DaveyBoy's Wrestling Menu - Eddie Poll Results, Raw Review + Survivor Series Predictions
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Friday, November 25, 2005 at 8:42 AM EST
THE WRESTLING MENU #151
Welcome one and all to the 151st edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.
I had a super long introduction on Wednesday, so I won’t repeat that today. Just a quick note to remind those who have yet to read it, that I posted my 2005 Rookie Rankings this past Wednesday. You may read that column by clicking on the following link: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2005_/articles/1132731425.php
Today will be a long column, so on with the show…..
APPETIZERS - Raw Review
There hasn’t been a Raw review (as opposed to recap) up on LOP for a couple of weeks, so with Mr.Tito still working his a$$ off, I may as well step in to fill the void once more. It was a super important episode of Raw for the WWE this week. Not only were they overseas in front of a hot crowd, but they were coming off the sad passing of Eddie Guerrero, while being less than a week away from one of their big 4 pay-per-views of the year.
- For the above reason, it was a very good idea to start the show with a recap of 2 weeks ago. It just reminded us of the major storyline leading up to the ppv, which is the Raw vs SmackDown feud.
- Eric Bischoff comes out with his 5 man team to hammer home the point & it isn’t too long before the SmackDown 5 arrive & issue a car park challenge. The Raw team promptly accepts the challenge & it’s on. It was all a reason for a clever little angle involving Batista getting his back injured, as he is choke-slammed into the hood of a car off-camera! Nice beginning to sell (what should be) the ppv main-event.
- Ric Flair vs Trevor Murdoch is our first match of the night. Interesting to see Murdoch in a singles bout, but he pretty much only proved that he is straight out of the late 70’s. This is fine when wrestling Flair, but not too many others! Ok match & I liked the byplay between Murdoch & the referee afterwards. Triple H also appears on the TitanTron to remind us that there is another match at Survivor Series.
- I just didn’t see the point of showing Tajiri vs Conway for all of 5 seconds before JBL stormed the ring & ended the bout. In all honesty, it looked unprofessional from a direction/production standpoint. This sets up Bischoff announcing a HBK vs JBL main-event for tonight.
- We next get a Kurt Angle vs Shelton Benjamin rematch. The “You Suck” chants directed at angle from the live audience are once more censored. It was clever the first time, but it’s already just plain annoying now. Speaking of ‘annoying’, it looks like the WWE are serious in adding Daivari to the main-event mix, as he is the referee for this bout. Luckily, he didn’t detract too much from this very good 8 minute match, although his constant playing with his ear-piece was a little annoying. Angle wins with the predictable help of Daivari. Good stuff all-around, despite the lame ending. Benjamin easily showed enough to prove that he is severely under-used. While Styles’ commentary was good in that he made the happenings seem more important than they really were.
- Afterwards, Angle attempts to explain why he is associating himself with Daivari. Not only was the reason poor, but the use of the “proud Americans” line meant absolutely nothing to the English crowd. Then, just to make our day a little better, he announces that Daivari is the referee for the WWE Championship match at Survivor Series. While that does add some unpredictability to the result, I can only see it hindering the match quality.
- In rebuttal to Angle & Daivari’s diatribe (I guess), John Cena wanders around backstage asking what everyone thinks of Kurt Angle. This was purely a comedic segment as Cena runs into the divas, Snitsky, Tomko & The BoogeyMan. Pretty silly, but it had me giggling & it served it’s purpose. Line of the night goes to Gene Snitsky. Cena & Angle get it on in the ring eventually. It almost looked awkward following on from all of the comedy. Cena ends up standing tall & that makes me wonder even more about the result of their upcoming title match. All this was too much of a hard sell in my opinion. While parts of it were good (the Benjamin match & the backstage comedy), it just went on far too long & almost appeared desperate.
- Triple H vs Val Venis is up next. Val actually looked good for about 20 seconds & we all get to remember that this guy can actually wrestle! He gets the win too, as H gets disqualified after a huge chairshot. Looks like bada$$ H is back & if anything, that’s a positive! Although, the WWE have to play it carefully, as bada$$ H usually gets a fair bit of cheers!
- The Women’s Division gets some more airtime next as it’s Mickie James (with Trish Stratus) vs Candice Michelle (with Victoria). Not much of a match, as it’s used to further yet another angle in the division (can you believe that? That’s 2 angles in the same month!), when Trish is abducted by 2 men. After the commercial, we learn that the 2 men were Nitro & Mercury, and this sets up a ppv title bout between Trish & Melina. Good stuff… Let’s hope the writer for this division doesn’t get fired for thinking too logically!
- Our main-event is up now with quite a bit of time left on the clock. It’s Shawn Michaels vs John Bradshaw Layfield in a LumberJack Match. But SmackDown is at a 1 man disadvantage as Batista went to the hospital after the incident earlier in the night. Fairly solid 17 minute bout which was more than acceptable for a television main-event. There was some good byplay between the teams, although there was a little too much repetition for my liking. Definitely not the crispest of matches, as there were quite a few awkward or botched moves. But that’s to be expected to some extent from 2 guys who haven’t even been on the same show for a few years
- The bout is ruled a no-contest after a nice sequence involving Randy Orton getting into the ring & performing a couple of RKOs. This leads to the whole match breaking down & all 9 men involved in a brawl. With Raw getting the upper hand, the good money was for the lights to go out & a familiar gong to sound. But rather unpredictably, Batista came out looking like a mummy to clear the ring. Despite the unpredictability & surprise of the appearance, I must say that it seemed a little anti-climactic to me. Unsure why though. Part of the cleaning house was a spinebuster on The Big Show! How bad can his back be if the WWE approved that move to occur?
All in all, this was a pretty solid episode of Raw. I’ve been slightly critical with a few things above, but I’m nitpicking & there really wasn’t anything too horrible. The show was all the more successful considering the circumstances (Eddie Guerrero’s recent passing & a ppv upcoming). I wasn’t overly happy with the structure of the show, as it seemed too much of a hard sell for the ppv… especially in the first hour. But while I’m still not overly eager to see Angle vs Cena & Flair vs Triple H this Sunday, I suppose this show did what it had to with regards to setting up Survivor Series. I’m still uncomfortable handing out letter grades for television shows, but for those who require it, I would give this episode of Raw a B grade. There was enough storyline progression, successful comedy & ppv set-up, while an Angle vs Benjamin match can never hurt.
MAIN
‘Favorite Eddie Moment’ Poll Results
This poll surprised me in quite a few ways. Firstly, I was a little disappointed with the number of votes that I received. I was hoping for 200, but never really looked like getting to that figure. In fact, I only got to 150 after personally emailing & asking some readers (who had not already voted) for their thoughts. That’s still a lot of votes though & I thank everyone who took the time to let me know of their thoughts.
Secondly, I was overwhelmed by the range of responses. I was hoping for a wide variety of votes & I definitely received my wish with 28 moments all up. That’s great, as the whole purpose of this poll was to post as many positive memories of Eddie Guerrero as possible. I’m sure you will agree with me that just reading through all the moments below brings a smile to one’s face.
Finally, I’m a little surprised at the final results. Not so much the winner, which I predicted, but how close the 2nd placegetter came to winning the poll. Added to this, I am surprised by how far the top two ran away from the rest of the field. I was guessing the top 5 would be a fair way clear, but seeing the top 2 Eddie moments stand far & away above the rest is quite interesting.
So without further adieu, here are the poll results to the question: What is your favorite Eddie Guerrero moment ever…???
I will only list the 15 moments which received just 1 or 2 votes, while listing & commenting briefly on the other 13 which received 3 votes or more. Hopefully, I can give some of my own opinion mixed in with a summation of why people voted for the moment that they did. The number listed following the moment is the actual amount of votes that it received. So here we go...
(1) - WINNING THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP AT NO WAY OUT 2004 = 33 Votes: This is what I expected to win the poll as it was basically everything that Eddie worked hard to achieve. Unpredictable, well-booked, well-performed & a great match to cap it all off.
(2) - Post WrestleMania 20 celebration with Chris Benoit = 31: Like I just stated, I was a little surprised that this moment was leading the poll for most of the week. Not because it wasn’t a great moment, but because it was probably more of a Benoit moment, than an Eddie one. But I guess that this is what stuck in people’s minds; That Eddie came out to share the moment for his friend & made it that much more memorable.
(3) - Defeating Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 20 = 12: Those that chose this victory over the title win quoted 2 reasons as to why. Firstly, it was on the biggest stage of them all; WrestleMania. Secondly, he won by using his ‘Lie, Cheat & Steal’ motto. Another great match as well.
(4) - (Not so) accidentally defeating Chyna for the InterContinental Title on September-3, 2000 = 11: I doubt this would have received as many votes if it wasn’t included in the Eddie tribute video on Raw & SmackDown last week. Classic comedy that won’t be forgotten too easily. The look that Eddie sneaked out when hugging Chyna afterwards is worth a hundred words. Many voters stated that this was the true beginning to the ‘lie, cheat & steal’ motto.
(5) - Lying, Cheating & Stealing (includes chair toss routine) = 8: This was more of a general vote & encompasses everything that Eddie ever did to live by his ‘lie, cheat & steal’ motto. Most mentioned though was the familiar chair toss routine that Eddie uses in the ring to fool referees. This votegetter also specifically includes the way Eddie emerged victorious from his last ever SmackDown match against Ken Kennedy.
(6T) - WCW Halloween Havoc match vs Rey Mysterio Jr = 6: One of the 6 votes here is mine. In my top 10 matches of all time, the icing on the cake here was Eddie’s heel mannerisms before, during & after the bout. This opinion may be unpopular, but I am one of the few that still believes that Eddie plays a slightly better heel, than face. It’s here to show in this match which is a must watch for any professional wrestling fan!
(6T) - Leading the Latino World Order = 6: More votes than I expected here, but a couple of readers stated how this was all of Eddie’s traits rolled into one; The heel, the face, the serious wrestler, the comedian, and most importantly, he stuck up for his friends at a time when there was backstage dissension in WCW.
(8T) - Los Guerreros' tag-team title win at Survivor Series 2002 = 5: This was a very good match, but the real significance here was that Eddie & nephew Chavo finally achieved their dream by winning a major tag-team championship.
(8T) - Eddie stealing #30 entry & wallet from Ric Flair at Royal Rumble 2005 = 5: Despite being only 10 months ago, I had almost completely forgotten about these moments. One of the funnier moments of this year & Eddie’s career, it was expertly performed by both men.
(10T) - No Disqualification SmackDown match vs Edge in 2002 = 4: This was the bout which probably was the only one incorrectly left off Eddie’s DVD. A terrific television bout, it occurred around SummerSlam time when the 2 men were feuding. But this match was better than their good ppv bout. Many may incorrectly remember this as a ladder match because a ladder was used so often.
(10T) - Eddie calling his wife backstage after his WWE Championship win in February 2004 = 4: Shown as an extra on the No Way Out ’04 DVD & also on the Eddie Guerrero DVD, this moment really shows how much his family meant to Eddie at such a huge moment in his career.
(12T) - Eddie’s love for his low-riders. Includes hugging it on occasions = 3: I’ve separated this from the actual low-rider entrance (which received 2 votes). These 3 votes were more specific & the main example given was a few hugs of his low-rider on WWE programming.
(12T) – Eddies bladejob & subsequent performance vs JBL at Judgment Day 2004 = 3: Interesting moment to receive 3 votes, but not a bad one. If you recall the ppv main event, Eddie over-bladed & was bleeding like crazy, to the point that he wasn’t really performing at 100%. But he soldiered on amazingly & gave a terrific performance for the fans. The match lasted 23 minutes & then there was a further 5 minutes or so of hardcore action in the aftermath!
14T - ECW Match vs Dean Malenko = 2
14T - WCW feud with an idolizing Chavo Guerrero Jr = 2
14T - Auctioning off Kurt Angle’s belongings on an episode of SmackDown = 2
14T - Low-Rider entrance = 2
18T - Eddie’s U.S Title win over Diamond Dallas Page (December-29, 1996) = 1
18T - Defeating Chris Jericho for the European Title & aftermath celebration with Chyna (April-3, 2000) = 1
18T - Breaking into the Playboy mansion & attempting to stop Chyna’s photo shoot = 1
18T - Attacking ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin in a bar = 1
18T - Getting the fans to chant “Chavo Chavo” when the tag-team were having issues = 1
18T - Getting his mullet cut off during a SmackDown taping = 1
18T - Cheating so much vs Chris Benoit at Vengeance 2003 = 1
18T - Introducing his family into the ring at a house show = 1
18T - Faking being sick to get out of a match = 1
18T - Eddie walking to the ring with the WWE Championship = 1
18T - Encouraging Batista to shimmy at a house show in the last week of his life = 1
So there are the complete poll results. Just a reminder that if you have yet to read my 2 Eddie Guerrero columns from last week, you may do so by clicking on the following links:
Eddie Guerrero DVD Review - http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2005_/articles/1132126446.php
WWE's & My Tribute to Eddie Guerrero - http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2005_/articles/1132308803.php
DESSERT
Survivor Series Predictions
I must say that I am a little off balance coming into this pay-per-view & trying to pick the results. Eddie Guerrero’s passing has not only thrown our thoughts a little into a spin, but I feel that it may even have had an effect on the booking of this card. This, in turn, may or may not influence the results on Sunday night. In fact, I almost get the feeling that storyline progression or completion is the major purpose of this whole card. It’s a strange sort of a feeling, but that’s what I am feeling. It’s not quite that the results are unimportant, but they are almost a sidenote.
As we get Smackdown a day earlier in Australia, my first match prediction is a little bit of a spoiler, so be warned to read past it if you don’t want to be completely spoiled. I think most people would have presumed the match would be on the card anyway, it’s just the details that have been added over the past 24 hours that are important.
BOOKER T vs CHRIS BENOIT: This is the first of a best of 7 match series to crown the new United States Champion. The title is currently vacant due to the double pin that occurred during the most recent episode of SmackDown. I must be honest & state that I am not really in favor of reigniting another 7 match series between these 2. Not only is it looking to the past too much, but it’s arguable that both men cannot replicate what they achieved over 5 years ago. Who knows though, maybe the storytelling will be better now & most of the matches will be given more time than what WCW put aside for their midcarders. I have to wonder how much the eventual title winner is dictated by Benoit’s contract status & whether or not the WWE even know who will be winning the series right now. With not a lot of matches announced for this card, I can see this bout going at least 12 minutes & being very good. As for the result, better storytelling probably dictates that the non-champion goes 1 up. Winner: Chris Benoit
ERIC BISCHOFF vs TEDDY LONG: Oh man, this could be bad. Obviously here for storyline purposes more than anything else, this match just looks so out of place. Maybe it was set up before the change in the card & would have been better with the original booking. But when the scrapped matches were Roddy Piper vs ‘Cowboy’ Bob Orton & a gimmick match between The Undertaker & Randy Orton, then I have to question that reasoning. The best case scenario here is that this is kept super short & ends after something occurs that furthers the main event. I can see a possible ‘no result’ here, but if I had to pick a winner, I will go with….. Winner: Eric Bischoff
RIC FLAIR vs TRIPLE H in a 'Last Man Standing' Match: For the second month in a row, these 2 veterans have a pay-per-view match & I have no idea if it is for the InterContinental Title. The WWE really need to be a lot clearer on these things in the future, or else they will devalue the meaning of their titles. I am guessing that this bout is not for the title, but who knows. Anyone who has been reading my column for a while, knows that I dislike ‘Last Man Standing’ matches. I believe they are too slow & unrealistic. The gimmick match could possibly suit these 2 due to their wrestling styles, but I am still not exactly anticipating this bout. As per usual, I do believe Triple H will lift a notch to make this match quite good & his recent return to a bada$$ helps out immensely. If it’s for the title, the result is a lot more unpredictable, but either way, I’m predicting a win for H. Winner: Triple H
TRISH STRATUS vs MELINA for the Women's Title: This feud sort of came out of nowhere & I have to wonder if it was planned before the battle royal on the Eddie Guerrero tribute show. Whether it was or wasn’t is pretty much irrelevant now, as without much set-up, the feud is already half-decent. The match should be interesting to watch & I just hope that the 2 ladies rehearse often before-hand. The fact that this bout even exists does add some unpredictability to the match result. I mean, why would the WWE even bother to book a Raw vs SmackDown match for the title if the belt wasn’t switching brands? But I’m guessing it’s a bluff & Trish will somehow retain. Winner: Trish Stratus
JOHN CENA vs KURT ANGLE for the WWE Championship: Heaven forbid that we forget the special referee for this title bout is Daivari! As stated earlier in the column, I believe that will hurt the quality of this match, but it shouldn’t completely ruin it unless the WWE go really over the top in overbooking it. While having a solid ppv bout in February, I was disappointed with their previous effort last month at Unforgiven. I was hoping they could improve here in what must be the culmination of their feud, but I still have my doubts & Daivari being added to the equation adds to them. Match result unpredictability may help a little & does have me a little intrigued, but it won’t do all the work for them. I’m predicting that Cena somehow retains his title, as I believe it may be a little too late (ie: close to WrestleMania) for Angle to win the title. Winner: John Cena
SHAWN MICHAELS, CHRIS MASTERS, CARLITO, KANE & THE BIG SHOW vs JOHN BRADSHAW LAYFIELD, BATISTA, RANDY ORTON, BOBBY LASHLEY & REY MYSTERIO in a 10 Man Elimination Match: Over the last 3 or 4 years, the WWE has placed 1 or 2 of these classic Elimination matches on each Survivor Series card. And pretty much every one of them has been above average. With the amount of build-up given to this inter-brand feud, I can’t see an exception here. Despite there being question marks over some of the competitors (Batista’s injury, the under-sized Mysterio, and the inexperienced Masters, Carlito & Lashley), this type of match usually hides any problems effectively. In fact, it sort of adds to the spectacle actually, as someone like Lashley can come in, look great for a few minutes & then tag out to keep things moving. The feud has been well-booked & the WWE have done a good job of instilling some heat between the 2 teams (& to some extent between individuals). So I just can’t see this match being screwed up & I expect a rating of at least 8. As for the result, I presume it will be important for future storylines, but it beats me as to what those storylines are. So, I can only give the edge to SmackDown for the Eddie Guerrero factor. Winners: Team SmackDown
Ok, so there we have the 2005 version of Survivor Series as it currently stands. I can’t say that I am super anticipating the event, but I do believe that it will be a solid one. Albeit one that relies on 2 or 3 matches. But with only 6 matches officially announced, that’s basically half the card! I’m unsure if there will be a match added at the last moment, but I’m guessing that there will be. If I was to take a stab in the dark, I would think it would be Matt Hardy vs Ken Kennedy. Both men deserve to be on the card & SmackDown are 1 match short compared to Raw. If the match were to happen, it would actually be an unpredictable & interesting one. I would probably have to predict a Ken Kennedy victory if the match did go ahead. To those who are purchasing the event; Enjoy.
Ok, that's all I have for edition #151 of 'The Wrestling Menu'. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you thought of my Raw review. Were you surprised at the Eddie Guerrero poll results? And how about my 'Survivor Series' predictions... Have I got them correct...??? As per usual, I will reply to everyone. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com
Or alternately, if you are an LOPForums member, you may also leave feedback by clicking on the following link: http://www.lopforums.com/showthread.php?t=4889
Remember that if you have yet to read my 2005 Rookie Rankings that I posted on Wednesday, you may do so by clicking on the following link: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2005_/articles/1132731425.php
Next week's 'Wrestling Menu' will actually include some reader feedback to those very rookie rankings. It will be interesting to see what you guys thought of my order. I will also have my review of Survivor Series. Here's hoping for a very good pay-per-view. Otherwise, I will probably have another Raw review. I'm unsure on the 3rd topic at this stage. So look out for that 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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