This Week in ‘E – The Kendrick Gets “Spanked”

Columns, Features

SummerSlam looks become a feature event once again, WWE says goodbye to Brian Kendrick but welcomes back both The Masterpiece and Eugene to the ring. Not a good trade in my estimation.

Opening Witty Banter
To help me get in the mood to write this column up, I’m watching the old Famous Families DVD that WWE put out a couple years ago. It’s absolutely great stuff and once again reminds me how good WWE’s production staff is and their vast video library. Now if only they had that Mid-South library so the legacy of Erik Watts could have properly been talked about.

Let’s take some ‘E…

The News of the Week
World Wrestling Entertainment announced on June 30 that they have come to terms on The Brian Kendrick.

No reason was given for his release but recently Kendrick has not been used favorably on television recently, losing to semi-retired Jerry Lawler two weeks ago and then losing to Kofi Kingston in under a minute this past week on RAW.

All eyes already point to Kendrick making a big splash on the independent scene, perhaps in Ring of Honor. And of course there is the talk of him also inevitably ending up in TNA once his 90-day no compete clause expires. Personally I would love to see him reunite and/or feud with Paul London and/or Bryan Danielson. Kendrick has always been one of my favorites, but unfortunately he really won’t be missed on WWE television.

Triple H turned 40 this past week, and the crew threw him a party after last week’s RAW. The video is floating all around the Internet for your viewing pleasure, but it looked like a good time was had by all.

You do realize that HHH just turned 40, which means barring any more injuries there is at least another ten years of Triple H in ring action? Yeah he’ll kill Ric Flair’s sixteen reigns in no time, if Edge doesn’t beat him to it first.

Chris Masters made his in-ring return to WWE television this past Monday. He firmly re-entrenched himself in the mid-card by battling to a double count out with MVP.

I hope this was just an interesting way to re-introduce Masters back to television. I really hope this doesn’t lead to an extended feud with Porter. I was also hoping Masters would maybe be repackaged a little bit before he returned to television, but it looks as if it’s the same old “Masterpiece” and “Masterlock.” Well at least he’s a much needed heel in the RAW mid-card.

On Friday night at house show in New Hampshire, Nick Dinsmore returned under the “Eugene” character, where he beat Ricky Ortiz.

Please, please, please don’t bring Eugene back to TV. I’m begging for his “brother” Nick Dinsmore if he returns to TV at all. Him and Charlie Haas would make a fine tag team, a la World’s Greatest Tag Team v2.0

WWE Women’s Champion Michelle McCool injured her left knee Friday night at a house show in New Hampshire in a match against Eve Torres. The match was just stopped and she was helped her to the back. She did not wrestle the next night (Katie Lea Burchill replaced her) but it doesn’t look as if her injury is real severe.

Eh…it will probably just mean she won’t be wrestling on TV the next couple of weeks, instead just using promos and interference to build up her next feud.

Speaking of injured blonde Divas, Maryse also went out to have knee surgery for an injury that had been nagging her for months. She had surgery on Tuesday and should be out for around three months.

That’s going to be a long time to not see the dirty hot French Canadian on my TV screens.

Apparently Jeff Hardy has agreed to stay until SummerSlam, as I believe his current contract expired on July 31.

Well he know he won’t be retaining his Title come SummerSlam. I can understand that they wanted to give Jeff a thank you run before he left for awhile, but it’s too bad because Punk was just getting so hot with his second World Title reign. Here’s hoping Hardy, Punk and Morrison can put on a match at SummerSlam to send him off in style if he so chooses to leave.

Speaking of SummerSlam, WWE is positioning this year’s show as an important event, much like WrestleMania, so that cities will want to bid on the event like they do WrestleMania. This also explains why they are holding an AXXESS event that weekend. They are also trying to tap into the Hollywood community by hosting parties and events through their Hollywood agency, WME. That company will work with MyNetworkTV and NBC/Universal and try to bring in potential new partners and sponsors. WME’s entire agency is working on the project. The show is expected to be a true sell out as well as talent was notified that there will be no complimentary tickets for the pay per view. They have also partnered with 7-Eleven to promote the WWE brand and the SummerSlam event with Big Gulp cups featuring WWE superstar likenesses, a special SummerSlam Sub and a “3-Count” meal deal.

I think it is fantastic that SummerSlam is being positioned as a true number two event like it should be. In the past few years Royal Rumble has eclipsed it as the number two event (which I’m fine with), but it’s time for SummerSlam to come roaring back. In this era of too many pay per views SummerSlam has lost some of its importance and prestige. An AXXESS event will help give SummerSlam a true big event feel for the event will only help it in the long run.

WWE has released the following travel package information for WrestleMania XXVI in Phoenix:

Purchase a WrestleMania Travel Package today, starting at just $494 per person, and receive:

– A Ticket To The Highly Anticipated WrestleMania XXVI Live At The University of Phoenix Stadium.

– Three-Night Room Accommodations from Friday, March 26, 2010 thru Monday, March 29, 2010, At Arizona’s Finest Resort Destinations.

– The Biltmore Hotel Will Host The Platinum Group.

– The Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort Will Host The Gold Group.

– The Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort Will Host The Silver Group.

– THIS JUST ADDED: An Exclusively Private “Morning Madness” Autograph Session With One Of WWE’s Top Superstars.

– A Ticket To The WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony Live At The US Airways Center.

– A Ticket To WrestleMania Axxess At The Phoenix Convention Center Where You Can Get Up Close And Personal With Your Favorite WWE Superstars.

– There is an extremely limited amount of packages available, so pick your package below and get ready to have the WrestleMania experience of a lifetime.

– PLATINUM
Seating within first 10 ringside rows with collectible chair.

– GOLD
Seating within floor level risers or rows beyond first 10 ringside rows.

– SILVER
Seating within Level 100 permanent stadium seats.

I’m really, really banking on getting down to WrestleMania in the Phoenix desert next year…one way or another.

The Road to…SummerSlam
WWE Championship
John Cena v. Randy Orton (c)

Unified Tag Team Championships
Cryme Tyme v. The Big Show & Chris Jericho (c)

rumored matches
Jeff Hardy v. CM Punk v. John Morrison for the World Heavyweight Championship
DeGeneration X v. Legacy

Wrestler of the Week
Week of July 27 – August 2: John Morrison
In-ring wise, no one had a better week in WWE than John Morrison. He put on a stellar match with Tyson Kidd on Superstars in the type of a match that the D-show has become known for. Then on SmackDown he got the honors to main event SmackDown against his old rival Jeff Hardy in a World Heavyweight Championship match. It’s amazing to see how for Morrison has come since his rivalry with Hardy back in 2006. Now he’s poised to step up to a true main event star in the predicted absence of Jeff Hardy and may see himself in his first ever pay per view main event at SummerSlam.

RAW’s On Tonight!
Tonight Jeremy Piven will host RAW live from the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut. Will Piven actually bring his A-game and be entertaining or will he be there to collect a paycheck? He has also hinted he is bring a famous friend with him, hinting it is a star of The Hangover. I’m guessing it’s Ken Joeng, his co-star in The Goods, and the Asian fellow you’ve seen in movies such as The Hangover, Knocked Up and Role Models. Plus Triple H will battle both Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase in a handicap match. Normally I would say this is an easy squash for Triple H but methinks this is going to build up Shawn Michaels’ return for SummerSlam, so expect shenanigans.

On Last Week’s Episode…
Eison gave the rundown of SmackDown that featured a fantastic Hardy-Morrison World Title match.

Eison and Marshall double team Superstars. Good thing Hulu.com is now carrying Superstars because apparently Morrison-Kidd was one for the ages.

Innarelli brings the ECW coverage that featured an incredibly surprising Christian-Zack Ryder main event.

Marshall covered a pretty solid Shaq-hosted Monday Night RAW. The show featured nine matches and the always entertaining Beat the Clock gimmick. But anything would have been better than the ZZ Top abomination from the week before.

How They Rated
Superstars (7.23.09) – .9

SmackDown! (7.24.09) – 1.8

A.M. RAW (7.26.09) – .7

RAW (7.27.09) – 3.95

ECW (7.28.09) – 1.3

This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wiswell looks at injuries on the indy circuit and wrestling in general.

Check out new articles from Liam Burnside and Dale Clarke and the return of JUNK NEWS, HUZZAH!

For more relevant, interesting and exciting wrestling information from your truly, check out my gig as the Pro Wrestling Examiner over at Examiner.com.

Mark was a columnist for Pulse Wrestling for over four years, evolving from his original “Historically Speaking” commentary-style column into the Monday morning powerhouse known as “This Week in ‘E.” He also contributes to other ventures, outside of IP, most notably as the National Pro Wrestling Examiner for Examiner.com and a contributor for The Wrestling Press. Follow me on Twitter here.