wrestling / Columns
Sports Entertainment 720 News Report 11.21.13
Week #3! For those wondering about my prayers to the fight gods, they were unsuccessful as Georges St-Pierre retained his UFC Welterweight Championship in a bullshit decision that had me running back to Vince McMahon’s open arms. It’s PPV week with Survivor Series coming up Sunday. So far this week the Intercontinental Championship has changed hands, a new superstar made his main roster debut, and a certain injury prone star made his return. I’m sure something happened in TNA or ROH this week too. Let’s do this!
Just a little over a week after the release of the artist now known as Chris Hero from the WWE developmental territories, another man received a call up. Xavier Woods, known as Consequences Creed in TNA, made his main roster debut as the tag team partner of R-Truth on Raw. I found this humorous as R-Truth made his initial debut as the tag team partner of Road Dogg. No buildup, just “Hey, this is my partner.” Just like Woods did. Twitter was filled with superstars congratulating Woods on his promotion to the big show. Woods has been in developmental since July of 2010, so this is 3 years of effort finally paying off. With rumors of Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards receiving a lengthy tryout, I started thinking about how a developmental contract is either the start of something good or the beginning of many years of wrestling in Florida. Hero was in the system for a little over a year and a half. He got to learn from some of the best in the business and wrestle some good matches, but he never made it to the main roster. Developmental is a waiting game, and some people have been playing it longer than others. Let’s take a look at a few…
Colt Cabana– Colt signed in 2007 and was sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling. After WWE bailed on OVW, Colt made the move to Florida and started in FCW. He was called up in August of 2008, given the name Scotty Goldman, and then floated around Smackdown until his release in February of 2009. Luckily Colt was able to land on his feet and has found success on the indie scene and with his Art of Wrestling Podcast. (Edit- Looks like Colt received a tryout at the WWE Performance Center for a job as an announcer. More to come.)
Adrian Neville– Formerly known as PAC, Neville has been in NXT since January of this year. Neville has been a fan favorite from the beginning and has had a chance to shine since NXT started a tag team division, becoming one half of the inaugural tag team champions. Neville is a prime example of a good wrestler waiting to be called up, but there doesn’t seem to be a spot. Add mysterious newcomer Sami Zayn to that list as well.
Richie Steamboat– Steamboat is another wrestler that has been in developmental since it was FCW, having debuted in February 2010. Richie was most likely on the way up to the main roster but was injured and there are reports that he needed back surgery. If so, we won’t be seeing Steamboat on any form of WWE TV for some time.
Bo Dallas– The reigning NXT Champion is the winner of the longest stay in developmental. He started in FCW in 2008 and has been through several name changes and gimmicks. He had a brief moment on the main roster when he competed in the 2013 Royal Rumble, which resulted in a brief feud with Wade Barrett. Dallas is a third generation star that has to sit at home and watch his brother Bray Wyatt steal the show each week.
The path to the WWE main roster can be a brief one, like Daniel Bryan’s, or a very long one in the case of Bo Dallas. All part of the gamble in signing a WWE contract. Congrats to Xavier Woods for making it to the main roster, and good luck to Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards if they do get signed.
Did anything non WWE happen this week?
-Rey Mysterio made his return to in ring action Monday coming to the aid of Punk and Bryan after the main event. He now joins the Rhodes brothers and the Usos in a traditional Survivor Series match against the Real Americans and the Shield. I’ve never been a fan of Rey, probably the whole Eddie sympathy angle. I also think that his knees are this decade’s equivalent of Kevin Nash’s quads. Still, with Sin Cara not setting the world on fire and the need to appeal to kids and Latinos, I can see why Rey is back in the spotlight.
-WWE is looking to boost ratings so they can increase their TV rights fees. I guess Vinnie Mac saw that NASCAR made some cash when they reupped and now he wants to do the same.
You’ve been hearing it for years now, but word is the WWE Network is going to debut around Wrestlemania 30 time. With Classics On Demand going away and more hiring done specifically for the new network, many feel this is a sign the network will be a reality soon.
-As I went to submit my article last week it was announced that there were changes to the WWE Wellness Program. Talent can now request a Therapeutic Use Exception for prohibited drugs, can get fined for testing positive for alcohol, and can be fired for getting arrested for drug related incidents. But most importantly of all, and I quote , “A talent who has two violations of the Wellness Policy may enter a “Redemption Program” if the Medical Director approves it. The program is an eighteen month treatment process…. After this time, talent can request to have a violation removed.” William Regal, Dolph Ziggler, Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio just did the dance of joy.
Oh Shell Yeah! Shark Boy is coming back to TNA!
This week is the Turning Point special on Spike TV, with a main event match between Ken Anderson…Anderson vs Bully Ray in a club vs career match. My god I hope this is the end of Aces and Eights. Also on the card, the TNA World Championship Tournament continues with 2 matches, a Falls Count Anywhere Match, with Magnus taking on Samoa Joe, and James Storm vs. Bobby Roode in a Bullrope Match.
Joseph Park has called out his brother Abyss, which should be either hilarious or Shockmaster bad. And Gail Kim continues her Open Challenge, and I hope we get to see some decent independent wrestlers get a shot instead of people who aren’t technically on the roster. As for the tournament, does anyone else see Magnus becoming Dixie’s corporate champion? They’ve been teasing a heel turn for a few weeks, but at this point they could just put the belt back on Jeff and move on. TNA: We Like Hardy. All this and most likely Shark Boy jobbing to Ethan Carter tonight on Spike TV!
Each week I filter through all the self promotion, Q and A’s, retweets, and TV references to bring you the best of Twitter in the Sports Entertainment world.
Me: Owen, who do you want to invite for your birthday? Owen: The Rock and John Cena. Me: Can’t. They’ll fight. Owen: Generico! Me: He’s dead
— Kevin Steen (@FightSteenFight) November 20, 2013
Hey @tomayorford we want to invite you onto the JBL and @michaelcole Show, we do drug test but will give you a few days to get clean.
— John Layfield (@JCLayfield) November 19, 2013
congrats to my ‘love/hate-child’ @BigELangston you got your mothers winning genes
(the pecs are from my side, obvs)
