Vince McMahon has a hissy fit over Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff “exposing the business.†Meanwhile Brian Kendrick has gotten himself for smoking too many “left-handed cigarettes†and WWE continues to re-sign TNA castoffs, who were originally WWE castoffs.
Opening Witty Banter
I’ve really got nothing important, exciting or relevant to say this week, so let’s just get on with it.
Let’s take some ‘E…
The News of the Week
This is easily my favorite news story of the week. Apparently Vince McMahon finally got around to viewing an episode of Hulk Hogan’s “Celebrity Championship Wrestling†on a recent oversees trip. After viewing the show he immediately called Johnny Ace, and told him to contact everyone on the show to let them know that they would be now be personas non grata within WWE, and would not be welcome at WWE events, whether it be on-air or backstage visiting. He also contacted the company’s legal team to go after Ed Leslie to prevent him from using the WWE-owned name Brutus “The Barber†Beefcake. His venom and fire comes from the fact that he felt the show was exposing the business by showing how moves are done and matches are planned.
He’s worried about this show exposing the business? This is coming from the man and the company that gave us numerous seasons of the business exposing Tough Enough and the fact that he was the man who outright “outed†the business as nothing more than entertainment, and destroyed the idea kayfabe in one fell swoop.
What do I feel is Vince’s real problem? Hogan and Bischoff are out there making money on a wrestling product that Vince has no part of. As for banning everyone involved? Water of their backs. Bischoff doesn’t need WWE anymore than they need him at this point in both their careers. Knobs, Jimmy Hart and Beefcake are set for life as long as they stick with Hogan. And as for Hogan himself? He and Vince have fought and made up so many times over the course of their careers that it feels like a teenage romance. By this time next year I’m sure we’ll be hearing things about Hogan somehow being involved in WrestleMania proceedings.
The only real complaint I think that WWE has merits for is the fact that Ed Leslie is using his WWE trademarked moniker. I know he has probably more gimmicks than anyone in wrestling history but his “Barber†gimmick was his most noticeable and profitable, and I can see why Hogan and co. decided to promote him as Beefcake on their show. But in any regard, if CCW comes back for a second season, expect Leslie to be billed under a different moniker.
It was reported a month or so back that a lot of talent were willingly paying the $1,000 marijuana fine that comes along with failing the company’s test for the drug in order to keep their addiction alive. But then up until a month ago when a few wrestlers were told outright to stop their use or face much harsher consequences. The Wrestling Observer even reported there was “one wrestler who has failed his marijuana test at least 11 or 12 times.” It has now finally come out that this wrestler was The Brian Kendrick, and his push subsided because of the drug use.
I love Kendrick more than the next guy, but this is some bad news for Kendrick. By choosing his weed over his career it sends the company that message that he isn’t worthy of an upper-card push. Granted he’s not sitting in a doghouse like his old partner London or getting publicly jobbed out like MVP, but now he’s sitting in the essentially meaningless SmackDown! tag team division instead of fighting at the top of the card like he was back in September. Hopefully he gets his priorities back in line and we can see Kendrick back to some winning ways soon.
William Regal was eliminated so quickly at last weekend’s Survivor Series because he had the flu, stemming from the company’s previous European tour.
Even though Manu was right there to replace him I’m glad Regal was kept in the match. The quick elimination was good that it put fire on the burgeoning Punk-Regal feud.
Speaking of Regal and Punk, the first round brackets were released on WWE.com for the Intercontinental Championship contender tournament.
Kofi Kingston vs. Kane
Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz
Finlay vs. John Morrison
CM Punk vs. Snitsky
With Punk and Kofi winning, I would expect Miz and Morrison to win this week to put an interesting spin on the semi-finals what with two tag teams meeting each other and the possibilities of partners meeting in the finals. And no, I’m not going to even point out the fact that this tournament was only designed to promote the sales of new Intercontinental Title DVD. I’ll take any and all goodwill shown towards the Intercontinental Championship.
That chick who had the “Glamazon in Training†sign on last week’s RAW was former Diva Search contestant and current developmental talent Milena Roucka. She had been using only her last name while working in developmental so as not to confuse herself with Melina Perez.
I thought they did a good job of making Roucka look like a fan and not so much of a plant during her brief appearance last Monday. I’m sure by this week it will become much more obvious.
Gail Kim was backstage at TV tapings last week filming a new Titantron and promo footage. It looks as if she will be working for the SmackDown! brand.
I think this is an obvious and logical move as RAW is face heavy with Candice, Mickey, Kelly and now the returning Melina. She will be perfect on SmackDown! as new foil for the freshly-turned Michelle McCool and the talented Victoria and Natalya.
In more signing news, (at a time when I thought the company was saving money) Tyson Tomko has been re-signed to the company.
Tomko, much like Ron Killings and Gail Kim before him, left WWE to gain more seasoning and experience and then came back to WWE with renewed talent and relevance. I’m expecting much of the same from Tomko as well.
The latest on the WWE v. Raven/Kanyon/Mike Sanders lawsuit is that Raven’s side is now using the 2001 Nicole Bass sexual harassment case against WWE. It was in that case where the court ruled that Bass was an employee and not an independent contractor. There are also quotes included from an interview by WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt, where he admitted to this fact. Bass ended up losing that case. WWE now has 10-days to respond to this latest motion.
Another interesting chapter in “As the Raven Turns.â€
Weekly Paul London Update
This will probably be the last week of the Paul London Update, as it seems as if he’s off the wrestling radar for the time being, but I wanted to use this space to lament the fact that freaking Goldust got re-signed to a full-time talent deal, while guys like London and Elijah Burke are on the outs.
Wrestler of the Week
Week of November 24 – 30: Chris Jericho
With regards to all the good wrestling action that was featured on SmackDown! this past week, I’ve got to give some love to Chris Jericho, who despite losing the World Championship last weekend rebounded on RAW this past week to remain at the top of the RAW brand thanks to his triple threat victory over Batista and Randy Orton. He then got some much needed face time with John Cena to add some fuel to their renewed rivalry. (What is this, their third different chapter of a feud that has been going on since 2002?) It seems like 2008 really has been the year of Chris Jericho in World Wrestling Entertainment.
RAW’s On Tonight!
John Cena is booked for his first match on RAW since September, against evil monster/enforcer/fill in bad guy du jour Kane. That match has 1980s Hulk Hogan main event squash formula written all over it. Plus the Intercontinental Title contender tournament rages on with Finlay taking on John Morrison and Rey Mysterio battling The Miz. At least the middle of the show will have some entertaining matches.
On Last Week’s Episode…
Norine continues to bring the goods with her SmackDown! coverage.
Marshall continues his excellent coverage of RAW.
How They Rated
SmackDown! (11.21.08) –
A.M. RAW (11.23.08) – .8
RAW (11.24.08) – 3.3
ECW (11.25.08) –
This is Boring, What Else is There to Read?
Wiswell breaks down the arguments against the current Ring of Honor product in a fantastic article.
Kirschner gears up for the end of CHIKARA’s season.
Marshall continues to excel in his new role as the TNA guy.
Glazer looks back at all the good from Ring of Honor in 2008.
For more relevant wrestling information from your truly, check out my new gig over at Examiner.com.
