The Squared Circle

[The Professor]

This is the best thing WWE can do for him. He's establishing himself as a good mouthpiece and really helped push BDV over as a heel.

Wouldn't mind seeing Striker with a few other people in a Heenan family like stable.

I'm still surprised about the wrestling, his matches in USA Pro weren't bad.

He's gold on the mic, but I too am surprised concerning his wrestling ability. He always did well in the few matches they gave him, on Heat and in ECW...

By the way, does anyone know what Rob Conway has been up to since his release?

 

[Dr. Evil]

Striker is not a bad wrestler, but the problem is there that by having him wrestle, his talent on the microphone would go to waste as he would do nothing but job to the Son of the British Bulldog and to Super Crazy on Heat. It's a smart move on the WWE's part to make Striker a manager as his mic skills would not go to waste.

His mic skills went to waste when he was wrestling. He would have been released by now if the WWE decided not to put him as a mouthpiece to BDV.

 

[NDX]

Stevie Richards returns next week on ECW!

Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have slept through the first 45 minutes of the show.




News:

- from Mike Informer: WWE Drives Strong Holiday Quarter for THQ. Lifetime sales of THQ's WWE vs. Smackdown franchise are now beyond $1 billion. The most recent installment helped drive THQ to more than $509 million in sales during Q3.

- With John Cena doing "12 Rounds" next, a WWE movie production, WWE can give him off Mondays to attend the RAWs leading up to Wrestlemania.

- NBC has been trying to cross promote the American Gladiators with the WWE. The WWE is reluctant to do a major angle with them after what happened with the Jackass crew.

(credits: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, The Wrestling Chatterbox Newsletter and http://ElitePW.cjb.net)

 

[NDX]

SD! spoilers!

All of the action from last night’s tapings!

Credit: Billy Krotchsen and Pwinsider.com

Spoiler

- Batista kicks off the show with an in ring interview. This leads to Big Daddy V, Khali, Finlay and MVP all coming out. MVP vowed to win and go onto WrestleMania saying that no one could stop him. The light then went out and then the Undertaker appeared. This leads to a main event of Big Daddy V, The Great Khali and MVP vs. The Undertaker, Batista and Finlay.

- Shelton Benjamin defeated Kane via count out

- Chuck Palumbo defeated Jamie Noble

- Jesse and Festus defeated Deuce and Domino

- The Cutting Edge had Vicky Guerrero return from her Royal Rumble injuries. Rey Mysterio came out to the ring and Vicky demanded he apologize for injuring her. He refused and was attacked by Edge, but in the end Rey laid out Edge with the 619.

- The Edge Heads defeated Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore

- Big Daddy V, The Great Khali and MVP defeated The Undertaker, Batista and Finlay via DQ

 

[SLYspyder]

I think the title was at it's strongest when Big Show had it due to his status, it died when Lashley had it b/c it was booked Russo style, as merely a prop for Lashley to carry around while feuding with Vince.

The Punk/Morrison rivalry brought it back and Punk's run was a good strong one, while i am not a huge fan of Chavo this current angle has elevated it again b/c it's connected Punk and Chavo to Edge and Rey on SD and they are being treat as equals, which is a huge rub for both guys and the title.

You can think that, but what everyone else sees on tv says otherwise.

The ECW title lost top-card status the second it came off Lashley's waist, and I'm saying that based on the way it was booked with Lashley being in one of the main events at Wrestlemania and all.

Rey and Edge are in the main event, Chavo and Punk are obviously the mid-carders in the whole feud, don't tell me they are being treated as equals.

When you've got the Champion of Champions match with Big Show vs Cena vs Booker, THAT's them being equal.

When you've got Morrison, the newly crowned ECW champ, being jobbed out to Cena on ECW in a short match, that means the ECW Champions can't contend with the World Heavyweight and WWE champs anymore.

 

[SLYspyder]

Whats the point of the Royal Rumble match? TO main event WM. Not an elimination chamber match. Why can't WWE not be greedy and just make the Royal Rumble last PPV before WM?


If they crown Cena champ at NWO, is anyone going to believe he will lose it one month later at Wrestlemania?

The champion needs to have some sort of build up into WM, that takes months. They will lose that if they dethrone Orton.

They should not have a clean finish to Orton v Cena at NWO, and push it into WM, and make it a triple threat match with Elimination Chamber winner.

 

[Hunter Rider]

You can think that, but what everyone else sees on tv says otherwise.

The ECW title lost top-card status the second it came off Lashley's waist, and I'm saying that based on the way it was booked with Lashley being in one of the main events at Wrestlemania and all.

Wrong, the belt was a prop in that feud making it 100% worthless and stuck on an overpushed nugget and then the 60 yr old owner, total disaster

Rey and Edge are in the main event, Chavo and Punk are obviously the mid-carders in the whole feud, don't tell me they are being treated as equals.

Punk picked up the win on the SD tag just last week, Punk had the promo with Edge on level terms, what the hell are you talking about ?

When you've got the Champion of Champions match with Big Show vs Cena vs Booker, THAT's them being equal.

Since their hasn't been any matches since involving the champions then this is irrelevant,

When you've got Morrison, the newly crowned ECW champ, being jobbed out to Cena on ECW in a short match, that means the ECW Champions can't contend with the World Heavyweight and WWE champs anymore.

WTF ? It was a damn throw away show 1 day after Benoit's death, it meant nothing and Morrison did fine for himself in that match considering he was a booked as a fluke champ that went from the losing to Jeff Hardy in IC title matches on RAW to being made ECW champ in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Khali was made SD champ about 3 weeks after Cena beat him in less time and had him tap out, Edge was made SD champ and jobbed to HBK clean less than a week later, i guess the SD title is also worthless ?

 

[Fading]

However having the ECW champ in the rumble IMO does indeed show the belt as being subpar. It's basically saying that the ECW has a chance to junk his crappy belt and go for the big boy league world or heavyweight title. Which, even if ppl will forget it soon after, is why Chavo should never have been in there, even if it was just to continue his fued with Punk without having to give ECW air time ont he PPV.

I agree tho, the ECW belt beame worthless awhile back. RVD was fresh off a big push, he beat Cena and became the holder of both belts. Then Big Show took it and starting tearing ppl up, he fought tons of top rung super stars and beat most cleanly, including ppl like Batista (tho the boos were so loud you couldn't even hear the announcers).

The belt to me lost all meaning over two actions, 1 having the belt around Vince's waist, and 2 giving Lashley the belt. Lashley did nothing for the belt, and it took a back seat to the Mcmahon fued, it took a lot of the importance off the belt.

 

[Fading]

Perhaps, maybe a reuniting of Evolution, a DX heel turn, a new faction ? not sure at this point and the thing is, it may not be at WM24, Cena may win and he may turn at Backlash to get the belt in a rematch after a 2nd straight Mania failure against Cena, that's why it's 50/50 going into the Mania match, which is at least exciting IMO.

I'd be down for an evolution reunion. Have Orton wanting to get back at Cena for losing the title and help HHH. If Batista's not doing anything they can have him frustrated for not being in the title picture too and helping. Eh...honestly not sure how they'd work it out with Flair leaving at WM so it wouldn't murk up his good exit, but I wouldn't mind seeing it nonetheless. Maybe it could just be HHH, Orton, Kennedy and another new comer.

 

[The Sage]

Orton back under HHH's wing again? They'd have to sell it really hard, because I don't believe Orton would team with him.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

for me the perfect wm main event is a fatal fourway, orton(champ) vs HHH vs cena vs hardy

no idea how the f**k it would happen.

 

[Fading]

Orton back under HHH's wing again? They'd have to sell it really hard, because I don't believe Orton would team with him.

Easy, mutual interest. They both want the belt off of Cena, after NWO Cena will have a title match win over both, and both are too prideful to admit they need help. Basically same reason for Rated RKO, where they weren't best friends by any stretch but they formed out of a common goal.

I doubt it will happen, was more wishful thinking. WWE needs a good heel stable right now, not a goofy DX deal. A group that even super Cena, or the 2 man DX that makes half the RAW roster look like idiots in a single match couldn't touch. I liked LAX when they first started their title run in TNA and it made me miss the badass untouchable heel stables.

 

[kane9321]

victoria...short hair....I likey and approve

 

[Dr. Evil]

Victoria is hot no matter the look. Unless she's bald. Victoria mentioned on her myspace blog a few weeks ago that she had a new look.

 

[Dr. Evil]

 

[SLYspyder]

Wrong, the belt was a prop in that feud making it 100% worthless and stuck on an overpushed nugget and then the 60 yr old owner, total disaster

It might have been worthless in that feud, but at that point, having Lashley or McMahon hold the belt gave it some main event credibility.........as opposed to Chavo.

Punk picked up the win on the SD tag just last week, Punk had the promo with Edge on level terms, what the hell are you talking about ?

The tag match they won was to counter the champ matches they both lost.....
And any wrestler can cut a promo with a bigger superstar. It doesn't mean they are billed on the same level. For example, Burke cutting a sweet promo right before getting jobbed out to Batista.

Since their hasn't been any matches since involving the champions then this is irrelevant,

There hasn't been any match like that because of what I've been saying, ECW title is not on the same level anymore.

WTF ? It was a damn throw away show 1 day after Benoit's death, it meant nothing and Morrison did fine for himself in that match considering he was a booked as a fluke champ that went from the losing to Jeff Hardy in IC title matches on RAW to being made ECW champ in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Khali was made SD champ about 3 weeks after Cena beat him in less time and had him tap out, Edge was made SD champ and jobbed to HBK clean less than a week later, i guess the SD title is also worthless ?

Fluke champ my ass. Chavo is a fluke champ, seeing as how it was a no disqualification match, and it was basically 2v1. Edge was at first a fluke champ, seeing as how he had a match with Cena after he was already beaten. Morrison competed in a match with Punk, and came out on top. It wasn't a fluke. How exactly did Morrison do fine for himself in that match? It lasted all of 5 minutes. You're right though, the best thing to do after a tragedy is to job out a newly crowned heel Champion to another already Super Champion.
I guess Jeff Hardy must be a fluke too because I remember Umaga destroying him last year in a match, and now this year, he beat Umaga clean.

When you're on the verge of a push, it's alright if you're jobbed out. That's why Khali and Edge lost on RAW cleanly, before moving over to Smackdown to become Champions. The same thing happened when Lashley lost the US title and then became ECW Champion.



Just say it, the ECW title and all those who contend for it, are mid-carders.

 

[Sarge 2.0]

Nope. They're certainly not mid carders on ECW. And they've main evented SD as well. They may not be main eventing PPVs, but you're still wrong.

 

[Hunter Rider]

It might have been worthless in that feud, but at that point, having Lashley or McMahon hold the belt gave it some main event credibility.........as opposed to Chavo.

Actually it killed it's credibility completely with a roided up over pushed tool as champ and then a 60 year old man.

The tag match they won was to counter the champ matches they both lost.....
And any wrestler can cut a promo with a bigger superstar. It doesn't mean they are billed on the same level. For example, Burke cutting a sweet promo right before getting jobbed out to Batista.

They wouldn't get a chance to counter the loss if they weren't being treat as equals, Burke's promo wasn't face to face and had none of the dynamics the promo between Edge and Punk had

There hasn't been any match like that because of what I've been saying, ECW title is not on the same level anymore.

No, it was the lowest drawing PPV in 3 years, that's why it hasn't been done again, y'see any fan that knows their stuff knows that an all champs match with only one belt on the line means no changes.

Fluke champ my ass. Chavo is a fluke champ, seeing as how it was a no disqualification match, and it was basically 2v1. Edge was at first a fluke champ, seeing as how he had a match with Cena after he was already beaten. Morrison competed in a match with Punk, and came out on top. It wasn't a fluke. How exactly did Morrison do fine for himself in that match? It lasted all of 5 minutes. You're right though, the best thing to do after a tragedy is to job out a newly crowned heel Champion to another already Super Champion.

Yes fluke champ, your ass or not. Chavo is a heel champ, see Edge pinning Taker after a cage match and assault from Mark Henry. It was a show that didn't matter, how is that so hard to grasp ? and he got offense in, that's more than Kennedy did against Cena, the last part makes even less sense since the next thing you say is that it was a fine idea to job out the newly crowned world champ to HBK 4 days after he won the strap, awesome way to start a title run.......

I guess Jeff Hardy must be a fluke too because I remember Umaga destroying him last year in a match, and now this year, he beat Umaga clean.

Damn dude, again booking 101, Jeff Hardy lost to Randy Orton with ease in a short match back last July and then fought him for the title at the Rumble, it's called progression, Morrison went from losing to Hardy to winning the title in a couple of weeks.

When you're on the verge of a push, it's alright if you're jobbed out. That's why Khali and Edge lost on RAW cleanly, before moving over to Smackdown to become Champions. The same thing happened when Lashley lost the US title and then became ECW Champion.

Being jobbed out when your supposed to be getting a push is the very antithesis of a push, this makes no sense, you don't job a world champion out clean ever.

Just say it, the ECW title and all those who contend for it, are mid-carders.

Just say it, all this is about is you desperately trying to prove your boy Lashley was worth a **** when he wasn't, the title on him was it's lowest and the guys since have lifted it back up, not as high as Big Show had it but a long way from the vortex roid machine.

 

[SLYspyder]

Nope. They're certainly not mid carders on ECW. And they've main evented SD as well. They may not be main eventing PPVs, but you're still wrong.

Wait, whats your definition of a mid carder?

Mine is one that can't be considered a serious contender for a World title.

 

[The Sage]

CM Punk is someone who could be a serious contender for a World title.

 

[SLYspyder]

CM Punk is someone who could be a serious contender for a World title.

He COULD be, but he's not.

 

[SLYspyder]

They wouldn't get a chance to counter the loss if they weren't being treat as equals, Burke's promo wasn't face to face and had none of the dynamics the promo between Edge and Punk had




Yes fluke champ, your ass or not. Chavo is a heel champ, see Edge pinning Taker after a cage match and assault from Mark Henry. It was a show that didn't matter, how is that so hard to grasp ? and he got offense in, that's more than Kennedy did against Cena, the last part makes even less sense since the next thing you say is that it was a fine idea to job out the newly crowned world champ to HBK 4 days after he won the strap, awesome way to start a title run.......




Being jobbed out when your supposed to be getting a push is the very antithesis of a push, this makes no sense, you don't job a world champion out clean ever.




Just say it, all this is about is you desperately trying to prove your boy Lashley was worth a **** when he wasn't, the title on him was it's lowest and the guys since have lifted it back up, not as high as Big Show had it but a long way from the vortex roid machine.

Um, treated as equals? Rey and Punk aren't being treated as equals, Edge and Rey are, on their own level, and Punk and Chavo are, on another level.

And to counter the upper-card loss Rey had, and the mid-card loss Punk had, they went over on an upper-carder (Edge), and a mid-carder (Chavo).


I was being sarcastic when I said they should job out a newly crowned heel champ to another champ....

Being jobbed out isn't necessarily the anti-thesis of being pushed, because winning a title right after being jobbed out immediately cancels that loss and gives you extra points. But getting jobbed out AFTER you get a belt, like Morrison, does no ****in good, except demote the title he holds.


My boy Lashley? Hmmm, do you read these threads at all? My favorite wrestlers are Orton, MVP, Morrison, Mark Henry, Jimmy Yang, Kennedy, Burke, HBK, Undertaker, HHH , Punk and maybe a couple others. When I put on RAW or Smackdown or ECW, those are the people that I look forward to watching. Notice how Lashley isn't on there. I've ALWAYS been indifferent towards Lashley. Don't confuse me saying he was in the main event with the ECW title with me liking him. If anything, I recently posted about how he was an idiot for causing Kristal to get fired. Fact is a fact. The first 3 ECW Champions, RVD, Big Show, and Lashley, could stand toe to toe in a REAL match with any of the 2 other World Champs. The next 3 ECW title holders, Morrison, Punk, and Chavo couldn't do that, and haven't really even been put in a position to do that. Therefore, the title has undergone a demotion and is now on the mid-card level, along with the US and Intercontinental belts. Until someone in the upper-card holds the ECW belt, it'll remain that way. Sorry.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Um, treated as equals? Rey and Punk aren't being treated as equals, Edge and Rey are, on their own level, and Punk and Chavo are, on another level. And to counter the upper-card loss Rey had, and the mid-card loss Punk had, they went over on an upper-carder (Edge), and a mid-carder (Chavo).

No, they are in the match and winning, thus equals, jesus dude it's not science.

Being jobbed out isn't necessarily the anti-thesis of being pushed, because winning a title right after being jobbed out immediately cancels that loss and gives you extra points. But getting jobbed out AFTER you get a belt, like Morrison, does no ****in good, except demote the title he holds.

That's exactly what happened to Edge as well so the title he has is worth nothing by your logic right ?

My boy Lashley? Hmmm, do you read these threads at all? My favorite wrestlers are Orton, MVP, Morrison, Mark Henry, Jimmy Yang, Kennedy, Burke, HBK, Undertaker, HHH , Punk and maybe a couple others. When I put on RAW or Smackdown or ECW, those are the people that I look forward to watching. Notice how Lashley isn't on there. I've ALWAYS been indifferent towards Lashley. Don't confuse me saying he was in the main event with the ECW title with me liking him. If anything, I recently posted about how he was an idiot for causing Kristal to get fired. Fact is a fact. The first 3 ECW Champions, RVD, Big Show, and Lashley, could stand toe to toe in a REAL match with any of the 2 other World Champs. The next 3 ECW title holders, Morrison, Punk, and Chavo couldn't do that, and haven't really even been put in a position to do that. Therefore, the title has undergone a demotion and is now on the mid-card level, along with the US and Intercontinental belts. Until someone in the upper-card holds the ECW belt, it'll remain that way. Sorry.

Lashley is a guy you got all pissy over on more than one occasion when ppl here said he was a talentless, roided up sack of ****, Sarge and others know this, why say now you were indifferent ? The belt was worthless on Lashley and brought back by Punk, that's the fact of it, a merch selling, strongly booked actually over wrestler instead of an over pushed, no merch selling guy that the crowd couldn't give a rats ass about, the man makes the belt, not the other way around.

 

[The Sage]

He COULD be, but he's not.

But he's definitely someone who could be if on Smackdown or RAW. He went toe to toe with Edge on the mic and held his own, and put on a good match with Edge a couple of weeks ago. Since then, he's been wrestling with Rey in tag matches against Edge and Chavo.

 

[Hunter Rider]

But he's definitely someone who could be if on Smackdown or RAW. He went toe to toe with Edge on the mic and held his own, and put on a good match with Edge a couple of weeks ago. Since then, he's been wrestling with Rey in tag matches against Edge and Chavo.

Punk is also actually over and capable of getting his own reactions, Lashley was a piss break wrestler other than when Cena and Vince carried him.