The Wrestling Gospel

[LastSunrise1981]

- In a recent Q&A session with IGN, THQ’s Senior Creative Manager Corey Ledesma answered a question from a fan, asking why can’t the WWE Divas participate in all match types in the new SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 game. Ledesma revealed the following:

The WWE does not want their Divas to bleed or be put in extreme matches that you would not normally find them in when watching WWE programming. This is why we have put this restriction in our game. We apologize to our fans who are interested in this possibility. However, we feel it is important to keep the authenticity of the WWE brand in tact.

Ledesma also revealed that the Divas roster for this game would be a big one but did not say how many, not wanting to spoil it. I believe the only Divas confirmed so far are Kelly Kelly and Beth Phoenix.


- Despite how bad her return match was on RAW, WWE officials are still pushing for Candice Michelle to shine. Her bad match on RAW, which was heavily edited as noted before, is being chalked up to just ring rust. There was no real heat on her for that match and it obviously didn’t her push as she’s getting the Women’s Title shot at No Mercy. Candice was very apologetic backstage to everyone at RAW that night in St. Louis after her botchfest of a match.

- WWE is going ahead with the storyline between Big Show and The Undertaker. The storyline is that Vickie Guerrero has created an alliance with Show to help her take out The Dead Man while promising Show a shot at the WWE Championship eventually. The creative team didn’t have anything solid for Show as a face so they went with the heel turn. It will be interesting to see how Edge fits into all of this once he returns and what role the WWE Champion Triple H will play.

- TNA referee Earl Hebner also spoke to Slam Wrestling and it appears he has changed his tune regarding the taunts he gets from fans over the Montreal Screwjob involving Bret Hart. “I used to hate it, but now I love it because it keeps me alive,” he said. “Name a football referee. Name a baseball umpire. Now name a wrestling ref. If you ask anybody who watches our business, my name will come up. That’s just the way the business is.”


- Lethargbomber sent the following: Hey man I was out last night here in Yonkers for my birthday and who did I see up on stage at the bar up the corner doing karaoke? The Sandman. This guy was so hammered it was insane. He was trying to sing “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. He was also trying to sell off some of his books but he was just an incoherent mess for the most part.


- It looks like brothers Primo Colon and Carlito will be playing the face role, for the most part, on SmackDown. The two had a little bit of comedy mixed in with their promo and worked the crowd well. Carlito is back to his old self with the afro style hairdo and not the cornrows.


- Candice Michelle’s return to the ring for WWE two weeks ago on RAW was said to have been heavily edited. The play-by-play of her tag into the match was as follows: Candice botched a flying head scissors with Beth Phoenix, attempted a springboard backwards elbow botching that coming off the ropes and then botched a cross-body from the top which she did two times. She also botched the finish two times with Phoenix. One report indicated that the funniest part was watching Mickie James’ face while Candice botched all the spots.

- A reader who wishes to remain anonymous sent the following report concerning Jake “The Snake” Roberts’ meltdown at last night’s Firestorm Pro Wrestling show in Lakewood, Ohio:

I just wanna let you guys know, wether you report it or not is up to you. But Jake The Snake Roberts appeared at Phantasy Theater in Lakewood, Ohio this last night for Firestorm Pro Wrestling. Video has even surfaced online. He was booked in the main event to face JT Lightning one on one. As soon as me and my friends arrived there everything was ok. Jake was sitting off in the corner at a little table with pictures of himself selling autographs and taking pictures with the fans. As the night progressed though everything went downhill. It was the 2nd to last match involving a match for firestorms world title. Jake had come out, clearly drunk or drugged up, and grabbed the microphone during that match (completely unscripted as everyone could tell by the owner of firestorm coming out and trying to get Jake to go back in the dressing room. ) Jake was on the mic trying to encourage the guys in the ring, then he started swearing. the second to last match ended and it was time for the main event which was Jake vs Jt Lightning. JT came out, followed by Jake The Snake. Jake grabbed the microphone and at first said he came here to do this for the fans, But he didnt feel like we were giving him the same respect hes giving us. He started talking incoherently, it was obvious he was on something. after about 3 minutes of talking he put the mic down and staggered into the ring. JT attacked him to start the match. . Jake didnt sell one shot, he just backed into the corner and it seemed like he was out of it. JT Lightning clearly got pissed and just pushed Jake to the ground and got on top of him to cover him and just end the match within 30 seconds of the start. Jake was trying to kick up. JT pushed his arms down and the ref just did a 3 count to end the match because Jake was in no shape to wrestle a match. Afterwards JT Lightning grabbed the microphone and said along the lines of “I’ve wrestled with drug addicts like Tommie Rich, Jimmy Snuka but you are by far the biggest piece of **** I’ve ever been in the ring with/” JT was literally shooting on Jake. Jake just stood in the ring and flipped JT off. Another Firestorm wrestler J Rocc came in after that match was over and attempted to give the crowd a show by doing an attack on Jake so the fans wouldnt be as pissed off about the main event lasting a whole 30 seconds. Which Jake also curled in the corner and no sold. That made J rocc mad who then tried to actually fight Jake. A wrestler named Ray Rowe came out and was trying to calm J rocc and JT down as Jake just stood in the middle of the ring flipping people off. Jake then proceded to pull his penis out and shake it in front of the whole crowd. Security and Ray Rowe were trying to keep the peace. The fans were asked to leave as the show had ended with this nonsense. Out in the parking lot about 15 minutes Jake apparently wound up fighting somebody backstage and there was concern that the angry wrestlers were going to gang up on him. At one point there was a bunch of the wrestlers and security out back, one screamed “Its going down. ” in which they all ran inside. Im not sure what happened but I can only speculate that it was a fight involving Jake Roberts. Cops arrived after this along with an ambulance. The ambulance didnt take Jake away, but the police stayed and escorted Jake to a truck where he was given a ride from the building.

That rehab sure did Jake a lot of good now didn't it?

 

[Dr. Evil]

I would love to see:

- Big Show vs. Jeff Hardy for the WWE Championship
- Triple H vs. Kozlov (or Edge or MVP or they start a feud with Taker soon)

 

[Dr. Evil]

 

[Marx]

Uhh...did he really come out with the belt upside down?

 

[Colossal Spoons]

I didn't even catch that lol

 

[Specter313]

TNA Knockout Angelina Love recently spoke to Slam Wrestling in Canada to promote this Sunday’s No Surrender PPV. You can read the entire thing at this link. Here are the highlights:

What makes TNA's women different from WWE's: Everybody has their own different look, and that means you're going to see different things each week. We can all wrestle, which is a huge difference between the (WWE) Divas and the Knockouts. When I got signed by the competition, I had my hair all braided and I was told to take them out, it was too different of a look. I asked, 'Do they not want something different, or do they want twenty of the same girl?', and I was told twenty of the same girl. I became Random Blonde 14, and it really didn't mean much.

Honestly, it's getting to the point now that whenever I see any of these "Knockouts" say stuff like this, that it's coming off as more of a sour grapes situation rather than any kind of natural criticism of the WWE today. I will give them that the division isn't what it used to be with several of their top females having left, but is it really all just a bunch of the same girl? HELL no. If they were interested in nothing but blonde-haired, blue-eyed, stick-thin bimbettes, then we never would have had Victoria stick around, and we certainly wouldn't have had Beth Phoenix or Natalya called up, or the likes of Mickie James or Melina around. Seriously, the only wrestling divas who really seem to fit this mold that these people complain about are Kelly, Michelle, Maryse, and maybe Jillian and Maria. Kelly is starting to come into her own as a wrestler, Michelle is at least a decent enough wrestler, and Jillian and Maria have differentiated themselves enough with their characters that they stand out on their own from the others. So, again, I see this as some kind of professional jealously of sorts, especially when it comes from the likes of Angelina or Velvet, both of whom have a very stereotypical look about them which they are complaining about, as well as their history with WWE itself. I saw an article about her saying during her developmental time there, Angelina was close to being called up several times to television, yet never made it before being released. You mean to tell me that couldn't get frustrating to the point that you would feel the need to bad mouth your former employers for mishandling your situation? And honestly, the TNA division isn't THAT special. Sure, they've got some more fuller figured gals with Kong and ODB, but they've got their own little section of the sterotypical gal with Angelina, Velvet, and their own current champ in Taylor Wilde. The only other thing that TNA has a leg up on over WWE is they have more women of color. While WWE has Layla, Melina, and Candace in the ring(and hopefully Gail soon), (and if you want to include Lena, Lillian, and Eve, in the background), TNA has Kong, Jackie, Rhaka, Sharmell, Salinas, and I might be missing one or two, but they're all featured on tv I believe. So yes, they do have more girls with unique looks when you throw in the likes of Christy, Traci, ODB, and Roxxi, but I just find it really funny when the majority of the complaining about the WWE gals comes from the most stereotypical looking ones that TNA has, especially when it's from the three that have the most experience with WWE without being considered actual divas, Angelina and Taylor being in development for a long time before being released and Velvet being a long time jobber and never being signed. This just comes off to me as them saying "You had your chance with me, now I'm something, so screw you guys." It's just like, grow up ladies, move on.

 

[DX]

Reminds me of Wrestlemania X8 when Regal came out with the IC belt upside down...lol

 

[Fading]

It's really sad how far Sandman and Jake the Snake have fallen. Sandman's still middle aged and could have a decent length of life left, but it seems everywhere he goes he's more than piss drunk, and he's either stumbling, getting in fights or screwing up appearances. The guy really has hit rock bottom, as much as I hate to say it, and don't wish it, I wouldn't be surprised if Sandman was the next wrestler to die at this rate.

With Jake the Snake it seems he fell back off the wagon after rehab. Jake's probably on hard drugs if his earlier life gives any indication. If he's back on the stuff then he's pretty far up there on my list of next wrestler to go.

Just sad all around. I feel bad for the fans paying to watch them and small promoters paying them what they can to have them stumble around, slur their speech, wave their penis's, flip them off, ramble on, no sell etc. No excuse for that. Also I want no harm to come to either of them, but their doing it to themselves.

 

[Fading]

Lol, how do you put that big of a belt on upside down? Hell, how do you walk out of the backstage without one of the stagehands, hair dressers, makeup ppl, fellow wrestlers, producers, writers, any of them not telling you. His expression just makes it that much better lol.

 

[NDX]

I didn't even catch that lol

From what I read elsewhere, they used stock footage from another show and edited his blunder out.

 

[BlackLantern]

Maria has a character??? You jest

 

[Hunter Rider]

Yes, she has as much a character as Natalya or Victoria.

 

[PyroChamber]

Yes, she has as much a character as Natalya or Victoria.

You know, I never realized how hot her voice was until she dropped the dumb gimmick.

 

[SLYspyder]

Since going to Smackdown theres heat on HHH for going out of his way on camera to emasculate younger talent...MVP, and Shelton Benjamin. Alot of the guys in back are upset(about HHH's recent promo) and have went to The Undertaker about this and Undertaker agrees that he sees it and understand show they feel.

PWInsider

Lmao. Exactly what I've been complaining about for the last few weeks. His whole attitude as if everything's a joke isn't helping. How many people laugh or genuinely smile when they are in front of a threat? No one, so HHH smiling and always joking around makes all his opponents look like jokes.

The stupid shoots HHH does in the ring need to ****in stop, it's fine if you want to plug a DVD, but plug it because you want people to see how great the entertainers on the DVD are, and not because you're getting "residuals" off it.

Forget Obama and McCain--this will be the more interesting political battle. Shoot, I wish I could get a ticket to the debate.

What's even funnier? HHH buries opponents on the microphone, but Undertaker buries them in the ring. There is no win/win situation for Smackdown talent. Not until one or both start losing.

I think HHH burying opponents on the mic is worse. Undertaker is billed as invinsible, so I guess it's alright if you lose to him, he IS the Undertaker after all, right?

But when HHH starts making stupid shoot remarks that the opponents can't even reply to because of the consequences, it gets ridiculous.

Who here can forget the shoot remark HHH made to Cena on RAW that made him look so much like a joke, he wanted to cry. I forgot what it was.

What the hell happened to Flair?

He got his ass whooped. This isn't a WWE ring, Flair, where younger men slow down for you. It's real life, and your an old man, and you WILL get owned if you try to fight.

Thanks to reader Dustin Strah for submitting this live report from last night's Unforgiven in Cleveland:


- The Divas match was definitely a crowd killer. McCool got a bit of heat while Maryse was somewhat favored.

That's because she's a damn good heel. Music to my ears, baby.

Seriously anyone else think Bourne does the best shooting star press ever?

It's just a thing of beauty to watch.

Yup, a little while ago after his debut, I'm pretty sure I mentioned it was "poetry in motion" in this thread. He hits it perfect each time too.

I think they should actually have Charlie continue the CHL gimmick for a little bit as a way of getting under JBL's skin. The fans really dug the parody and even started a chant.

I'm so glad they might actually have something for Haas. I think he should continue on the path he's on by putting on different personas every once in a while.

Am I the only one who digs Vladimir Koslov?

Koslov is great, and I like his mic work. He doesn't have to say much because he "isn't fluent in English" and accent is great. That headbutt is awesome too, and his music fits perfectly.

- There is rather serious talks and discussion within WWE as what to do with John Cena when he returns from injury this year. It’s not that much of a spoken thing, but it’s understood that Cena isn’t connecting with the entire WWE audience like officials have wanted him to. They wanted him to connect on a level like Steve Austin or The Rock, where everyone was into his character.

There is talk of altering Cena’s character when he returns, in some form or fashion. An idea of turning Cena heel has been tossed around but one of the bad sides to that is the loss of merchandise sales, which Cena brings in a lot because of the demo he appeals the most to. As much as WWE has tried to make Cena the face of the company, they realize he is not connecting like they wanted and the belief is we could see a different side of Cena when he returns, although maybe not full-fledged heel.

It's fine if they don't want to go with the thuganomics gimmick again, but they need to lean a little more towards it, because that's what made Cena star to begin with.

If they do a combination between that and what he does now, I think it could work. They started that a bit during the Angle feud I think, where he was basically telling those who werent behind him to **** off.

His style, the way he talks, don't completely merge with the way he behaves. Don't smile as much, don't jump around like a ******, stop the salute, have a bit more of a badass attitude, Cena, and the crowd will eat right out of your hands.




On Angle, he was my favorite wrestler before he left the WWE. Someone of his talent, along with Christian, should be in the WWE, and not TNA. He's the only Olympic gold medalist who wrestles professional, he should be aligned with the WWE. I wish he'd just come back and take it easy.

On Santino, people need to stop saying he's a horrible wrestler. He's only done about 2 or 3 actual wrestling matches in the WWE before he changed his gimmick, and he looked good enough in those matches.

On Candice, ring rust is all it was. People need to stop being so critical and give her time to get back into the groove.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Lmao. Exactly what I've been complaining about for the last few weeks. His whole attitude as if everything's a joke isn't helping. How many people laugh or genuinely smile when they are in front of a threat? No one, so HHH smiling and always joking around makes all his opponents look like jokes.

The stupid shoots HHH does in the ring need to ****in stop, it's fine if you want to plug a DVD, but plug it because you want people to see how great the entertainers on the DVD are, and not because you're getting "residuals" off it.

The DVD plugs are not an issue, the fact he simply doesn't respect the ppl he is being put in with right now is the issue.

I think HHH burying opponents on the mic is worse. Undertaker is billed as invinsible, so I guess it's alright if you lose to him, he IS the Undertaker after all, right?

No, b/c at the end of the day if you are running away from lightning and he kicks out of everything but a shotgun, you look like a total *****, if HHH talks smack and then you get in there and hang with him it actual makes HHH look stupid.

Who here can forget the shoot remark HHH made to Cena on RAW that made him look so much like a joke, he wanted to cry. I forgot what it was.

That instance was all designed that way so Cena would come off like Rocky Balboa and then prove HHH wrong by making him tap in the ME of the biggest show on the calendar.

He got his ass whooped. This isn't a WWE ring, Flair, where younger men slow down for you. It's real life, and your an old man, and you WILL get owned if you try to fight.

This is ridiculous, you do realize that if Flair had laid a finger on him it would be a lawsuit right ?

That's because she's a damn good heel. Music to my ears, baby.

Hardly, she'd be getting booed and McCool would be getting cheered if Maryse were doing a good heel job, truth is it was a case of the crowd not giving a rats ass for either so they cheered for the hotter of the two.

His style, the way he talks, don't completely merge with the way he behaves. Don't smile as much, don't jump around like a ******, stop the salute, have a bit more of a badass attitude, Cena, and the crowd will eat right out of your hands.

So be another Anti Hero ?

On Santino, people need to stop saying he's a horrible wrestler. He's only done about 2 or 3 actual wrestling matches in the WWE before he changed his gimmick, and he looked good enough in those matches.

Dude he is dreadful, absolutely clueless in the ring.

 

[Lobo]

They need to just let Cena be Cena and everything will work out

 

[SLYspyder]

This is ridiculous, you do realize that if Flair had laid a finger on him it would be a lawsuit right ?

So you're saying Flair played a punching bag in that situation?

Hardly, she'd be getting booed and McCool would be getting cheered if Maryse were doing a good heel job, truth is it was a case of the crowd not giving a rats ass for either so they cheered for the hotter of the two.

Yeah, kinda like Kurt Angle and HHH weren't doing a good jobs as heels when they were feuding with Cena.

So be another Anti Hero ?

Why not?

Dude he is dreadful, absolutely clueless in the ring.

Do you actually remember Santino wrestle? Or are you basing your opinion on him on the chicken heel he has been playing in the ring?

Why did Santino get signed to the WWE and get the belt the first night he debuted?

Remember he changed his gimmick a few months in. The WWE didn't sign him based on his comedy act.

 

[Hunter Rider]

So you're saying Flair played a punching bag in that situation?

I'm saying if he'd hit the guy he'd have been sued b/c he is a professional, he took a black eye which is no big deal.

Yeah, kinda like Kurt Angle and HHH weren't doing a good jobs as heels when they were feuding with Cena.

Angle did do a horrible job, HHH got Cena over in the end so it worked, but you are talking about a total anomaly in the business with Cena, a regular heel gets heat against a regular face, therefore Maryse and McCool did lousy jobs.

Why not?

B/c it's repetitive

Do you actually remember Santino wrestle? Or are you basing your opinion on him on the chicken heel he has been playing in the ring?

Why did Santino get signed to the WWE and get the belt the first night he debuted?

Remember he changed his gimmick a few months in. The WWE didn't sign him based on his comedy act.

Yes i have seen him work in both gimmicks and he sucked in both, WWE often sign ppl with a specific look or skill even of they suck in the ring.

 

[The Sage]

I think HHH burying opponents on the mic is worse. Undertaker is billed as invinsible, so I guess it's alright if you lose to him, he IS the Undertaker after all, right?

But when HHH starts making stupid shoot remarks that the opponents can't even reply to because of the consequences, it gets ridiculous.

Come on man. Whether it's HHH speaking the dirt on top of the wrestler or Undertaker shoveling it on, a burial is a burial and it's not good for the recipient.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

anyone tried the new tna game, never seen a tna match in my life so i may wait on the reviews

 

[SLYspyder]

I'm saying if he'd hit the guy he'd have been sued b/c he is a professional, he took a black eye which is no big deal.

It look like he took a fastball right in his left eye. It looks like a big deal to me. Flair wouldn't have taken that sitting down.

Angle did do a horrible job, HHH got Cena over in the end so it worked, but you are talking about a total anomaly in the business with Cena, a regular heel gets heat against a regular face, therefore Maryse and McCool did lousy jobs.

You sound like Triple H now when you're saying Angle wasn't a good heel. I like how I brought up a perfect example though, and you said it doesn't count.

B/c it's repetitive

If being an anti-hero is repetitive, then being a face or a heel is repetitive too.

Yes i have seen him work in both gimmicks and he sucked in both, WWE often sign ppl with a specific look or skill even of they suck in the ring.

Then I ask you, why did the WWE sign Santino? I'm pretty sure it wasn't for his amazing build...and once again, he wasn't on the mic with his new gimmick until months after his debut.

 

[The Sage]

Haven't read a good review for the TNA game yet.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

How can anyone say HHH got Cena over in a legit fashion? How can anyone say Angle did a horrible job? I think it's fair to say that Jericho, HHH, and Angle was one of those wrestlers that fans didn't boo against Cena.

Fans at the time were tired of Cena's stale act and the fact that he was booked as some invincible Superman. I think if they booked Cena of now against a heel H or even Jericho right now it'd be a different story. But right now it's kind of pointless to compare the scenarios in all honesty.

Fans at the time were tired of Cena's act and now they've warmed up to him because the WWE stopped shoving him down their throats. What's also helped Cena is that he has improved in the ring, his selling is believable, and he actually puts on a show like he cares in the ring and no one can deny that he doesn't bring emotion in the match. Regardless of how anyone feels about him he gets a reaction out of the crowd and that's what helps too.

 

[Hunter Rider]

It look like he took a fastball right in his left eye. It looks like a big deal to me. Flair wouldn't have taken that sitting down.

It's a black eye for a guy that felt pain every night of his life, I doubt he saw it as anything major.

You sound like Triple H now when you're saying Angle wasn't a good heel. I like how I brought up a perfect example though, and you said it doesn't count.

Angle was a ****ing lousy heel in the ring with Cena, watch the matches and answer me this question, why do you work a young inexperienced face who has minimal ring talent and try to make him wrestle the type of match you had with HBK ? Angle was clueless when it came to leading the match, he tried to shoehorn Cena into a type of match that was way beyond him, a good heel structures the match to the young faces strengths so he looks good, it's wrestling 101....Also you picked a terrible example since at one point Chris Masters was getting cheered against Cena he was so hated. Try using proper face vs heel dymanics.

If being an anti-hero is repetitive, then being a face or a heel is repetitive too.

That doesn't even make sense, everyone is one or the other but it's type of face or heel you are that defines, Cena being yet another anti hero just = Austin rip off, he should find something of his own.

Then I ask you, why did the WWE sign Santino? I'm pretty sure it wasn't for his amazing build...and once again, he wasn't on the mic with his new gimmick until months after his debut.

You do know that when he was working in the development system he talked right ? and that Vince and his ppl talk with workers before they bring him up right ?

 

[Hunter Rider]

How can anyone say HHH got Cena over in a legit fashion? How can anyone say Angle did a horrible job? I think it's fair to say that Jericho, HHH, and Angle was one of those wrestlers that fans didn't boo against Cena.

Easy, HHH punked Cena and like every bully that gets his ass whooped when it matters he gave Cena the heat back, Cena came out of Chicago a much stronger face, b/c after all the mouthing off HHH led a match that Cena could do, the complete reverse of the horrible matches Angle tried to do with him, lets be honest, from the end of 2005 to his TNa run Angle has screwed up a lot of matches with his wish to be the boss in the ring.