The Triple Threat 09.13.09: 156th Edition

Posted by David Martell on 09.13.2009

This week we preview WWE's Breaking Point, talk about TNA possibly cutting the amount of PPVs they have a year, the possibility of Mr. Kennedy going to TNA, Batista's career altering announcement, and WWE's new TLC PPV. DX is our superstar highlight. Please enjoy!




Topic # 1 WWE‘s Breaking Point is this Sunday. What are your thoughts on the card?

David Martell: We are finally getting to the first new gimmick PPV of the year. Breaking Point seems to have an ok card but for me its only built for one match. Let me break down the PPV. Khali vs. Kane in a Singapore Cane Match should be about as bad as it sounds. This is probably the worst feud going on right now in the WWE and something that I put a pass on. Thank God for DVR because I always fast forward when Kane is on the screen. Khali will win. Kofi Kingston vs. The Miz for the US Title should be good if given time. I guess the WWE felt bad that the US title hasn't been showcased in awhile so they took off the IC title bout and gave of this one instead. Although it could be a good match, I much rather see Morrison vs. Ziggler. I see the Miz winning the belt here because we all know Kofi hasn't done anything with it in the past few months, not that its his fault. I am not too excited about the match between JeriShow and MVP and Mark Henry for the tag straps. Sometimes randomly built tag teams are fun and sometimes there not. I don't really care for MVP and Henry being a team because we all know it is just a ploy to have MVP on the card. I doubt their tag team will even be around after Breaking Point. JeriShow will get the victory. Christian vs. Regal for the ECW Title should be good if given the right amount of time. I see Regal getting it here since it seems that they are building up Regal's stable. Not to mention that the faces on ECW have held the strap since the last time Swagger was champ. DX vs. Legacy in a submissions count anywhere match reminds me of an attitude era hardcore match. I am sure we will see them going all throughout the building using random weapons and what not. DX will probably win and once again will disappoint me. Randy Orton vs. John Cena in an I Quit match for the WWE title should be good. The Rock vs. Mankind in an I Quit match back in the day was one of my all time favorite matches. This is obviously not as big of a deal as Rock vs. Mankind but it could be something special. Randy Orton really has the odds stacked against him here but I have a feeling that he will pull though once again. The one match that is making this card worth buying is CM Punk vs. The Undertaker in a submission match for the World Title. In some cases this is a dream match and it is something that I HAVE to see. I really think CM Punk is going to win here and become the first person to beat the Undertaker by submission. Kurt Angle made him tap but it was a draw. CM Punk is going to win. CM Punk is on a hot streak and it would be a terrible loss if they ended it now. Undertaker will probably win at HIAC but this is a much needed win for CM Punk if they want to further cement him as the face of Smackdown. The PPV looks to be ok but CM Punk vs. Taker is worth the buy alone.

Alex Mattis: Ironic that the UFC PPV titled "Breaking Point" was the one marketed as "THE UFC DEBUT OF WWE SUPERSTAR BROCK LESNAR!!!". Just saying. Moving on... this PPV should prove to be interesting. No one in the E has had a real submission game for awhile so I'm curious as to how this event is going to play out. Taker using the gogo, HBK & HHH using the crossface, and Punk busting out the Anaconda Vice once again should be expected. Of course this event is in Montreal so it should be noted that a Sharpshooter will be broken out... unfortunately Shawn will probably be the one to do it. As for prediction... I don't see Punk losing yet, DX ain't about to lose to Priceless, Orton will retain via HEEL TACTICS!!!, Jeri-show, Kane, and for the title change for the night look to Willy Reg.

Zach Brown: Well, the first of WWE's new PPV concepts is finally here. As skeptical as I've been about this concept, the card isn't all that bad. First of all, where on God's green earth is Morrison vs. Ziggler? That match can help sell PPVs. So two of the best up and comers in the company don't have a match, but we have to sit through Kane vs. Khali!? Utterly ridiculous. At least it's a Singapore Cane match, or else it would be absolutely un-watchable. Hell, it still might be. Christian vs. Regal is...the match we should have gotten last month. Crazy huh? I don't expect this lasting longer than ten minutes, and I think it's very possible that Regal will get the win here with help from Koslov and Big Zeke. DX vs. Legacy should be pretty entertaining. If they give it their all like they did at Summerslam, we'll have a good match on our hands. I just hope they keep it in or around the ring because I hate it when it goes backstage. I expect either Shawn to win by crossface or Legacy to win in surprising fashion. On a side note, HHH scoring a submission would be ludicrous. The sharpshooter he locked in on Raw was probably the worst sharpshooter I've ever seen in my life. As for JeriShow vs. MVP and Mark Henry, this one is a no brainer. Mark Henry and MVP were just thrown together and they have no chemistry. I expect JeriShow to plow right through them. As for Punk vs. Taker, I really want this to be the main event but I doubt it will be the case. I think Punk will win clean here. I really don't think WWE would de-rail Punk just to put the belt on Taker. If they did, it would be an awful idea. Taker doesn't need the belt, and I doubt that he would want to go over Punk, even on his come back match. Yes, Punk winning would be shocking, but I think it will happen. Either way, it's a difficult match to predict. And for the I Quit match, Cena vs. Orton should pull out all the stops. I may be in the minority, but I was actually liking their match at Summerslam before all of the screwball finishes. I predict Super Cena to win this one. The guy has rarely tapped out in his entire career, let alone said "I Quit." Besides, it's kind of in Orton's character to quit anyway. If Orton won, I would be shocked. Shocked but happy. All in all, Breaking Point looks to be a solid show, and it will probably prove if WWE knows what they are doing with these cockamamie PPV concepts.

Topic # 2 There is a possibility that TNA may be cutting the number of PPVs they have each year. How do you feel about this?

David Martell: This would be a great move by TNA if this happened. This would give them plenty of time to build solid feuds and it would make the PPVs more must see. It would make impact more entertaining because they wouldn't have to rush everything onto the show at once. To be honest though, having 12 PPVs a year isn't their biggest problem. It is only a piece of it. They still need to work on building more new stars and to cut down their roster. TNA has so much talent but half of them are never used. Cutting the PPV numbers is only treating a symptom. It will take a lot of time for TNA to get back on track.

Alex Mattis: I've been preaching this since Victory Road '04, TNA is in no place to be running 12 PPV's per month, it costs them more money than they should be spending and it doesn't give their stories time to develop. My general opinion is that any wrestling companies that run PPV's should not run more than six, just saying. This would give TNA more money to use elsewhere and also make their PPV's much more interesting... both of which is exactly what they need right now.

Zach Brown: Hopefully, TNA is cutting the number of their PPVs down to zero. And then hopefully going out of business. Totally kidding. So basically, cutting the number of PPVs down gives the company more time to build feuds. But here's the thing: if TNA had good writing on their programs, I would care about this news. But since I haven't found TNA storylines to be entertaining since about a year and a half ago, I really don't care whatsoever. It would be like, "Great, now TNA has 5 weeks to build to the PPV! Now I get to watch TNA draw out these terrible feuds and storylines even more than they already have been." Honestly, I don't care if a company has 4 PPVs a year or 24 PPVs a year. A bad program is a bad program. As long as the storylines and match quality are there, it's a PPV that I will consider buying. But all this news means to me is that now I have less opportunities to NOT buy a TNA PPV. Maybe they're doing it to save money or whatever else. But the number of PPVs is not the problem in my eyes.

Topic # 3 Now that Mr. Kennedy‘s no compete clause is up, do you think he will go to TNA?

David Martell: Most likely. He is a notable name and TNA will take anyone who has star power. I also think this might be a good move for Kennedy. He really needs to reestablish himself and prove to us all that he can be a professional wrestler. If he comes in to TNA and gets injured in a few weeks then he doesn't belong in the business. I personally hope for the best because I have enjoyed his work in the past. He has been riddled with injury and bad circumstances throughout his short career and this could be a boost of self esteem. If he does decide to go to TNA, I am sure he will be shot up instantly to the main event scene. Who knows, maybe he will win his first world title before the year is out. I find it funny that both him and Lashley are both in TNA because they both got into the business at around the same time.

Alex Mattis: Well, I suppose this was bound to happen. The difference between the addition of Kennedy to TNA than their past few acquisitions is that Kennedy can actually offer something to the product rather than just take up more air-time and push down more of their homegrown talent. I'm not sure what Ken can bring/offer to TNA but I am sure interested. I don't think Kennedy has scratched the surface of what he can do in pro wrestling and I think he does deserve another chance. Just keep that "glassman" status on the down low and we'll be in business.

Zach Brown: I think Kennedy going to TNA is a complete no-brainer. I think one of two things will happen here. Either Ken goes to TNA and gets lost in the shuffle, or he has a run in TNA very similar to Christian's role in the company. He gets over fast, goes to the main event, and stays for around two years until he thinks WWE has realized that he's worth more now than he was in the past. I honestly don't think Kennedy is meant for TNA. I think he's meant for WWE. Maybe his most recent run just wasn't his time. After all, it was marred with suspensions and injuries, and he just never got the opportunity to hit his stride. If Kennedy gets a push, he can become a star in TNA. But I would expect it to only be a stepping stone to be honest. And there really is no other viable option for Kennedy. If he ended up in ROH, that just wouldn't be smart in my opinion.

Topic # 4 What do you think Batista‘s "career altering announcement" is going to be?

David Martell: I will pray on Monday night before RAW that Batista will retire. Although I know that wont happen, it is something I can hope for. The guys is injury prone beyond belief and anyone who thinks he hasn't taken steroids has obviously never taken a basic health class in high school. Batista is not natural. If Jeff Hardy has a house full of roids in his house than Batista has ten times that amount in his body. I still only believe that Batista has only done one great thing in his career and that was turning on Triple H during Evolution. After that incident, Batista's career has devolved and it is something that I don't care to remember. I believe Batista will be the last of the chemically altered big men to be a world champion. In this day and age you don't have to be 300 pounds and 6 foot 6 to be a world champion. Hate me for my words but that is how I feel about Batista. Let the trash talk commence.

Alex Mattis: Could it be that big Dave is going to start counseling cancer-ridden wives back to cooking dinner and putting out? Or is he just writing the book on it? Who knows what Batista is going to have to say; hopefully he'll be announcing his retirement from something that he did little in. Batista will more than likely announce that he is dropping to welterweight... or that he is done in the E. While Batista won't really make a mark in the history of this brand of entertainment he still worked his tail off and still needs some props for it. Of course he could just be saying that he's just getting started so who knows...

Zach Brown: Unfortunately for the betterment of planet Earth, I don't think Batista will be announcing his retirement. On every ad for Raw, they make sure to say "career altering announcement." I think this means he will most likely still have a career after the announcement. If he does end up retiring, I expect him to say something along the lines of, "Well since this is the 14th time I've torn a muscle, I think I'll go ahead and retire. I mean I am a walking steroid and all." Yes, there's more of my "unjustified" accusations of Batista using performance enhancing drugs. Innocent until proven guilty, right? Never gotten busted for wellness, right? Isn't that the usual defense for Batista? Well saying Batista is innocent is like saying OJ was innocent. But hey, it's only my opinion on the matter. But enough about me saying Batista using steroids and the like. Look at it this way: is it good for the business when a stale, boring, wrestler who is all entrance and nothing in the ring with zero mic skills retires from wrestling? I happen to think so.

Topic # 5 WWE has now made their December PPV TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs. Your thoughts?

David Martell: I was quite disappointed with this decision because not only did I want to have a one night tournament PPV, this ruins the special type of match that it is. There have only been a handful of TLC matches and having more than one on a PPV is overkill. I love the TLC match but it should continue to be something special that ends feuds. The same fate happened to the Hell in a Cell match as well. Now I don't blame WWE on making PPVs that have themes because in a technical sense it's a smart idea. When people are guaranteed a TLC match, people will buy it. People pay for the Royal Rumble to see the rumble match and people pay to see No Way Out to see the elimination chamber. All of these gimmick PPVs are intended to get more buys. Will it work? Who knows. The fans of today are a lot different than the fans of the past and this might be something they go for. The PPV is intriguing but it does kill the special feel of the TLC match.

Alex Mattis: Can anyone say overkill? Seriously, why does the E feel the need to turn this gimmick into a full PPV? Especially when only two of the original players are involved... it just doesn't seem like the E can believable market eight to nine matches that necessitate "TLC" stipulations. I should be interesting how it goes, but as someone who thought TNA was overdoing it with one PPV that featured a gimmick match I totally think the E is way overkilling with three PPV's that highlight an overused gimmick match. It's something to tune into but in the long run, how much will the TLC match mean after this?

Zach Brown: Out of all of the recent PPV concepts that the WWE has put forth, I think this is one of the worst ones. TLC matches are cool to have once every 6 to 8 months or so. To have maybe 2 or 3 in one night is completely pushing it. I like it when TLC matches happen because wrestlers are normally at the point in their feuds where they absolutely despise their opponent, and will do whatever it takes to win. To just have TLC matches for the heck of it is just silly. I think WWE looked at the success of the most recent Punk vs Hardy TLC match and thought they should run with it. But the reason that their TLC match worked was because the feud was there. Also, Jeff Hardy does TLC matches like pretty much no one else does. Will the PPV sell? Most likely. But I doubt that they can make every TLC match be worthwhile and not get tiresome.



Superstar Highlight

DX


Our thoughts on DX.

David Martell: I must say that I am not very happy with this current DX reunion and I wasn't happy with the one before it either. I will be honest, I do like their little backstage segments from time to time but I have a feeling they will never actually lose. If they want to put over the Legacy as an actual threat, they have to lay down on the mat for them. If not, we are going to see exactly what we got last time, DX jobbing everyone out. That is not something I look forward to. It really sucks that HBK had to come back this way because he could have been a breath of fresh air in the main event. He could of came back and feuded with an up and comer talent like Jack Swagger. I know HBK is willing to put people over. Triple H, on the other hand, could be doing the exact same thing, putting over up and coming talent. Breaking Point will give us a good idea to where DX is heading.

Alex Mattis: Well this depends on what "DX" we're referring to... there is the original DX that broke many barriers, the DX that helped pro wrestling exceed to another level in the biggest period of the industry, or are we talking about the DX that is just a nostalgic attempt at making a ton of money off of merch. Either way it's always fun to see the neon green and black back on TV. I was in love with the original three-piece DX, worshiped the real DX in '98, and have always enjoyed what Trips and Shawn have busted out so all-in-all I have always enjoyed what DX has contributed to wrestling. While I'm kinda "eh" toward their future... I will never view them as a bad thing.

Zach Brown: I assume we're talking about the recent DX and not the classic version. Ever since they've reformed, I have never liked the "New and Improved" DX. Back when they first reformed, all they did was bury the Spirit Squad. Later, they buried Rated RKO week after week. Nowadays, they bury Legacy. See a trend here? DX has done nothing worthwhile since their return. They've sold merchandise, but I haven't found them all that entertaining in the ring. Their backstage segments are often funny though. The constant shilling is hilarious, and I loved watching their segments around Christmas time. Also, their bit on the Shockmaster was an absolute classic. But again, nothing they have done in the ring or in terms of storyline has been all that noteworthy to me. They had a good match with Legacy at Summerslam, but I honestly don't think Legacy will end up winning this feud. Not to mention, this is not how I wanted Shawn Michaels to return to Raw. The main event scene needs Shawn badly right now and Raw has been stale and terrible since the draft. DX hasn't helped that situation one bit. So while DX are good at comedic backstage segments, and they can move a lot of merchandise, I just find myself largely uninterested in every other aspect of DX.