The talk of the wrestling world this week will not even about wrestling storylines itself, but the heat between Vince McMahon and his departing relationship with Spike TV. It gave RAW a whole reality feel that had nothing do with with Lita, Matt Hardy or Edge for once. It felt like Spike was prepared to try to hit the censor button, but almost always two seconds too late. It became comical, the fact that Spike so desperately didn’t want RAW’s move to USA plugged, blocking signs with “technical difficulties”, censoring the announcers and Vince McMahon. It almost felt like a game, how many times can the WWE get away with saying USA with how many different people in how many ways. I would have been amused if Candice Michelle was stripped down to a patriotic bikini, just so Jerry Lawler could say how great it is to salute the USA, just to see if Spike would censor that. I know I was amused that WWE basically got away with it, with Spike TV apparently giving up in the final hour of the broadcast. Considering how Spike has tried to subconsciously bury the show that put their name changes on the map (The Nashville Network to The National Network to Spike) by promoting the UFC and TNA commercials – you would think they have nothing to fear. Vince however, always gets the final say and that’s just how it goes. This was the first time RAW felt like it had competition since WCW was in existence, basically going for the throat of Spike while at the same time, being able to call the Kansas City Chiefs versus Denver Broncos NFL game a “blowout.” Vince must have been in a especially ass-kicking mood.
This was a RAW driven to promote the huge WWE Homecoming show next week on USA, make no mistake about it. The RAW next week seems in fact bigger, PPV quality match ups and basically the same period of time for a PPV. It’s unfortunate that WWE Smackdown can’t have that same drive on Friday nights in general. Hopefully the one match Smackdown is going to be given on RAW next week will be a home run for them because they need it as a show as much as anyone. I also hope that Chris Benoit will benefit from the loser leaves RAW match between Matt Hardy and Edge for his division. It’s also sad that the announcers “forgot” why a ladder being setup would mean anything in the ring: ‘oh that’s right, it’s that Matt Hardy and Edge Loser Leaves RAW Money In the Bank Match!’ Silly them, they were too busy having to see The Game’s On, Triple H Music Video Packages hyping his return.
I thought the Women’s Match between Victoria and WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus was solid for it’s length of time given, though Ashley looks so out of place in action when she has to participate in the ring. I really want her trained properly but at least this week she wasn’t in a position to be put in harm’s way of not knowing how to take bumps properly. Trish’s comedy at the end was a cute addition to the end of the match and just Candice Michelle talking is hard enough to listen to.
Quick, brief thoughts:
– Kerwin White’s caddy should have been one of the Mean Street Posse, that would have been appropriate.
– I’m hopeful for a actual WWE Tag Team Division with the push that Cade and Murdoch are getting that Hurricane and Rosey never really got. Val Venis and Viscera work as a team, now they just need a few more teams other than Hurricane and Rosey and The Heart Throbs to face Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch.
Didn’t the crowd seem uninterested in Eugene’s character as a whole as much as they care about Rob Conway? Eugene would be benefited to be traded to Smackdown, but I expect he will have a marking out fiesta for the Legends returning next week. I think him and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan would be a cute segment, playing off the good that is Eugene’s character.
Is it normal for someone to lose a table match based on outside interference? Granted, it was obvious it was going to happen since Kurt Angle wasn’t used in a wrestling capacity, but when I think of this match, I wonder how John Cena got cut in the side and on the head and kudos to the referee for his nice bump on the non-broken table in this main event.
I’m excited about Kurt Angle and Shawn Michaels in a 30 Minute Iron-Man Match (though I wish it was an hour) and the return of Stone Cold Steve Austin and some of the WWE Legends. I wonder if Hulk Hogan will try to rebuttal in any way what Shawn has jabbed at him over, or will he try to put himself over and challenge Mick Foley or Stone Cold Steve Austin. Vince at least has a loaded RAW and he has a lot to deliver with the weeks of hype for the WWE Homecoming to USA. If Spike feels truly invested in TNA Impact, they will put them head to head to WWE down the line, that would be good for everyone: wrestling competition for WWE and a chance for TNA to truly step up and put themselves on the map and that’s putting it in perspective. Thanks for reading and always feel free to drop me a line at Bam@4sternstaging.com.
