Ben and I noted several days ago the fact that ECW is LOADED with talent. These three men, the face of ECW now, will be the face of WWE in the future: John Morrison, Elijah Burke, and (an Irish Whip favorite) CM Punk.
Let's take a look at each man one at a time:
John Morrison - Almost an impromptu ECW champ, Morrison has so far showed great skill in the ring (as he always has) and is getting major heat from the fans. He is clearly one of the most talented and unique wrestlers in the company, and WWE knows it. They gave him an extensive title run with MNM not to long ago, and also an Intercontinental Title run in which he feuded with Jeff Hardy.
I like the "Morrison" gimmick a lot better than the "Nitro" gimmick so far. It's a lot more believable than the whole A-lister thing. The only thing he needs to improve (that I can see) is his skill on the mic. It would help if he reacted to the fans a little more. Other than that, he's very entertaining and a lot of fun to watch.
Elijah Burke - Now here's a guy who has absolutely no issues on the mic. I would hope that he uses his catchphrases more often, though. Saying, "If Elijah said it, it must be true" at the end of his promos, as he has done before, really would make him stand out. His wrestling is also very entertaining to watch. The "Elijah Express" finisher might be holding him back, however. It's unique move, but not a very decisive one, if you know what I'm saying.
CM Punk - In the opinion of The Irish Whip, CM Punk has the most talent and potential on the ECW roster. His wrestling is top-notch. If you don't think he can wrestle, then watch some of his Ring of Honor matches and get back to me. Since joining WWE he has had to adapt to the more formulaic wrestling style that is used within the company, which he has done without making his matches predictable in the least bit. He has put on some AWESOME main event matches in ECW now, the best being this one.
He is also great on the mic. He hasn't really had the opportunity to show this on ECW yet. The only real promos he has delivered were before he was even wrestling on the show when it first began last year. When WWE decides to push him to the top, they will then put him on the mic and I'll be willing to bet that the fans will eat him up. Keep in mind, Punk has only been on television for a little less than a year. As much as I think he should be ECW champion, it would seem inconsistent and irrational for WWE to give an up-and-coming wrestler a world title within his first year of working for the company. So I'll be patient.
These three men all have tremendous wrestling skills, are good on the mic, and have great gimmicks that help them connect with the fans. As a result, ECW just might have become WWE's most enjoyable show. You don't have to deal with all of the hype and promos that you'll find on RAW, and you don't have to deal with the Smackdown-ness that you'll find on Smackdown. It's a very enjoyable hour of television.
Now I know that there are some CM Punk haters out there. And I know that there are people that have things to contribute here. Slap a comment on the board.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
ECW: A Load of Talent
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Lost Art of The Submission
Where has the submission gone? I've racked my brain for a while now, and the only submission finishers I can think of in the WWE right now are Ric Flair's Figure-Four and John Cena's STFU (unless you count Mark Henry's bear hug as being legitimate). A submission maneuver is a great way to end a match. Where have all of them gone?...
The Ankle Lock...The Crippler Crossface...The Sharpshooter...all of them are among the most exciting and versatile finishers in the history of the business. These finishers were used by only the best technical wrestlers in wrestling in order to highlight that specific characteristic: technically sound. Does this mean we no longer have any good technical wrestlers? Certainly not, the business has just changed!
WWE buys into the idea that a match is better ended with a pin than with a tap-out. They assume that a high-impact move is the best way to finish off a match. Here is a perfect example: CM Punk. If you recall, for his first several months in ECW CM Punk used the Anaconda Vice to make his opponents tap. Now, someone in WWE is having him use the Go-To-Sleep as his finisher. It's a cool move, but giving Punk a submission finisher really separated him from the rest of the wrestlers.
John Cena and Ric Flair are the only main-eventers that use submissions as finishers now. Flair's use of the Figure-Four only persists because he has used it his whole career. John Cena has used the STFU to win the main event at Wrestlemania for the past two years. The STFU is a very awkward submission. Cena often struggles to apply it and it comes out looking crappy. Why not let guys like Punk at least use the Anaconda Vice?
What happened to the submissions? You tell me.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Great American Bash Reaction
Have Smackdown's belts been rendered meaningless? Will Cena be champ for much longer? Will CM Punk no longer be the centerpiece of ECW? The answers...
All titles except for the Cruiserweight Championship were retained at this years Great American Bash. Let's go match by match and see what each outcome entails:
MVP def. Matt Hardy to retain U.S. Championship
- MVP is a great champ and WWE recognizes his potential, so it's no surprise to see him get a clean win here. This feud could be a great one, though, so look for it to continue into SummerSlam for a rematch.
Hornswaggle wins Cruiserweight Championship
- Well, the Crusierweight belt hasn't meant that much in recent years, but it's probably reached a new low. It's not as bad as giving the Great Khali a world championship, but it's getting there. If anything, Hornswaggle at least brings more attention to the belt and it should be cool to see how this storyline is handled. Hornswaggle vs. Chavo at SummerSlam? Surely not...
Carlito def. Sandman
- Apparently, even though this was a Singapore Cane match, the cane was never even used. Also, Sandman had no beer when he came out of the crowd. Is WWE censoring him? I hope not. This feud will most likely evolve into Sandman and Hacksaw vs. Carlito and William Regal for a gimmick match at SummerSlam.
Candice Michelle def. Melina to retain Women's Championship
- It seems that WWE is set on Candice being champ for a while, which is fine by me. It's tough to see where things will go from here though...Mickie James is clearly the most popular diva, so why not give her a title shot? At the same time, though, Jillian Hall and Beth Phoenix are two good heels. I'm thinking Mickie James becomes the #1 contender.
Umaga def. Jeff Hardy to retain Intercontinental Championship
- No real surprise that Umaga gets the clean victory over Jeff Hardy here. Now this is the question: will Umaga carry the belt into SummerSlam? I don't think so...remember that Umaga will be fighting against the Jackass crew, and what better way to get him angry at them than their interference forcing him to lose the belt?
John Morrison def. CM Punk to retain ECW Championship
- Morrison's set for a long title run here. He really deserves it: he's a great wrestler but he needs to get better on the mic. I think CM Punk is a better wrestler and a better speaker, but he will be champ before long. I'm not so sure that this feud will continue. We've seen house shows advertising Morrison vs. Tommy Dreamer, even though we saw Dreamer lose to him just a couple weeks ago. Regardless, I hope that this feud does go through SummerSlam: WWE needs to have its future (CM Punk) on the card.
Randy Orton def. Dusty Rhodes
- This was easy to pick: does anybody see DUSTY RHODES getting a push? Orton has been on a roll lately in order to set up for...a championship run and a feud with Triple H. Orton will beat Cena (finally) at SummerSlam to win the belt. Look for Cody Rhodes to start feuding with Santino Marella, Santino being a heel.
Great Khali def. Batista and Kane to retain the World Heavyweight belt
- This is absolutely sad. But here is what we're headed to: Great Khali vs. Batista at SummerSlam. This is so dumb.
John Cena def. Bobby Lashley to retain WWE Championship
- This was easy to see coming, or HEAR coming. Take one listen to Bobby Lashley on the mic and you know that he is miles short of being WWE Champion. He's been pushed too hard and too fast...I'm glad he finally got beat clean. He'll feud with Kennedy now and (hopefully) put him over.
There we go! What are your thoughts about the Bash or the upcoming SummerSlam?
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Thursday, July 12, 2007
What Could Be...
Ben and I have always been in favor of a brand merger. Here I will analyze the pluses and minuses of a brand merger, and I will tell you the "dream feuds" that we could be seeing if there were a brand merger.
A brand merger can be seen as a good thing and a bad thing. For one, a brand merger would cause the main show to either be 3 hours long or be on television two nights of the week. That is a horrible thing, because either way the fans would get way to much of the same superstars...whether it is at the same time or spread out among a week. Also 2-3 brands helps WWE let superstars develop instead of just sticking them in a mid-card spot for 10 years.
However, there are some pluses to a brand merger as well. For die-hard fans, 3 hours would provide for some LONG matches. If you have watched the Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels 60 minute Ironman match without pausing it...then a brand merger is up your alley. Also, even though the fans would get way too much of the superstars, there would be some instant classic feuds. And THAT ladies and gentlemen...is the point of my article. I will give you 5 feuds that we could be seeing right now...if there were a brand merger. Giddy up.
1. Edge vs. CM Punk
This feud would provide some CLASSIC matches and some classic promos as well. CM Punk is awesome on the mic (check Ring of Honor because WWE doesn't let him do much) and Edge is second to only Mr. Kennedy on the mic. Picture a title match at Wrestlemania between these two...I get chills. This feud actually may happen, because WWE HAS to move CM Punk, it's just a matter of where and when. What have I not talked about...oh yeah the wrestling.
CM Punk has a great wrestling background in Ring of Honor. He and Samoa Joe were basically the two faces of that brand. He has been in a 5-star match (according to Dave Meltzer) against Samoa Joe in ROH, and I wouldn't doubt him being in another one or two before he retires.
Edge might be the most versatile wrestler there is. Think about it...he is the master of the TLC match, a two time Money In the Bank ladder match winner, he beat Mick Foley in a Hardcore match, he is the World Heavyweight Champion as a singles wrestler, is a 12-time champion as a tag-team wrestler, and is the only superstar EVER to have held all 6 major titles on RAW and Smackdown. This would be huge.
2. Randy Orton vs. Kane
Not much explanation is needed here. Kane=Legend...Randy Orton=Legend Killer. Kane is a legend that I believe Orton hasn't killed yet (correct me if I'm wrong because I'm going off of my memory) and I think it would be a great feud. I say this because the Orton-Taker feud was insanely cool and The Undertaker and Kane are very similar...but very different at the same time.
Kane is not the best wrestler on Smackdown, but he makes up for that with his excitement and the fact that he is classic. (Remember I am calling him "classic" and "a legend" although he is only a 1-time World Champ...and he only held the title for a day...however he deserves these titles).
Randy Orton is a GREAT up and comer. He is 27 years old and has been with the company for about 5 years and he is already a triple crown champion. He has developed into a very snake-like and sneaky superstar with his new prelude to the RKO, and so we would be seeing the monster versus the mysterious. This feud would be a great way to put over Orton, and it would give him another name on his list of "Legends Killed".
3. Jeff Hardy vs. Rey Mysterio
My personal favorite match up involves two stars who radiate excitement from their bodies. They are beloved by almost all fans (that would be a problem...one might need to be a heel...) because they are athletic as hell. Many fans would be in awe during their entire matches because of their creativity and their ability to do anything.
Rey gives it 110 percent every match. I have yet to see him just go half way in a match. The 619 is the most creative thing in wrestling...ever...end of story. I can't wait for his return, and hopefully these two will wind up in a match down the road.
Jeff is just as exciting as Rey...but he is more daring. He is basically a stuntman in a wrestling suit. Who else has done multiple Swanton Bombs off of 20-foot ladders? NOBODY. Not Sabu, not Rey Rey, not even RVD. I also believe that he is the first person to put somebody through a ladder.
Overall this would be probably the most exciting feud possible. I actually wouldn't mind if this feud went on longer then Cena-Edge...and that is truly saying something...
4. Mr. Kennedy vs. Ric Flair
I'm not going to go too into detail with this one, because I feel that the general population can grasp on how sweet it would be. I see this as a "pass the torch" feud that has dueling promos every night (Kennedy promo on his mic at the beginning of the show, Flair freaking out promo at the end of the show). End it with a great match at Wrestlemania...and you have an instant classic.
As I said before, this would be a great way to pass the torch from Flair who has dominated the wrestling business his whole career...to Mr. Kennedy who will dominate soon.
5. The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
Yes ladies and gentlemen, we are going a little old-school. This is a feud that I have always LOVED. These two have been in some classic matches (Hell In A Cell) and I think that they have a few more left in them. There is no need to give their biographies because everyone knows these two.
Actually now that I think about it, why not DX vs. The Ministry of Darkness? (extremely cheesy sounding I know). But WWE is in talks with X-Pac right now. Why not have DX (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, X-Pac, add two more like Ric Flair and Sandman (haha)) vs. The Ministry of Darkness (The Undertaker, Edge, JBL, Ron Simmons, and Viscera)?...That sounds extremely cheesy and extremely attitude era-ish...so I'm going to stop.
These feuds would fuel a brand merger and cancel out the negatives. This merger will probably never happen...or if it does then it is far in the distance...but these feuds are still possible via superstars switching brands.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Superstar Categories
When Ben proposed this post to me, I was very excited. If you have ever played NBA Live 2007, all of the players are in categories (dunker, long range shooter, inside scorer, etc…). This post categorizes the top 5 stars in each brand and then 5 legends into the categories of crafty, powerhouse, legend, experienced, future star, athletic, great heart, exciting, and creative. Of course superstars can and will be in multiple categories.
Rey Mysterio, Triple H, and The Undertaker have been omitted due to their injuries.
Smackdown’s Top 5
1. Edge: The current top Smackdown superstar is not yet a legend, but he is definitely experienced. He has won the WWE championship 2 times, the World Heavyweight Championship 1 time, the Intercontinental Championship 5 times, he is a 12 time tag-team champion, and claimed the title of “Mr. Money In the Bank” twice. He has been in some famous feuds (Matt Hardy, John Cena) and has been in a few memorable stables (The Ministry of Darkness, Rated RKO). He has a great heart as well; he makes all of his matches fun to watch, because he never gives up (see the hardcore match against Mick Foley). Edge is also very exciting (watch him in the MITB Ladder Matches) and he provides a side to wrestling that we sadly rarely see anymore. You could also consider Edge a future star (he’s actually two days younger than MVP). He has many more bright years with the company.
2. Batista: The first thing that you think of when you see Batista, is that he is a powerhouse. I would definitely NOT call him experienced, seeing how he has only been wrestling with WWE since 2002. I would also not call him the future, seeing how he is 38. And although he may not be the best wrestler in the company, he sure is exciting. His spinebuster is extremely fun to watch, and it gets me pretty amped.
3. MVP: Let me start out by saying he is one of the big three stars that I consider “future stars”. I will also definitely call him exciting, because for a while, his feud with Chris Benoit was the only thing that kept me watching Smackdown. MVP is definitely athletic too. His gimmick is even a cocky athletic guy.
4. Ric Flair: Flair falls into many categories. He is definitely a legend. He won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in 1981 by beating Dusty Rhodes. He is an 11 time world champion, and has won countless awards. He is also definitely experienced...being in the wrestling business since the 1970s, and being in countless classic feuds (Lex Luger, Terry Funk) and stables (Evolution, The Four Horsemen). He was also extremely exciting in his prime (and he still has his moments now...like vs. the Big Show on ECW). Flair also has a reputation of being extremely crafty to win at any cost. You know someone is crafty when the low blow is part of their regular moveset.
5. Kane: The Big Red Machine is definitely experienced (being in wrestling since the mid-to late 90s). He is a 10-time Tag-Team champion, a two-time Intercontinental champion, a one-time Hardcore champion, and a one-time WWF champion. He is also a powerhouse (7 feet tall, 326 pounds). Kane is extremely exciting too…when his entrance music hits I get extremely pumped up.
RAW’s Top 5:
1. John Cena: Cena debuted in 2000 (I wouldn’t normally call someone experienced who has only been in the business for 7 years…) however he is experienced. He has won the United States Championship three times, and has won the WWE Championship three times. He has been in numerous matches with great superstars…yes he has been in some great matches (vs. Edge at Unforgiven, vs. Michaels on Monday Night RAW). Also, he is a definite powerhouse. Before wrestling he was pursuing a career as a bodybuilder. Also, at Wrestlemania XX he managed to lift the 507 pound 7-foot monster over his head twice. Cena (or Cena’s gimmick) never gives up in matches. He come out on top in singles matches with Umaga, The Great Khali, Shawn Michaels, The Big Show, Kurt Angle, JBL, Chris Jericho, Edge, RVD, Booker T, etc…This shows his great heart.
2. Bobby Lashley: Nobody is more of a powerhouse than Bobby Lashley. All you have to do is look at this man to find out what I’m talking about. He is extremely exciting too. His spear is not near the excitement level of Bill Goldberg’s, but his regular power moves are fantastic. Also, in his match vs. the late Chris Benoit at the first 3-hour RAW, he showed us a side of him that we rarely see, the amateur wrestling side of him. Benoit and Lashley put on a very enjoyable match. And yes ladies and gentlemen, he is a future star. He is only 30 years old, and he has already been built up to the main event slot.
3. Randy Orton: I’ll start out by saying he is extremely exciting. He is doing this thing that I love now. He waits on the ground with his opponent while stalking them like a wounded animal. This sinuously smooth precursor to the RKO is very snake-like and very intimidating. It reminds me of The Rock getting ready to deliver the Rock Bottom. He (in my opinion) is probably tied with Mr. Kennedy for the biggest future star. He is only 27 years old (younger than MVP, CM Punk, Mr. Kennedy, and Lashley) and he is already a Triple Crown Champion (won the World Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Championship, and Tag-Team Championship). His moveset is very creative. I love his DDT that he does off of the ropes and his huge dropkick.
4. Mr. Kennedy: Ken Kennedy will be the Stone Cold or The Rock of the future. This man is above and beyond what we refer to as a future star. You can’t call this man boring. He is extremely exciting and creative. His creative side kicks in with his ring entrance. I can’t think of another ring entrance that I like better than his (please comment if you think of one). And excitement basically radiates from this man’s body. I decided not to keep this one very long, because you can just read any of our other posts to get the point.
5. Jeff Hardy: Jeff Hardy is hands down the most exciting superstar (now that RVD has left) in the WWE. The Swanton Bomb is probably one of the tightest moves in wrestling, and the whisper in the wind gets the crowd going just as much. Also, how can you talk about Jeff Hardy and not say he’s an athlete? The man did a front flip (Swanton Bomb) off of a ladder through a table with Bubba Ray Dudley on it. He can also be a future star (he is only 29)…but I am not sure since all of his stunts may take a pretty hard toll on his body after awhile.
ECW’s Top 5:
1. CM Punk: CM Punk (along with Mr. Kennedy) IS the future. He has the title of “future star” written all over him. He made his WWE wrestling debut on June 24, 2006…and he has already fought for the ECW title twice (elimination chamber and Vengeance). He also has his upcoming title shot against Johnny Nitro…I pray to God that he wins. He and his finishing moves are extremely creative (G.T.S., Anaconda Vise, and my personal favorite…the Pepsi Plunge). I would say his matches are exciting, but the ECW crowd doesn’t usually get into it…which is a topic for a later date.
2. Johnny Nitro: I would first like to ask…why is this man the ECW champion? His second match as an ECW superstar (first being a squash against Nunzio) is a title match that he wins. BAD IDEA (but again, another topic for another time). He is without a doubt a future star being only 27 years old and being in the main event slot for ECW in his 3rd year with the company. You could also consider him athletic…if you were searching for another thing to say about him.
3. Elijah Burke: Yet another future star in ECW. Only 29 years old, and he has had a huge part in ECW. Although his team with Sylvester Terkay was the most boring thing on Friday night, he excels greatly as a singles wrestler. The Elijah Express and the Elijah Experience are cool, but they don’t get him into the category of exciting. However, they will help him get into the creative category.
4. Marcus Cor Von: Here is the powerhouse of ECW. Monty Brown…I mean…Marcus Cor Von is HUGE. His bicep is probably larger then my head. He definitely falls into the category of exciting. The Pounce is my favorite finisher by a big dude. Although the Alpha Male is 37, he has a few great years ahead of him (but not enough years to call him the future).
5. The Boogeyman: Here’s a fun fact that I found interesting: he is 42 years old! I never would have thought that he would be that old. Well, now that I got that out of the way…he is definitely exciting, and definitely creative. Name another superstar that eats worms. Also, it is occasionally fun to see him pop up out of nowhere and scare the pants off of people.
Legends Top 5: (in no order)
1. Bret Hart: Well…he is under the “legends top 5”…so I guess it’s pretty obvious that he’s a legend. In WCW he won the US Title 4 times, the World Heavyweight Championship 2 times, and the World Tag-Team Championship 1 time. And in the WWF/WWE he won the WWF Championship 5 times, the Intercontinental Championship 2 times, the World Tag-Team Championship 2 times, and he was recently inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He was definitely exciting in the ring as well. When he locked in the sharpshooter the crowd went wild. He also had a great heart. He lasted over an hour in his famous match against Shawn Michaels, and he had many other great matches (see our Top WWE Matches section).
2. The Rock: There is nothing about this man that is boring. He has the most unnecessarily elaborate finishing move of all time (the people’s elbow) and has created almost all of the famous wrestling catchphrases in our time (know your role, and shut your mouth). This man is the epitome of exciting in and out of the ring. Again, he is in the legends category…therefore he is a definite legend. He won the WWF/E Championship 7 times, the Intercontinental Championship 2 times, and the Tag-Team Championship 5 times. He also has a great heart. His match at Wrestlemania against Steve Austin was a classic display of his heart. His heart is also shown in ANY of his matches against Mick Foley. Also, he is EXTREMELY creative. Who would think to themselves “today…I’m going to create a 30 second prelude to an elbow…”
3. Steve Austin: Again, there is nothing about this man that is boring. You never know what to expect from him on any given night. He could bring a beer truck through the entrance ramp, or he could plan his own beer bash even. This man, along with The Rock, IS exciting. Also he is a legend. He is a 6-time WWF Champion, a 2-time Intercontinental Champion, a 4-time Tag-Team Champion, and the winner of 3 Royal Rumbles.
4. Hulk Hogan: Just like Stone Cold and The Rock created the word exciting, Hulk Hogan created the word legend. He is the ultimate WWF/E/WCW that absolutely everyone knows. He is a 6-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, a 6-time WWF/E World Heavyweight Champion, a 1-time Tag-Team Champion, a 2-time Royal Rumble Winner, and a WWE Hall of Famer. He also has a great heart (see vs. Andre the Giant or any other match where he “Hulks Up”). He is not as exciting as The Rock…but he is nonetheless very exciting. I’ve never really been into his finisher (the Hogan leg drop), because it’s basically like doing a “clothesline from hell” or “the big boot”, but it was cool in the 80s.
5. Shawn Michaels: Already, he is a legend. He is a 3-time WWF Champion, a 1-time European Champion, a 3-time Intercontinental Champion, a 4-time Tag-Team Champion, a 1-time World Heavyweight Champion, and a 2-time Royal Rumble Winner. He shows his great heart in his classic iron-man match against Bret Hart. His Superkick comes out of nowhere, and that is what makes him one of the most exciting superstars in wrestling today.
If you didn’t notice, the powerhouses (Cena, Lashley, Batista) are moving up in the world of wrestling, when it should be the exciting and athletic superstars (Jeff Hardy, Edge, Kennedy) in the limelight. WWE needs to keep a nice balance of these superstars to maximize their success. WWE also needs to keep good relations with their legends, so their legends will come back and have instant-classic feuds.
That’s all for me folks. As always…post comments.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
ECW Poised To Reach The Top
For the first time in the short history of ECW under the jurisdiction of the WWE, they have a product worth writing home about. This occurred after two key things happened -- the ECW made out like bandits in the draft, and the talent they already had really hit their stride (see Punk, pictured left). The draft got rid of all the boring muscle heads (Lashley and Snitsky) and ushered in athletic guys willing to take bumps (Nitro and Benoit).
When ECW lost a wrestler in the draft, they somehow gained. When they drafted someone new, the re-developed and most likely saved their show. All the ECW criticism has stopped (for now) and smarks and marks alike watch to see what the creative team will do with this new influx. The WWE would be hard pressed to ask for more. Meanwhile, guys like CM Punk and Elijah Burke (pictured) have been improving on a weekly basis while perfecting one of the only watchable feuds in the business.
These two pieces of good fortune have left ECW with the tried and true formula to a solid show in the WWE. The first piece of a great show is a combination of old and new guys. Benoit (pictured) and Punk provide a nice juxtaposition and its fun to see three suplexes in a row (something we've seen for years) go up against some of Punk's new and innovative moves.
Next, and most obviously, the show needs great A wrestlers. ECW used to consist of guys that would be B wrestlers on any other show, but with the recent prominence of Punk, Burke, and Cor Von along with the dismissal of those who suck (Striker, Knox), the tide has turned in the favor of this extreme brand. The B's have become the A's and are now being complimented by Benoit and Nitro (pictured), two guys who have been A's on other shows all along. Juggling all this talent is one of those problems that's good to have.
Finally, the show should have enough B wrestlers to carry the lulls in the program. I find that gimmicked wrestlers usually fit this bill perfectly, and so the addition of The Boogeyman was a wise one. Viscera and The Miz were also made for the role, and they'll do a great job in filling it. I've given up hope that the originals will make a full comeback in ECW, but I'd rather see them as B wrestlers than not wrestling at all. With all this talent (see Cor Von, pictured) loaded on the new ECW, they'll have no problem filling a show now.
Some would say that a tag team division is needed for success, but patchwork teams of the 90s (see Undertaker and Austin) along with the recent popularity of two singles feuds being combined into a match (see last week's SMACKDOWN main event), it's becoming less necessary to have an impressive division. I'm aware that not only does ECW not have an impressive division and that they don't have one at all, but I believe that the perfect storm forming from the other three factors will be enough to make ratings good and matches great.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
WWE or TNA? I Want Your Take
Yes…I am going to post another opinion question (except this will be longer). I know that we technically don’t cover TNA on this website, but after seeing two videos that were posted on nodq.com (see the “excitement” category for links) I started comparing the two products. Ben initially covered TNA in his article "Why You Should Be Watching TNA" but he stopped the discussion before a comparison of brands. I'd like to break it down for you now:
Category 1: Excitement
I’ll start off by posting links to the best of TNA, and the best of AJ Styles
These two videos show incredible athleticism and creativity. After watching these videos I find myself wanting to become a TNA fan. Since WWE has such a huge fan base, TNA has to pull fans away from WWE and toward TNA. This means that TNA has to have this kind of excitement every single night to keep up with WWE (which I feel is not happening at all).
Now I will give you some links to WWE videos: WWE1 and WWE2 (and i don't think that these two videos have even put a quarter of the cool stuff that WWE has done in here)
I feel that these two videos have the same quality of excitement that the TNA ones have, even though the WWE videos are missing some very important moments (Shane-o jumping off of billions of things, the complete Mick Foley vs. The Undertaker HIAC match, etc...)
The plus side of WWE having three shows is that they have a great chance to have three or four great and exciting matches a week, where as TNA fills up a week with about 6 matches.
Category winner: WWE
Category 2: Storylines
TNA has the creative genius behind the WWF Attitude Era (Vince Russo). However, I feel that his style doesn't fit TNA's style because of the short programming time. That being said, I feel that TNA had a nice amount of hype building into the King of the Mountain title win for Angle. Overall I feel that the storylines for TNA are pretty good (7 out of 10).
I thoroughly dislike most WWE storylines, such as Vince McMahon's death, John Cena vs. Khali, Lashley vs. the new Corporation (as I like to call it), etc...There really isn't anything I like about the WWE writing staff except for Dusty Rhodes at ECW...but that balances out because I hate Dave Lagana (he makes dumb decisions like having Hardcore Holly pin CM Punk clean and making CM Punk the first person out in the Elimination Chamber). However, I especially hate Smackdown's writers (Michael Hayes) and their storylines, because they show us the same main event almost every week. They always have a tag-team match between two tag-teams who aren't actually teams (like tomorrow's Edge & MVP vs. Batista & Ric Flair). So overall I feel that the storylines for WWE are not up to par (4 out of 10)
Category Winner: TNA
Category 3: Superstars
The obvious idea here is to compare two lists of superstars, one for each company. I will do this based on talent mixed with popularity.
TNA: Abyss, AJ Styles, Team 3D, LAX, Christian Cage, Jay Lethal, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, Rhino, Samoa Joe, Scott Steiner, Sting, Tyson Tomko.
WWE: Chris Benoit, CM Punk, Lashley, John Cena, Batista (I know), The Hardy Boyz, MR. KENNEDY, Randy Orton, HBK, HHH, Shane McMahon, Stone Cold, Kendrick & London, Edge, MVP, Kane, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, The Undertaker.
Shall we compare? Let's start with comparing the tag-teams. I put the top two tag-teams for each product. TNA has Team 3D and LAX, and WWE has Kendrick & London and the Hardy Boyz. Team 3D is actually the most decorated tag-team in WWE history, and they are doing very well in TNA as well. However, LAX is not up to the level that the Hardy Boyz (or even Kendrick & London) are on (and LAX is deteriorating). I am going to have to give the titles of "best tag-teams" and "most exciting tag-teams" to WWE.
Let's look at singles competition now. TNA has GREAT wrestlers like AJ Styles, Christian, Kurt Angle, and Samoa Joe. However, WWE has a great mix of powerhouses (Lashley, Cena, Batista), athletics (Jeff Hardy, Brian Kendrick, Rey Mysterio), classics (HBK, The Undertaker, Ric Flair) and future greats (Mr. Kennedy, CM Punk, MVP). A mix like that makes WWE all the more enjoyable, and that's why...
Category Winner: WWE
Category 4: Programming
In this category, I am going to compare the 1 hour show and the 2 hour show...
Both times have their pluses and minuses, but generally I feel that 2 hours is too much, and 1 hour is not enough...so basically I would like it if both shows were an hour and a half. This is because I always feel that TNA is rushing through things, and I feel that WWE has too many unnecessary backstage segments and squash matches. However, I feel that the 2 hour show is better than the 1 hour show because it allows time for more wrestling...and that is what I expect from a WRESTLING show.
Clear Category Winner: WWE
So basically in my opinion, WWE wins the heated contest 3-1. Please comment on the post and agree or disagree with me (even under anonymous).
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The ECW title match has been set!
Yes that's right; last night saw the The Rabid Wolverine beating Elijah Burke and CM Punk beating Marcus Cor Von to set up the ECW title match this Sunday at Vengeance. And like Hunter Golden of Wrestleview says, I think I just creamed myself!
Its a dream match for a grizzly old smark like me and a breath of fresh air from angles like the Superman act on Raw and the crime of Ric Flair not having a World Title shot since his return to the WWE.
It is going to be fantastic. Punk IS the new Benoit. And man, I have been dreaming of this ever since they brought CM Punk to ECW. Although Punk is similar, he has one distinct advantage over Benoit -- mic skills. That's why Benoit was always shunted to the midcard on Smackdown, not CM Punk...he's got what it takes to be a champion in the WWE. Expect a massive feud pitting Benoit's massive talent versus Punk's youth and charisma.
It should be a show stealer folks and I predict Benoit to win, with Punk perhaps becoming a heel in the near future!
Monday, June 18, 2007
RAW Reaction/ECW Preview
I thought that RAW was relatively uneventful, with many wrestlers settling into their new roles as the show continued to sort out details from last week. A three hour special to delve deeper into the death of Vince McMahon was announced for next week -- could a three hour show be something the WWE is moving towards? It seems possible, as they had no trouble filling the time slot last week. More time on the air means more advertisers.
As for the show, I'll just run through Drew's predictions. You can go to our news feed pae to get more in-depth summaries where they tell you the technical name of the headlock Booker T put on John Cena.
Drew predicted a London and Kendrick win over Benjamin and Haas...check.
Drew predicted that Jillian Hall and Mickie James would be in action...check.
Drew predicted that Mr. Kennedy would cut an awesome promo...check.
Drew predicted that the WWE would emphasize a "whodunit" storyline...check.
Tomorrow night's ECW appears to be light-years ahead of anything we've seen since the WWE brought the show back to cable television. It will feature a match between CM Punk and Marcus Cor Von along with one between Chris Benoit and Elijah Burke with the winners squaring off for the recently-vacated title. Now, if only the matches were under hardcore rules...
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
WWE Draft Preview And Predictions
Firstly, I want to say what I think the format of the draft will be like. Most likely, we will see each brand get a certain number of random picks, as was done in the 2004 draft. Smackdown will be robbed of its talent and it doesn't make sense that they would let this happen if they were doing the picking.
Let's get to it...with the realization that predicting the WWE Draft is more of a crapshoot than anything. Everything depends on which direction WWE wants to go in.
To RAW:
Batista - If RAW needs some more star power, then this is certainly a good way to go. Batista will lose his "Do or Die" match against Edge at Vengeance and move permanently to RAW. This would set up for a fantastic feud with John Cena later this summer.
Chris Benoit - It's been reported for a long time now that Benoit has already been told he's moving to RAW, which makes this an easy pick. I would think the ideal feud for him would be with Randy Orton.
William Regal - Never underestimate the strength of HHH's backstage politics. It's well-known that Regal is good friends with HHH and that he has requested a move and a heel push on RAW. He'll get it.
To Smackdown!:
CM Punk - He is one of the best pure wrestlers in the company (if not for Benoit, he might be THE best) and he is also a great entertainer. He will "move up" to Smackdown in order to put him on a bigger stage. Intuition seems to be telling everybody that he'll feud with MVP for the U.S. belt, and I think that's correct.
Matt Hardy - He's already on Smackdown, right? The point of this is to split up the Hardys as a tag team and make them singles wrestlers again. McMahon has always liked them better as singles.
Kevin Thorn - They've been putting him over on ECW the past few weeks with some squash matches, but who are they preparing him to feud with? With seemingly nobody on ECW that comes to mind, I say he moves to Smackdown.
To ECW:
Rey Mysterio - He'll add top-tier talent to the show and replace CM Punk as the reason to watch ECW. Also, he'll be feuding with none other than Mr. McMahon by the end of the summer, so look for him to warm up on some of the ECW heels.
Shelton Benjamin - His singles push gets a restart on ECW and Charlie Haas gets dropped. Benjamin is one of the most talented athletes in the company and needs to be utilized. Quit wasting space with him on RAW!
Super Crazy - His singles push on RAW has all but diminished. We haven't seen him in weeks even though he has reportedly recovered from his injury. ECW is a perfect fit for this guy, and he would be a great wrestler to put over some of the up-and-coming heels.
If the draft were to take place as I see it, Smackdown would clearly be raided of its talent and ECW would become a very watchable show. I have one problem with my predictions: there's nothing shocking about them! No title switches between brands, etc. I think a great move by WWE would be to swap MVP and Santino (and their belts) between RAW and Smackdown. But we'll see.
How do you see the upcoming draft? Post your responses.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Thursday, June 7, 2007
An Overview Of Brands
First off, I'd like to say hello to all who read this. Along with Lee, this is my first time writing here. I thought I would take the chance to give a short overview of how I think things are going.
ECW
Now, despite what alot of people say, I feel that this show has had its moments, and by moments, I mean occasional flashes of something being ok. For instance, this past week, I actually enjoyed ECW. CM Punk and Matt Striker had a very solid match, and I think the Major Brothers are decent in the ring. As for The Draft coming up, I have heard rumors spreading of a possible Benoit/Mysterio addition to ECW. This could mix things up.
SMACKDOWN!
Honestly, this is my favorite show right now, hands down. I love MVP, I think he is a great talent and he can also talk (it seems like there are fewer and fewer good talkers nowadays). His feud with Benoit was absolute money. Honestly, I hope the rumors about CM Punk being drafted to Smackdown! are true, because I'd love to see a CM Punk/MVP feud for the U.S. Title. Edge is THE BEST heel in the company right now, no arguing that in my personal opinion. Hopefully we can get someone else in the title scene with Edge other than Batista.
RAW
I must admit, this week's new angle with Vince being all "messed up" in the head had me laughing, in a good way. Maybe he can now generate some actual heel heat, instead of "I want you off my T.V. heat." It seems like Bobby Lashley should just permanently be on this show over the last few months, and come draft, maybe he will be. I am not a John Cena hater, but rather, I believe they have booked him poorly, and his "Marine" gimmick is terrible. I believe him to be a hard worker who is always improving. Besides the fact that The Great Khali is terrible, all I will say is this.....a guy has actually died after a botched move with Khali. Yikes! Granted, it IS Wikipedia, but it seems like a pretty legit story, as it says it wasn't his fault.
As far as Paul Heyman is concerned, Wrestleview.com recently had a report stating that Vince threw out Heyman's name at a creative meeting to see what everyone thought. So, even though I still think it's unlikely, maybe we will see him show up yet again!
Well, The Draft seems to be a much needed "mix up" for the three brands and I hope it does create more interesting angles. I hope. You never know with the mind of Vincent Kennedy McMahon. I hope to hear from you guys, tell me what you think! That's all I have up my sleeve for now!
-Jesse
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
ECW Reaction / CM Punk Moving?
ECW had a solid show tonight, but I have a bone to pick with the crowd.
They chanted "BORING BORING" during a good tag team match between the Major Brothers (a great looking team) and Elijah Burke and Marcus Cor Von. I'm not sure what they wanted to see...Extreme Expose got a better pop than these guys.
Secondly, the match between Punk and Striker, a great match, had no fan participation at all. CM Punk was yelling at the crowd and trying to get them into it. Near the end of the match he even yelled out "GTS!" but nobody even seemed to know what he meant. It's like they followed his command and actually went to sleep.
Some people in the crowd were actually booing CM Punk. This makes no sense to me, especially after seeing Bobby Lashley get such a huge pop for dominating three fantastic entertainers in the Sandman, Dreamer, and Balls. Lashley would be lucky if he could one day be as entertaining as these guys.
The biggest conclusion that I can draw from tonight's ECW: CM Punk will be moving in the WWE Draft. He is the best up-and-coming star that WWE has and they know it. The fact that he main-evented the show with Matt Striker sure made it seem like it was his last match with the brand. Look for him to be moved to Smackdown.
Thanks for dealing with my rants about the fans!
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
ECW Preview and Predictions
1. The dismantling of the New Breed
2. The phasing out of Rob Van Dam
3. The continued "dominance" of Lashley
Firstly, I fully expect CM Punk to be moved in the WWE draft next week to either Smackdown or RAW. If this is the case, then WWE will have to wind down the feud between Punk and the New Breed, which should take place tonight. Maybe look for Burke and Cor Von to kick Striker out of the group and become a two-man team.
Next, we should see WWE writing RVD out of the show. Randy Orton will probably come on and brag about "killing the legend" of Rob Van Dam.
Lastly, WWE.com is advertising a 3-on-1 handicap match for Lashley's title, with Tommy Dreamer, Sandman, and Balls Mahoney being the team of three. One of two things will happen here: More likely, Lashley will win the match and retain his title, thoroughly frustrating Vince McMahon. The other, less likely possibility is that Dreamer, Sandman, and Balls will be straight-up fired be Vince McMahon for not participating in the match. I doubt this would happen, but with who knows?
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Monday, June 4, 2007
WWE Draft Preview And Predictions
I don't think that I've ever been as excited about RAW as I am now. WWE has the real opportunity to get their programming on the right track and return to being an integral part of pop culture with this draft.
Firstly, I want to say what I think the format of the draft will be like. Most likely, we will see each brand get a certain number of random picks, as was done in the 2004 draft. Smackdown will be robbed of its talent and it doesn't make sense that they would let this happen if they were doing the picking.
Let's get to it...with the realization that predicting the WWE Draft is more of a crapshoot than anything. Everything depends on which direction WWE wants to go in.
To RAW:
Batista - If RAW needs some more star power, then this is certainly a good way to go. Batista will lose his "Do or Die" match against Edge at Vengeance and move permanently to RAW. This would set up for a fantastic feud with John Cena later this summer.
Chris Benoit - It's been reported for a long time now that Benoit has already been told he's moving to RAW, which makes this an easy pick. I would think the ideal feud for him would be with Randy Orton.
William Regal - Never underestimate the strength of HHH's backstage politics. It's well-known that Regal is good friends with HHH and that he has requested a move and a heel push on RAW. He'll get it.
To Smackdown!:
CM Punk - He is one of the best pure wrestlers in the company (if not for Benoit, he might be THE best) and he is also a great entertainer. He will "move up" to Smackdown in order to put him on a bigger stage. Intuition seems to be telling everybody that he'll feud with MVP for the U.S. belt, and I think that's correct.
Matt Hardy - He's already on Smackdown, right? The point of this is to split up the Hardys as a tag team and make them singles wrestlers again. McMahon has always liked them better as singles.
Kevin Thorn - They've been putting him over on ECW the past few weeks with some squash matches, but who are they preparing him to feud with? With seemingly nobody on ECW that comes to mind, I say he moves to Smackdown.
To ECW:
Rey Mysterio - He'll add top-tier talent to the show and replace CM Punk as the reason to watch ECW. Also, he'll be feuding with none other than Mr. McMahon by the end of the summer, so look for him to warm up on some of the ECW heels.
Shelton Benjamin - His singles push gets a restart on ECW and Charlie Haas gets dropped. Benjamin is one of the most talented athletes in the company and needs to be utilized. Quit wasting space with him on RAW!
Super Crazy - His singles push on RAW has all but diminished. We haven't seen him in weeks even though he has reportedly recovered from his injury. ECW is a perfect fit for this guy, and he would be a great wrestler to put over some of the up-and-coming heels.
If the draft were to take place as I see it, Smackdown would clearly be raided of its talent and ECW would become a very watchable show. I have one problem with my predictions: there's nothing shocking about them! No title switches between brands, etc. I think a great move by WWE would be to swap MVP and Santino (and their belts) between RAW and Smackdown. But we'll see.
How do you see the upcoming draft? Post your responses.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
One Night Stand Reaction / RAW Preview
All of the other matches on this PPV were somewhat easy to predict, especially the title matches. Cena and Lashley continued to receive their "superman" pushes, Edge will clearly be given a long title reign, and the Hardys continued to make ladder matches their specialty. This should not come as a surprise at all because the draft is coming up! That should provide us with some excellent feuds...maybe Cena-Batista, Benoit-Orton, and MVP-Punk? We'll see.
On to a preview of tonight's RAW. Look for pretty much everything to remain the status quo heading into the draft. They may even have Cena defeat Khali one last time.
Finally, my last hope for RAW tonight is that we get more information on the draft. How many picks will each brand receive? Will injured wrestlers be subject to the draft? This would make it easier on me when I do my WWE draft predictions.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Saturday, June 2, 2007
One Night Stand Predictions
Tomorrow night's PPV has the best card that we've seen since Wrestlemania. A lot of these matches are tough ones to call, but let's get down to it.
Kane vs. Mark Henry
Lumberjack Match
Why do they keep making a great entertainer like Kane lose to such crappy wrestlers? I don't know, but I think it will happen again.
Winner: Mark Henry
Randy Orton vs. RVD
Stretcher Match
This should be an awesome match. Now, it's "common knowledge" that this will be RVD's last match with WWE (at least for a while) but it is also known that Vince McMahon doesn't like the fact that everybody knows this. I don't think that will make a difference. Look for RKO to "kill the legend" of RVD.
Winner: Randy Orton
CM Punk, Sandman, Tommy Dreamer vs. Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker
Table Match
This should also be a good match, but I think it's a pretty easy one to call. Look for CM Punk's push to continue and for the New Breed to continue to fall apart.
Winners: CM Punk, Sandman, Tommy Dreamer
The Hardys vs. World's Greatest Tag Team
Ladder Match for the World Tag Team Championship
This, along with the stretcher match, will probably be the match of the night. Now it would not surprise me at all if Haas and Benjamin won the belts somehow, seeing as WWE wants the Hardys to each be singles wrestlers. I think that Matt and Jeff will keep the belts at One Night Stand, though.
Winners: The Hardys
Melina vs. Candice Michelle
Pudding Match
It was made a non-title match...because Candice Michelle will win it
Winner: Candice Michelle
Edge vs. Batista
Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
This match seems pretty straightforward. Edge has been guaranteed a long title run, and it is extremely possible that Batista will be drafted to RAW soon. So...
Winner: Edge
Vince McMahon vs. Bobby Lashley
Street Fight for the ECW World Championship
I really don't like this storyline, but thankfully I think it will end tonight. Bobby Lashley "overcomes the odds" and wins the ECW title back.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
John Cena vs. The Great Khali
Falls Count Anywhere Match for the WWE Championship
I really think that they'll go all out in this match. Cena can be more hardcore than people give him credit for, and I think we'll see that in this match. I also think we'll see him retain, setting up for a Cena-Batista feud in a few weeks.
Winner: John Cena
There it is! As always, please post your responses and especially your disagreements. I will write a One Night Stand reaction and see how I did.
Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Who Will Move in the WWE Draft?
As Shane McMahon announced last night, WWE will hold a tri-branded draft on RAW in two weeks. The probable reason for this is that the recent spike of main-event injuries within the WWE makes a redistribution of talent necessary. So who will go where? Here are some preliminary predictions, but keep in mind that we still don't know how many wrestlers will be taken by each brand.
RAW receives:
Chris Benoit - This has been rumored for a long time, so it's about time that it happens. It especially makes sense since Benoit is just coming off a feud with MVP.
William Regal - It has also been reported that Regal has requested a switch to RAW for a big heel push. It finally happens.
Smackdown receives:
Carlito - Smackdown is a little heavy on heels already, but I think Carlito is on the move.
Cryme Tyme - They're going nowhere on RAW...why not move them?
ECW receives:
World's Greatest Tag Team - One Night Stand will be a preview of Haas and Benjamin in ECW.
Super Crazy - An ECW original, his push on RAW has all but disappeared. He would be great on ECW.
Ok...if the purpose of this draft is to move more star power to RAW, then why is it that the only big star they are receiving is Chris Benoit? It may not be the case - it all depends on what direction WWE wants to take with ECW. They have guys that would be great on RAW: Bobby Lashley, CM Punk, and Elijah Burke. One possibility is that Lashley goes to RAW while Punk feuds with Snitsky for the ECW championship.
Of course, these predictions are not official (those will come later), but it's a general direction that I think WWE will take. It also starts a discussion on what roster changes would be best for the company...give me your thoughts!
- Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
ECW Results
I must say, not a bad ECW tonight. The two tag teams of RVD/Punk and Burke/Cor Von were nothing short of brilliant and I'd even go as far to say that the ECW tag division, if these teams are kept intact, rivals that of RAW or SMACKDOWN.
Dreamer put up a decent fight but it was still disheartening to see one of my favorite Legends being squashed by Snitsky. I'm tired of seeing Snitsky run through people as though he were talented. Does everyone remember that just a few months ago, he was teaming with Goldust on Heat? After the departure of Goldust, he was..."promoted"...to a jobber on RAW. And now he's ripping through ECW originals and priming himself for a title feud with Bobby Lashley? I just don't see it.
Next was the Kevin Thorn match. I know they're doing this whole post-Ariel angle, but isn't he a little bit too untalented to be winning squash matches? Even if the man can wrestle, and I'm not really sure if he can, squashes should be reserved for the huge and menacing, not just those receiving a push.
I actually enjoyed the Matt Striker match. I thought that Striker and whichever Major brother it was put on a really good match. They seemed to match up well and each used a move that I haven't seen in some time. I doubt they'll turn this into a feud, but it's still nice to know that the ECW execs are capable of solid mid-card programming. It says good things about this year's One Night Stand.
The main event was more or less a singles match between Elijah Burke and RVD. Not that I'm complaining...both were awesome and it makes me even more upset that RVD is leaving. If Burke was willing to do some work under extreme rules (and I don't see why he wouldn't), these two could have an amazing feud reminiscent of old ECW. Unfortunately, the match ended in a DQ for Cor Von not being the legal man. For all the trouble Burke gave Striker earlier regarding winning his match, Elijah didn't seem to be upset at all over the New Breed's loss. If you consider Striker a New Breed member but not Thorn, the stable still went 1-1 on the night, with the loss being a major moral victory.
