Welcome to the 18th No Smark Zone. This week its Fact Or Fiction time and we are talking TNA, Vince, ECW, and general WWE thingies. I will Also give you my picks for this Sunday’s Summerslam! But first, Fact Or Fiction.
This week we have our 2 regular supermod guests in 3lions and Monkeystyles as well as the birthday boy, Montana and a new guest, Rell. And of course, I will be throwing my 1 cents in there.
The Vince McMahon “Illegitimate Child†storyline has the ability to be just as good, if not better, than the “Who Killed Vince?†storyline.
Munk:Fiction If anything this storyline has already bored me to death and I am just not interested. Who killed Vince was something new and interesting, while who has Vince fucked and knocked up in the past is really quite sophomoric to me and entirely uninteresting.
3lions: Fiction. The 'Who killed Vince' storyline was the best thing to hit WWE in a long time (storyline-wise) and had everyone talking. It would have provided great TV and there were unlimited directions the angle could have gone. Also, with the large interest generated by the angle, it would have been a great way to give a star the rub. But this storyline has nowhere near the level of interest and therefore won't be better, imo.
Rell: (Fact) I agree to a certain extent. I'm not too fond of either angles. I feel they take a seriousness away from professional wrestling, but they draw people in, I cant argue with that. I would say the "Who Killed Vince" angle had potential to be more of an ground breaking angle because it deals with Death, or Faking death which are a lot more serious than Illegitimate children.
Montana: Fact. It does have potential to be better, but I guess we will never know. Both are great in my opinion. I think Vince's son is a lot more predictable than who killed Vince, But its all about which can provide the most entertaining segments, i think we saw on SNME that Vince's child can lead to several funny entertaining segments. Me personally preferred Who did it, but faking his death would not have been a good climax to it.
Kaedon: Fact- I think this could be very interesting, I mean this is a very played out, Jerry Springer type thing, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining. Even if it ends up being the obvious guy, it still can be fun and funny. We all know how a match is likely to end, in one of 5 ways right? But just because you (think) you know the end, doesn’t mean the trip there can’t be good.
The ECW World Title is not a real world title as it doesn’t have anywhere near the same credibility as the WWE or World Heavyweight Championships and is more a mid-card title than anything else.
Munk:FictionIf that's true than for sure the TNA world title is just a mid card title. Nah, it may not be as prestigious as the other two, or have as long a lineage, but it is still a world title in name for the biggest wrestling company in the world.
3lions: Fact. At the moment, midcarders are fighting for the belt and ECW is considered a glorified Development territory. That in itself makes the belt a midcard title. Only when Big Show was Champion could it be considered a World title.
Rell: (Fact) I completely agree. The fact that the championship was given to Rob Van dam doesn't help the credibility of the championship at all. IMO The WWE should have held a tournament to to come up with legitimate number one contenders for the championship, and then have them challenge each other in a "Extreme Rules" match up...but that was the past, nothing we can do about it now.
Montana: Fact. The Ecw title has never had world title status feel to it. In my eyes, the belt has to be active for about 5 years, and be defended on international soils. Ecw has had some big names hold the belt, but it hasn't built a strong enough title in the first year.
Kaedon: Fact- I hate to say it, but it’s FACT. And that’s not to say that Morrison, Punk, and the rest aren’t great, because they are. But when you look at the WWE’s main eventers…Cena, HHH, HBK, Undertaker, Batista, Edge, Kennedy, Lashley, Booker T, Randy Orton, those guys cant compare. Undertaker vs. Batista was/is a marquee match up. Edge vs. John Morrison doesn’t jump off at the screen like others do.
With the impending two hour time slot and the rumor that they are trying to sign for WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, TNA might be on the cusp of tuning the corner against the WWE and Vince McMahon.
Munk:Fiction(Wow I'm negative today) More bullshit. Two hours may help but if they just fill it with another hour of crap its not going to make a difference. Further we already went through this with Angle and saw the results. No one wrestler is going to solve TNA's issues.
3lions: Fiction. TNA are nothing. It doesn't matter who they bring in, the compay doesn't know how to use it's talent correctly and therefore will never be a true challenger to WWE. Also, Lesnar is only coming in for the payday and to help out his buddy Kurt. He wouldn't stay there long and wouldn't make that much of a difference. Also, TNA's precious X Division? Fed to Lesnar on arrival.
Rell: (Fiction) TNA signing Brock Lesnar would probably anger some of TNA's loyal fans, but we must realize TNA is trying to reach a national audience, not hardcore fans like us. Sometimes alienating your original fanbase can actually lead commercial success.
Montana: Fiction. Desperation is the word i believe. You can't measure sucess in tv ratings or quality. Its gotta be done in $$$. Tna's ppv buyrates are horrible and probably not going to get any better. 2 hours will not help, they need to go live. They have to tour. Tna has to start turning a profit before I can take them serious.
Kaedon: In the short term, this could be really good for TNA if their booking department would pull their head out of their collective asses. They have a lot of good, not great, but good talent and could work up to being a semi-threat like WCW was before it bought WWF’s then current talent and then started rolling. It COULD happen, but I don’t see it happening. TNA just sucks from top (booking) to bottom (99% of the wrestlers). Brock vs. Angle, while its been seen COULD boost them. Sting vs. Brock COULD REALLY boost them if they don’t blow the wad on a 4 min shit match. But they probably will so I’ll say FICTION.
With the WWE trying to incorporate more comedy skits as of late (IE “WWE Idol†and “The WWE Dating Gameâ€), they are taking away from a great wrestling product and really aren’t doing anything to help themselves.
Munk:Fact:Give me some goddamned wrestling. I saw the dating game bit. It was funny, but the problem with the WWE is so often they find something that was funny once and then proceed to run it into the ground.
3lions: Fiction. WWE has been stuck in a rut for a longggg time so are reverting back to the booking style which 'helped' them achieve [one of] their best era ever, the Attitude era. This era consisted of mainly storylines/comedy segments, accompanying several wrestling matches. This era cannot be replicated, but this booking style cannot harm an already poor product. The standard of wrestling in the company is also far from top notch at the moment, so an occasional comedy skit can't hurt the product.
Rell: (Fact) This has been going on for a while now. It's one of the reasons I have been turned off of mainstream wrestling. It's OK to do things like this on special occasions, but I feel WWE isn't putting enough emphasis on WRESTLING. I watch wrestling for wrestling, of coarse angles and build are are key in wrestling, but I feel it should be secondary.
Montana: Fiction. If you watch Raw for "great wrestling" you are going to get let down. Raw has always been based around entertainment. Imo, these skits are providing 6 minutes of comedy. The wrestling product is so watered down now anyways, you can predict move for move whats going to happen.
Kaedon: Fiction- You are not going to get an unbiased answer from me about this. I love comedy and I love to laugh way too much. Ron Simmons dating Maria with Santino getting in is fucking hilarious. John Cena interviewing himself was funny as hell too. The WWE Idol was a little bit much but instead of taking themselves to seriously, the WWE are just trying to have fun, I think. And that’s what works. That’s what DX was, fun. The problem is that “smart†fans are so god damn jaded now that they wont give anything that’s not a spotfest, an ironman match, or whatever, any credit anymore. If fans were this jaded back in 1997, the Attitude Era would never have happened.
The Randy Orton/John Cena feud is the first feud to have a “big match†feel since HBK/Cena or Taker/Batista (maybe) with the exception of Cena/Lashley or Batista/Edge.
Munk: I'm not answering this. I can't be unbiased here. Orton sucks and shouldn't be anywhere near any world title. It doesn't feel like a big match to me and if Cena loses I will be very disappointed.
3lions: Fact. WWE's roster has only a handful of stars, with most of them out injured and the healthy one's are spread out between two Brands. Thatlimits the possibility to book marque matches. This is the first since Undertaker/Batista, imo. They tried to make the Cena/Lashley match a 'Dream match' but it truly wasn't.
Rell: (Fiction) I'm probably wrong, but I haven't watched RAW since the Draft so I cant really comment on the level of this feud.
Montana: Fact. This is probably the biggest fued in years. I'd say its probably the 2nd biggest fued since Rock/Hogan. This is kinda like Hogan/Macho or Hogan/ Warrior from the 80's. This is the biggest matchup of Cena's and Orton's career. The wwe has saved this matchup since WM 20. This is a Big, Big matchup and perfect for the 20th anniversary of SummerSlam.
Kaedon: Fact- Kinda FACT I guess. It’s been built up as well as I think it could be and it feels like a big match, but I don’t know if its on the level with HBK/Cena or Taker/Batista. Maybe it’s a sign that I’m getting older and I need to see the established wrestlers that I know and love involved for it to be “bigâ€, I dunno. So yeah..Factish…..
So there you have it, I believe that was our 5th or 6th Fact or Fiction. It certainly ahs become popular amongst you guys out there. If you want to be on Fact Or Fiction take any statement and tell me why you think it is fact or fiction and PM it to me. If I like what I read, you could be on the next F or F in two weeks. Also, if writing like that isn’t your thing and you just want to know the opinion of the panel on something, PM it to me and we will talk about it.
Anyway, its time for the Summerslam Review. I will say that I am looking forward to this years a whole lot more than I was last years. I mean last years had some good stuff on it, however it just didn’t produce like I thought it would. The last match, while good to great, had been seen a dozen times. Its always great to see Vince get his ass kicked and Orton got buried. So yeah it was so so. But this years is looking pretty good with a few holes…
MVP© vs. Matt Hardy for the United States Title
No, this match hasn’t been announced yet but I think it will be, and if it doesn’t happen I am gonna be REALLY pissed. Like seriously, if they aren’t gonna have a match at one of the biggest PPVs of the year, what the fuck was the point of all the build up? It will be a great match and if the booking is right, it could steal the show. I personally would like to see Matt Hardy come out with the title but MVP has been getting his ass kicked lately and by WWE logic that almost guarantee’s him a win at the PPV. I was hoping for a ladder or TLC match but that’d be kinda pointless for a tacked on match (that shouldn’t be tacked on).
Winner: MVP
John Morrison© vs. CM Punk for the ECW World Title
I like these two guys but haven’t we seen enough of them? If there was some kinda response during their matches I could assuredly see a justification, however we all now that’s plainly not the case. But we take the hands we are dealt in life. I think this will be another solid match but nothing much more special. I really wish they would have at least added some kind of gimmick. Extreme Rules, a cage, something because I just don’t see myself or much of the average fans staying interested with the past matches being so blah. As far as the winner it’s a toss up, much like a lot of the matches on the card. I honestly don’t know. My gut tells me this could be Punks night but I can’t bet against the champ.
Winner: John Morrison
Divas Battle Royal
Who likes titties? I do I do! And I guess it wouldn’t be a WWE PPV without some obligatory TNA so I am not totally opposed to this. And it’s an actual match with an actual purpose! Wow! Every Diva in the WWE is gonna be in it but the Women’s title is on Raw, so look for Melina, Mickie, Beth, or Jillian to win. Personally I think the WWE are building up the new girl.
Winner: Beth Pheonix
Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero
Ok as far as predictability goes, this one is pretty money. There is a chance it will end in a draw, however I see Rey coming back and coming back BIG! I cant say I am looking forward to seeing this match as much as I am HHH’s however I do like how Chavo has been just acting like a prick and I wil say it will be great to see Rey come back and beat the living shit out of him. Maybe the WWE can do some last minute magic on SD, but even if they don’t, Chavo treating the mask like Pepe is good enough. The match itself will be good because, well look who the fuck is in it!
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Umaga© vs. Carlito vs. Ken Kennedy for the Intercontinental Championship
Another thrown together match. They are building up matches way less now that they have all tribranded PPV. It kinda pisses me off because I was afraid this exact thing was gonna happen. But I’d rather have a rushed together match with these guys than none at all. Kennedy, Umaga, and Carlito are the future of the WWE and they need to be on PPV. I like how this match has come together. I mean actually its been building with the Lashley/Carlito/Kennedy thing but anyway, I like it. I cant wait to see it and I cant wait to see what happens. I bet this match is gonna be the typical 3 way with a series of one on one matches which I guess is ok because how the fuck do you build a match with 3 guys in the ring at the same time for 10-20 minutes. There is enough of a contrast of styles that this will be good to great. As far as the winner, I’d like to see Umaga or Carlito win, but if the rumored Kennedy push is true, this would be a great start.
Winner: Ken Kennedy
The Great Khali© vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship
In another in the long list of matches that SHOULD have a gimmick, we have The Great Khali vs. Batista. I hope this match is kept short due to the lack of ability on all sides. If Batista was taking on a smaller guy, I could see there being a justification for making it more than 10 minutes, but its not. Batista has an impressive array of power moves but they are all useless against The Great Khali because he’s so damn big. So while I am not looking forward to seeing it from a “workrate†standpoint, I think it will be great to finally see Batista get the title back after being made to look like a chump for the past how many weeks.
Winner: Batista
Battle Of The Kings: HHH vs. King Booker
The second, and I mean THE SECOND Booker T was drafted to Raw, about 90% of the wrestling community thought of this match. It’s a natural feud. King vs. King. I remember watching those two jackoffs on Youtube saying this was a boring match up because you know HHH Is gonna win. Guess what, you knew HHH was gonna win at WM 18 but people debate that that is the most under rated main event. Anyway..This is gonna be a great match for one reason, because HHH and Booker T are amazing wrestlers. Sure they are a little older and sure they are a little past their prime (moreso Booker than HHH) but they both can go, know how to go, and will go. I love how this feud has been built up and it’s another one that has been built up with near perfection. As for the winner, all I have to say is the king of kings is getting back on his throne!
Winner: HHH
John Cena© vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Title
In what has been booked as the biggest feud since Batista/Undertaker, the two youngest hot stars in the WWE go at it. This kinda has a big match feel to it but I would have thought that the WWE would hold off on this feud until Wrestlemania. Then again with all of the injuries, Orton is the most senior heel on the roster so why not right? I hope no one remembers the one off match they had on Raw when Eddie died because while it wasn’t a bad match, it wasn’t all that great either. Both men have improved by leaps and bounds since then and I think this is gonna be a true main event. I know some people might disagree about either party but I don’t think you can deny the fact that both of these guys are capable of having a great match with each other. As far as a winner, I really have no clue who is gonna win. This is the first time since the WWE Championship Challenge that I have been wondering if Cena will retain. But since I have to make a guess, I have to bet on the champ and his amazing win streak.
Winner: John Cena
Well there you have it, my predictions for Summerslam. I think it will be a great PPV providing all of the booking elements are there and everyone brings their A-Game to one of the biggest PPVs of the year. I have no doubt that most of the matches will meet if not exceed my expectations. And with that we have another No Smark Zone in the books. Before I go I wanted to pimp a column on the site, other than mine. Soulpower has a great ECW review that he consistently puts out and I really think you should head over to the columns forum and check it out. With that being said, tune in next week for a Summerslam review and another rant or two about things that piss me off!
This week we have our 2 regular supermod guests in 3lions and Monkeystyles as well as the birthday boy, Montana and a new guest, Rell. And of course, I will be throwing my 1 cents in there.
The Vince McMahon “Illegitimate Child†storyline has the ability to be just as good, if not better, than the “Who Killed Vince?†storyline.
Munk:Fiction If anything this storyline has already bored me to death and I am just not interested. Who killed Vince was something new and interesting, while who has Vince fucked and knocked up in the past is really quite sophomoric to me and entirely uninteresting.
3lions: Fiction. The 'Who killed Vince' storyline was the best thing to hit WWE in a long time (storyline-wise) and had everyone talking. It would have provided great TV and there were unlimited directions the angle could have gone. Also, with the large interest generated by the angle, it would have been a great way to give a star the rub. But this storyline has nowhere near the level of interest and therefore won't be better, imo.
Rell: (Fact) I agree to a certain extent. I'm not too fond of either angles. I feel they take a seriousness away from professional wrestling, but they draw people in, I cant argue with that. I would say the "Who Killed Vince" angle had potential to be more of an ground breaking angle because it deals with Death, or Faking death which are a lot more serious than Illegitimate children.
Montana: Fact. It does have potential to be better, but I guess we will never know. Both are great in my opinion. I think Vince's son is a lot more predictable than who killed Vince, But its all about which can provide the most entertaining segments, i think we saw on SNME that Vince's child can lead to several funny entertaining segments. Me personally preferred Who did it, but faking his death would not have been a good climax to it.
Kaedon: Fact- I think this could be very interesting, I mean this is a very played out, Jerry Springer type thing, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be entertaining. Even if it ends up being the obvious guy, it still can be fun and funny. We all know how a match is likely to end, in one of 5 ways right? But just because you (think) you know the end, doesn’t mean the trip there can’t be good.
The ECW World Title is not a real world title as it doesn’t have anywhere near the same credibility as the WWE or World Heavyweight Championships and is more a mid-card title than anything else.
Munk:FictionIf that's true than for sure the TNA world title is just a mid card title. Nah, it may not be as prestigious as the other two, or have as long a lineage, but it is still a world title in name for the biggest wrestling company in the world.
3lions: Fact. At the moment, midcarders are fighting for the belt and ECW is considered a glorified Development territory. That in itself makes the belt a midcard title. Only when Big Show was Champion could it be considered a World title.
Rell: (Fact) I completely agree. The fact that the championship was given to Rob Van dam doesn't help the credibility of the championship at all. IMO The WWE should have held a tournament to to come up with legitimate number one contenders for the championship, and then have them challenge each other in a "Extreme Rules" match up...but that was the past, nothing we can do about it now.
Montana: Fact. The Ecw title has never had world title status feel to it. In my eyes, the belt has to be active for about 5 years, and be defended on international soils. Ecw has had some big names hold the belt, but it hasn't built a strong enough title in the first year.
Kaedon: Fact- I hate to say it, but it’s FACT. And that’s not to say that Morrison, Punk, and the rest aren’t great, because they are. But when you look at the WWE’s main eventers…Cena, HHH, HBK, Undertaker, Batista, Edge, Kennedy, Lashley, Booker T, Randy Orton, those guys cant compare. Undertaker vs. Batista was/is a marquee match up. Edge vs. John Morrison doesn’t jump off at the screen like others do.
With the impending two hour time slot and the rumor that they are trying to sign for WWE Champion Brock Lesnar, TNA might be on the cusp of tuning the corner against the WWE and Vince McMahon.
Munk:Fiction(Wow I'm negative today) More bullshit. Two hours may help but if they just fill it with another hour of crap its not going to make a difference. Further we already went through this with Angle and saw the results. No one wrestler is going to solve TNA's issues.
3lions: Fiction. TNA are nothing. It doesn't matter who they bring in, the compay doesn't know how to use it's talent correctly and therefore will never be a true challenger to WWE. Also, Lesnar is only coming in for the payday and to help out his buddy Kurt. He wouldn't stay there long and wouldn't make that much of a difference. Also, TNA's precious X Division? Fed to Lesnar on arrival.
Rell: (Fiction) TNA signing Brock Lesnar would probably anger some of TNA's loyal fans, but we must realize TNA is trying to reach a national audience, not hardcore fans like us. Sometimes alienating your original fanbase can actually lead commercial success.
Montana: Fiction. Desperation is the word i believe. You can't measure sucess in tv ratings or quality. Its gotta be done in $$$. Tna's ppv buyrates are horrible and probably not going to get any better. 2 hours will not help, they need to go live. They have to tour. Tna has to start turning a profit before I can take them serious.
Kaedon: In the short term, this could be really good for TNA if their booking department would pull their head out of their collective asses. They have a lot of good, not great, but good talent and could work up to being a semi-threat like WCW was before it bought WWF’s then current talent and then started rolling. It COULD happen, but I don’t see it happening. TNA just sucks from top (booking) to bottom (99% of the wrestlers). Brock vs. Angle, while its been seen COULD boost them. Sting vs. Brock COULD REALLY boost them if they don’t blow the wad on a 4 min shit match. But they probably will so I’ll say FICTION.
With the WWE trying to incorporate more comedy skits as of late (IE “WWE Idol†and “The WWE Dating Gameâ€), they are taking away from a great wrestling product and really aren’t doing anything to help themselves.
Munk:Fact:Give me some goddamned wrestling. I saw the dating game bit. It was funny, but the problem with the WWE is so often they find something that was funny once and then proceed to run it into the ground.
3lions: Fiction. WWE has been stuck in a rut for a longggg time so are reverting back to the booking style which 'helped' them achieve [one of] their best era ever, the Attitude era. This era consisted of mainly storylines/comedy segments, accompanying several wrestling matches. This era cannot be replicated, but this booking style cannot harm an already poor product. The standard of wrestling in the company is also far from top notch at the moment, so an occasional comedy skit can't hurt the product.
Rell: (Fact) This has been going on for a while now. It's one of the reasons I have been turned off of mainstream wrestling. It's OK to do things like this on special occasions, but I feel WWE isn't putting enough emphasis on WRESTLING. I watch wrestling for wrestling, of coarse angles and build are are key in wrestling, but I feel it should be secondary.
Montana: Fiction. If you watch Raw for "great wrestling" you are going to get let down. Raw has always been based around entertainment. Imo, these skits are providing 6 minutes of comedy. The wrestling product is so watered down now anyways, you can predict move for move whats going to happen.
Kaedon: Fiction- You are not going to get an unbiased answer from me about this. I love comedy and I love to laugh way too much. Ron Simmons dating Maria with Santino getting in is fucking hilarious. John Cena interviewing himself was funny as hell too. The WWE Idol was a little bit much but instead of taking themselves to seriously, the WWE are just trying to have fun, I think. And that’s what works. That’s what DX was, fun. The problem is that “smart†fans are so god damn jaded now that they wont give anything that’s not a spotfest, an ironman match, or whatever, any credit anymore. If fans were this jaded back in 1997, the Attitude Era would never have happened.
The Randy Orton/John Cena feud is the first feud to have a “big match†feel since HBK/Cena or Taker/Batista (maybe) with the exception of Cena/Lashley or Batista/Edge.
Munk: I'm not answering this. I can't be unbiased here. Orton sucks and shouldn't be anywhere near any world title. It doesn't feel like a big match to me and if Cena loses I will be very disappointed.
3lions: Fact. WWE's roster has only a handful of stars, with most of them out injured and the healthy one's are spread out between two Brands. Thatlimits the possibility to book marque matches. This is the first since Undertaker/Batista, imo. They tried to make the Cena/Lashley match a 'Dream match' but it truly wasn't.
Rell: (Fiction) I'm probably wrong, but I haven't watched RAW since the Draft so I cant really comment on the level of this feud.
Montana: Fact. This is probably the biggest fued in years. I'd say its probably the 2nd biggest fued since Rock/Hogan. This is kinda like Hogan/Macho or Hogan/ Warrior from the 80's. This is the biggest matchup of Cena's and Orton's career. The wwe has saved this matchup since WM 20. This is a Big, Big matchup and perfect for the 20th anniversary of SummerSlam.
Kaedon: Fact- Kinda FACT I guess. It’s been built up as well as I think it could be and it feels like a big match, but I don’t know if its on the level with HBK/Cena or Taker/Batista. Maybe it’s a sign that I’m getting older and I need to see the established wrestlers that I know and love involved for it to be “bigâ€, I dunno. So yeah..Factish…..
So there you have it, I believe that was our 5th or 6th Fact or Fiction. It certainly ahs become popular amongst you guys out there. If you want to be on Fact Or Fiction take any statement and tell me why you think it is fact or fiction and PM it to me. If I like what I read, you could be on the next F or F in two weeks. Also, if writing like that isn’t your thing and you just want to know the opinion of the panel on something, PM it to me and we will talk about it.
Anyway, its time for the Summerslam Review. I will say that I am looking forward to this years a whole lot more than I was last years. I mean last years had some good stuff on it, however it just didn’t produce like I thought it would. The last match, while good to great, had been seen a dozen times. Its always great to see Vince get his ass kicked and Orton got buried. So yeah it was so so. But this years is looking pretty good with a few holes…
MVP© vs. Matt Hardy for the United States Title
No, this match hasn’t been announced yet but I think it will be, and if it doesn’t happen I am gonna be REALLY pissed. Like seriously, if they aren’t gonna have a match at one of the biggest PPVs of the year, what the fuck was the point of all the build up? It will be a great match and if the booking is right, it could steal the show. I personally would like to see Matt Hardy come out with the title but MVP has been getting his ass kicked lately and by WWE logic that almost guarantee’s him a win at the PPV. I was hoping for a ladder or TLC match but that’d be kinda pointless for a tacked on match (that shouldn’t be tacked on).
Winner: MVP
John Morrison© vs. CM Punk for the ECW World Title
I like these two guys but haven’t we seen enough of them? If there was some kinda response during their matches I could assuredly see a justification, however we all now that’s plainly not the case. But we take the hands we are dealt in life. I think this will be another solid match but nothing much more special. I really wish they would have at least added some kind of gimmick. Extreme Rules, a cage, something because I just don’t see myself or much of the average fans staying interested with the past matches being so blah. As far as the winner it’s a toss up, much like a lot of the matches on the card. I honestly don’t know. My gut tells me this could be Punks night but I can’t bet against the champ.
Winner: John Morrison
Divas Battle Royal
Who likes titties? I do I do! And I guess it wouldn’t be a WWE PPV without some obligatory TNA so I am not totally opposed to this. And it’s an actual match with an actual purpose! Wow! Every Diva in the WWE is gonna be in it but the Women’s title is on Raw, so look for Melina, Mickie, Beth, or Jillian to win. Personally I think the WWE are building up the new girl.
Winner: Beth Pheonix
Rey Mysterio vs. Chavo Guerrero
Ok as far as predictability goes, this one is pretty money. There is a chance it will end in a draw, however I see Rey coming back and coming back BIG! I cant say I am looking forward to seeing this match as much as I am HHH’s however I do like how Chavo has been just acting like a prick and I wil say it will be great to see Rey come back and beat the living shit out of him. Maybe the WWE can do some last minute magic on SD, but even if they don’t, Chavo treating the mask like Pepe is good enough. The match itself will be good because, well look who the fuck is in it!
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Umaga© vs. Carlito vs. Ken Kennedy for the Intercontinental Championship
Another thrown together match. They are building up matches way less now that they have all tribranded PPV. It kinda pisses me off because I was afraid this exact thing was gonna happen. But I’d rather have a rushed together match with these guys than none at all. Kennedy, Umaga, and Carlito are the future of the WWE and they need to be on PPV. I like how this match has come together. I mean actually its been building with the Lashley/Carlito/Kennedy thing but anyway, I like it. I cant wait to see it and I cant wait to see what happens. I bet this match is gonna be the typical 3 way with a series of one on one matches which I guess is ok because how the fuck do you build a match with 3 guys in the ring at the same time for 10-20 minutes. There is enough of a contrast of styles that this will be good to great. As far as the winner, I’d like to see Umaga or Carlito win, but if the rumored Kennedy push is true, this would be a great start.
Winner: Ken Kennedy
The Great Khali© vs. Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship
In another in the long list of matches that SHOULD have a gimmick, we have The Great Khali vs. Batista. I hope this match is kept short due to the lack of ability on all sides. If Batista was taking on a smaller guy, I could see there being a justification for making it more than 10 minutes, but its not. Batista has an impressive array of power moves but they are all useless against The Great Khali because he’s so damn big. So while I am not looking forward to seeing it from a “workrate†standpoint, I think it will be great to finally see Batista get the title back after being made to look like a chump for the past how many weeks.
Winner: Batista
Battle Of The Kings: HHH vs. King Booker
The second, and I mean THE SECOND Booker T was drafted to Raw, about 90% of the wrestling community thought of this match. It’s a natural feud. King vs. King. I remember watching those two jackoffs on Youtube saying this was a boring match up because you know HHH Is gonna win. Guess what, you knew HHH was gonna win at WM 18 but people debate that that is the most under rated main event. Anyway..This is gonna be a great match for one reason, because HHH and Booker T are amazing wrestlers. Sure they are a little older and sure they are a little past their prime (moreso Booker than HHH) but they both can go, know how to go, and will go. I love how this feud has been built up and it’s another one that has been built up with near perfection. As for the winner, all I have to say is the king of kings is getting back on his throne!
Winner: HHH
John Cena© vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Title
In what has been booked as the biggest feud since Batista/Undertaker, the two youngest hot stars in the WWE go at it. This kinda has a big match feel to it but I would have thought that the WWE would hold off on this feud until Wrestlemania. Then again with all of the injuries, Orton is the most senior heel on the roster so why not right? I hope no one remembers the one off match they had on Raw when Eddie died because while it wasn’t a bad match, it wasn’t all that great either. Both men have improved by leaps and bounds since then and I think this is gonna be a true main event. I know some people might disagree about either party but I don’t think you can deny the fact that both of these guys are capable of having a great match with each other. As far as a winner, I really have no clue who is gonna win. This is the first time since the WWE Championship Challenge that I have been wondering if Cena will retain. But since I have to make a guess, I have to bet on the champ and his amazing win streak.
Winner: John Cena
Well there you have it, my predictions for Summerslam. I think it will be a great PPV providing all of the booking elements are there and everyone brings their A-Game to one of the biggest PPVs of the year. I have no doubt that most of the matches will meet if not exceed my expectations. And with that we have another No Smark Zone in the books. Before I go I wanted to pimp a column on the site, other than mine. Soulpower has a great ECW review that he consistently puts out and I really think you should head over to the columns forum and check it out. With that being said, tune in next week for a Summerslam review and another rant or two about things that piss me off!
