glamazon” Beth Phoenix. Mas não foi tudo o que Beth demonstrou. Ela também deixou clara toda a sua anti-desportividade ao não concordar com a sua eliminação, após um ótimo Crucifix perpetrado por Mickie James. Esta, aliás, foi outro destaque da luta, esbanjando seus tradicionais atleticismo e vigor.

Mas a conclusão do encejo ficou a cargo da Divas Champion Melina, que exibiu habilidades acrobáticas para executar um Sunset Flip na Women’s Champion Michelle McCool, que já dava a sua vitória como garantida, em sua arrogância costumeira.

WWE Champion John Cena X Triple H X Shawn Michaels (Triple Threat Match)

Como citado no site official da WWE, “quando se trata do título mais cobiçado da companhia, a lealdade se torna um preço que nem todos os superstars estão dispostos a pagar.”. Apesar da entrada de Triple H e Shawn Michaels como a famosa dupla Degeneration X, o combate seria cada um por si. E também, apesar do discurso de que não importa quem levasse o título, contanto que o mesmo fosse conquistado para a DX, a noite nos guardava mais algumas surpresas.

Segundos após o sinal de início da luta, Shawn Michaels despachou Triple H com um Sweet Chin Music. A arena permaneceu em choque, assim como o pasmo campeão John Cena. Com Triple H fora, HBK e Cena se atracaram como titãs.

No entanto, como qualquer fã da WWE pode afirmar, nunca tome “The Cerebral Assassin” por vencido. Triple H se recompôs e fez com que o choque dos três gigantes tomasse um rumo diferente, dinâmico e muito mais perigoso, fora dos limites do ringue. Foi então que H deu o troco no ‘companheiro’ executando um Spine Buster em Shawn, na mesa de narração do evento. Enquanto a luta quase chegava ao fim com diversas contagens interrompidas, foi um castigado e exausto Cena que, seguindo o seu lema de “never give up”, perserverou e aplicou o pin em Triple H, mantendo pra si o título de WWE Champion.

Será que após esse último capítulo, a história da polêmica Degeneration X chegou ao fim?

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Putz! Dá pra suar só de ler né? Pois é, foi mais uma noite de entretenimento certo para os fãs da Wwe ao redor do mundo. E o próximo encontro já está marcado! No dia 13 de dezembro, a cidade de San Antonio, no Texas recebe o explosivo TLC, evento no qual os astros colidem, levando a ação para fora dos ringues com o auxílio de mesas, escadas e cadeiras. Dá pra perder?

Source: PWInsider

- There is a feeling in WWE that something ’special’ needs to be done with The Undertaker for WrestleMania 26 this year, and more importantly something fresh that the fans haven’t seen before. This is why the potential match with John Cena is being touted at the moment.

- There is also talk of a Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels match at WrestleMania 26. As often as the pair have wrestled each other, they have never had a match on a WrestleMania stage and it is something that has been talked about over the last 2 months.

- At one point, there had been a plan for a CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio match at WrestleMania 26, but this is unlikely to happen now considering Mysterio’s injury problems.