The Triple Threat 06.07.09: The 143rd Edition - Extreme Rules, Chris Masters, Randy Orton, More

Posted by David Martell on 06.07.2009

This week we Preview WWE's Extreme Rules PPV, talk about Chris Masters signing a new WWE contract, Samoa Joe getting injured, Randy Orton's outburst on a Mexican tv show, and Jeff Hardy most likely signing a new WWE contract. The Rock is our superstar highlight this week. Please enjoy!













Topic # 1 What are your thoughts on the WWE Extreme Rules card?

David Martell: It seems like we are previewing PPVs every other week now. Although Extreme Rules is basically a rematch card, the matches look very solid and the stipulations are fun for the most part. Once again, Smackdown takes the cake by having all the best matches. Edge vs. Jeff Hardy for the World Title in a ladder match will most likely be the best match on the card. WWE has built this match perfectly. I think Edge will continue his reign as the World Champion but I do see Jeff Hardy winning the title somewhere down the line. Jericho vs. Mysterio in a No Holds Barred match should also be damn good. I like the fact that Jericho is trying to take Rey's mask off because it has built a great storyline. There is a lot of emotion in this match but I am going to have to side with Jericho on this one. I think this might be the only title that changes hands. CM Punk vs. Umaga in a Samoan Strap match should be good. Umaga plays the monster character to a T and this feud has also had some great build to it. I see CM Punk winning here and finally getting past Umaga to move on to bigger and better things. Unfortunately, RAW only has one good match on the card. The fatal four way match for the US title should be a lot of fun. I am pretty sure MVP is moving on to the main event so he will not win his title back. Kofi will most likely hang on to it since he just one it last Monday. Cena vs. Big Show in a submission match might be the worst match on the card. I can see this match being extremely boring and slow. Cena will win here and maybe move on to face off with Orton. Orton should win his match with Batista in a cage with no problem. Orton is not losing the title any time soon. The hog pen match isn't even worth mentioning. The ECW title match will most likely be the last match for Tommy Dreamer in the WWE. He should have a great last effort. Should be one hell of a match but Christian will most likely hold on to the belt. Overall, the PPV looks solid lets just hope it ends up being solid.

Alex Mattis: Good God another E PPV already!?!?! Ridiculous. Now I know people always have fun with the Extreme Rules PPV with all the gimmicks and whatnot but its pretty much just like LockDown for me, it's overkill with all the gimmicks. Not to mention that this is pretty much the same card as Judgment Day, and that PPV didn't work out too well. I think the Fatal Four Way and IC title match could be some fun, and of course the ladder match will deliver some great bumps but all in all I think you might want to skip this one and save the $40+. Do you really want to say that some of you money went towards a "Hog Pen Match" between Vickie Guerrero and "Santina Marella?"

Zach Brown: Extreme Rules is looking like a surprisingly solid card, with the only drawbacks being a few of the Raw matches. For example, the Miss Wrestlemania match is a complete and utter joke, so go make yourself a sandwich. Big Show vs. Cena won't be that good because their matches haven't been good and neither has their storyline. And Orton vs. Batista isn't going to be good either because Batista hasn't had a good match in probably over a year. Orton losing to Batista at this point would be completely ludicrous. The only good match that Raw has to offer is the Fatal Four Way for the US Title. There isn't a bad wrestler in that match, so it should be solid. But since Kofi literally just won the title, I expect him to retain. But on the other hand, every match from Smackdown and ECW are solid additions to the card. The Triple Threat for the ECW title should be the sleeper hit of the night. And because of Tommy Dreamer's odd heel turn, I honestly can't predict if Christian or Tommy Dreamer will win. But hopefully, it's Christian. Umaga vs. CM Punk should be a great match. But unfortunately, I kind of expect CM Punk to lose again. Mysterio vs. Jericho should be one of the best matches on the card, especially knowing how Mysterio pulled out all the stops in his match against Edge on Smackdown. And finally, for what should be the true main event of the card, Edge vs. Jeff Hardy will be a fantastic match. I don't see Edge losing a ladder match, even against Jeff Hardy, but I see it at least being four stars. All in all, Extreme Rules is kind of a toss-up. It's a pretty solid card all around, but the big question is, will there be even one title change? It's hard to predict. You'll be entertained by the solid card, but I don't expect there to be any sort of Earth-shattering title win that will make you sorry that you missed it.


Topic # 2 How do you feel about Chris Masters signing a new WWE contract?

David Martell: Thank god! WWE needs more steroid abusers. Just kidding of course. This signing was out of left field and I don't really understand why WWE would want this guy back. He wasn't a very good wrestler and he pretty terrible on the mic for the most part. He has a good look but he is obviously, or was obviously, on some hardcore roids. Masters doesn't deserve his spot because there are tons of over guys on the indy circuit that could out shine him any day of the week. My guess is that he will debut on the RAW brand because of the lack of talent, if you can even call Chris Masters talented. If not RAW, it will definitely be ECW. I just hope that we don't have to see another master lock challenge.

Alex Mattis: Hey it's more wrestlers making money and I'm always for that. I thought the only time this guy really started to shine was toward the end of his time in the E and I think it's a good move giving him another chance. I hope this time around he has a different, not so over-done gimmick and comes in with a fresh start. I think the dude has potential and when used in the right role can attract a decent amount of heat. I'm not going to say that I'm "looking forward" to see him back but I'm hoping that he can turn out some good stuff this time around.

Zach Brown: In completely unrelated news, WWE has completely abandoned their wellness policy! Seriously WWE? Chris Masters? Man, WWE just could not find a place for Colt Cabana, could they? Or did WWE seriously release Mr. Kennedy to make room for Chris Masters? I'm not seriously making that argument, but Chris Masters just sucks. He just doesn't have anything redeeming about him. He was terrible in the ring, and he was so roided out that WWE made a joke about it when he lost as much weight as he did. What are the redeeming qualities of Chris Masters? For me, it's just to know what the bottom of the barrel is in WWE. I'm dreading his return to WWE TV. I'll be dreading his matches. I'll be dreading his mic work. I'll be dreading his full nelson finisher. I'll be dreading his lame ring entrance. And I'll eagerly be awaiting the WWE once again wishing him luck in his future endeavors.

Topic # 3 Samoa Joe recently suffered from two injuries; two broken fingers and a torn triceps. How do you think this will affect TNA?

David Martell: This is terrible timing because TNA obviously had big plans for Joe. I read that he might wrestler though the injuries and I think that is a terrible idea. I don't care if you are getting the biggest push in the world, you need to protect yourself. I am guessing he will still play a TV role without actually wrestling since there is a rumored Nation of Violence stable. This is a big blow for TNA and without Joe wrestling, we are going to be missing out on some good wrestling. I almost wish he would stay off of TV so he can get rid of that awful gimmick. Who knows what will happen really but I hope he is able to heal up quickly.

Alex Mattis: I would say that this couldn't have come at a worse time for Joe, with TNA putting interest into his new Nation of Violence character and whatnot, but truth be told I don't really think Joe cares. He has looked unmotivated and burnt out in the past months he has been with TNA. It could just be that he doesn't care or it could be that he is genuinely exhausted. I'm not saying that injuries are a positive but this could be looked at as somewhat of a good thing. This gives him some time off to rest and regroup himself, and this could also give him time to search for motivation and come back to TNA with a newfound enthusiasm. Whatever the case I wish Joe and safe and speedy recovery.

Zach Brown: This is unfortunate, but hopefully it will lead to a return to Samoa Joe's old character. I hate Joe's new look with his face tattoo, his knife, and his whole gimmick of trying to "kill people." The whole Nation of Violence thing is just plain stupid. As I've said before, the only gimmick that Samoa Joe ever needed was his super sick wrestling style. His gimmick now is just one big joke. His character is in no way interesting, I haven't liked his matches lately, and his rumored upcoming stable just sounds awful. Don't get me wrong, I would never wish injuries on any wrestler, especially not Samoa Joe. But bad gimmick or no bad gimmick, I just hope he recovers soon. He is one of TNA's top talents right now, and they can't afford to be without him for very long.

Topic # 4 What are your thoughts on the video where Randy Orton flips out on a Mexican television show. Do you think this is all a work or is WWE trying to cover it up as a work?



David Martell: This is why Orton is great. I don't care if this is real or fake, either way, he plays his character perfectly. I honestly think that Randy Orton is actually like this. He might even be the biggest douche bag in the world but by god is he entertaining. I honestly don't think this is a work because he was acting like a normal person when the interview started and once the guy hit on a topic personal to Orton, he just burst. Of course WWE is in the right mind saying that it is a work because I know that there are people out there who will see this as bad publicity and to an extent, I guess it kind of is. Orton is one of the few things I actually watch RAW for and even though he is in a horrendous storyline, he always seems to entertain. His promos are usually good if not great every time. Overall, Orton is gold.

Alex Mattis: Awesome, that's what I think about this little diddy. I watched it several times back-to-back and thought it was just a riot. That dumbass reporter got exactly what he deserved. Love or hate Orton, no wrestler needs some prick reporter talking shit like that. Now onto the real question, was it a work? No. Orton seemed legit pissed ala Vader on that Kuwait show years back. I think the E, like they have done in the past with situations like this, wants the general public to think it was "all part of the show." From where I'm sitting I think what Orton did and said was honest and justifiable so. Bravo Randall.

Zach Brown: I found this video absolutely hilarious and pretty bad ass to be quite honest. That guy lives his character to a T. Randy had every right to go off on this reporter for calling him fragile. What kind of reporter would ask a question like that to a guy that is so physically threatening. I honestly don't care if it was a work or not. However, even if it was a work, I don't believe that this incident was pre-planned. WWE is coming out and saying this was a work, but I think it happened in one of two ways. Either Randy heard the question and legitimately got pissed, or Randy heard the question and decided to respond in a way that fits his character. Overall, I don't know how anyone could see this video and not be an instant Randy Orton fan. Sure, Randy came off like an asshole. But it was pretty awesome. Guys like Cena or Batista would probably just laugh it off or leave altogether. Randy made it extremely entertaining, and that's what I liked about this video.

Topic # 5 Jeff Hardy recently stated that he is most likely going to sign a new contract with the WWE. How do you feel about this?

David Martell: With all the rumors going around about this, it seemed like Hardy was on his way out. Although I have never been a big fan of Hardy, he has impressed me lately. His match he had with Edge on Smack down a few weeks back was damn good and I am sure his ladder match this Sunday will steal the show. The only major problem I have with Jeff Hardy at the moment is the fact that he always ruins his promos. Just listen to every sentence he gives. He always emphasizes on the last word of every sentence and it just makes him sound silly. I guess that's just me being picky but oh well. I hope that with this new found contract, Hardy will be able to get even better and I wouldn't be surprised if he wins another World Title down the road.

Alex Mattis: Didn't really know this was a point of much discussion. I know Jeff was pouting awhile back and acting like he wasn't going to resign but I think we all knew he would end up sticking with the E. And honestly where else in this country could Jeff go for serious work? He shot himself in the foot over in TNA, and if you saw what happened with him in Ring Of Honor you would know that it's safe to assume he wouldn't be going back anytime soon. Yes, Jeff will stick with the E because their fans buy into him for some reason and the E loves to put him over. I'd say he'll be sticking around the company for at least another 5 years.

Zach Brown: I'm a little surprised by this news because I'm not totally sure how WWE got Jeff Hardy to compromise on wanting a large chunk of time off. But all in all, I'm glad Jeff is thinking about re-signing. I'm not a huge fan of his, but I wouldn't really mind Jeff having another run with the World Heavyweight Title. And I think that Jeff possibly re-signing could definitely be an indication that WWE may give him another title run. I mean if Jeff didn't re-sign with WWE, where would he end up? Would he go to TNA? Would he have concentrated on painting? Or maybe that band of his? Peroxywhatever? Any choice for Jeff besides re-signing just wouldn't be the right decision right now. He's at the peak of his career, and he's hugely over. He should keep going while the going's good, and I'm glad that he's leaning towards staying in WWE.



Superstar Highlight

The Rock


Our thoughts on The Rock.

David Martell: The Rock has always been one of my all time favorites and I always wish to see him wrestle just one more time. I know that will never happen but I miss his presence in wrestling. The Rock gave us a lot of great matches and a lot of great memories. I will always remember his great feuds with Mankind and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Wrestling was so great back then. I know that he is a big movie star now but I don't understand why he cant make an appearance every once in a while. Hell, once a year would be fine with me. I also find it funny how he is trying so hard to get rid of the name Rock. He will never be able to get rid of that moniker. I was watching TMZ the other day on TV and they still called him The Rock. I hope that his movie career starts looking up because right now he just looks like a Disney whore. I would like to see him in more serious roles but maybe he just likes playing goofy characters in kid movies. One thing is for certain, The Rock will always be one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

Alex Mattis: This is weird. I haven't talked about The Crock in a wrestling conversation in quite some time. What can be said about The Rock really? He's one of the absolute greatest the business has ever seen. In the ring, on the mic, wherever. He was the man. He put on so many great matches, including one of my all time personal favorites (against Austin at ‘Mania XIX) and left his mark on the industry. Now what differs my view on the Rock from many is that I'm not bitter towards him for wanting more with his life. As a fan of his I'm happy that he has been able to make himself into a legit celebrity and doing something that he enjoys, unlike John Cena who holds some petty, bitter, jealously toward The Rock for being what he never could be. The Rock never "used" wrestling, he never "turned his back" on wrestling, he bowed out graciously and hasn't said about bad thing about it since. I would love to see ol' Jericho Cane back in a wrestling ring, but for the time being I glad he's doing what he wants to do.

Zach Brown: I can safely say that The Rock is my favorite wrestler of all time. The Rock is what drew me in to the world of professional wrestling. When I saw The Rock for the first time, I saw a guy that was hilarious, charismatic, and talented in the ring. And I just had to see more. When The Rock came on the scene, there had never been a guy like him on the mic, and I still don't think there has been anyone like him on the mic since then. Randy Orton is great on the mic, but for great heelish reasons, and Mr. Kennedy showed promise, but ultimately, neither of them stood up to the level of talent that The Rock had. Nowadays, hardly anyone in WWE gives me anywhere near the level of goosebumps that I used to get when The Rock stood on that turnbuckle and put his fist in the air. I even get chills when I watch his old DVDs. The only other wrestler that ever came close for me was Stone Cold Steve Austin. But even comparing Austin and Rock are like comparing George Washington with Abraham Lincoln. Maybe that's kind of overboard, but they are both that awesome. And there was rarely a match that The Rock had that I didn't like. I won't mention which ones are my favorites because nearly all of them are my favorites. The only thing that sucks is that Rock obviously left WWE to have a movie career. But I haven't really cared for many of "Dwayne Johnson's" movies. It seems like the guy has real potential to be a huge star, but he just hasn't landed the right roles in my opinion. Sometimes I get frustrated with Rock's choices of movies, so I just think, "Your movie career failed! Now come back to wrestling!" Of course, I know he'll never come back at this point. It just sucks. So now we must learn to call him Dwayne Johnson. I know he's not The Rock anymore, but I hated when he did that USA commercial saying, "Hey Raw fans. DJ here." It just felt like a slap in the face. All in all, The Rock remains my favorite wrestler of all time, but I'm still a little sour about him leaving WWE to pursue a movie career that has been mediocre at best.



That is all we got for this week. Feel free to comment at the bottom of the page and have a great week in wrestling. CYA!