Michael Hayes gets to come back, Jimmy Yang has to go home and just maybe we’ll soon be able to call Ric Flair versus Shawn Michaels an Emmy Award winning match.
Opening Witty Banter
Well I’m back from an unexpected hiatus last week. Some bad weather made me get back into town much later than expected, but I’m sure none of you care about that. The point is I’m back and finally recovered from the ridiculous amounts of booze I drank last weekend. Seriously, twelve hours of drinking in one day, who does that?
Anyways, let’s see if there is anything to talk about this week (or anything to drag out from last week.)
The Big Story
Here’s all of the lowdown on Michael Hayes’ return from his recent suspension stemming from his incident with Mark Henry over WrestleMania weekend. From The Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
Hayes lost two months of pay and during that time and attended sensitivity training and alcohol recovery classes. He is back on the creative team, but was demoted from his vice president position. This means that he will not be eligible for the stock grants and performance bonuses, which most years can be worth well into the six figures if profit goals are reached.
He is not allowed to drink alcohol during any company function, which includes on the road and talent parties. There is talk that since Hayes’ drinking is “the stuff of legend” that he may have to take “antibuse,” which is a medication that makes you throw up if you drink the smallest amount of alcohol.
Also he had to have a sit down meeting with Mark Henry in order to clear everything up, and he may have to meet with all of the company’s African-American wrestlers.
The company feels that if he doesn’t change the company is prepared to move on without him. With WWE being a publicly traded company, the feeling is that if Hayes messes up one more time, he will prove to me more of a liability than he is worth.
Damn, that’s a big hit for Hayes after what I’m sure he thought was just a little slip-up.
Everything Else Fit For Print
Jimmy Wang Yang got busted a couple weeks back for a Wellness violation. The reason why he was suspended has not made public.
Jimmy doesn’t look your typical steroid user, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t on the gas either. Without knowing for sure what he got busted for there’s no reason to even speculate. Jimmy is a lower level guy but I don’t expect him to lose his job over this. Other low level guys like Funaki have been busted in the past and kept their spots. Plus he is fairly over with the live crowds so I expect back on SmackDown! two stepping in a couple weeks.
In the biggest non-story that has been turned into a huge story over the past couple of weeks, Bryan Danielson beat Lance Cade two weeks ago in a dark match before RAW.
The IWC has been abuzz over this since it was reported. Even Jim Ross has commented on Danielson’s match in his own blog. The ROH guys are saying that Danielson is under contract until May 2009 so he won’t be going anywhere for the near future. Even though he is a Shawn Michaels trainee that doesn’t mean automatic love in WWE, ask Spanky and Paul London. It would be nice to the see “The Best in the World†in a WWE ring, but I’m not going to get my hopes for the time being.
PWInsider is reporting that WWE has signed a new six year deal with Ten Sports in India to air television and PPV broadcasts. This gives WWE clearance in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives.
Great Khali for Champ in 2008?
Developmental guy Stu Sanders was arrested on June 15 down in Tampa and was charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer (a felony) and Obstructing or Opposing an Officer (a misdemeanor). The arrest took place outside of Champps Restaurant and Bar at 2 AM. Sanders was released the next day. Apparently he was trying to leave when a woman bumped to him. A plain-clothes cop tried to stop Sanders, at which point it is assumed there was brawling. The woman declined to press charges and said the incident was her fault.
Sanders is one half of the FCW Tag Team Champions with Drew McIntyre.
What is in the water down there in Tampa? Oh wait, it’s not water; it’s all the alcohol. It seems like once a week there’s a WWE guy getting in trouble down there. It sounds like those boys are having while they are down there doing their training.
Both RAW and SmackDown! are listed on the Emmy ballot under the “Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy Series” category while WrestleMania is listed under the “Outstanding Comedy, Variety or Musical Special.”
Hahahaha…that just cracks me up. Can you imagine some A-list celebrity announcing WWE RAW as the winner up there on stage. You wouldn’t be able jackhammer the smile off of McMahon’s face.
Wrestler of the Week
I’m trying to think of new ways to change up/improve this column so each week I will highlight who I think was WWE’s Wrestler of the Week, kind of like what JR does on wwe.com. As this is still in its early stages I don’t really have any criteria, but I’m sure my choice will come from a combination of kayfabe and real-life factors.
For the week of June 16 – June 22: Lance Cade
He didn’t really have a lot of airtime this past week on RAW, but his run-in at the end of the Triple H-Chris Jericho main event match instantly made him a player on the red brand. As the show faded to black it was an image of Jericho and Cade standing tall over Triple H and John Cena that the viewers were left with. Now this coming week it could all be for naught as Cade might just be used for job duty in a tag match with Jericho against Cena and HHH and be sent back down the card like nothing ever happened. But for this week Lance Cade looked like a star. Fans are always clamoring for new stars and this week Cade answered that call.
Week of June 2 – 8: John Cena
RAW’s On Tonight!
It’s a big night for RAW this week. It’s a three hour special highlighted by the 2008 Draft. Plus Vince McMahon is going to give away another $1,000,000. I’m not going to go into a series of draft picks as my esteemed colleagues have done a good job of predicting and analyzing already, but I think it’s got to be pretty much a lock that Umaga is going to SmackDown! and MVP is coming to RAW.
On Last Week’s Episode…
Hepple has SmackDown! covered. Eight matches on the show, when was the last time that happened?
Kirschner gives 10 thoughts on the only show on Sci Fi you’re watching.
How They Rated
A.M. RAW (6.15.08) – .5
RAW (6.16.08) – 3.3
ECW (6.17.08) – .99
SmackDown! (6.20.06) –
This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wells breaks down IWA-MS Royal Death Match weekend.
Glazer has a really good article up detailing what could be in Bryan Danielson’s future.
Kirschner gives the results of CHIKARA’s Young Lions Cup VI.
