The Triple Threat 7.05.09: 147th Edition - News ECW Stars, The Bash, Edge Injured, More

Posted by David Martell on 07.05.2009

This week we talk about the ECW Superstar Initiative, the 15 man roster trade made by Donald Trump, the title changes at The Bash, Edge being severely injured, and who we think should be the RAW GM for a day. X-Pac is our superstar highlight. Please Enjoy!












Topic # 1 The ECW Superstar Initiative is back in full swing. What are your thoughts on the new wrestlers who made their debut on this past week?

David Martell: How I love ECW. I love how WWE made it the developmental show and so far it has worked to perfection. Lets not forget that CM Punk started in ECW and now he is the two time World champion. Basically, if you are good and you can get over with the crowd, you make it on ECW. If not, you will bite the dust, ask Gavin Spears. The new ECW guys were a mixed bag for me. Sheamus impressed me the most because he has a good look and as far as I can tell he was pretty decent in the ring. I can see this guy getting over pretty will with just his size. That back breaker he did was pretty sick as well. Yoshi Tatsu is another guy who I thought looked promising. It is good to see the WWE reaching out to different parts of the World to get talent. I can only hope he is a good wrestler. I did not like Abraham Washington's segment. It was way to long and the crowd just didn't care. I didn't care. I watched some of his FCW stuff and he is not a bad talker, I just think who ever put this segment together didn't know what they were doing. Just an awful start for the guy but I will give him another chance. Just a bad first impression. Tyler Reks was just, how you say, generic. He was a big dude with limited ability. He really reminded me of Ricky Ortiz and that isn't a good thing. If I read right, this guy has only been a professional wrestler since 2007 so he is very green. I just see the guy getting lost in the shuffle but you never know.

Alex Mattis: I love that they are now treating ECW for what it truly is, the developmental "make or break" show and this "Superstar Initiative" I believe really brings a new intrigue to the show. It gives the "ECW" brand a sense of "what or who new could we see tonight?" Also it gives you a new show each week, for better or for worse. Some dudes could use this opportunity to get their foot in the door and make an immediate impact because as we've seen in the past a wrestler can get himself way over with one great performance. This is similar to way TNA had during the FSN days and I totally loved that so I'm looking forward to what this "Superstar Initiative" could do to the "ECW" brand.

Zach Brown: I am a big fan of the new additions to ECW. I'm glad this is happening because for a while, it felt like WWE forgot about ECW being the brand to introduce new talent. So let's break down the talent here. Abraham Washington's segment wasn't all that great. He seemed like an alright talker, but I of course need to see him in the ring to make an accurate judgment. And as weird as it sounds, I was more interested in what the Bella twins were saying instead of Abraham. Tyler Reks had a nice little segment with Zack Ryder, and their match on Superstars was alright. But I came off much more impressed with Zack Ryder in both segments. But just like Abraham, it's too early to tell with Tyler. Yoshi Tatsu's segment would have been worth my time if he had actually had a match with Shelton. But I can't wait to see what he can actually do. Also, I hope Yoshi knows at least some English to help him get over. And lastly, Sheamus was easily the most impressive. A pretty stiff bicycle kick that seemed more like a big boot than anything else, and a sick ass backbreaker are more than enough to get me on board. Poor Oliver John. Sheamus looks stiff as hell, but I'm not a huge fan of his look since he looks like an Irish Tim Sylvia. All in all, it's mainly impressive to see WWE continue to introduce fresh young stars, and I can't wait to see what these guys do next.

Topic # 2 Donald Trump set up a 15 man trade between the three WWE rosters before he got "fired" by Vince McMahon. What are your thoughts about the roster changes?

David Martell: I am only going to talk about the trades that I care about because lets face it, some of the trades were useless. I absolutely LOVE that Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne are now on RAW. RAW has been pretty awful the past few months and by adding these guys, it gives the show a big entertainment boost. I would much rather see them on Smackdown because I could see Swagger getting a world title shot over there but I will enjoy what I got. I am also pretty excited to see the Hart Dynasty and Finlay on Smackdown. Having any tag team on ECW was pretty much useless so its good to see them on the blue brand where they could actually have a feuds with real tag teams. Finlay has always been an interesting guy to add to any title picture and having him on Smackdown is a big plus. Not to mention, he could work with the likes of Ziggler and R-Truth to make them better in ring performers. Lets not forget that Matt Hardy was also moved to Smackdown which is great in my eyes. He might actually be moved into the main event if we are lucky, he just needs to get over that injury. William Regal and Shelton both got moved to ECW and I think this was good for both of them. They both need to be freshened up and ECW is a great place to reestablish your career. Not to mention, Regal is a great asset as he can help the new guys hone their skills.

Alex Mattis: Man, the E has really been trying to "shake things up" lately haven't they? Well they have made some interesting moves that could really change the faces of the brands. The E is obviously intent on getting Jack Swagger over as a top player and his move to Raw can only increase the chances of this. The most interesting moves of this trade came with Willy Reg to ECW and The New Hart Foundation to SmackDown. I knew the New Hart Foundation was too big for "ECW" so this move to SmackDown could be great for the brand that has always had the strongest tag division. Willy Reg to "ECW" just promises some interesting matches. Regal-Christian, Regal-Dreamer, Regal-Shelton, Regal-anything really.

Zach Brown: First, let me just say that I find it absolutely comical that a storyline like Trump owning a single brand of WWE can institute a random superstar trade across all three brands, including trades that have nothing to do with Raw. But hey, it's wrestling. We should all be able to suspend our disbelief, right? Anyway, this trade had its highs and lows. First of all, I'm a big fan of Swagger moving to Raw, and an even bigger fan of Swagger's debut. That handshake with Randy was simply badass. Evan Bourne is also a great addition because that's a guy who is simply destined for great things. He has a style that can speak to all types of wrestling fans, and it's exciting to see him on the A show. However, Mark Henry belonged on the brand that gets the least exposure. Hell, I'd put him in FCW if I were Vince. This move was absolutely puzzling to me, and his clean pin on Randy was even worse. Was Randy exhausted at the end of a three man gauntlet (which was technically a two man gauntlet)? Sure. Does Mark Henry deserve the rub? Dear God no. And did someone get some lamebrain idea that this is the year that Mark Henry gets over? It's just a confusing move through and through. What makes sense however is the Hart Dynasty moving to Smackdown. For a stable with that name, these guys need more exposure. So I'm glad they're headed for a bigger stage. William Regal is also a great addition to ECW because, like Finlay, he can bring some great veteran skill to test the young blood. And if he had a run with the ECW title, I wouldn't mind that either. Shelton Benjamin is also a great acquisition for ECW because he just wasn't getting over on the other brands, and he's as talented a wrestler as they come. All in all, every brand made out with some great additions, with the exception of Mark Henry. But hey, if he's not fired, I guess the big guy has to go somewhere.

Topic # 3 What are your thoughts about the title changes at The Bash?

David Martell: I am pretty sure that most people saw that Rey was going to win the IC title back and boy did he win in a big way. They had by far one of the best matches of the year and who ever is booking Smackdown is making the IC title look like a World Title. Sad to say but right now I am more interesting in the IC title picture instead of the WWE title picture. I will say this, I use to think Rey was terrible but this year he has showed me that he can go with anyone. He has looked great almost the entire year and I don't see him stopping. It is like he realized he loved wrestling all over again. For the first time ever, I can say that I am a Rey Mysterio fan. Although I didn't like seeing Jericho lose the IC strap, I am happy that in a shocker, he won the tag belts with Edge. No one knew that was coming and it certainly made the tag belts seem more important after they won. It was a good move by WWE because now they can have both Edge and Jericho on both shows. This makes RAW a lot more interesting and it almost guarantees good tag matches every week. On a lesser note, I really didn't care for McCool winning the women's title. The women's division on Smackdown is pretty awful but luckily they added Natalya. For the most part, I really enjoyed the title changed and I think they made the right decisions.

Alex Mattis: Things really got shook up at The Bash and I think a lot of it is for the better. In what was a great match, Rey Rey got the IC title back which really surprised me and I think he could make a go of this run. The E blew everyone's gourds with the pairing of Edge and Jeri and gave them the tag straps leaving fans with their jaw's dropped, it's unfortunate that things won't pan out the way they could have but more on that in a bit. My fav E women's wrestler Michelle McCool snatched the Women's title in a solid match, and with how much she is constantly improving I think she could bring a lot to the women's division as the champ. Some interesting developments and with Dreamer, Orton, and Punk (via delicious heel tactics) retaining I think the E painted a pretty good title picture.

Zach Brown: Well I have to say, everything involving Jericho at The Bash was pretty shocking. First of all, I didn't expect Jericho to lose the IC title because I thought he was making the IC title look incredibly strong. And as unbelievable as it would be that Rey could be unmasked again, I was prepared to be shocked because I just didn't see Jericho losing. So at first I was disappointed to see Jericho lose. Their match was pretty incredible, but I was still shocked to see Rey with the title again. And then Jericho redeemed himself and made me forget all about losing to Rey. Teaming with Edge at the last minute was such a great booking decision. Granted, part of me was ready to see Rhodes and DiBiase nab the unified tag titles, but you just can't be disappointed with Edge and Jericho teaming up to win the titles. I mean two of the best that the WWE has to offer in one super team? Honestly, I think this team could be the resurgence of tag teams in the WWE. Or at least it could have been…

Topic # 4 Edge recently suffered an ankle injury at a house show and could be out of action for several months. How do you feel about this situation?

David Martell: This is a terrible blow to the Smackdown roster. Edge has been on a hot streak lately and he is by far one of the best heels in the WWE. The whole storyline with Edge and Jericho holding the tag belts is ruined and it makes me sad. I was really hoping that Edge and Jericho would bring back the tag division by giving us great tag matches every week. They already have been doing this for the past few weeks and they made the Colons look like a million bucks on RAW. The only good that I can see coming out of this is that someone else will have to fill in his spot in the main event. That person will most likely be John Morrison and I can't complain with that. John Morrison is on the rise and this could be his big break to the main event. Overall, it is a big lost to the WWE and I hope that Edge will have a speedy recovery.

Alex Mattis: You know, I may have my opinions about Edge but I would never want a pro wrestler to get injured and I think this really, for lack of a better term, sucks for him. Much like Matt Hardy, whom we recently talked about, it seems like Edge has bad luck on his side and seems to get bad injuries at the worst of time. I thought this tag title win with Jeri was going to be great for him and that they were really going to make the tag straps mean something again and become a huge heel tag team, but this injury just throws a wrench into everything. While this injury came at a horrible time I think the E could make a best case scenario out of it. Edge could pick a replacement for him for the tag belt and could stay as an on-air character constantly racking up the heat to the point where people just want him to be healed so he can get his ass kicked. But it remains to be seen what exactly is going to be made of this.

Zach Brown: This is incredibly disappointing to me. Edge has been on a roll lately. Sure, it seemed like WWE didn't have a place for Edge after constantly taking the pins in the World Heavyweight Title picture. But WWE obviously did have plans for the guy in a team with Chris Jericho. Like I said in the previous topic, I felt like this team could have been a major resurgence in tag team wrestling in the WWE. The things that Edge and Jericho could have done for the tag title picture could have been absolutely epic. And after a long, dominant run, can you imagine the rub they could have given to Legacy, the Hart Dynasty, or the Colon Brothers? And then Edge gets derailed. Tearing your Achilles tendon just sounds horrific. I hope Edge heals fast and gets back on the horse soon because he was doing some great things lately, and it just ended up being an unfortunate missed opportunity.


Topic # 5 Who would you want to be GM for a day on RAW?

David Martell: If I could choose someone to be GM of RAW for just one day I would have to choose the Macho Man Randy Savage. Think of all the awesome promos he would cut and the interactions with wrestlers such as John Cena, Triple H, and Randy Orton. Hell, if he interacts with anyone it would be simply awesome. It would be one of the most entertaining RAWs in a long, long time. We might could even witness one more elbow from the to rope. It would be glorious. Of course it will never happen and I will just have to see this in my dreams. Please Vince bring back Macho Madness for one day!

Alex Mattis: The King. Why not? You'd get some entertaining promos, whacky match-ups, and of course some hot woman-on-woman action as only Jerry Lawler could provide. You know it seems like everyone has had their chance to be GM for a night some why not someone like The King? It would just provide a fun night of Raw. Another possibility would be the Big Show. Same thing: fun promos, whacky match-ups, etc. Plus I think Show just loves wearing suits on TV. Whoever it may be I always think its fun to have the "Fill-In GM for the Night."

Zach Brown: Well in an ideal world, I'd love to see The Rock come back and be the GM of Raw for a day. Would it ever happen? Hell no. But a guy can dream, can't he? In the real world, I might be interested in Edge being the GM now that he's injured, and Shawn Michaels would be interesting as well. Ted DiBiase Sr is a good choice for next week. And if they are considering legends, I wouldn't mind seeing Dusty Rhodes or Ric Flair. The whole celebrity thing is a little farfetched because I think they are going to keep the GM spot for people within the WWE. If WWE did get celebrities, it would be slightly disappointing to me. I wouldn't expect any really popular celebrities. If they did get someone considered to be a celebrity, I would expect people that have sold their souls to reality tv, MTV/VH1 and the like such as MC Hammer, Ozzy Osbourne, William Shatner, Mr. T, Verne Troyer, Flavor Flav, Bret Michaels, and so on. All in all, I'm indifferent to this whole guest GM thing going on because I just want to know who the next full time GM will be.



Superstar Highlight
X-Pac


Our thoughts on X-Pac.

David Martell: Your dealing with the X-Factor! If you haven't heard the X-Factor theme music you need to, it is epic. Anyways, X-Pac has been really hit or miss over the years. The guy is a very talented wrestler and he really had what it takes to be a superstar but he really made some bad life decisions. When I was a kid I was always cheering for the 123 Kid. He really had some great matches with Razor Ramon. When he became a part of DX, it was classic. My absolute favorite part of his career was when he was tag teaming with Kane. Sometimes throwing two guys together to make a tag team can be great and this time it worked to perfection. Both men were a total mismatch but everyone loved it. Kane being a face was fresh and fun. X-Pac really brought out the charisma in Kane. It sucks to see where his career has went. If he lived his life straight and narrow he probably would still be in the WWE today. Once again, he was a great wrestler, just made some awful life decisions.

Alex Mattis: It is so unfortunate that Pac has ruined his image over the past few years because he really was one of the US's premier wrestlers in the 90's. The "123 Kid" is one of the wrestlers that helped usher in the "New Generation" in the WWF. In particular the matches he had with Bret and Owen Hart in '93 and '94 really set a new standard in the WWF and proved that a new generation and style of wrestling had arrived in a post-Hogan WWF. Even from there when he went to WCW he had some fantastic matches there against their top cruiserweights. From there his move back to the WWF where he became a member of one of the most important factions in the company's history: D-Generation X. X-Pac was a star in the top professional wrestling company in the world during the peak of their success. During this time he was having great match with The Rock, Jeff Jarrett, his matches with D-Lo Brown blew my mind at the time. Even more recently during his run in TNA he has tremendous matches with Raven, AJ Styles, and Jerry Lynn that really went unappreciated. It's true that his drama in and out of the ring have spoiled his reputation but realistically speaking his contributions to the business and the star power he once had should not be forgotten.

Zach Brown: I guess that deep down, I knew we had to talk about X Pac at some point. Never liked him, and I never will. Simple as that. One time I was at an indy wrestling show when I asked a guy in front of me who his all time favorite wrestler was. My entire group roared with laughter when he responded, "I know everyone hates him, but bro…X Pac. F***in' Syxx Pac…" I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but laugh. Maybe you're top ten wrestlers, but your all time favorite? I know everyone has their own opinions and all, but I just could not see what all the hype was with X Pac. I don't deny that the guy has had good matches, but if I don't like a wrestler's personality, look, gimmick, and so on, it's hard to look past that. DX was great, and I understand why people dug him in it, but X-Pac was always my least favorite member. For some reason, I always found X-Pac very similar to Rhyno in my complete lack of understanding as to why he was even popular. And after DX split, it seemed that X-Pac quickly escalated into joke status. X-Factor was a complete joke of a stable to say the least. And after he was released from WWE, he spent time in XPW, TNA, and Wrestling Society X. Joke, Joke and double Joke. Oh and of course he made that tape with that dude Chyna, and then made a complete ass of himself on The Surreal Life. Maybe I've offended some hardcore X-Pac fans, and if I have, I do apologize. If you like the guy, don't let me sway your opinion of him. I've just never dug him as a wrestler, and I can't mention him in conversation without laughing.


That is it for this week. Please feel free to comment at the bottom of the page and have a great week in wrestling! CYA!