wrestling / Columns
The MeeThinks Friday FreeThinks: 09.05.08
Welcome back, all — and so glad you’ve joined us, because after a long hot summer and a neverending dry spell… FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE, BABY!!!
WOOO-HOOOO!!!
GO PATS GO!!!
WICKED AWESOME!!!
Oh wait, this is a WRESTLING column… and last year’s SuperBowl didn’t quite turn out the way we’d planned it, now did it? Ah well, such is life — and there’s always next year… err, I mean, THIS year. So WATCH out, Kansas City.
But in the meantime, we’ve got a whole lot of wrestling news to discuss. So let’s get to it, eh?
Rock & Roll.
BUT FIRST!!!
Do allow yourselves a moment to bask in the greatness that is Santino Marella. (I totally smell a Perez Hilton WWE cameo in the near future!)
Proof once again that Santino = GOLD.
In this feature, we’ll make a quick note of those mini-news story items that have either already been covered in greater detail by other writers, or that haven’t quite yet materialized into full-blown mega stories of their own. In either case, these items seem to warrant a brief mention nonetheless so that we can keep better tabs on what all’s developing (and — in theory — end up with a better perspective in the long run) along the way.
The Doghouse
WWE Agents (Smackdown!) – who booked R-Truth’s debut match, which Vince McMahon felt was “too balanced”
MVP (Smackdown!) – smart-mouthed a drug test monitor
Notes: Tough break for the blue brand this week, as Vinny Mac is rumored to have been in a particularly foul mood with his backstage crew. Word has it that the final Smackdown! script was still being revised just about an hour before the show (WCW much?), and the road agents told Ron Killings to make Kenny Dykstra’s offense look more impressive than the Vin-Man had in mind. MVP winds up in the Doghouse this week on account of the fact that he was talking smack to the man admistering WWE’s drug tests (basically ragging on the guy for staring at his Johnson during a pee-pee-test), and chances are good that Vince was just tired of the lack of professionalism all around and so that’s why Montel ended up on the shit list.
The Debuts
Sojourner Bolt (TNA) – Better known as Josie of SHIMMER fame
Brie Bella (Smackdown!) – Twin sisters Brianne and Nicole Bella
R-Truth (Smackdown!) – a.k.a. Ron Killings, a.k.a. K-Kwik
Notes: Three newbies this week (four if you count the secret twin sister!), and most of ’em are ladies. Killings debut was underwhelming (which we’ve addressed above), but the other two ladies did a fine job with the time they were given and in the roles they are expected to fill. Look for big things out of the Bella twins in WWE-land, MeeThinks. As for Bolt? TNA is heavy on female talent and short on TV time, so it could be a long road before she’s anywhere near a contender.
The Departures
Mick Foley (WWE) – Foley’s WWE contract officially expired on Monday
Notes: Mick Foley’s situation is covered in full detail below.
The Drama
Unforgiven Ticket Sales (WWE) – this PPV is Sunday, and has only sold 6,000 tickets.
Notes: A lot of folks are pointing to this one as the failed drawing power of each of the respective champions as well as the overarching failure of the Championship Scramble concept (all interesting and perhaps noteworthy points, for sure), but MeeThinks this sudden dip in ticket sales has a whole lot more to do with the fact that WWE actually made the call to host a second-tier PPV in a notoriously sports-friendly city like Cleveland… on OPENING SUNDAY of the NFL season, and on a day when the Cleveland Browns are hosting a home game, no less. As for the Scrambles and the champs? Let’s wait ’till next week to see if they did anything to help matters, eh?
The Disabled List
Shawn Michaels (RAW) – Torn triceps, considered “minor injury” and is not expected to require surgery
Notes: Close call for HBK this week, but he seems good to go for Sunday’s PPV. More on that below.
Shawn Michaels Tears Triceps
WWE Mainstay Still Plans to Perform at Sunday’s PPV
On this week’s episode of RAW, fans winced when Shawn Michaels took an awkward tumble as the show faded to black, and the former World Champion looked to be in some serious pain as a result. Early Monday morning, it was announced that Shawn may have suffered a torn triceps in the process… an injury that could require up to six months on the shelf, which would obviously leave the status of his scheduled encounter with Chris Jericho at this Sunday’s Unforgiven PPV very much in doubt.
Thankfully for all parties involved, Shawn’s injury turned out to be much less severe than was initially expected, meaning that surgery wouldn’t be needed and that HBK may not even end up missing any work as a result. As such, WWE confirmed midway through the week that the HBK vs. Chris Jericho match was still on for Sunday, and that Michaels will indeed go through with his performance as scheduled.
Obviously, this is a HUGE break for WWE (their second in as many weeks, as John Cena went down to injury last week only to learn that his too was nowhere near as severe as the initial prognosis would have otherwise indicated). Still, this injury adds a tantalizing new wrinkle into the Michaels Jericho feud which has been superbly crafted thus far.
Will HBK’s injury prove to be his undoing in an “unsanctioned” match?
Was Jericho right — should Shawn just go home to his family with his health intact?
Is Shawn actually more injured than he’s letting on? And if so, what role might his real-life injury play in determining the outcome of this Sunday’s match?
Regardless —
WWE, Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho have delivered one of the single most entertaining storylines in recent wrestling history, and it is great news to learn that they will have the chance to tell the next chapter in their rivalry this Sunday as scheduled. For the past six months, their feud continues to weave a brilliant and BELIEVABLE mix of “fantasy” and “reality” — stemming from the Ric Flair retirement and the Jericho comeback, and spilling over into the Rebecca incident and this week’s contract signing. Bonus points are most definitely in order to both Michaels and Jericho, who have — by all reports — been pretty much writing their own story on this one, giving it a tremendously authentic feel that’s entirely unique from the normal stuff churned out by WWE’s “Creative” team (you’ll recall that Jericho did much the same when working his angle with Christian Cage and Trish Stratus about five years ago).
So here’s a big “thank you” to The Big Man Upstairs for allowing HBK to dodge a serious injury bullet this past week, and here’s looking forward to what all Michaels and Jericho have in store for us this weekend.
TNA Wrestling Posts “Have a Nice Day” Teaser Image
File Named “Foley” Shows Barbed Wire-Wrapped Smiley Face
Late on Wednesday afternoon, TNA wrestling lended some serious fuel to the Mick Foley rumors by posting the following image on their website:
As if the smiley face, the barbed wire and the trademark Mick catch phrase weren’t enough of an indicator as to who all this particular image was referring to, HTML junkies were quick to point out that the file name for this image was — not surprisingly — “Foley.jpg.”
In addition, Mick Foley’s representatives at The Gillespie Agency issued a press release confirming the former WWE’s negotiations and short-term contractual agreement with TNA Wrestling, saying:
I can confirm I have had discussions with TNA Wrestling and have come to a short-term agreement. I am very excited about the specifics of this agreement and the potential it holds.
Well, that settles it.
Foley is officially TNA-bound, and even though there’s some serious questions as to where all he might fit given the company’s current landscape, there’s simply no denying that he *is*, without question, a certifiable wrestling icon… and so now it’s just a matter of seeing what all (if anything) TNA can do with him on board.
Last week, I covered this story in particularly close detail — sizing up each of the would-be feuds and opponents that seem likely to await Mick Foley once he steps foot in the TNA ring — as well as the potential shortcomings of each new program. Judging by the comments section, it seems that a lot of folks took this as a sign to believe that I *don’t like* TNA, and that I’m actually rooting for Foley to fail once he debuts.
Quite on the contrary —
I am a HUGE Foley fan, and a HUGE fan of TNA (when they get their act together and stop trying to be a WWE also-ran). But for as good a performer as Foley is (was?), a great deal of his appeal comes from the longstanding history he’s had both with and against so many of his best opponents.
Terry Funk.
The Undertaker.
The Rock.
Triple H.
Edge.
ALL of these men spent YEARS battling both alongside of and across the ring from Mick Foley, and each of the marquis bouts that Foley had with these performers seemed all the more monumental NOT just because of the blood and the carnage that they delivered, but rather because of the HISTORY that went into each of them. You can throw anybody into a match, give ’em a steel chair and a razor blade and have them go to town on one another — but the true classics emerge when the violence, the bloodshed, and the sacrifice is underscored by a deep and longstanding history between two men that are willing to resort to such measures in order to prove their worth.
The question now remains whether or not there is simply enough time left in Mick Foley’s career to establish such a worthwhile history in a new and formidable TNA foe. If they can do it (and like I said, I certainly hope they can!) — we’re in for a treat.
If they can’t?
Mick Foley’s reduced to “just another guy” status, and added to the next round TNA cameos alongside Rikishi, Randy Savage, and the rest.
Four TNA Contracts Set to Expire
Nash, Kong, Cage and Team 3D Each Nearing End of Deal with Upstart Promotion
Big murmurings out of TNA this week is that four separate contracts (five performers total) are set to expire in the near future. Since it’s the kind of thing that TNA will likely handle on a case-by-case basis rather than just blindly signing and/or firing them all in one fell swoop, MeeThinks it’s probably the best idea to discuss each of these contracts in a similar one-by-one fashion.
Awesome Kong would, for my money, be the one performer of the bunch that TNA should try their very best to retain. Nash and 3D are certainly more well-known to the average Joe and Jane wrestling fan abroad, of course, but both acts are years past their most marketable — which is simply not the case for Awesome Kong. One look at the television ratings for the Knockouts segments of iMPACT! will tell you that women’s wrestling is still proving to be quite the draw these days, and it is no secret that Awesome Kong has been a cornerstone of that division’s success over the past 12 months.
After losing Gail Kim to a triple-your-salary WWE contract just last month, TNA can ill afford to see their #1 female likewise turn tail and head north for greener pastures. Even though Gail has reportedly been in contact with TNA honcho Dixie Carter in order to renegotiate a better deal that might convince her to stay (no way TNA has the kind of coin WWE is willing to offer), TNA is more than likely to be minus one Knockout in the very near future — and Gail has already made her “it’s all about the money” intentions known (not that this is a bad thing, mind you… just that it’s a well known fact).
If I’m TNA?
Begrudgingly, I’d let Gail slip through my fingers and head back to WWE, simply because this recent flap-up has shown that the only way we’ll ever keep her around is by spending more money than we can really afford. On the flip side, however, I’d take some of that extra “Gail Kim money” that was lying around in her absence and throw it on over Kong’s way — partly as a sign of good faith, and partly to let her know that she is pretty high on our priority list of ladies worth keeping.
Christian Cage is another star who’s done a fine job during his TNA tenure, and seems poised to deliver a heckuvalot more provided that the company can find something worthwhile for him to do in their main event picture. Sadly for Cage fans, however, Christian’s tale has been one of the double-edged sword, and the Creepy Little Bastard now finds himself shuffled to the TNA sidelines (largely on account of other new TNA imports) where he was once the man in the spotlight for the very same “fresh out of WWE” reason.
Quick history lesson —
Christian [Cage] was one of the first major WWE stars to opt out of re-signing a contract up north in favor of making the jump to the reduced travel schedule and smaller arenas of TNA. (Cheap plug: I should know! I wrote my 411 Debut Column on this very subject WAAAAY back in November of 2005).
Now sure, the Dudley Boyz [Team 3D] and other WWE alums like Raven had taken similar paths before Christian — but Captain Charisma was arguably the first credible upper-midcarder to *voluntarily* let his WWE contract expire only to turn around and sign with TNA immediately thereafter (you’ll recall that the Dudleys had been told that WWE Creative “had nothing for them”).
When Christian’s WWE contract expired in 2005 (and before he’d even signed with TNA!), I said:
In order to prove that they are, in fact, an “alternative” and not just a second-rate promotion, TNA needs to do its very best to build its own stars while at the same time being on the lookout to hire away a few WWE employees who have NOT been axed by Vinny Mac and company.
Three years later, and we see that Christian most definitely set a precedent for more than a handful of outbound WWE stars who’ve chosen to do exactly the same (performers like Kurt Angle, Booker T, etc. all had the option to stay on with WWE but chose instead to try their luck down in TNA-land).
Unfortunately for Christian, each of these newly imported stars followed the template of his defection and arrival a bit too closely. And just like Christian, a parade of TNA’s newer stars have “voluntarily” left WWE, arrived in TNA and shook up their main event picture, immediately gotten pushed into the title hunt as a face, then turned heel and wait for the next guy to arrive and do exactly the same.
(Should be interesting to see if the latest WWExpired TNA signee in Mick Foley does the same)
Bottom line?
Christian is a solid worker and a killer addition to any roster he’s on. But in jumping to TNA in the fashion he did, he pretty well opened the floodgates for others to do the same — and has found himself washed away to midcard oblivion as a result. That said, with no high-profile WWE contracts (save, perhaps, Mr. Kennedy) scheduled to expire in the immediate future, perhaps the storm has been weathered for Christian Cage, and so he can feel comfortable signing a new contract in order to get back into the thick of things.
However, if Cage has even so much as an inkling of doubt that he’s going to end up shuffled to a supporting character role now that Mick Foley is just the latest in the long line of former WWE stars to follow the very same career path he himself had once chosen — then we may well see him jumping back across the fence and seeing if he can make a go of it with Vince and Company instead. Better to midcard for more money than less, ya’ know. And heck — who knows? Maybe a main event run in WWE isn’t out of the question after all. Let’s not forget that in the post-Wellness-scare-era and acts like Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, and THE Brian Kendrick receiving pretty substantial pushes back in WWE, so perhaps Captain Charisma would be able to pick right up where he left off.
Kevin Nash seems to play a key piece in the character development and backstage allegiances of TNA’s slowly unfolding “new versus old” storyline, but at this stage in his career, Big Kev is hardly the type that can be counted on to deliver in the ring. On top of that, the man has complete creative control over the direction of his character, and he’s proven more than willing to invoke that clause (and/or take his ball and get to steppin’ — depending on which side you ask) in the past.
Hate to say it, but if TNA is serious about moving forward with the New Blood vs. Old Guard storyline, perhaps Kevin Nash is more of a liability than he is an asset. In order for the feud to work, the new guys need to be booked as the fan favorites, and the old guard needs to be willing to suffer a string of high profile defeats. Nash has been dangerously prone to injury over the past several years, meaning that he could well go AWOL and leave TNA with a major hole at the top of their card should such a situation arise again. On top of that, the guy has never been all that keen on playing the traditional heel role (though he’s at his best when playing the part of a rulebreaking bad guy who the fans love all the same), and that could really turn around and bite his much-younger-and-less-established opponents in the ass if they’re looking to get the fan support and credibility rub by squaring off against him.
Stay or leave?
If I were TNA, I’d keep Big Kev on for a short-term contract in order to use his remaining momentum to help kickstart the new/old storyline… then I’d quietly let his contract run out in order to shift the focus onto those remaining veterans on the roster that are still both willing and able to see the program through.
Team 3D is something of an outlier to TNA’s generation war, as these perpetual tag team standouts have pretty well avoided any real altercation with the Styles/Joe/Sting/Angle dustup in the making. A lot of folks like to rag on the Dudleyz and argue that they have overstayed their welcome to the point of becoming stale, but I’m a firm believer that both of these men have more than warranted the paychecks they’ve been receiving over the past four years with TNA. After an unfortunate “holding period” following their battles with Team Canada (and a feud against America’s Most Wanted that never quite came to fruition), they’ve really busted their asses since turning heel, and they’ve done a mighty fine job of helping newer acts like LAX and the MCMG’s come into their own in the process.
As such, it would seem like a no brainer to re-sign the duo and throw them into the center of the “new versus old” civil war. Being the most decorated tag team of the modern era and veritable icons of the “old guard” themselves (particularly Brother Ray, who has a longstanding reputation of roughing up the young guys), you’ve gotta’ believe that Team 3D could make an outstanding addition to TNA’s veteran heel ranks… particularly if the old timers are set to go to war with the up-and-comers.
Unfortunately for TNA, Team 3D is pretty much relegated to working tag contests, and the tag ranks are kind of short when it comes to credible young babyface tandems. Take a look:
Rock & Rave Infection? Heels.
Beer Money? Uberheels.
Motor City Machineguns? Heels, and have already faced Team 3D repeatedly.
The Superheroes? Babyfaces, but strictly comedy acts.
LAX? Babyfaces, have already faced Team 3D repeatedly, and could soon be headed for a split.
So where does this leave Team 3D?
If the generational divide angle is going to remain at the forefront of TNA’s priorities list, then the only reason to keep Ray and DeVon on the roster would be to have them join into the fight and help pass the torch to the next generation of stars. Sadly, with the dearth of young babyface tandems out there on the TNA roster today, Ray and DeVon might just end up on the outside looking in — as there is quite literally nobody credible enough for them to work a program against that hasn’t already been done before.
And before anybody goes out and sez “but what about the young powerhouse pair of Matt Morgan and Abyss?!” — MeeThinks you’re going to need a lot more in the way of opponents than one slapped-together, makeshift big man tandem if you’re going to warrant re-signing an established act like Team 3D. With Abyss just barely passing as Morgan’s tag team partner the way it is (and with the Karen Angle subplot, AND with Mick Foley inbound), it’s pretty hard to believe that TNA would tie up their resident monster in a longstanding tag program.
So what happens?
Unless TNA wants to go balls out and reunite AJ Styles and a fresh-off-sabbatical Curry Man Christopher Daniels (which would require abandoning the Styles/Angle program, plus the Styles/Sting program, etc.), then MeeThinks it’s a pretty fair bet to say that Team 3D might well be looking for work outside of TNA in the near future. So let’s put on our psychic hat, flash forward a few months, and call it a mutually-agreeable, “open-ended departure,” if you will (meaning that the door’s open for their return on down the line so long as they don’t end up re-signing with WWE… which in itself isn’t the most likely of scenarios). A tough loss, mind you — especially because Ray and DeVon have been totally company men in their TNA tenure — but ultimately one that might just have to be made simply because there’s just nobody left for them to face these days.
Brock Lesnar to Face Randy Couture This Fall
MMA Legend to Battle WWE Alum for Big Bucks in November
Not wrestling news qua wrestling news, really… but big news for wrestling fans this week regardless, as it was announced that former WWE Champion Brock Lesnar would be squaring off against UFC legend Randy Couture in the company’s upcoming pay-per-view this November. While Brock’s MMA career is still quite young (he’s 2-1, and two of those matches — win and loss, respectively — have been ridiculously short), he’s clearly being pegged as a hella-marketable star for Dana White and company, so much so that many are speculating that this crossover-appeal “Couture comeback” fight could very well shatter company records.
MeeThinks?
Good for Brock Lesnar, and good for Dana White. Heck, even good for Vince McMahon and good for professional wrestling, believe it or not — as UFC is getting a TON of mileage out of Lesnar’s otherwise relatively untested “star status” thanks to his years as a WWE mainstay.
Think of Brock Lesnar as The Rock of UFC.
Vince might have lost a thoroughly badass main eventer in Brock Lesnar the wrestler, but at least the company can take some pretty decent bragging rights for having launched “The Next Big Thing” (albeit in the wrong company) on account of how well they had marketed and showcased Lesnar’s abilities during his WWE tenure. And as WWE has done with Rock’s transition to full time Hollywood action star, you can bet that we’ll be hearing WWE’s press relations office working overtime if one of their alums manages to make an impact in the world outside of professional wrestling
Now of course, I’m not saying that Lesnar is a shoe-in to beat Couture, mind you (far from it)… but the long and short of things is that it’s pretty damned impressive to see a guy who’s primarily known for being a “fake” fighter being taken seriously AND faring quite well for himself in the legitimate sporting arena that is MMA. And while most of that success rides on the rather broad shoulders of one Brock Lesnar (and one Dana White, of course), the simple fact of the matter is that Brock Lesnar would be NOWHERE near the draw nor the top-level talent he is rapidly becoming in UFC were it not for his tenure with World Wrestling Entertainment.
And With That, I’m Outta’ Here
Gotta’ jet for now, folks. Thanks again for reading, and enjoy the hell out of KICKOFF WEEKEND! As for Mee? It’s high time I busted out my world famous chili recipe and enjoyed the perks of being a proud American. I mean seriously now — where else but the great old USA could a Monty Python alumnus run for the second highest office in the land, right? (cue rimshot) On that note, I’m out. Do be sure to enjoy the Redeem Team 2.o’s massacre of the Chiefs this weekend in Foxboro, and always stay positive.
– Meehan
