The Triple Threat 10.11.09: The 160th Edition – Booker T, WWE Title Changes, Jack Swagger, More

Posted by David Martell on 10.11.2009

This week it is a singles match with Zach Brown and David Martell. We talk about Booker T and Scott Steiner possibly leaving TNA, Umaga possibly returning to the WWE, all the WWE title changes in the last week, No Way Out changing to WWE's Elimination Chamber, and Jack Swagger's new storyline on RAW. This week we try something new with a Gimmick Match Highlight where we are spotlighting the Hell in a Cell match. Please Enjoy!




Topic # 1 What are your thoughts on Booker T possibly leaving TNA and making a WWE return?

David Martell: Supposedly Booker T has the same type of attitude as Christian had when he was on his way out except Booker is more vocal. I honestly don't think Booker T has done anything of note in TNA and I would suspect TNA being happy to lose someone who is such a problem. I really don't know if I would actually want him back in a WWE ring. He quit the WWE because he got busted for Wellness but Wellness is still there Booker. Unless he cleans up and gains a better attitude he might as well just retire. I am not saying that I never enjoyed Booker's work in the WWE. I loved when he tagged with Goldust back in the day and I love the whole King Booker gimmick. He was a lot of fun in the right gimmick and he has tons of talent but I have a feeling he thinks he's above everyone else. We will just have to see where this goes but all in all I hope Booker T straightens up.

Zach Brown: Good riddance. Didn't want to job to Matt Morgan? Seriously Booker? Are you pulling in that many viewers that you can say who you will and won't job to? I don't know if Matt Morgan is the absolute future of TNA, but I definitely see much more value in him as a main eventer in TNA than Booker T. Booker has already been in the limelight. He has already held numerous world titles. You know who hasn't? Matt Morgan. Here's a concept for you Booker: you need to give someone else a shot for a change because your time in the main event scene has come and gone. Putting over the young talent is all you should be focusing on in this stage of your career. And besides, TNA has done a lot more for Booker T than Booker T did for TNA. Did anyone honestly switch over to TNA just to follow Booker? I sincerely doubt it. Seeing Booker T trying so desperately to hold onto his spot when he has very little star power left is pretty sickening to me. As for a move back to WWE, are Booker and Vince suddenly on good terms? I seem to remember Booker T leaving WWE because he got busted for wellness. Does being gone for two years suddenly wipe the slate clean? And even if he came back, the only thing that made Booker watchable back then was his King Booker gimmick. The gimmick was very entertaining. But in the ring, he was still the same old Book. Besides, in this day and age when there is more and more young and rising talent in WWE, why would I want an older wrestler in the company who refuses to put younger talent over? I think Booker T should go back to running his indy promotion because I don't want to see him in either TNA or WWE as of right now.


Topic # 2 What are your thoughts on Scott Steiner leaving TNA?

David Martell: I hope TNA gets rid of the poison that is Scott Steiner. I honestly think Scott Steiner has done nothing good in his entire TNA career. He was great in the early 90s but this guy has fallen off the map. He is very limited in the ring, he has almost no mobility and he hasn't done anything new in the last ten years. I have plenty of respect of what hes done in the past but I have no respect for what he is doing now. If I were TNA, I would be very happy with these veterns leaving. This will save them more money and it will give more time for younger guys to get over on Impact. Luckily TNA is doing a great job of putting over AJ Styles and Matt Morgan. The move younger guys they can showcase, the better their product will be in the future. Drop Steiner and forget about him, TNA. There are better fish in the sea.

Zach Brown: Unlike the previously mentioned TNA talent, I think Steiner has played a decent role in TNA. Sure, he wasn't pulling in loads of viewers, and yeah, he was slowing down, getting older, and becoming much more incoherent. But he was in TNA for a solid amount of time, and Steiner had some decent matches and feuds in his TNA career. Also, when he did that Frankensteiner at the Lethal Lockdown, I nearly busted a nut. The fact that he was still able to do that move at that age is mind boggling. If Steiner is in fact close to Jeff Jarrett, I don't blame him for wanting to leave. Jarrett's ties with TNA will most likely be completely severed in the coming months, so I can imagine that Steiner feels no reason to stay. Unfortunately for all the Steiner freaks, I think this will be his final appearance in a major promotion. WWE would probably be off their rocker to want Steiner back at this point in his career, and I wouldn't see Steiner going back to TNA in the future either. If this does turn out to be Scotty's retirement, I'll be sad to see him go.

Topic # 3 There are rumors going around that Umaga could make a return to the WWE. Your thoughts?

David Martell: I am actually quite excited about this if it is indeed true. I have been a big fan of Umagas run in the WWE although I wasn't always a fan. When he first debuted as Umaga, I thought it was a joke much like most of the WWE fans. Soon enough I jumped on the bandwagon and realized his true worth. There is a place in the WWE for monster type characters like Umaga. If you think about it, the WWE did a great job building him up as a legitimate threat at any major title. He gave us a great match against John Cena at Royal Rumble a few years back and that solidified him as someone worth talking about. He is the absolute definition of a stepping stone. If you can beat Umaga, you can go to the main event. I really think that is a genius idea. Umaga is a very talented wrestler even with his size. I know he left the WWE in a similar fashion as Booker T did. I hope he can clean up and come back to the WWE and do what he does best.

Zach Brown: Did Umaga ever go to rehab like WWE wanted? I'd really like to know. Because if he hasn't, has WWE just forgotten about it and let bygones be bygones? It would be kind of silly if that were the case. But it would be good to see Umaga in WWE again. Aside from wellness reasons, this is one instance of "future endeavors" that didn't make any sense to me. In the beginning, it took me a while to warm up to Umaga. But when I finally did, I realized that the guy was turning in solid work week after week. So yeah, I think Umaga returning to WWE would be the right choice. It wasn't all that long ago when Umaga was last in WWE, so I don't think the fans have forgotten about him. I'd be interested to see Umaga somewhere like Smackdown or ECW. Before he was sidelined with random injuries, I thought Umaga was just on the cusp of being a legitimate main event threat. If he does return to WWE, I hope he can pick up right where he left off. I guess Umaga realized that even the Hulkamania tour doesn't recreate what he had in WWE.

Topic # 4 How do you feel about the title changes during Hell in a Cell and RAW this past week?

David Martell: Some of the title changes I liked and one in particular, I didn't. I was quite disappointed with the Undertaker vs. CM Punk match at Hell in a Cell. I really thought it was going to be something special but it ended up being a very short match. Undertaker dominated most of the match and won with ease, or so it seemed. I really like the Undertaker but I feel like this title change takes some of Punk's steam away. Maybe there is some greater storyline that will happen in the near future for Punk but as of right now it just doesn't make sense. I will say this though, I did quite enjoy Undertaker's promo on Smackdown. I did quite enjoy the Orton vs. Cena Hell in a Cell Match. I thought it told a very good story and I am always happy when Orton has the title. Actually, that is a lie. His title reigns this year have been some of the worst in recent memory. It is not his fault though, they just tend to make him look like he can't win a match on his own. If Orton can some how win the Iron Man Match at Bragging Rights, I think this title reign could be something worth talking about. This is one of the most hectic matches in wresting because being in the ring for our an hour is quite a feat. It is definitely time for these guys to prove their worth and I am looking forward to it. I also enjoyed the Miz winning the US Title on RAW this past week although I feel it would have been much more important if he won it at the Hell in a Cell PPV. Either way, it is good to see Miz finally get his own singles title. I am sure somewhere down the line, he will face off with Morrison once again. Maybe at Bragging rights? It would kind of make sense.

Zach Brown: These title changes were definitely hit and miss. First of all, if Miz was going to win the title the next night on Raw, why not just have him win at HIAC!? Yeah it does mean more to win it 1 on 1, but it's also more meaningful to win at PPV! The Triple Threat match at HIAC was a fantastic match that was only hampered by the booking at the end. Keeping Kofi as champion really had me confused, but to completely reverse that decision merely 24 hours later was just baffling. But at least there is a new champ which is something that I'm happy about. Second, was I the only one that thought Punk-Taker was an absolute squash match!? Basically, Punk worked the leg, and that's all. NO Go To Sleep, NO Anaconda Vise, NO Welcome to Chicago, Motherfucker...no nothing. Say what you want, but compared to Undertaker, Punk had nearly NO offense whatsoever. And Punk took a chokeslam, a Last Ride, a Tombstone, and altogether got his ass kicked in the most thorough way possible. Could the burial be more complete? Also, for it to be made such a big deal for weeks on Smackdown, why was there no Hell's Gate? I mean it caused a screwjob, it was illegal, now it's legal again, and blah blah blah. It was nowhere even near being used in the match. All that hubbub over nothing. But that would have been a total of four finishers on Punk, so whatever. And I know it's been beaten to death, but if Undertaker is really having health problems, WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH WOULD YOU MAKE HIM CHAMPION!?!? The bottom line is, Punk has been on a roll, and this loss completely derails him. Taker didn't need the belt and Punk did. I'm really wondering what Punk is going to say this week on Smackdown to even redeem himself for this loss. Finally, Orton vs. Cena was actually my favorite Hell in a Cell match on the card. It had it's slow parts, but it told a great story. But as big of an Orton fan as I am, I think the vast majority of people might be tired with Orton as champion. Even though he was the NEW WWE Champion, he definitely didn't feel new. After Orton won, I couldn't help but think, "Ok, so now what?" I guess it really all depends on who is in the main event with him. If Orton wins at Bragging Rights, I think the only thing that can make it worth watching is if HBK somehow moves up to feud with Orton. That's a fresh matchup to me, and I hope WWE can make it work sometime soon. Overall, it was nice to see so many title changes, but even the ones I liked left me scratching my head.

Topic # 5 What do you think about WWE changing No Way Out to WWE‘s Elimination Chamber?

David Martell: I really thought No Way Out was the perfect name for an Elimination Chamber PPV since they have been doing it anyways for the past few years. I guess the "WWE Universe" thinks that Elimination Chamber is a more straight forward name. These PPV names are just getting too simple and uncreative. I am going to miss names like No Way Out and No Mercy. Who ever is on the creative team making up these PPV names really needs to get fired. Anyone on this website is a hell of a lot more creative.

Zach Brown: Wow...dumb. Coming soon: WWE Ladder Match, WWE Bullrope Match, and WWE Street Fight! Seriously though, who in WWE thinks these name changes are great ideas? No Way Out was perfectly fine the way it was. If WWE's goal is to make their PPV's as obvious sounding as possible, then they have definitely succeeded. I mean it's not like people are sitting at home saying, "What this Pay Per View mean? No Way Out? What kind of match? Name make my brain hurt!" WWE can have all the name changing fun that they want for now. I don't think it will do much good in the long run. The new PPV concepts like Breaking Point, Hell in a Cell, and Bragging Rights are at least moderately fresh. But simply renaming an old PPV is just not enough in my eyes.

Topic # 6 Jack Swagger stated on RAW that he wouldn't lose a match for the rest of the year. What do you think about this storyline and do you think it could help his career?

David Martell: I am really intrigued by this storyline. I am a big fan of Jack Swaggers work and I personally think he is going to be World Champion one day. This is a really good move by the WWE to make him a more viable player on RAW. I am sure he's going to start out winning against job fodder but eventually this could lead to some big matches with much bigger names. At least I hope that is the plan. Eventually, who ever beats him can start a storyline with him right off the bat. Lets hope the WWE lets Swagger run with it and actually make him a star that he is meant to be.

Zach Brown: Now this is the kind of treatment that Mr. Swagger deserves. A week ago, I would have said that Jack Swagger needs the US Title more than anyone else. This week, I am satisfied with him not having the US Title because they are building Swagger up the right way. An undefeated streak has worked for some great wrestlers. For example, it worked wonders for Samoa Joe, Brock Lesnar and Goldberg. So for Swagger to get this treatment gives me great confidence that he will be a main event player in maybe two years or so. At first, I can see him beating guys like Primo, Carlito, Evan Bourne, Chavo, Masters, or Jamie Noble until he finally gets to a veteran main eventer like Shawn Michaels or Triple H. I can't wait to see Jack move up the ranks. It is a little odd to declare an undefeated streak long after you have debuted, but better late than never for Jack..


Gimmick Match Highlight



Our thoughts on the Hell in a Cell match.

David Martell: I have always enjoyed a good Hell in a Cell match from time to time. I think they are great matches for ending big feuds and unfortunately, WWE's Hell in a Cell PPV kind of took that feeling away. I did enjoy the PPV to some extent, but none of the Hell in a Cell matches really stood out to me. I really hope this PPV is a one time deal and next year we will go back to a normal PPV schedule. My all time favorite Hell in a Cell match is Cactus Jack vs. Triple H. You know, when Mick Foley was suppose to retire. I love that match because it had so much emotion in it. Triple H was in his ultimate bad guy phase and Mick Foley was giving it all that he had left to keep his career going. The match itself was fantastic. We had big falls, top of the cage maneuvers and lots of carnage. When Cactus Jack fell though the cage and broke the ring I completely freaked out. When he kicked out after that, I honestly couldn't believe it. Just a great match overall and a great send off to Mick Foley at the time.



Zach Brown: Hell in a Cell is a tried and tested format that I thoroughly enjoy. But unlike WWE's recent line of thinking, I think HIAC should be used very sparingly. Even a regular cage match is a balls to the wall way to end a feud. The Cell should basically be used once a year, maybe less. Because quite simply, it is a special event. So what is my favorite Hell in a Cell match? Any Hell in a Cell without Triple H. Just kidding. Seriously, any Cell match with Big Boss Man. Dear God, am I kidding. I hate to be cliché, but I tend to like the third HIAC match the most. Taker and Mankind pulled out all the stops for this one, and matches like that speak to everyone. Hell, that match almost killed Foley, so it damn well better be the best Hell in a Cell. And looking back, it does annoy me that Taker and Mankind can do two spots off the top of the cage in one match, and yet there were three HIAC matches on this most recent card and none of them went to the top of the cage. Oh well. All in all, I do love the feeling of Hell in a Cell. I just hope WWE doesn't overdo it if Hell in a Cell sticks around as a permanent PPV.



That is it for this week. Feel free to comment at the bottom of the page and always have a great week in wresting. CYA!