Details On Hardy's TNA Contract
Jeff Hardy actually signed a contract with TNA over a week ago. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but TNA officials are asking for roughly...
The overnight ratings for Raw did not look promising. I don't think the show was as bad as people might assume from the ratings, but it wasn't the greatest. Although, I think it has helped me realize something very important about the direction of the WWE. Forever, the majority of us have been pushing for a infusion of new blood to the main event picture. WIth the push of Kofi Kingston and the continued emphasis on other superstars like The Miz and Jack Swagger, it would appear that we are getting our wish. But on closer inspection, I realize this is not the case. All the new guys are fighting each other, not the Champ, not the Game, etc.
Of course, Kofi is feuding with Randy Orton now. This is a welcome change for me and it makes me respect Orton a lot more than I had. But it doesn't seem that Kofi is being pulled up, so much as Orton is being pulled down. The main events for Survivor Series says it all. Triple H, John Cena, Shawn Michaels for the title. Really? The only new thing about this feud is the inclusion of HBK, and even that isn't very new. And adding to that, the WWE is making these three build up their feud by . . . arguing about copyright infringement with Hornswoggle? It's like they aren't even trying anymore.
On the Smackdown side of the equation, I love the Undertaker and Chris Jericho. However, I don't think I ever want to see either of them fight the Big Show again. This spot could have easily been CM Punk, or Kane, or Matt Hardy. Or we could take the Tag Team Titles and put them on a team that cares more about them. Book title defenses. It's such a waste of time to have them carrying those titles. The only reason to give two main eventers the tag team titles is to maintain their status while keeping them out of the World Title hunt. To have both is ridiculous. In my very not humble opinion, those belts should be around the waists of Cryme Time, the Hart Dynasty, or Kozlov/Jackson.
Anyways, on to Raw. Like I said, it wasn't bad. Our guest host did a servicable job. I'm not a boxing fan, but I enjoyed what mic work we did get out of Ricky Hatton. And holy crap, the heat Jericho got for insulting the Queen. That made me laugh aloud because only Y2J would do that in today's wrestling biz. The opening segment featured the usual DX guest host sucking up and then we moved on to our first match.
Alicia Fox b. Kelly Kelly
A decent match overall, but I think Alicia Fox carried it. She has improved so tremendously. I can definitely get behind her as a heel champ. Her axe kick looks vicious and she does everything with a very quiet strength. I like that. Kelly Kelly, as always, looks better standing still than wrestling. As for the division and Alicia Fox being the number on contender, I think we will be treated to a very good title match. I personally can't wait for Maryse to come back (maybe Survivor Series?) and I could see her feuding with either of these two.
On the note of Jamie Noble, I do hope he gets better. I don't know if he has a legitimate injury, but I can understand if he is ready to hang up his tights. I've followed him since his WCW days and the epic feuds with the Young Dragons and Three Count. They were WCW's answer to Edge, Christian, and the Hardy Boys. All six men kept me tuning into Nitro for the entirety of their rivalry (a feat in itself, I'm not WCW's biggest fan).
Sheamus b. Hometown Brit Hero Guy
This was another good smash match by Sheamus, including the debut of his tossing powerbomb. I think he did a great job in the match and an even better one on the mic beforehand. he could have easily came off as a good guy in this country, but cut that off quickly. Overall, it was a Squash but a well done one.
We go backstage with the Bella's and Ricky Hatton. We get our token comedy bit for the night, including Santino and Chavo. Nothing much comes out of this, but seeing Hatton nail that bullseye with the dart was pretty cool. After that we are treated to a Miz interview, establishing his Survivor Series match. He is interrupted by Jack Swagger and the two argue. I do remember thinking that only the Miz was arrogant enough to sabotage his own team because of his ego. That's why I love him, I think.
Evan Bourne b. Jack Swagger
So much for going undefeated. Great win for Evan Bourne, but I don't think it will really matter in the long run. The longer he is on Raw, the more I wish he was on ECW again. He would be a legitimate title contender there, not the fodder. Better yet, bring back the Cruiserweight title and have him face cruiserweights from all over the world to establish himself as the greatest. That would be great. Regardless, the Miz distracted Jack Swagger causing the loss. This does not bode well for teamwork.
Now the VIP lounge segment was straight up money. I loved every bit of it. Every single man got to make their statement and each and every one of them put their own flavor on it. Kofi came off as a great leader and the team he has gathered around him is very impressive. As they are interrupted by Legacy, it evolved into a nice back and forth. Both Cody and Ted did a fantastic job putting their characters out there. I especially loved Ted's subtle ability to play the rich snob without throwing money around or wearing a jacket with dollar signs on it. After this we got a match from two of the men involved.
Randy Orton b. Mark Henry
It was a short match, but what we got was good. The end was out of nowhere and caught me off guard, but I enjoyed it. I cannot wait for this match at Survivor Series.
Up next is the "Mixed Martial Arts match." (Yes, I feel dirty typing that).
Ricky Hatton b. Chavo Guerrero
Hatton won it with a nice punch, and it was entertaining to watch. However, it got me thinking about Chavo's position in the company and I realized how lucky he is. More often than not, he gets more interaction with these celebrities than most other superstars and has been physically assaulted by most of them. How many people can say that Ricky Hatton knocked them out, Bob Barker karate chopped them, and they were pinned by Cedric the Entertainer? In that light, I kinda envy Chavo.
The next segment is ridiculous. I cannot believe what they are doing with this main event. Nevermind that Hornswoggle is definitely not funny anymore. This is supposed to be the three men that are expected to destroy each over for the title at the next pay per view, and they are acting like the Super Best Friends Forever Club. There is no buildup and no drama to this storyline at all. I literally couldn't care less. Which brings us to our main event, guess who?
DX b. Jerishow
The match itself was decent, but everytime they cut to Cena my eyes glazed over and I heard Hornswoggle's very odd laughter in the back of my head. I really hope they don't stretch this out. DX got the win, and we get an announcement for the main event next week. Jerishow vs. DX (uhm, we just saw that, oh wait!) vs. Cena and the Undertaker. . . . Cena . . . The Undertaker. Wtf. Whatever.
Moving on to ECW
We open with Yoshi Tatsu on the Abraham Washington show. I loved the heat that Abe got from the crowd and I continue to like Tony Atlas as the sidekick. I love the seeming terror he has of being fired. Yoshi gave a surprisingly funny interview, and the crowd got a few laughs out of it. It ended and we saw our first match.
Goldust b. Paul Burchill
The match between Burchill and the Hurricane was postponed to next week, which I think is a smart idea. Hopefully, with the delay, it will be the main event. It deserves to be, one way or the other it will have a big impact on the Land of Extreme. In this match though, Burchill got warmed up against Goldust. Good match overall and their styles seem to mesh nicely. The end came via distraction by the Hurricane. We'll see what happens next week.
At some point in the night (I can't really remember when) we go to the back with Tiffany and Regal. They discuss the match upcoming and Tiffany gets under his skin again by inferring that he would not win. I mention this only because Tiffany is gorgeous and I will take any advantage to mention that. Plus she is a surfer. I mean c'mon.
Moving on.
Vance Archer b. Some Local Guy
Another good match from the former TNA star. I definitely see good things in his future, especially if he stays in ECW. He could easily get lost on the other shows, but could make a huge impact on ScyFy.
We also go backstage for another dream segment with Zack Ryder and Rosa. I loved it. I hate myself, but I did. It's such a unique and funny way to use his character. Yes, Rosa is hot, and the sight of her might make me skip down the hall and listen to hair metal, but Zack plays the adorable puppy dog way too well. I can't wait to see where this is going. Is she secretly working for Shelton Benjamin to distract Ryder? Or is she clueless about Zack's affection?
Christian b. William Regal KEITH'S MATCH OF THE WEEK
Excellent match. This match had a little of everything and these two men are classic workers. Both worked hard for the win and you could hear the crowd trying to get behind them both. Part of me was cheering for Regal, due to it being his home country. The normally straight faced and serious Brit had a small air about him that hinted at what must have been excitement under the surface. The dne was great and Christian remains the longest reigning champion in the WWE. Is this the end of the feud? I don't think so.
Well, we still have Smackdown to come but so far England has delivered. Y2J vs. the Undertaker is exciting me already. So I will see you guys again in a few days and always remember, my Brittish fans and all those around the rest of the world . . .
The World Is Watching.
"And remember, the reason the sun never sets on the British Empire, is because God doesn't trust the British in the dark." John Rhys-Davies as Maximillian Arturo on Sliders
