Dave Meltzer has more on the limo explosion angle in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer. It seems that it was indeed a direct response to Bonnie Hammer of the USA Network pressuring WWE into returning to the soap opera and shock tactics that proved successful in the Attitude years. The idea of killing the Mr McMahon character was first pitched a year ago but not taken seriously at the time. The decision to actually go ahead with it was made only about four weeks before it happened. It was, however, in February 2005 that the idea of someone being killed-off in a limo explosion was first pitched. David Lagana came up with the storyline, which would have had Carlito using underworld connections to make Teddy Long’s life miserable. At the time Carlito had gotten his friend Jesus to stab John Cena (who needed time off to film The Marine). He would have gotten someone to put a bomb in Teddy’s limo, which would have gone off as Teddy opened the door at the end of Smackdown. Brian Gerwitz said the storyline was too far-fetched, Stephanie McMahon agreed and the idea was nixed before it ever reached Vince. Of course, Gerwitz is now head writer on Raw and all three of them went along with it.
More news on the WWE’s referee policy. It seems that any referees who violate the new policy of officiating matches as though they were real get fined. Fines have already been given in a couple of instances for not doing consistent counts and for allowing a heel tag team to get away with too much.
WWE was planning to go for John Cena vs either Triple H or Batista and The Undertaker vs Edge as the two top matches at WrestleMania 24. With the recent injury scares, draft lottery and Vince craziness, they are no longer talking about any specific matches for the show.
Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 18th June 2007 (click here for subscription information)
