Alternate Reality by Vin Tastic

Columns

Sometimes an event occurs in pro wrestling that has such a profound impact on a company’s direction that folks like us can’t help but discuss it. So here is my take on the recent injury bug that bit WWE’s SmackDown brand.

TODAY’S ISSUE: Injuries take a toll.

After years of dedicated service to the company, the Undertaker was put over at the Royal Rumble and given his first World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 23, over one of WWE’s hottest commodities, BIG DAVE Batista. ‘Taker was promised a lengthy championship reign, but was forced to drop the belt due to a biceps injury. Undertaker might be forced to miss six months or more of in-ring action. So much for that title run

The logical new booking plan was for Mr. Money in the Bank, Ken Kennedy, to claim his right and take the title from the Undertaker, most likely attacking ‘Taker after a successful but brutal title defense. One can assume this would have been another rematch against Batista, setting up BIG DAVE’s chase of Kennedy as world champ. And there’s your SmackDown spring-summer championship storyline.

But that plan fell apart as well. Kennedy got injured at a recent house show, and he may sit out 5-8 months as a result. Whether you like their characters or not, fans with any sense of appreciation for what these men endure to entertain us must have some sympathy for performers who work hard to earn a big push, only to have it derailed when their own bodies betray them. Mark Calloway and Ken Anderson have both toiled and paid their dues to be rewarded by WWE, and it’s a shame to see them miss out on the big plans Creative had in store for them. Kennedy’s “countdown to WrestleMania 24” was just about to catch on with fans, and Undertaker has certainly earned the right to enjoy one long, perhaps final, title run before stepping out of the main event scene for good.

I assume both of them will get back into the hunt upon return from these injuries, in fact Kennedy was sort of put over as a proud, heroic, tough competitor in his loss to Edge for the briefcase on RAW, so that’s the ideal place for him to begin when he does return. For the Undertaker, it’ll also be easy to reinsert him in the title picture when he gets back, and his character allows for a very dramatic return “from the darkside”.

But whatever happens when ‘Taker and Kennedy come back, WWE is left with a conundrum. They still have a weekly Friday night show and monthly pay-per-views to produce, and need somebody to step up to the main event scene in a hurry.

A similar situation last year allowed Rey Mysterio to capture the title in a feel good moment, celebrating the name of the late Eddie Guerrero, but unfortunately resulting in a fairly weak championship reign for the diminutive cruiserweight turned giant-killer.

What options does the creative department have in order to avoid a similar disappointment this time?

It seems unlikely that Edge versus Batista could carry the brand all the way through SummerSlam. It would also somehow be anticlimactic for Batista to wind up with the strap again so soon after losing it, especially if he can’t regain the title from the Undertaker, who defeated BIG DAVE for the big gold belt in the first place.

The easiest and most likely choice is to move somebody from RAW over to SmackDown to chase Edge’s title, and Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton are currently at the top of the list. Edge was a great choice to step up and win the Money in the Bank briefcase and subsequently take the title from ‘Taker, but they need a few strong babyfaces to chase him through the spring before either Kennedy or Undertaker could even consider returning to in-ring action.

It’s almost too bad HHH can’t come back early. It’d be easy to breathe new life into the DX versus Team Rated RKO feud, but this time on SmackDown!, and with Edge looking over his shoulder not only for the Degenerates, but his title-hungry, hard-to-trust partner Randy Orton as well. That would make Friday nights a lot more fun for this wrestling fan, especially compared to the usual fare of MVP, Boogeyman, Jillian Hall singing and Teddy Long and Krystal incessantly making goo-goo eyes at each other.

Somehow though, I doubt they’ll simply drop all the Michaels/Cena/Orton stuff on RAW in favor of an enduring Cena/Khali feud. At least I really hope they don’t, because those matches are going to be worse than bad. This leaves wrestlers currently on the SmackDown! roster to step up and fill the void.

Booker T would be a natural choice to rejoin to the title hunt, but he’s also suffering, ironically, from the injury bug that’s been biting lately. Where’s Christian Cage when WWE needs him? Oh yeah, he’s the former NWA (or TNA) World Heavyweight Champion, and a bit tied up at the moment. But Edge versus Christian for the world title would be pretty surreal.

It’s too bad Chris Jericho isn’t still on the roster. He used to smoothly climb back into the main event from the mid-card when needed, since his character seemed to remain credible as a title contender regardless of which lame-ass feud he was stuck in at the time. More coffee, Mr. Kane?

That leaves the Rabid Wolverine. Former world champion Chris Benoit is in an ideal position to challenge Edge for the world championship. As a respected babyface and the United States Champion, Benoit should be first in line for Edge’s newly won strap. The two have great chemistry, as alumni of the legendary SmackDown Six, and both are more than veteran enough to work a prolonged program. Hell, they could even toss MVP into the mix and carry over his US title feud against Benoit to the main event.

This would not only ensure quality matches at the top of the card, but also instantly reinforce the significance of the US championship, a title that sorely needs the rub. If the US belt is what propels Benoit to the world title, and then MVP takes it from him, it will increase the relevance of the US title, MVP’s title victory, and the next mid-carders against whom MVP defends the star-spangled strap.

Hopefully Benoit gets one more shot at carrying the world title. There’s never been another performer in the history of the business with more passion, willingness to sacrifice of himself to entertain his fans, or a deeper respect for his opportunity to live life as a professional wrestler. Seeing him carry a championship belt on his shoulder, especially THE championship belt, just feels right.

Of course, I’d be thrilled to see Matt Hardy finally break through to the main event and work a title program with the Rated R Superstar, but I won’t get my hopes up.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled reality.

p.s. – “Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.” – Charlie Chaplin

Before you go, check out our Rasslin Roundtable for TNA’s Sacrifice. Then, head to the forum for official match results, and look below for our staff scores.

IP Staff Roundtable Results for Sacrifice

Widro
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 6-3
Total: 32-16

Vinny Truncellito
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 6-3
Total: 97-60

Danny Cox
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 5-4
Total: 43-49

Eric Szulczewski
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 5-4
Total: 76-75

David Brashear
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 4-5
Total: 40-35

Pulse Glazer
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 3-6
Total: 45-43

Kace Evers
TNA Sacrifice (13 May 07): 2-7
Total: 30-29

Master Sergeant, United States Air Force