The Wrestling News Experience: 09.21.09
Posted by Stephen Randle on 09.21.2009
In this Experience, we have No Surrender results, a preview for tonight's Raw, many things that shouldn't really shock any wrestling fan, plus WWE Canada's legendary scion calls it quits, the future of the Undertaker, and the re-emergence of the Warrior!
Monday, September 21th, 2009
From 411Mania's Canadian offices in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, this is The Wrestling News Experience, with Stephen Randle!
Made You Look!
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Experience, I'm Stephen Randle. We're back from Hamilton, future home of the Phoenix Coyotes, and I've learned an important lesson about how much louder pyro is in a smaller arena. Much louder. Plus, on certain wide camera angles, we actually made it onto TV, but you can only see it if you know who you're looking for, so I'm safe from all insane stalkers.
What? It could happen.
Moving on.
Lansdell, as always, has the live coverage..covered…dammit.
Sarita and Taylor Wilde defeated Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne to win the TNA Knockout Tag Team Titles (Wilde pinned Rayne, springboard dropkick-german suplex combo)
Okay, now somebody has to come up with a tag team name for the new Canadian tag champs. I'd do it, but all I can come up with is stuff like the CanadiAngels. Actually, that's not bad.
Hernandez defeated Eric Young (pinfall, Border Toss)
Total match time: 45 seconds. So I guess they're not pushing Eric Young.
Samoa Joe defeated Daniels to retain the TNA X Division Title (submission, Kokina Clutch)
Pope D'Angelo Dinero defeated Suicide in a Falls Count Anywhere match (pinfall, missed high spot)
So I guess Dinero is this month's "X Division guy we're actually paying attention to". Nice to see that after trying to get Suicide started for nearly two years, he's just another guy.
ODB defeated Cody Deaner to become undisputed TNA Knockouts Champion (pinfall, TKO)
Kevin Nash defeated Abyss to retain the TNA Legends title and win the $50,000 Bounty (pinfall, taser to the crotch)
How is it possible that I'm able to write about a wrestler winning more than one PPV match by using a taser as a finisher?
Beer Money and Team 3D defeated Booker T, Scott Steiner, and The British Invasion in a Lethal Lockdown match (Roode pinned Williams, DWI)
So I guess the Lethal Lockdown match has gone from annual main event for Lockdown, used to blow off big, big feuds, to undercard gimmick match on a PPV. Yep.
Bobby Lashley defeated Rhino (pinfall, KO punch)
Am I the only one not surprised that Lashley isn't a very good wrestler? He was NEVER a very good wrestler, and I'm not sure why TNA wasted so much time dragging him back to wrestling.
AJ Styles defeated Kurt Angle, Matt Morgan, Sting, and Hernandez to win the TNA World Title (Styles pinned Angle, 450 splash)
Um…so why did Hernandez cash in his briefcase so he could enter a match against four other guys? That seems like a bad strategic idea when you can cash it in at any time. Actually, twenty bucks says TNA wants to do another Feast or Fired match at Bound For Glory, but don't want a briefcase still out there at the same time. And then he gets attacked from behind by Eric Young. But didn't we just prove that Eric Young is only a minor annoyance who can't stand in the same ring as Hernandez not two hours earlier?
Some people seem confused why Styles got the win before Bound For Glory, the real big PPV, but I suspect that's headed for a Sting-Styles Career vs Title match to headline the show, and that's not bad either. Still, a shame Styles gets his big win in an overbooked five-way instead of one-on-one.
Buddy?
Buddy Forgot There Was A PPV This Sunday And Took A Nap Instead
Ah well, it's probably for the best, he wanted Matt Morgan to win.
Tonight's Host: I Forget, Was He In Barbershop or Next Friday or both?
Last week, Randy Orton learned that he would be getting a rematch for the WWE title against John Cena. Unfortunately for him, it will be at the upcoming Hell in a Cell PPV in…well, you can probably guess. Plus, Orton's Legacy teammates are likely to be unavailable to help out, as they've also been shoved inside Hell in a Cell in order to settle their feud with D-Generation X.
Meanwhile, while Jack Swagger was pinning US Champion Kofi Kingston in a tag match, his partner The Miz was stealing the physical United States title. What is Miz's motivation behind this theft, and how will Kofi regain his possession?
And Alicia Fox earned a shot at Mickie James' Divas championship, while MVP and Mark Henry solidified their standing as a tag team to be reckoned with, and look to continue their challenge against Unified Tag champions Big Show and Chris Jericho. Are there potential title matches in the offing for tonight?
Plus, Chavo Guerrero accepted full defeat in his feud with Hornswoggle, so at least we won't have to see that anymore. All this and more, tonight on Raw!
You're Shocked? Really?
It has been confirmed this week that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff's Hulkamania: Let The Battle Begin wrestling tour will kick off in Australia, and feature a main event of Hogan facing off against one of his greatest challenges…The Nature Boy, Ric Flair. Yes, that's right, Ric Flair will be coming out of retirement and wrestling again, despite spending the last year denying that he would ever do so. I'll pause a second, so you can all act indignant and pretend that wrestling retirements mean anything at all in reality.
Okay, now I'll point out that Mick Foley "retired" nine years ago and is still going strong in TNA, and of course there's Terry Funk.
Still upset? Well, what about if I said that Flair most likely did get Shawn Michaels' blessing before agreeing to this? I don't have proof of that, but I'm pretty sure he would have done that if he had any principles at all.
Have you calmed down yet? No? Well, then I can't help you. Rest assured that Flair coming back to wrestle a man who's so broken down he actually can't perform his signature legdrop anymore isn't exactly what I'd call the best use of his remaining years, but I'm still not going to pretend that retirement in pro wrestling means anything. Listen, the only guy I know of who managed to completely leave wrestling behind voluntarily (i.e. not by injury, death, or similar) is the Rock, and frankly, I'd say his massive paycheque from each movie, crappy or no, reassures him that he made the absolute right decision.
You're Shocked? Really? (Part II)
And in even less surprising news, Jim Cornette was fired from TNA, reportedly for pitching a massive fit during a creative meeting that apparently centred around repeatedly yelling "Why are we pushing Eric Young?" To be fair, that's not a bad question, because I'm pretty sure Eric Young is not going to be the next big thing, no matter how much he shaves his head and pretends he's in charge of a gang of international assassins instead of a comedy sidekick who was pretending to be a superhero a year ago.
This does seem like a death knell to Cornette's career in major professional wrestling organizations, as he's pretty much burned bridges with both TNA and WWE, and like Heyman, has a reputation as both a wrestling genius and a massive hothead, and guess which one the people in charge, who like to be told that they're right all the time, look at first?
Hope He Turned Out The Lights Before He Left
In more things that were only a matter of time, WWE said goodbye to longtime executive Carl De Marco this past week. He had been in charge of WWE's Canadian division for years, and recently was given duties involving their Latin America and Chinese interests. However, the writing was on the wall when WWE closed down their physical Canadian offices in Toronto last year, and De Marco apparently was no longer interested in all the responsibility. Either that, or the fifteenth resurrection of the Montreal Screwjob last Sunday at Breaking Point was the absolute final straw for poor Carl.
So…Now They're Even?
And in legal dealings that everyone had pretty much forgotten about, a state court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Warrior "Ultimate Warrior" Warrior against WWE for their Self-Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior DVD, claiming violation of an agreement between Warrior and WWE that neither would make disparaging remarks about each other. Turns out, somebody in the court must have been able to decipher Warrior's website, as they discovered that Warrior has been violating that same agreement for years, and thus is entitled to nothing.
Speaking of Warrior's website, he issued a statement about the ruling, but it was so plainly written and used nothing but existing English words, so I'm not entirely sure it even came from him. Or he's actually given up and accepted that he lost.
Father Time Catches Up To Everyone, Even The Undead.
For those like myself who were wondering why Undertaker vs CM Punk was such a short match at Breaking Point, especially since Taker's last previous match was a five-star classic with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania while Punk is likewise coming off a series of highly rated matches, suggesting a potential semi-classic was possible, an answer has potentially arisen. And sadly, it's not good news, as there is rising concern that Taker's time in the ring is coming to an end, and quicker than expected. As is well known, Undertaker took time off after WrestleMania to have hip surgery, which was reported to be minor but may, in fact, have been at the same level as actual hip replacement. During a dark match warm-up prior to Breaking Point, concerns arose that Taker's mobility may have eroded significantly due to the surgery, leading to a shortened title match last Sunday. Possible plans may now be in discussion for Taker's retirement, most likely at WrestleMania 26. Of course, most of this news is rumour and hearsay, but it will make the next few months interesting, seeing how much Taker actually wrestles after his upcoming Hell in a Cell match with Punk.
Inactive List as of 09.14.09
WWE Raw
- Batista, out 4 months as of June 9th (biceps)
- Maryse, out indefinitely as of July 28th (knee surgery)
- Kelly Kelly, day-to-day as of September 11th (knee)
- Mickie James, day-to-day as of September 7th (popped implant)
WWE SmackDown
- Edge, out indefinitely as of July 4th (torn Achilles tendon)
- Michelle McCool, day-to-day as of August 1st (knee injury)
- Rey Mysterio, out 30 days as of September 3rd (Wellness violation)
ECW
- No reported injuries
TNA
- Jeff Jarrett, out indefinitely as of July 21st (self-imposed suspension)
Transactions
- Batista, RAW, returned to action and transferred to Smackdown on September 14th Raw
- BG James, TNA, released from his contract
- D'lo Brown, TNA, signed to an agent contract
- Ed Ferrara, TNA, signed to a contract, joined creative team
- Jim Cornette, TNA, released from his contract
- Michelle McCool, SD!, returned to in-ring action on September 18th Smackdown
- Pat Kenny, TNA, signed to an agent contract
- Tomassino, signed to a WWE contract
Well, at least now Sylvan Grenier has at least provided one good thing to more of WWE than just Pat Patterson.
WWE
WWE Champion: John Cena
- 8 day reign, defeated Randy Orton in an "I Quit" Match on September 13th (Breaking Point PPV)
- Next title defense: vs Randy Orton, Hell in a Cell match, Hell in a Cell PPV
World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk
- 29 day reign, defeated Jeff Hardy in a TLC Match on August 23rd (SummerSlam PPV)
- Next title defense: vs The Undertaker, Hell in a Cell match, Hell in a Cell PPV
ECW Champion: Christian
- 57 day reign, defeated Tommy Dreamer on July 26th (Night of Champions PPV)
- Next title defense: vs Zach Ryder, September 22nd ECW on SyFy
WWE Intercontinental Champion: John Morrison
- 17 day reign, defeated Rey Mysterio on September 4th (Smackdown)
- Next title defense: vs Dolph Ziggler, Hell in a Cell PPV
WWE United States Champion: Kofi Kingston
- 113 day reign, defeated MVP on June 1st Raw
WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions: Chris Jericho and The Big Show
- 57 day reign (as team of Chris Jericho and Big Show), The Big Show named as replacement for former champion Edge on July 26th (Night of Champions PPV)
- 38 day reign (as team of Chris Jericho and Edge), defeated former champions The Colons and Legacy in a Triple Threat Match on June 28th (The Bash PPV)
WWE Women's Champion: Michelle McCool
- 85 day reign, defeated Melina on June 28th (The Bash PPV)
WWE Diva's Champion: Mickie James
- 57 day reign, defeated Maryse on July 26th (Night of Champions PPV)
TNA
**NEW** TNA Heavyweight Champion: AJ Styles
- 1 day reign, defeated former champion Kurt Angle, Matt Morgan, Hernandez, and Sting in a Five-Way Match on September 20th (No Surrender PPV)
TNA Tag Team Champions: Scott Steiner and Booker T
- 64 day reign, defeated Beer Money, Inc. on July 19th (Victory Road PPV)
TNA X-Division Champion: Samoa Joe
- 36 day reign, defeated Homicide on August 16th (Hard Justice PPV)
TNA Knockouts Champion: ODB
- 36 day reign, defeated former champion Angelina Love and Velvet Sky in a tag match on August 16th (Hard Justice PPV)
**NEW** TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions: Taylor Wilde and Sarita
- 1 day reign, defeated The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne) to win the newly created title on September 20th (No Surrender PPV)
TNA Legends Champion: Kevin Nash
- 36 day reign, defeated Mick Foley on August 16th (Hard Justice PPV)
411 will have live coverage of Raw tonight starting at 9 pm EDT.
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That's our show, Small is in tomorrow…possibly, I'll be back next week.
Have a good one, and always be a fan.
It's very simple. Look -- scissors cuts paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitates lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, and as it always has, rock crushes scissors
1. Cedric will bomb tonight.
2. Who will Lashley face at BFG?
3. Aj vs Sting-Title vs. Career
4. TNA creative team = WCW
5. Batista/Rey vs. JeriShow
Posted By: JUSTINW (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 01:50 AM
I think when the Undertaker went in for surgery, there were stories that it might be for pretty serious stuff. If so, then the WWE was stupid for rushing him back. Let him rehab. Even if this turns out okay, nobody with surgery on the legs regains mobility right away.
They could have found some excuse to shift another baby face that has name recognition and they must have known that Batista was almost ready to return.
I'd personally would have loved it if they moved Christian, but he doesn't have the popularity of Undertaker. Plus, he probably has to be punished for at least a year for going to TNA. I do admit his ECW work is good and beneficial to WWE.
Maybe have HBK be kayfabe suspended, then have him show up at Smackdown looking for a job. Big babyface pops, drug past, redeemed himself as far as we know. Perfect for Punk.
Why shorten Undertaker's career when he is such a draw and moneymaker of the 'E?
Posted By: Guest#8623 (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 02:44 AM
Cedric The Entertainer, huh? Well that's relevant. Was Stever Harvey busy?
Posted By: Christopher (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 04:04 AM
"Am I the only one not surprised that Lashley isn't a very good wrestler? He was NEVER a very good wrestler..."
Couldn't disagree more. Bobby Lashley is a phenominal wrestler.
As a carny entertainer whose fictional character is a "professional wrestler", however, he stinks on ice.
Posted By: David O (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 05:52 AM
The same place that printed the Cornette rumor -- The Sun U.K. -- recanted a day or two later. They said, quote, "we now accept that this account was inaccurate."
Posted By: Karlos (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 06:34 AM
"How is it possible that I'm able to write about a wrestler winning more than one PPV match by using a taser as a finisher?"
Easily, my friend.
Posted By: Hi Yam a da Mountie! (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 08:05 AM
wouldn't a cat always have a reaction like that?
Posted By: pedro (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 08:39 AM
You might want to remove Batista from the injury list.
Posted By: thegunisgood2009 (Registered) on September 21, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Even with her "Guest Hosting" duties, couldn't we put Trish in the same boat as the Rock? How about Lita?
Posted By: J. Alexander Mitchell (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 11:11 AM
I must have missed something... when did DLo sign with TNA again??
Posted By: STAYMATIC (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 12:22 PM
If you think the NHL is going to let the Coyotes move to Hamilton especially since the league already has plans to appeal the decision if they lose the case! (not to mention that the creditors and city council are on the NHL's side!)
Posted By: Randle you're an idiot (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 12:29 PM
"I Forget, Was He In Barbershop or Next Friday or both?"
Barbershop
Posted By: JustAGuyGuy (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 12:30 PM
I think you misunderstood the Eric Young/Hernandez. The squash in the beginning was Eric Young giving Hernandez one last chance to side with WE. So he tried the diplomatic approach by not fighting, and got destroyed for it.
So after that, Eric was pretty much like "that was his last chance. I'm gonna make his life a living hell". Thus, he screwed Hernandez over when he attempted to get the one thing he wanted most: the TNA HW title. It was meant to make the feud even more personal.
Posted By: KidKami (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 01:06 PM
"Okay, now somebody has to come up with a tag team name for the new Canadian tag champs."
That's a little tricky, as I think the Canadian Sarita is billed from Mexico City. Just call them NAFTA: North American Free T&A.
Posted By: guest (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 01:29 PM
Want to know something that will piss people off. The Hogan tour will outdraw Roh based soley on name recognition.
Posted By: jeff albertson (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 01:58 PM
Yeah, the Young/Hernandez match wasn't exactly a squash to kill Young dead. Young didn't fight back, allowing Hernandez to squash him.
And I don't think Eric Young will ever be a main event level talent, but the dude is awesome as the smarmy heel leader for the World Elite. People still have the goofy Young in their head, which is why they can't accept the new role for him. Give it time.
Posted By: Guest#3941 (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 02:45 PM
You over did the negativity when talking about the TNA PPV. I don't mind criticism but saying one or two nice things isn't too much to ask for. You my friend have "Crossed the line" ... I've always wanted to say that.
Posted By: Burnout (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 02:50 PM
Nice Big Bang Theory reference there at the end. And I don't see how Cedric is called "The Entertainer." He's not even AN entertainer let alone THE entertainer.
Posted By: Guest#8143 (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 03:33 PM
I still really don't get this Shawn Micheals blessing thing. You are aware that wrestling is scripted right? You are aware that the Ric Flair retirement angle was a storyline written by WWE writers right? I feel stupid asking, but I feel equally stupid every time I read about the Ric Flair retirement storyline.
There was no actual competition between Ric and Shawn, Ric doesn't owe Shawn anything. Remember when Kane won Lita... did you all actually think Lita really had to marry Kane? WWE decided that they were going to remove Ric from active competition after WM24, they wrote a storyline that incorporated that. Ric agreed to play his role in the storyline, Shawn agreed to play his role in the storyline. At no point are we talking real life here. The closest we are coming to real life is that Ric Flair's services as a wrestler were not wanted by the WWE after WM24. It was a good storyline, but so was the one where Colossus got killed off in the X-Men to find a cure for the legacy virus.
I know you know that wrestling isnt real. and you are probably annoyed that I am writing a post saying something so obvious that it is ridiculous, but it seems there is some odd disconnect with wrestling fans where even though they know it is scripted entertainment they still slip into this odd space where the lines get blurry for them. Ric Flair needs Shawn Micheals permission to wrestle again to the exact same degree Lita needs Kane's permission to go on a date.
And after writing this, I realize that there are still going to people posting "But he said... he promised, "
Posted By: Yuckmouth (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 08:00 PM
TNA pulled the trigger! AJ Styles, the NEW TNA World Heavyweight Champion!
Posted By: Brian B. (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 08:36 PM
Want to know something that will piss people off. The Hogan tour will outdraw Roh based soley on name recognition.
Posted By: jeff albertson (Guest)
And the fact that ROH has never toured Australia, hence they have a figure of '0'.
Posted By: mlsq42 (Registered) on September 21, 2009 at 10:49 PM
I still really don't get this Shawn Micheals blessing thing. You are aware that wrestling is scripted right? You are aware that the Ric Flair retirement angle was a storyline written by WWE writers right? I feel stupid asking, but I feel equally stupid every time I read about the Ric Flair retirement storyline.
There was no actual competition between Ric and Shawn, Ric doesn't owe Shawn anything. Remember when Kane won Lita... did you all actually think Lita really had to marry Kane? WWE decided that they were going to remove Ric from active competition after WM24, they wrote a storyline that incorporated that. Ric agreed to play his role in the storyline, Shawn agreed to play his role in the storyline. At no point are we talking real life here. The closest we are coming to real life is that Ric Flair's services as a wrestler were not wanted by the WWE after WM24. It was a good storyline, but so was the one where Colossus got killed off in the X-Men to find a cure for the legacy virus.
I know you know that wrestling isnt real. and you are probably annoyed that I am writing a post saying something so obvious that it is ridiculous, but it seems there is some odd disconnect with wrestling fans where even though they know it is scripted entertainment they still slip into this odd space where the lines get blurry for them. Ric Flair needs Shawn Micheals permission to wrestle again to the exact same degree Lita needs Kane's permission to go on a date.
And after writing this, I realize that there are still going to people posting "But he said... he promised, "
Posted By: Yuckmouth (Guest) on September 21, 2009 at 08:00 PM
I'm pretty sure around the time of the Flair/HBK match there were rumors that Flair made a personal promise to Micheals that it would be his last match. backstage and out of kayfabe, making it more special. That's an internet rumor, mind you, no idea if it actually happend. But that would explain why people would want Flair to make sure Micheals wouldn't be offended.
Posted By: Captian Sassypants (Guest) on September 22, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Hogan's worst show will outdraw ROH's best show. Period
Posted By: supa sta (Guest) on September 22, 2009 at 01:06 PM
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You're Shocked? Really?
You're Shocked? Really? (Part II)
Hope He Turned Out The Lights Before He Left
So…Now They're Even?
Father Time Catches Up To Everyone, Even The Undead.
