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Submitted by Wevv Mang on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 9:45 PM EST
Ridin’ With The Bossman – Road To Wrestlemania And Beyond Greetings! Did you miss me? It’s been a long time since I last wrote a column. A whole year ago. Well, technically, a couple of months, but still, that was in 2007. But, I’m back, just long enough to make a curtain call, and say so long, and thanks for all the fish. You see, I realized something. It was really nice to just sit back and watch wrestling, and not think too much about it, to come up with something to write about every week, or every other week. It felt good to just be a fan again. Sure, there were some things that kicked the old noggin into some deep, reflective thoughts about the nature of wrestling. But the past few months have been good. Very good. It wasn’t all peaches and cream, as there was some stuff I didn't like, but on the whole, it was better than I’ve been seeing in the long months of summer, and autumn. And right now, this is the time WWE really starts to shine. The long, intricate build up to Wrestlemania, where plans for the big show change on the hour, every hour. Where a slight hiccup can throw months of build out the window, and suddenly, there’s rumors of Cody Rhodes getting a shot at the World Heavyweight Title instead of Triple H, who is now out with a head cold, or something along those lines. It’s the time when WWE starts to leak rumors just to mess with fan’s heads. It’s a great time. So, what’s been happening since I’ve been inactive? Let’s start with two big things that may be old news now, but were hot topics a few months ago. A Tale Of Two Losers Chris Jericho Chris Jericho has returned to the WWE. This is not a breaking story, he’s been there for months now. When Jericho left WWE those many years ago, there was always a rumor that would pop up that he was going to return to wrestling. It usually got some web buzz, and then fizzled out. Jericho himself helped spark some of these rumors, by putting up the TNA logo on his website, amongst other tactics. When it looked like Jericho’s return was actually going to happen, the buzz got louder and sustained. When the countdown promos started airing, fans got excited. It was only a matter of time. Fans waited. Fans booked fantasy scenarios of what Jericho was going to do upon his return. And they waited some more. Dates were tossed around, and same and went. Fans still waited, but the energy diminished. Finally, Jericho made his appearance on Raw. To a loud ovation. Jericho looked very different from when he left. He still was able to fire up the crowd. He was going to save us. And the WWE did need saving. Not from a super villain, but from itself. WWE had gotten stale, but progress was already being made to freshen things up. Cena was down and out. H looked to be making another play from a title reign. But a strange thing happened. WWE went in a new direction. More on that later. That’s the second loser. Jericho came in hot, not as hot as he would have been if he had returned weeks earlier, when the excitement was at it’s peak. Yet, it was good to see him back on TV, And then it started to fizzle out. Jericho vs Orton was not an exciting program. Orton still had to overcome the stigma of being H’s bitch. Orton was not a legitimate champion at the time. Jericho’s once famous mic skills were still there, but seemed rusty to me. He would go to fast, and to long. His sense of working a crowd seemed off. And there was also history to overcome. Jericho was a looser. He never wins the big one. Something always happens. Backstage politics, an errant injury, something, be it luck or by design, something always seems to come up to keep Jericho out of the spotlight. My fandom aside, the return of Jericho was a flop. Now, I’m sure there were people like me who bought the PPV to see what would happen. After the initial disappointment wore off, it still had a lot of potential. It was a glorified announcer feud, but it was JBL, who could be a solid heel, and working with Jericho could have been something great. But it seemed that was not to be. JBL got the extended super pyro open, and the mic time, and Jericho got beaten like a government mule, and well, it sure ain’t 2002. Once he lost the title match, it was déjà vu. Close, but no cigar. All in all, Jericho’s return impact on WWE television has been minimal. Right now, he’s a name people know, but haven’t invested emotionally in his angles. Does that mean it’s a waste for Jericho to have returned? Not at all. Jericho is a valuable asset to the company. Jericho has not been idle in his free time. Jericho knows how to work the media. That’s a key talent. Jericho can still wrestle, and can still speak. However, his angles have been nothing more than designed to get that return pop. Period. Same thing with JBL. Neither guy really has much to do, and have been thrown together since their return dates were close together. In other words, there’s some nice chemistry, but nothing to really get them going. Jeff Hardy If you told me two years ago that Jeff Hardy would have been chasing the World Heavyweight Title, I probably would have cracked a joke about it. That’s where Hardy was. Midcard. Period. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. But the past few months have done wonders for Hardy. Jeff became a legitimate threat to Orton. Jeff Hardy. Credit where credit is due. Jeff has been a workhorse, putting on stellar matches, week in and week out. He was a solid Intercontinental titleholder, in spite of that belt having no direction or purpose. And he did it all without saying a word. He just wrestled. Once he was finally given a chance to speak, Jeff didn't light the world on fire, but he did get people pumped. “Could he do it?” was the big question. There was a kernel of doubt that he would lose. H did the job for him. That was key. Sure, H played it off like it was nothing but a fluke, but Jeff got the win. And the world didn't collapse into a black hole. Will wonders never cease? H can job and the company can still do well. No fans boycotting WWE or rioting in the streets. Hell, people actually liked seeing H loose to some one new. That’s the key. Hardy was a well-known name, and here he was, finally getting a chance to shine. Something new, something fresh. An old name in a new position. The Hardy Boys have always had fans. Critics too, but when the Hardy’s music plays, the cheer is loud. Honestly, the whole angle clicked. Orton and Hardy had a good match, they meshed well on the mic, and frankly they brought out the best in each other. Orton got to be the Champion, not a bitch, and Hardy got to play the underdog, which he does well. The finish of the match at the Royal Rumble was solid. No one saw it coming, and it does reinforce the feeling that anything can happen in a WWE ring. One split second can change everything. Jeff is still in the hunt for the title. A solid victory over HBK further cements him. The only drawback to using Hardy at this time is his health. He’s said many times that he’s banged up. His nagging injuries can become pretty serious with his high flying, risk taking style. Yet there’s still plenty of time to put Hardy on the shelf for a while and bring him back when it will matter most. Wrestlemania. No Way Out is the last PPV before the Biggest show of all. Looking at the calendar, there’s a huge gap of time. Something is going to have to fill the void, and keep interest up in the meantime. Last report is that WM is not sold out, and that’s got to bother Vince. However, the usual tactic is to give a big match or two on TV, but mostly keep things calm, action-wise, saving the health of wrestlers so that they can be at their peak for the PPV. Other than that Jericho and Hardy have both jobbed to Orton, there’s another connection to be made between these two. Cena got injured in October and was rumored to be out for months. Past Wrestlemania. With Cena out, WWE really had no plan of what to do. Jericho was brought in to shore up the rating heading into the winter holiday season, a time when WWE usually takes a big hit. Jericho didn’t pop the ratings. Well, a small amount, hardly anything really. The time to maximize of Jericho’s return buzz had passed. But, but, Jericho was a name. Pitting him against Orton was the logical thing to do. Much better than putting Orton against H. That burned out in weeks. When Jericho vs Orton didn't work as planned, Hardy got the nod. And Hardy lost on the same show that Cena made his surprise return. Much earlier than expected. While watching the Royal Rumble, and the title match, I kept wondering whether Jeff Hardy would actually win it. I thought how strange it was that here was Hardy, in the main event, challenging for the title, and folks liked it. Than I remembered that Hardy sells merchandise and with Cena out, I was sure WWE was taking a hit in the pocket book. Hardy lost, and I didn't mind. A bit surprised, but not shocked and outraged. Hardy would still sell merchandise, and now was a legitimate contender. When Cena made his return, I laughed. It made even more sense, from a strictly business standpoint. Hardy was no longer needed. Cena was back. Those kids who spent their Christmas money on Hardy merchandise could now spend it on Cena’s new stuff. WWE is a business after all. Speaking of business, there’s a PPV this Sunday. No Way Out. A nice big stage to set the tone for the Road to Wrestlemania. Two Elimination Chamber matches. For the #1 Contendership to their respective brands. Funny thing is, going into the Rumble there was a rumor that a Chamber match would be held for the brand that didn’t win the Rumble. Raw won, and then got to announce an Elimination Chamber match, stealing Smackdown’s thunder. Smackdown still gets to have a Chamber match, but come on. Two on one show? That’s some serious overkill. But, there’s some good to come out of such a move as well. And let us not forget who introduced us to the chamber, in kayfabe, but still, it was one of the best things Eric Bischoff did while in the WWE. One way to tell the health of a wrestling organization is to look at it’s main event title picture. The two chambers really showcase what they have to offer, and is a good potential stepping stone to bolster their products on all levels. A good showing in a chamber can carry over to the next set of angles. On the Raw side, you have the biggest names currently available. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Jericho, JBL, Jeff Hardy, and Umaga. On the Smackdown side, ECW has been added to the mix, and they could really use a shot in the arm. Smackdown’s chamber will be Undertaker, Batista, Khali, Finlay, MVP, and Big Daddy V. Hm. Not quite as strong as Raw’s but doesn’t mean it will be worse. Just a different level of star power. I will say this, the past few weeks of TV have proven me wrong more often than not. The old days of just assuming the biggest name in the match will win have backfired. H jobbed to Hardy. Taker jobbed. Batista lost to Edge. Well, maybe not that one. That was a rather stupid ending that really did no one any favors. These matches are key to defining the designs for the remaining build up, and perhaps the Summer programs. For the first time in a long time, the emphasis seems to be on building stars for the future. Of course, the best laid plans tend to go awry. Still, let’s take a look at what we got and what could be. Raw Elimination Chamber Triple H You know, in spite of all my H bashing for the past couple of years, I have nothing to complain about. This time. H has been remarkable well behaved. He’s stayed in the main event, but in a low-key fashion. He’s done the jobs he’s needed to do. He’s helped build up the main event, instead of having it just focus on him. He’s actually wrestled in his matches. Yes, by God, H has put on some decent matches! Shock and amazement. Last I checked, the world has not ended. H has been doing a great job on TV and in the ring. But, the rumors are still swirling that H is going to win the chamber to challenge for the title at Wrestlemania. Then again, H was rumored to be winning the Rumble as well. Perhaps, it’s just reflex. You know, the H Uber Alles mentality that WWE, and the smarks, have been trained to think over the years. But I will say this. It’s all up to H. It still surprises me how little influence people think H has. Guy is number 3 on the WWE management depth chart, with Vince on top, Steph second, and then H, and I read every once in a some wise ass saying H has no power. Back on track. It is all up to H. H basically is going to decide who goes over, and who does what in this match. The orders may come from Vince, but H has a say in how things play out. Both Kayfabe and Smarkdon will play a factor in this match, once H enters the chamber. Will it be Kinder and Gentler H? Who seems to give a damn about the show as a whole and not just himself? Or will it be the H of old, looking to grab that power and not let go? It’s hard to say. But looking ahead, if it’s going to be H vs Cena, or H vs Orton at Wrestlemania, how much energy does that program have? Orton is easy to make look like a bitch. Hell, Cena just did it last Monday and I don't even think he was trying. Of course, it may just be my impression. H vs Cena got started, but didn't seem to really end. Edge had to be brought in to save it. This time? Who knows. One key thing to keep in mind is that H really has no program set up for him after this match. He’s been chasing the title since December, well, November really. And to be fair, something has always cropped up to get in the way of the final push to the title match. HBK HBK’s work with Kennedy has been stellar. HBK routinely steals the show, week after week. He seems to actually be working with his opponents to make them better overall. There’s been a slew of new moves in the past months. Why? I think HBK has raised the bar. I fully expect HBK to be a workhorse in this match, his number coming up either right off the bat, or right after. The only drawback I can see to HBK getting a title shot is that HBK doesn't work house shows. What’s that? Yeah. HBK gets paid a ton of money and works only TV and PPV’s. Being the champion, house shows are a must. While I’m sure HBK would be willing to go on the house show circuit if he wins the chamber, to help build the match, there’s another fly in the ointment. The rumor is that HBK will be the one to retire Ric Flair. It would be an awesome match. I still fondly recall HBK and Hogan, and come on, there’s not still hard feelings about that, are there? Tangent Sorry, but speaking of Hogan, how cool would it be to see Hogan and Flair at Wrestlemania? Flair’s career on the line? The history? The divided camps? Hell, Hogan might even job to Ric. Can't deny, it’s a money match, and with Hogan’s connections, you can bet your ass it will be press. Back on topic: HBK vs Cena would be something to see. HBK can do his semi-shoot promos, and talk trash, and Cena can talk it right back. Orton, well, again, it’s real easy to make Orton look like a bitch. HBK has done it before, and probably will do it again, without even trying. But the match itself would be great to see. Jeff Hardy There’s unresolved issues in a Hardy-Orton match-up. It’s been doing just fine, and frankly, Hardy is the only one who hasn't made Orton look like a bitch when it comes to dueling promos. Hardy has injuries that could prevent him from making it WM. That’s the biggest drawback and risk. Hardy needs time to heal up. Hardy can return at a later date with little to no loss of momentum. As long as people know Hardy is coming back of course and the time off isn’t due to some over the top injury. But Hardy will make the chamber an exciting match to watch, on top of everything else. So, if I have to make a prediction, and I totally suck at them, I will say Hardy gets a lot of time, and gets to show off, but some one else wins. A big, well hyped return in the summer will help business a great deal. Jericho It’s hard to put my Jericho fandom aside. I want Jericho to win. The guy needs it. A title shot at WM will help him focus on the long-term picture and with that focus, the build could be tremendous. Orton and Jericho have had a match, and there’s unresolved issues there. Jericho and Cena, well, Cena was the one who retired Jericho, so there’s plenty of material to work with. Frankly, that program with Jericho is what helped Cena to start earning respect. Jericho actually made Cena wrestle and get out of his comfort zone. I think the Jericho bandwagon got derailed by JBL. While it could have been good, it just kinda chugged along, and never really got the momentum behind it could. It just didn’t seem like the right formula to use. For a while, I though it was going to lead to a Bull Rope match. Which would have been good. Monday the end came with a great match on TV, but a whimper in the angle department. Which is why a strong showing in the cage is necessary to get the momentum back. I won’t curse Jericho by picking him to win, but I will be rooting for him. JBL The guy sure can talk. He got the superstar return, with five minutes of solid pyro, and then talked for another ten or so. Of course, no one could hear what he was saying, since the explosions had deafened them Well, the people in the arena at least. Still, the guy is a solid main event heel, and he sure as hell plays his role to the hilt. While his skill in the ring may not be on the level of the others, it takes more than just wrestling to make it as a main-eventer. JBL vs Cena would be solid. JBL vs Orton would be fresh, and the more I think about it, the better it sounds. Legend Killer vs Wrestling God. Orton would be blown out of the water, but with some luck, coaching, and protection from creative (Like Orton just laying out JBL a couple of times after a long JBL tirade), it could work, and work very well. However, it could also burn out very quickly. Yet, after the chamber, there seems to be nothing on tap for JBL. Umaga A true wild card. Last year at the Rumble, Umaga was unstoppable, riding a huge wave of momentum, that went….nowhere. Since then, he’s been in limbo. Getting busted for GHB didn't help matters. However, Umaga still has fans, and still can be a main event threat. The guy can move, and can fire up a crowd. That doesn’t mean he will win. No, the one thing he really has going for him to win the Chamber is that I don't think anyone will see it coming. From an angle standpoint, Cena vs Umaga has a long and excellent history. Orton vs Umaga is fairly new ground. Another plus is that Umaga is not really a hell, and not really a face. He’s more of an elemental. Destructive only if the proper respect is not paid to him or you stand in his way. Bottom line, Umaga winning won’t piss of the fans. I think they’ll accept it. It may shock them, but once that wears off and Umaga gets some momentum behind him, I think fans will dig it. The rest of the chamber participants trying to take the prize from Umaga will give people something to do, and well, it could be very good. It’s just hard to tell what’s coming. WWE has done a very good job of keeping things secret and not doing the expected. Which s going to be a challenge for the next chamber match. Actually, more than likely, it will be the first. Smackdown Elimination Chamber I just don't find myself getting too excited for this match. It just seems…lesser. Perhaps it’s being overshadowed by the Raw Chamber match, which contains the nearly all the top stars that brand has to offer. This one has Undertaker and Batista. That’s pretty much it. Which is not a good thing from a star power standpoint. Granted, I haven't been watching much Smackdown recently. Work hours eat into that time and recording the show has not become a priority. Especially after the writers of Smackdown blew the Jamie Noble angle with the restaurant skit. Just way too long and too over the top and the humor died five minutes in. It went for another fifteen or so. Edge and Rey just doesn’t seem to have IT. I will give props to the writers for the long Edge and Vickie montage. I kept expecting it to get creepy and it never did. Very well done. Skirted that edge (no pun intended) just right. Smackdown has lost a step and while they usually had some kind of hook, this time around it just seems like they got nothing. Stripping the top talent and returning talent isn't helping matter either. Everyone returns to Raw, regardless of which brand they came from, that’s one thing that hasn't changed these past few months. But let’s take a look at what we got going on in the chamber and see what could be coming down the pike. Undertaker Biggest name in this chamber match, no doubt about it. Undertaker seems revitalized. He’s breaking out new moves, like the Koji Clutch, and emphasizing an MMA approach. The Dead Man is wrestling matches and keeping up and doing a great job of it. He’s the most likely to win this match. However, Taker won the title at last year’s Mania. There is also the fact that Taker gets injured. Not a knock on the guy, but it’s always a prospect with a veteran like Taker. It could work in his favor, it could work against him. On the plus side, Taker vs Edge could give the title match at Mania a bigger feel. Mysterio vs Taker is also something new, that could be really good. Bottom line though, is it’s Undertaker. He’ll get the pop, you can easily build around him, and the quality of match is anyone’s guess, but more than likely, it will be a forgiving crowd, and there’s always the streak to build promotion on. Rey or Edge will have to have a degree of protection going in, that’s for sure, simply because the momentum will be behind Taker, due to his status. Batista Another favorite to win it all, and it’s hard to argue against it. In fact, it’s easy to say the final two will be Taker and Batista. The two work well together, like working together, and are the biggest names in the match. It makes sense, in that people will be expecting it, and anticipating it, and anything other than that runs the risk of fans just crapping on it. But if it does come down to just those two, where does that leave the rest of the Road to Wrestlemania? Edge vs Batista, Rey vs Batista, been there, done that, and there’s not much left to draw upon. The history has already been tapped. Hard. Batista would make a solid champion, no doubt about it. But for the brand, it needs something fresh to kick start it up again. Especially when Smackdown changes stations. Something big needs to be happening then, to make a good first impression on the network, and get people to tune in. While taking the easy route now, and hoping something comes along later is a standard tactic, it could hurt in the long run. How? There may be nothing there when you need it. Batista is a name guy, that will put asses in the seat. Does he need to win the chamber? No. He doesn’t. He’ll get a shot down the line. No problem with that. He’s earned it. However, there is a serious lack of depth on the roster at the moment, and a more pressing need is to make new talent seem like a legitimate threat to the title. Save Batista for later. Against who? Well, that’s the real question, isn't it? Giant Khali Well, he’s really big, and he’s done well with the roles he’s been given. He can't bend his knees real well, but that hasn't stopped anything. The guy is a threat, pure and simple. His stock has diminished some since doing the jobs, but that’s only natural. Khali could win it. Edge vs Khali is fresh. Khali vs Rey, well, it’s been done, but nothing wrong with doing it again. The big question is, would people riot if Khali won the chamber? I don't think so. Should he? Well, not looking forward to it if it does happen, but meh. I’ve seen worse. Is Khali likely to win? He is big…. Big Daddy V I like the guy. He’s a solid big man wrestler, who has some moves. The biggest drawback to V? He’s just unpleasant to watch. That’s the killer. I start enjoying a match, and then the jiggling comes in, and it’s hard to look back. He’s got a solid manager in Matt Striker. ECW could really use the boost. V knows how to work. He looks impressive as hell, standing still. Get the guy a shirt and he’ll be good to go. V vs Edge or Mysterio would not be a disaster. It may not be good, but it could be worse. The guy is big, that’s for sure. MVP I think a lot of people want MVP to win, but don't expect him to. MVP has been a solid performer both on the mic and in the ring. However, he still has that midcard aura around him. Not ready for primetime you might say. However, MVP could easily make the transition to big time. He just needs the right stage. The Chamber could be that stage. A strong showing could do wonders for MVP. Winning it would make people take notice. Shaking things up on Raw has helped that brand. Ratings wise, well, not that much. But there seems to be a positive vibe about Raw right now. Smackdown, apathy. That’s not a good thing. ECW, not on anyone’s radar. You catch it, you catch it. You miss it, you miss it, no big deal. Smackdown, at least to me, is quickly falling into that boat. For a show on network television, that’s terrible. Is MVP winning the chamber the key? No, not likely. A step in the right direction? Definitely. Finlay Finlay is my dark horse pick. The guy can wrestle. He’s also involved in a big angle with Vince, and there’s a chance that could play into this match. Finlay is a workhorse with enough charisma to make him entertaining and enjoy seeing him on TV. There’s angles galore to explore with Finlay winning. He can have a match with just about anyone, with little to no need to build it up. Vince can show up on Smackdown, and that will boost ratings. Vince out to get Finlay seems like a way to build up for whatever Vince’s plan is at Wrestlemania, which will more than likely involve Hornswoggle. In fact, Vince taking up more time on Smackdown period would be a good thing. It will give Regal a chance to become his own character, and Vickie and Vince could be good. Teddy might actually get a chance to speak. Basically, Finlay winning gives the Hornswoggle angle some breathing room and some extra shelf live. While not everyone will be happy to think that, it’s going to happen regardless, so why not give it a chance to be good, and something more than just Vince and Hornswoggle? That’s all I’m really looking for out of a Finlay victory. In conclusion, WWE has the feel that anything can happen. There’s a lot of if’s, and’s or but’s in two matches, featuring 12 wrestlers. No one winning the chamber makes think the future will suck for wrestling. That’s a good feeling to have. And on that note, I think that’s a wrap. Writer’s strike looks like it’s over. Hurray! I’m surprised WWE hasn't made more progress when it comes to ratings, but then again, the whole ratings curve has been down. I would say that WWE is poised to make great strides, if they can get that one extra oomph. Dare I say it? I think I will. The downward cycle of wrestling could be coming to a close. Which will be something I’ll talk about more in my swan song column. But first, a little something to celebrate the end of the strike. Yep. Kane’s House. The Last Ride. Coming soon. And I do mean soon, not like last time, where soon meant three months. Stay tuned. Until then, Thanks For Reading and thanks for Ridin’ Wevv Mang Please label all feedback as FEEDBACK. My email address is mrwevv@mac.com . Thank you. Lop Forums LPW – Best E-Fed On The Net. Period. LOP Columns Forum – The Next Generation of Writers. ***DIRECT LINK*** Must SEE VERY HOT Pix of G4 TV's Olivia Munn! WHOA!!
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