WWE pulls a couple swerves at No Way Out that not even Vince Russo could have come up with.
Opening Witty Banter
What was certainly expected to be a ho-hum pay per view turned out to be quite the shocker as No Way Out turned the World Title pictures on their ear. It’s hard to believe that Edge is already an eight time World Champion. Remember when Hogan getting three reigns was considered unprecedented? Me neither.
Enough of that, now let’s take some ‘E…
The News of the Week
MyNetworkTV, the lowest rated of all the broadcast networks has re-branded itself and dropped its network status. The station will now feature “hybrid programming,†which basically means all original programming has been suspended, with the exception of SmackDown. Repeat material will be featured on Monday through Friday, and weekend programming will be up to the local affiliates. MyNetworkTV was just launched in 2006, as a way to fill in affiliates that were changed when The WB and UPN merged.
Well basically that doesn’t bode well for WWE and SmackDown in general. It is a testament that MyNetwork wants to keep SD, as it is the only ratings getter on the network, but it makes you wonder a little bit about the blue brand’s flagship show in the future. WWE used last year’s draft to shore up SmackDown in preparation for the move, and now the question is what will happen to SD come draft time in April.
Speaking of that, WWE has announced that the Draft will return on April 13, just days after WrestleMania XXV.
Personally I think that it is a great move to put the draft right after WrestleMania. WM is traditionally the end of WWE’s calendar year and mixing the brands right after the show immediately freshens things up and sets up big-time events for the summer. Plus it means that Backlash this year might not feature all those hackneyed WrestleMania rematches.
The second-generation kids just keep coming as it was announced that the company has now signed Tavita Fifita, the son of the legendary Haku.
Sweet! If he’s even half as tough as his dad he could be interesting. How long before he’s paired up with Manu and Sim Snuka to form an island Legacy? I’m telling you, soon the entire WWE will just be filled with various legacies. There will be the “Abercrombie & Fitch shirtless boy-whore†Legacy that we see on RAW now, the “island†Legacy, a Harts/Canadians Legacy, a Carribean Legacy, and countless others. It will be like WCW circa 1998 with nWo factions running around everywhere.
After years of teasing it is finally official that WWE will be releasing a 3-disc set highlighting the best of “Macho Man†Randy Savage. Right now it seems as if there won’t be a real documentary portion to the set, rather than just a series of matches, promos and vignettes. It’s expected to be released in June.
Can we please get at least one Macho Man appearance to hype up the disc?
Harry Smith put himself in the doghouse once again this week apparently as he was campaigning to officials to be a part of Legacy on RAW. It’s been rumored for months that he and old friend TJ Wilson would be brought up together as the Canadians Bulldogs on SmackDown, but apparently his campaigning cost him as creative decided to bring Wilson up on ECW and paired him with his old flame Natalya Neidhart.
Okay why should campaigning for a logical spot on TV to hurt you, and then cause your best friend to be called up before you, just out of spite? That seems like typical bass-ackward creative thought process. I mean Smith would be perfect as the fourth for Legacy, and would definitely fit in the shirtless boy whore look. And wasn’t just a few weeks ago that Vince blew a gasket because Smith was on the sidelines?
Word has also come out that the Von Erich family will also be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year, with Michael Hayes probably being the one to induct them, stemming back to their wild feud in Texas. Apparently the whole family will be inducted together, with Kevin and his sons there to accept the induction.
The Von Erichs now join the unofficial list of inductees including “Cowboy†Bill Watts, Ricky Steamboat, Terry & Dory Funk, Jr. and of course Steve Austin.
This has to be a first, in that pretty much the entire Hall of Fame list has been leaked well before they were all released on TV, which is kind of a shame as in the past couple of years I really enjoyed tuning into RAW to hear the surprise announcement of who was getting inducted into the Hall. That list now includes five acts and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone like Ted DiBiase is also included in the list before it’s all said and done. And of course it goes without saying that the Von Erichs’ induction this year in Texas is perfect as is Hayes being there to induct them. I would expect Hayes and/or the Freebirds induction will come later, perhaps if/when WrestleMania comes to the Atlanta area.
It now looks as if Jim Ross will induct Watts, Flair to induct Steamboat and Vince McMahon himself to induct Austin. No word or rumor on an inductee for the Funks as the logical choice of Mick Foley is no longer in WWE’s good graces. Perhaps someone like Jimmy Hart who managed them during their ‘80s WWF run?
Weekly Paul London Update
The update is making its return for the second week in a row after the “Intergalactic Karate Kid†mouthed off something fierce on a recent radio interview. He had good words for former girlfriend Ashley Massaro, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, Randy Orton, and his former partner The Brian Kendrick, but think his push is more for Ezekiel Jackson’s sake.
He then proceeded to rip on Triple H, Matt Hardy and Vince McMahon. He called Hardy and Hunter cowards and Vince a “fascist†who’s out of touch with his audience, and apparently had much worse things to say about Hardy (probably stemming from both of them playing tonsil hockey and other things with Ashley.) He then bitches about being overshadowed in the four-way Ladder Match at Armageddon 2006 by Joey Mercury’s injury.
Beyond not only burning the WWE bridge, pissing on it, kicking its ashes and blowing them into the wind, he talked about TNA rumors, like whether he was pegged to be Suicide (he wasn’t, but he’d like to feud with him as “Life).
Then in an unrelated note, it was announced that London would be facing Bryan Danielson on May 3rd for IPW:UK.
The Road to…WrestleMania XXV
With No Way Out officially in the books it’s officially time for WrestleMania. We are still seven weeks away but it’s now time for every fanboy to guess the card up until the official line-up is announced.
Wrestler of the Week
Week of February 9 – 15: Edge
Even though Triple H also came out of No Way Out as Champion it was Edge’s subsequent loss and then return later in the evening to win the World Heavyweight Championship that put him over the top here. It’s hard to believe that Edge is already an eight time Champion, and now his road to WrestleMania is a little murkier, as it seemed as if he would be batting Triple H at the big event but with HHH holding the other big gold belt who knows where he goes next. Perhaps a three way ladder match with the brothers Hardy?
RAW’s On Tonight!
With Edge running off with the World Heavyweight Title the Championship picture on RAW just got a little murkier. Randy Orton still stands tall as the red brand’s flagship but now his opponent for the big dance is unclear. I’m sure John Cena will have a response for his quick elimination last night, and Shawn Michaels won his freedom from JBL to hopefully end that abysmal storyline. Can we please just get to Michaels and Undertaker already?
On Last Week’s Episode…
Norine and Maiar write about the go-home show before No Way Out.
Innarelli and Maiar cover the most shocking ECW in a long time, featuring the much ballyhooed WWE return of Christian and the debut of TJ Wilson…er…I mean Tyson Kidd.
Marshall and Kirschner cover RAW is Orton.
How They Rated
SmackDown! (2.6.09) –
A.M. RAW (2.8.09) –
RAW (2.9.09) – 3.4
ECW (2.10.09) – 1.3
This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wiswell looks at Ring of Honor now that it is out of the Pearce “transition†era.
Wheeler gives his analysis of his first-ever live Ring of Honor show.
In Case You Didn’t Spend the $40
WWE’s No Way Out pay per view is in the books and the event provided some shocking results. It definitely caused some bumps on the Road to WrestleMania.
In the opening match Triple H defeated Edge, Vladimir Kozlov, The Big Show, The Undertaker and Jeff Hardy in an Elimination Chamber match to win the WWE Championship.
Jeff and then Champion Edge opened the match and Hardy pinned Edge within the opening five-minute period, guaranteeing a new Champion.
Vladimir Kozlov, The Big Show, Triple H and Undertaker then entered the match in that order.
Undertaker pinned Kozlov.
Triple H pinned The Big Show.
Undertaker pinned Hardy.
Triple H pinned The Undertaker to become a thirteen time World Champion.
Randy Orton pinned Shane McMahon in a No Holds Barred Match.
“All-American American†Jack Swagger pinned Finlay to retain the ECW Championship.
Shawn Michaels pinned John “Bradshaw†Layfield to regain his independence from JBL’s employ.
In the main event, the World Heavyweight Championship was on the line in an Elimination Chamber match. John Cena was defending Champion going into the match against Kane, Mike Knox, Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio and Edge, who attacked scheduled participant Kofi Kingston before he made his entrance into the match. Edge then takes Kingston’s spot in the match. Only in pro wrestling. Not surprisingly Edge won the match and the World Championship, last defeating Rey Mysterio.
Mysterio and Jericho started the match, followed by Kane.
Mysterio pinned Kane, and then Knox joined the match.
Jericho pinned Knox, and then Edge entered.
Cena entered last, and was eliminated very quickly by Edge in another shock elimination.
Mysterio pinned Jericho.
Edge pinned Mysterio to win his eighth World Championship.
IP Staff Roundtable Results for WWE Royal Rumble
A group of us got together (as we do every month) to put together our thoughts on last night’s No Way Out.
The inclusion of Edge into the World Title match threw a monkey wrench into everybody’s picks. Here’s how we did:
Roundtable Champion: Andrew Wheeler: 4-1 (126-70)
Everybody else:
Mark Allen: 3-2 (127-56)
Brad Curran: 2-3 (49-28)
Raffi Shamir: 1-4 (71-57)
Iain Burnside: 0-5 (134-83)
For more relevant, interesting and exciting wrestling information from your truly, check out my gig as the Pro Wrestling Examiner over at Examiner.com.
