DaveyBoy's Wrestling Menu - Rookie Feedback & WrestleMania 20 Card
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Wednesday, December 3, 2003 at 3:19 PM EST




THE WRESTLING MENU #69

Excuse me for my absence last week. A combination of a busy week & me not being able to get my head properly around my main topic today has resulted in this delay. But I'm back to say; Welcome one and all to the 69th edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.

For those of you that are a little on the immature side, I remind you once more that this is column #69!!! I can just see Beavis & Butthead carrying on as I write!!!

Anyway, enough with the nonsense. My last 2 columns have been really long & I'm making a concerted effort to shorten this one so that you can all stay awake & read it until the end. Therefore, there will be no 'Dessert' section today. Don't worry, your 'Main' course is huge, so you should get filled up. On with the show.

Check that just for a line or four; It would be remiss of me not to congratulate the Australian Davis Cup tennis team on their 28th finals win. It's great to see such team camaraderie in a multi-million dollar sport that is so often too individual. So to Mark Phillipousis, Lleyton Hewitt, Todd Woodbridge & Wayne Arthurs; Well done guys. Ok, now it's on with the show.

Actually, check that once more (I know, I can't help myself. I like to write, ok!!!). I have to throw a plug out to pt2, who has just reached his 50 column milestone on the LOP Columns Forum. I was honored that he asked me to contribute to it, and I urge you to check it out at http://www.lopforums.com/showthread.php?s=cbebcf0314df49bc9a62ee7d6407dc1a&threadid=4417

Ummm, on with the show... I promise...


APPETIZERS

Rookie Rankings Feedback

I should start this section off by thanking everyone that e-mailed me during the past fortnight on this subject. Like I said then, that column took quite a while to compile & write, so all the feedback was very much appreciated. If you missed edition #68 & my 2003 Rookie Rankings, you can view it by clicking on the following link: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003_/articles/1069277315.php

Well, in amongst all the feedback, I think I'd have to say that 2 of my rankings stood out as the most controversial for my readers. The one that was most obvious is my ranking of Matt Morgan at #2 (behind Charlie Haas). Even those that agreed with the potential that this young man has, thought that I went way too far by ranking him ahead of the likes of Dupree, Cade, Basham & Benjamin. I can't really argue with the logic presented by any of my readers that e-mailed me stating this. Like I said in last week's column, the ranking was "more on gut feeling than anything else".

He also got the high ranking because the others mentioned in the previous paragraph don't really stand out to me as being possible World Title contenders down the track. Morgan could one day be just that. It may be at least 5 years away, but he seems to have the necessary starting tools to build one hell of a career for himself. Don't get me wrong though, if Morgan was in the rookie crop of 2002, he wouldn't have been ranked as high against the likes of Lesnar, Orton, Cena & Batista.

The other feedback which stood out concerning the rookie rankings was my relatively low ranking of Shelton Benjamin at #6. Again, I cannot argue with any of the reasoning stated by my readers. In fact, when I first sat down to start analyzing the rookies about a fortnight before I wrote the column, I think I had Benjamin at #3 or #4. There was no real reason why he slipped down except for me re-thinking the relative positives that Garrison Cade & Doug Basham had going for them.

In fact, if I go back 6 months or so, I actually was of the belief that Benjamin was in fact superior to his partner, Charlie Haas. I've just had the feeling that Shelton hasn't shown too much improvement since the start of the year, and that Haas has clearly overtaken him in all the crucial characteristics. Of course, this all depends on the booking to a certain extent, and Benjamin looked exceptionally strong as the only heel to make it to the final 4 in the SmackDown battle royal last week.

Well, it's just a matter of wait-and-see with these types of things, and all things being as they are, I hope to re-visit these rankings at roughly the same time next year. Who knows how many of the sixteen 2003 rookies will even still be with the WWE at the end of 2004!!!


MAIN

WrestleMania 20 Card

I wanted to do this topic before now, so that it could be more closer to 4 months out from the big night that will be WrestleMania 20. But my Rookie Rankings sort of took over the whole column a fortnight ago, and I've been tossing & turning in a confused state on the card for most of the time since. But even with doing the topic today, I think I will revisit the projected card just after the Royal Rumble in approximately 6 weeks time & 2 months before the grand-daddy of them all.

Like I mentioned in the closing lines of my last column, I have never professed to being a professional wrestling booker, writer or match-maker. However, I know what I want to see on my television screen. I also know how important the WrestleMania pay-per-view is to both the WWE and it's fans. So I thought that I would at least try & come up with a realistic card that will befit the big night. I'm sure some of my readers will point out better headline matches & obvious things that I may have missed, but that's sort of why I'm doing the topic in the first place. You can bet that I will include the better feedback I get, in next week's column.

There are only 3 assumptions I need to inform you of before listing out my card of 11 matches. They are:

(1) The brand extension will still be in effect come mid-March & matches will be booked accordingly.

(2) In a trade, Kane will move to SmackDown, while The Rock will officially move to Raw. This will occur after Vince McMahon steals Kane to help him in his future battles with the returning Undertaker. But after Eric Bischoff complains that he shouldn't have lost a main-eventer for nothing in return, Vince states that The Rock was never officially tied to Raw. (NOTE: The Rock does currently appear on the Raw roster on wwe.com).

(3) Stone Cold Steve Austin somehow finds his way back onto Raw. I really can't think of a logical & entertaining way of this happening, so I'm just going to say that Linda McMahon pops up one day & quotes a contract oversight to get revenge on Bischoff's stalking of her inside her home earlier this year. Maybe she could say that Austin had to leave Raw as a GM only, but he could return as a wrestler.

Ok, my current projected card in match order is:

1: TAJIRI (C), AKIO & SAKODA vs REY MYSTERIO, SPANKY & PAUL LONDON for the CruiserWeight Title: I still think that the cruiserweights are the best way to start a pay-per-view & are most effective in getting the crowd hot. I like the dual format of a six-man match doubling as a cruiserweight title match because it allows the talent to show what they have, while at the same time keeping the title in the minds of fans. The team aspect of things also plants seeds of doubt for all concerned as to whether their partners can be trusted with the title on the line. I see Tajiri actually continuing his current title reign until March, where it will be broken in this bout by either Mysterio, or if allowed to do what he does best, London.

2: CHARLIE HAAS/SHELTON BENJAMIN (C) vs NATHAN JONES/MATT MORGAN vs THE BIG SHOW/A-TRAIN vs THE BASHAM BROTHERS for the WWE Tag-Team Championship: Pretty much a filler match to get both some singles & tag-team talent involved on the card. I see the face team of Haas & Benjamin fighting the huge odds, and really establishing themselves as the best tag-team in the entire WWE, by retaining their titles.

3: SHAWN MICHAELS vs BILL GOLDBERG: Sort of like an early main event, I think this is a match that could really work. HBK has really been making all sorts of opponents look good over the last few months, and I think he could do the same with Goldberg inside of the squared circle. Not only that, but I think if Michaels is bordering on a heel turn at the time, it could be a really great feud, with HBK's arrogance really clashing with Goldberg's no-nonsense persona. It's the type of bout that could also get a swing in crowd support which could really add to the atmosphere of the bout. I think Goldberg will still be kept strong at this point in time, so he would probably emerge victorious.

4: LITA (C) vs MOLLY HOLLY vs TRISH STRATUS vs VICTORIA in a Fatal Fourway Match for the Women's Title: This one is simple; The best 4 talents in the division battling it out for the gold. Building the match up should be very easily done & I really think this could be the bout that makes fans take notice of the women as wrestlers. As I can see Lita & Molly continuing their current feud for quite some time, this could be a good time for Victoria to sneak in & re-establish herself at the top of the division where she should be.

5: JOHN CENA (C) vs EDDIE GUERRERO vs CHRIS BENOIT in a Triple Threat Ladder Match for the United States Title: I'm not too sure if there has ever been a triple threat ladder match, but with some careful preparation, I think it could be pulled off by the talent involved here. Hopefully, the extra person could also add something fresh to the stipulation match which is arguably becoming a little stale. Even though most would know that I am a huge critic of Cena's current face turn, it wouldn't really bother me if all 3 were faces at the time, as it is arguable that they all still have a little heel left in their characters. This bout is also where a celebrity has to play a part. Take your pick Vince; Marky Mark Wahlberg, LL Cool J or Eminem can be advertised for the show to get mainstream exposure & get involved with Cena in a pre-match freestyle. For the icing on the cake, Randy 'Macho Man' Savage can make the run-in which causes Cena to lose & Benoit to win the title.

6: BOOKER T (I/C C) & ROB VAN DAM vs RANDY ORTON & BATISTA (T-T C) in a 2 Falls Match for the World Tag-Team Titles & InterContinental Title: Basically a tag-match where the first fall will decide the tag-team titles, while whoever gets the pin in the second fall will become the InterContinental Champion. Again, it looks dangerous on paper, but with careful preparation, there is no reason why it can't work really well. I see this as the proper start to Orton's main-event push, as he emerges as not only one-half of the tag-team champions, but also the InterContinental champion.

7: BROCK LESNAR (C) vs KURT ANGLE in a Match for the WWE Championship: Yes, I know we've seen this bout once too many times over the last year or so, but I just think that it's the best mix for Brock, and he is bound to be in the title mix at the time. I just can't see him facing Cena, Guerrero, Benoit or anyone else on the SmackDown roster at the big dance. Yes, Goldberg vs Lesnar would be an interesting match to watch, but I have a feeling their get-together at Survivor Series was merely a tease, and that the brand-extension (excluding the Kane trade) will be adhered to. The key to this bout with Angle is making the feud fresh. I'll leave that to the WWE writers. It should probably start with Angle winning the Royal Rumble & then going on from there. Brock to retain, as he would have ready-made feuds with Cena & Guerrero to follow.

8: STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN vs CHRIS JERICHO in a Career vs Hair Match: Austin's career against Jericho's hair. I think there is enough unpredictability in that. I think Austin could win & just choose to wrestle a very limited schedule (if at all) afterwards. While Jericho shaving his head is not totally out of the question. A lot of people would love to see Austin fight either Hogan or Goldberg. For some reason, I have never really salivated over a Hogan vs Austin match, while a bout against Goldberg could be a little too difficult to pull off. No, this could be the time for Jericho to rise, and he really was the leader of the "Get Austin fired" campaign, so it only makes sense that he is Stone Cold's opponent. Jericho to win & become a true main-eventer.

9: RIC FLAIR vs HULK HOGAN - Special Guest Referee: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat: I actually doubt that this match will take place because of Hogan's involvement with NWA-TNA in February. I think it would be good to see one (and only one) nostalgic match at WrestleMania 20, and I think this would be my preferred match-up. If Hogan is not available, a Ric Flair vs Randy Savage match would be almost as good. Steamboat as the special guest referee would be a nice touch, as he has history with all three legends. As the only man currently on the roster, Flair will cheat his way to victory.

10: KANE vs THE UNDERTAKER in a Hell In A Cell Match: There's not really much I have to comment on here. I think that most of us expect this match-up, and I think it's a fitting bout to see the return of the cell. The match will be the normal brutality that you could expect from these two & the match type, but it will be nothing compared to the roar that the MSG crowd should give when the lights go out & the 'Graveyard Symphony' begins to play. Oh yes, the dead man will indeed return. He will also most likely get the win & continue his undefeated streak at WrestleMania.

11: TRIPLE H (C) vs THE ROCK for the World HeavyWeight Title - Special Guest Referee: Mick Foley: While this looks iffy on paper, it could so easily be set up as a great WrestleMania main event. The cocky face version of The Rock could come prancing back to Raw sometime in February. Triple H will take exception to the big movie star coming back & acting like he owns the place. You join the dots from there. Foley could be added as he has a history with both individuals, and voila; Instant main-event. But what about the unpredictability aspect, I hear you all ask... Here's my take: The Rock will basically be gone from the WWE for probably a year, soon after WrestleMania 20. So I say that the WWE & The Rock be totally honest with the fans about this. So much so, that The Rock will state that should he emerge victorious with the title, he will vacate it the next night & a 16 man tournament will be held to crown a new champ. But Triple H will not be allowed in that tournament. The Rock wins. Everyone goes home happy & the tournament for the title is anticipated by every man & his dog.

So there you go, my WrestleMania 20 card. While it looks a little messy on paper, I think pretty much every match on the card could be really good given the proper planning & preparation. And let's be honest, if the WWE doesn't do that with this card, then they never will. While some will point to the lack of a big money-making match, I don't think the card needs it. WrestleMania 10 didn't really have it, and take a look at how successful that event was. I think one rap/hip-hop star, plus a nostalgia match involving Ric Flair against a returning legend will be more than sufficient, along with the rest of the great card. Of course, so much depends on how well the feuds are booked leading up to the pay-per-view. Hopefully, the WWE will leave no stone unturned with regards to this.

Some will also say that 11 matches is too much. I disagree. Over a 4 hour duration, I think this can be easily done. The SmackDown tag match, the Women's match & the Legends match should last no longer than 10 minutes. This will give more than enough time for the other 8 bouts. The WWE should just not waste too much time on other pointless segments involving rock bands or women in skimpy clothing. They're the real time wasters!!! Apologies to the likes of The Dudleyz, La Resistance, Matt Hardy, Christian, Test, Scott Steiner, Mark Henry, Garrison Cade, Mark Jindrak, The Hurricane, Rosey, Jamie Noble, Billy Kidman, Bradshaw, Hardcore Holly, Chavo Guerrero, Ultimo Dragon, Orlando Jordan, Zach Gowen & The FBI, who will have to battle it out for time on Heat/Velocity. And huge apologies to anyone I completely missed.


Ok, that just about does it for edition #69 (hehehehe) of 'The Wrestling Menu'. I'm expecting a whole bunch of feedback to my WrestleMania 20 match-ups, as well as some ideas of your own. Therefore, there will definitely be a section devoted to the e-mail I receive in next week's column. So please don't hesitate to send me your thoughts. At the very least, you know that I will reply to all feedback. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com

Along with the aforementioned WrestleMania 20 card feedback, I will have my Armageddon predictions up in my column next week. Hopefully, I can improve on my terrible showing at Survivor Series (3 out of 8 correctly). Furthermore, I want to look at the way something was explained on WWE programming recently, which I am really not entirely satisfied with. Yes, I can be negative every now & then!!! Look out for the column same Wednesday time & same LOP channel next week. Until then, this is DaveyBoy signing off & asking you to remember that dinner is best served in 3 courses.













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