Archive for November, 2007
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Popularity: 2% [?]
- TNA and Scott Hall are still working on a contract to keep him with the company. It is thought that TNA want him to take up an agent job when his on air role has finished.
If a deal is made, it won’t be an exclusive deal so Scott can continue to work his dates for the WWC promotion in Puerto Rico.
- Kurt Angle’s opponent for huge Tokyo Dome show on January 4th has been announced as former IWGP Champion and WCW star Yuji Nagata.
It is thought that TNA will air highlights of the match on an episode of Impact.
- TNA have officially signed ODB (One Dirty Bitch) to a Knockout contract.
Popularity: 2% [?]
- From the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
- Raw opens with a marathon man running through the streets…opening video and pyro and we’re ready for Raw!!
- Shawn Michaels makes his way to the ring to a huge ovation, he says last night the better man won and he wants Orton to come out so he can shake his hand. Orton appears on the tron and says no, Orton’s face is battered from the superkick last night. Orton says he doesn’t believe Shawn just wants to shake hands, HBK admits that he was gonna kick him again! Crowd laugh. He says he’s proved he’s the best by beating John Cena, Triple H & HBK. HBK wants a re-match, Orton says he had his chance and now it’s over. Orton notes the marathon runner seen at the beginning of the show is on his way to the arena and it represents the passing of the torch from HBK to Orton.
Mr. Kennedy makes his way to the ring and he and HBK start brawling. Shawn is shoved into the ring post, Kennedy says it’s his time. HBK recovers and takes down Kennedy, HBK then challenges Kennedy to a match. Kennedy says HBK is nothing more then a loser. William Regal brings a referee out and we have a match.
(1) Shawn Michaels vs. Mr. Kennedy
Back from commercials the match has not yet begun because Shawn & Kennedy are brawling on the outside. They fight over the crowd barrier into the fans and over the announce table. J.R. & King’s mics are out. Kennedy goes for a chair and HBK superkicks it back into Kennedy’s face! Shawn’s music plays, match ends in no-contest.
- Later; Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga
(2) Santino Marella vs. Jerry “The King” Lawler
Jerry gets a good pop and “Jerry” chants. Santino puts King’s crown on and grabs a mike, he tells J.R. he is going to beat Lawler like a “government dog!!” Santino taunts Lawler, Jerry punches Santino’s lights out. King pins Santino after a backslide!
- After the match, Orton appears behind Lawler and RKO’s him! Orton shows the runner again, he says it’s only a matter of time before the official passing of the torch.
- Backstage Mr. Kennedy is complaining about what HBK did to him. Kennedy says father time catches up with everybody, but HBK shouldn’t worry about father time, he should worry about Mr. Kennedy
- We take a look back at Khali vs. Hornswoggle from last night. Vince, Coach and Regal are talking backstage about Hornswoggle at the Survivor Series. Carlito comes in and says he respects the tough love Vince has been giving. Vince signs Carlito vs. Hornswoggle for later tonight.
- Jerry Lawler joins J.R. back at ringside
(3) Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga
long match, Hardy and Umaga exchange the advantage. After commercial break we have rest holds, Umaga hits a huge leg and a huge knee drop but only gets a 2. Umaga hits a spinning kick to the back of Hardy’s head but Jeff is able to kick out once again. Jeff flies from he top but Umaga catches him and plants him with a swinging sidewalk slam. Hardy again kicks out! fans get behind hardy. Jeff is in the corner, Umaga sets up his running butt slam, Hardy moves and manages to take down Umaga from the top rope. Hardy tries for the Swanton but Umaga moved and hit Jeff with a Samoan drop, he then goes for the Samoan Spike but Hardy reverses it in to the Twist of Fate! Hardy knocks Umaga to the outside and flies over the roe and splashes him to the floor! Jeff is celebrating in the ring but Snitsky attacks him from behind! Jeff tries to hold his own but is double teamed by Umaga and Snitsky. Triple H storms to the ring and takes out both Umaga and Snitsky! Trips and Hardy are standing tall in the ring staring down the heels, Lilian announces Jeff the winner via DQ, great match!
- Later; Hornswoggle vs. Carlito – the match is now no DQ
- A very short Save_Us video is played with “tonight” at the end
- Backstage Todd Grisham asks Triple H why he saved Jeff Hardy. H says he saved Hardy because he’s the real bad ass of WWE, not Snitsky or Umaga. H questions Todd’s sexuality.
(4) Hardcore Holly vs. Cody Rhodes
Holly goes for the Alabama Slam, but Cody reverses into a DDT for the win!
- Orton runs to the ring and RKO’s Cody & Holly. We see the runner arriving in Fort Lauderdale. MY GOD ORTON IS BORING
- Finlay is speaking with Vince backstage. They speak about being Irish, Finlay notes Vince wasn’t actually born in Ireland. Vince invites Finlay out for a drink after the show, Finlay accepts and says he will order Vince a glass of warm milk because that’s what Vince needs at his age before he goes to bed! Vince looks pissed, but Finlay says he was only joking. Finlay leaves laughing and Vince is doing a fake laugh, he looks perplexed after Finlay has gone
- a promo airs featuring highlights of Ric Flair’s career…next week on Raw, Ric Flair returns!!
(5) Jillian Hall & Melina vs. Maria & Mickie James
before the match Jillian goes on about how she thinks Lilian Garcia can’t sing, she then screeches down the mike, fan boo heavily. Mickie hits her kiss-spinning kick combo on Jillian for the win.
(6) No DQ - Carlito vs. Hornswoggle
Carlito chases Hornswoggle around the ring, Horny disappears under the ring, Carlito tries to find him, horny outsmarts Carlito and covers him with a bucket of water! Carlito knocks Horny down and takes a few bites of his apple, Finlay runs to the ring, Carlito spits the apple in Finlay’s face, Finlay takes down Carlito and slams Horny on top of him for the victory! After the match Horny spits apple in Carlito’s face.
- The runner arrives at the arena
- Next weeks main event; Jeff Hardy & Triple H vs. Umaga & Snitsky
- Randy Orton makes his way to the ring for his “passing of the torch” ceremony. Orton says “and then there was none” referring to everyone he’s beaten. The runner is seen entering the arena. The runner is suddenly knocked down with a clothesline, but we can only see the guys back. On the tron the Save_Us video plays…THE ANSWER IS…SAVE_US.Y2J!!!! yes it’s true, it’s Chris Jericho!! A countdown appears on the tron, and Jericho’s music hits. The fans are going totally wild, Jericho soaks up the cheers for a while before cutting into one of his flawless promos, he says he is here to save the WWE from Randy Orton and the 1st chance he has he will take that WWE Championship from him! He says that when he does, the WWE, America, Planet Earth and the Universe will Neverrrrrr…Everrrrrrr…be the same again! Orton looks on shocked at what has happened! Y2J’s music hits and he celebrates with the crowd as Raw goes off the air!
Credit: www.gerweck.net
Popularity: 2% [?]
WWE Survivor Series PPV Results - 11/18/07
Location: Miami, Florida
Announcers: Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole & JBL and Joey Styles & Tazz
Report By: Adam Martin of WrestleView.com
- The WWE promo hits.
- A video package airs looking back at the history of the Survivor Series. Some of the big matches tonight were also highlighted including Batista vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell for the World Heavyweight Title.
- A graphic opening then welcomes us to Survivor Series as we go live to the American Airlines Arena. A display of pyro goes off as Joey Styles opens the show.
- CM Punk defeated The Miz & John Morrison in a Triple Threat Match to retain the ECW Championship. Although it was a rather quick match, it was a very solid way to open up the PPV. Punk took out Miz early on with a quick kick to the head followed by sending both Miz and Morrison to the floor. Miz and Morrison started double-teaming Punk in the ring until Miz shoved Morrison away. Morrison sent Miz to the floor until both started exchanging offense in the ring. Morrison hit a quick corkscrew from the corner on Miz, but Punk broke up the pinfall attempt. Impressive spot saw Punk hit a huricanranna on Morrison from the top rope which sent Morrison into Miz who hit Morrison with a quick powerbomb. Punk with a bulldog and and underhook backbreaker on Miz. The finish saw Miz take out Morrison sending him to the floor and Punk hit the Go To Sleep on Miz for the win.
- Backstage, MVP informs the audience that Matt Hardy will be unable to wrestle tonight. They showed footage from Smackdown on Friday night when MVP attacked Hardy’s knee.
- Mickie James, Maria, Torrie Wilson, Michelle McCool & Kelly Kelly defeated WWE Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix, Jillian Hall, Melina, Victoria & Layla in a 10 Divas Tag Team Match. Funny moment saw Melina attempt her usual entrance doing the splits, but she missed the ring apron. She laughed it off and did it a second time. Another quick match here that saw Mickie James kiss Melina and then kick her in the head for the win.
- A promo for WrestleMania 24 airs.
- Backstage, a shot of a concerned Hornswoggle is shown as Jonathan Coachman and William Regal are smiling about his match with The Great Khali later tonight.
- Footage was shown from earlier in the day with Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels. Orton said he will be disappointing all the WWE fans tonight when he beats HBK and that his only chance to beat him would have been with the superkick - which he can’t use tonight. Michaels told Orton that he tried to take his career away from him and now he will take away his WWE Title tonight.
- Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch defeated Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes to retain the World Tag Team Titles. Early on in the match, Holly sent Cade to the floor and Rhodes sent Murdoch to the floor as well. Cade and Murdoch began to isolate Holly from getting a tag to Rhodes. Rhodes got the high tag later on and took out Murdoch with a big high back body drop. Rhodes continued the offense on Murdoch with a bulldog and a big dropkick from the top rope. The finish saw Holly hit the ring and send himself over the top rope to the outside along with Cade. In the ring, Murdoch hit Rhodes with a modified Canadian Destroyer and got the pinfall. After the match, Holly got in Cody’s face and left to the back without him.
- At ringside, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Michael Cole and JBL talk about how Matt Hardy is out of the 10-Man Elimination Match. JBL added that Mysterio is working injured as well.
- Backstage, Todd Grisham was with Triple H’s team. Jeff Hardy said MVP taking out his brother Matt only lit a fire underneath them tonight. They did a brief confrontation between Kane and Triple H where Kane was still upset about the Kate Vick deal. Triple H apologized. Jeff Hardy then brought up how Triple H once put him in the hospital. Triple H again apologized. He said tonight they will take out any aggression they have on their opponents.
- Triple H, WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio & Kane defeated Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, WWE U.S. Champion MVP, Finlay & Big Daddy V in a Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match. Eliminations were as follows: Kane was eliminated first by Big Daddy V after a samoan drop and elbow drop. Rey Mysterio was eliminated second by Umaga after a samoan spike. MVP was eliminated third by Jeff Hardy after a Twist of Fate. Mr. Kennedy was eliminated fourth by Triple H after Big Daddy V went for an elbow drop on Triple H but missed and hit Kennedy instead. Big Daddy V was eliminated fifth by Triple H after he was hit with a double DDT by Triple H and Hardy. We are down to Triple H & Jeff Hardy vs. Umaga & Finlay. Finlay was eliminated sixth by Triple H following a Pedigree. Umaga was eliminated last after a Pedigree by Triple H and a Swanton Bomb by Jeff Hardy, with Jeff getting the pinfall on Umaga. I bet that surprised some people. Very solid match.
- Michael Cole and JBL looked at some footage of the new Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 video game with a Hell in a Cell Match between Batista and The Undertaker.
- Backstage, we see a shot of Hornswoggle still concerned about his match with The Great Khali. Vince McMahon shows up and Hornswoggle hugs him. Vince told Hornswoggle that he made the match tonight because Hornswoggle’s last name is McMahon and that he has been an underdog before against Time-Warner and the United States government - beating both. He tells Hornswoggle that all McMahon’s have huge grapefruits and are impervious to pain. Hornswoggle is pumped up to fight.
- The Great Khali defeated Hornswoggle via DQ. Wasn’t much of a match at all. Shane McMahon came out first and introduced his father and then his half-brother Hornswoggle. A loud “WE WANT SHAQ” chant started up. Shaq is in the house tonight by the way. During the match, Hornswoggle kicked Khali’s translator to the floor and spit green mist in his face. Hornswoggle then hid under the ring. The finish saw Finlay run down and hit Khali with the shillelagh followed by a low blow. Both Vince and Shane McMahon leave the ringside area to the back.
- A video package airs highlighting the feud between Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels going into tonight’s match for the WWE Title.
- Randy Orton defeated Shawn Michaels to retain the WWE Championship. The stipulation here was that Orton couldn’t intentionally DQ himself, while Michaels couldn’t use the Sweet Chin Music. Lots of ground wrestling early on in the match. HBK would fake out Orton numerous times during the match teasing he was going for a superkick. First big spot saw HBK hit a big springboard moonsault from the ropes to Orton on the floor. Believe it or not, HBK applied a Sharpshooter on Orton in the ring. Orton responded with a spike DDT from the ropes after breaking the submission. Orton hit a quick standing dropkick on HBK as well when HBK was getting in some quick offense. HBK also applied the Crossface on Orton later on, which might have been questionable to do. Orton attempted to kick HBK in the head later in the match, but HBK countered by applying an Ankle Lock. The finish saw HBK counter an RKO attempt and had his opening to hit the Sweet Chin Music, but stopped shorted and this allowed Orton to hit the RKO to get the clean pinfall on HBK for the win to retain his title. After the match, Orton dragged a knocked out HBK to the corner, slapped him and demanded he acknowledge him as the future. When Orton turned his back on HBK for a few seconds, HBK stood up and then hit Orton with the Sweet Chin Music.
- A promo for Armageddon on December 16 airs.
- Another “Save_us” video aired, noting we are just 23 hours and 32 minutes away until tomorrow night.
- Backstage, a shot of Batista was shown. Back in the arena, the Hell in a Cell is lowered over the ring.
- A video package airs highlighting the feud between Batista and The Undertaker going into tonight’s Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Title.
- Batista defeated The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Crowd in Miami was very pro-Undertaker during Batista’s entrance. Early in the match, Batista took out Undertaker right away with a quick Spear. The action spilled outside the ring and Undertaker sent Batista into the steel steps and then sent him head first into the cell structure. Undertaker dropped a leg across the throat of Batista over the ring apron and busted open Batista using a steel chair. Undertaker attempted the Old School walking the ropes, but Batista countered into a big spinebuster. Undertaker again sent Batista head first into the cell. Batista responds with a big superplex on Undertaker. Undertaker then applied a triangle choke. After breaking the triangle by getting to the ropes, Batista got the steel steps and bounced them off the head of Undertaker. A busted open Undertaker was able to pull off a Last Ride and a chokeslam on Batista. Both resulted in a two count. Another big spinebuster by Batista on Undertaker. Batista then brings a table into the ring and gives Undertaker a Batista Bomb through it, resulting in a two count. Undertaker with a big back body drop over the steel steps on Batista. Batista gets his hand on the bottom rope during the pinfall attempt by Undertaker. Undertaker responds with a Tombstone Piledriver and Batista barely kicks out. Undertaker then picks up Batista again and hits a Tombstone over the steel steps. Undertaker covers Batista, but Edge pulls the referee out of the ring. Edge was dressed as a cameraman the entire time. Edge uses the camera and hits Undertaker with it. Edge then drags Undertaker head first over the steel steps and cracks a steel chair over his head. Edge puts Batista over Undertaker and the referee counts the pinfall. Batista retains. After the match, Edge again uses the steel chair and cracks it over Undertaker’s head.
Popularity: 2% [?]
The three best selling WWE DVD’s in 2007 so far are WrestleMania 23 with 337,000 units shipped, the New and Improved DX DVD with 209,000 units shipped and the Ladder Match DVD with 178,000 units shipped.
WWe;s 24/7 service seems to be doing well, the program has about 115,000 subscribers and generated $1.4m during their last financial quarter, up from $1.3m.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Ric Flair has been “stylin’ and profilin’” for four decades in the wrestling industry. He is a 16-time World Champion and many have dubbed him: “the greatest wrestler of all time”.
Having taken a recent break from the WWE, before he returns to our screens, “The Nature Boy” caught up with skysports.com’s Richard Parr.
skysports.com: Hi Ric, welcome to skysports.com. You’ve been off our television screens for a couple of months now. When will we expect to see you return to the WWE and what have you been up to during this hiatus?
Ric Flair: I would expect to be back in a couple of weeks but I don’t have a starting date yet. I actually have been working on my new company ricflairfinance.com and spending a lot of quality time with my wife and enjoying the time off.
skysports.com: With John “Bradshaw” Layfield being a financial expert did you ask him for any advice?
Ric Flair: I actually asked him for a lot of advice initially. He gave me some good advice.
skysports.com: Because before wrestling you worked in insurance, correct?
Ric Flair: Ha, yes I did but I was just making a dollar along the way back then.
skysports.com: Obviously since then you have had an illustrious wrestling career. With you returning soon we will be approaching Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando, Florida next April. Who would you like to face and why?
Ric Flair: I don’t have one person, there would be a list of five or six people if I had a choice of who I would wrestle but I don’t want to put myself into that corner. But I would love to be part of it, if it works for the promotion. If it is do I think I can contribute? The answer is yes but the promotion has to make that decision.
skysports.com: How disappointed were you that you were not on the card for Wrestlemania in Detroit this year?
Ric Flair: Very. Very.
skysports.com: Ok, looking back on your career you were part of WCW during the infamous “Monday Night Wars”. Having worked at the WWE since: what do you think was the difference between the two companies for the WWE to win the war?
Ric Flair: I can give you three words. Organisation, respect for the product and talent relations. There were no controls for the talent in WCW. The talent told the promotion what to do. It never works.
skysports.com: You were part of two of the most famous stables in wrestling history in the “Four Horseman” and “Evolution”. Your two prodigies in Evolution are now the WWE Champion and the World Heavyweight Champion in Randy Orton and Batista respectively. Could you tell from an early time that these two would elevate themselves to champions? How much do you think them working with yourself and Triple H affected them?
Ric Flair: First of all both of them came loaded with ability and both eager to learn. And I think we lended them maturity and they of course forwarded respect, which could feel instantly. You can tell in one conversation if they respect you. Which was great for me. I don’t think Hunter is as focused on stuff like that as me in this point in his career. But it’s very nice to have that kind of respect from people. We really enjoyed working with them, we enjoyed the questions they asked and we enjoyed the trips together. And of course the company made it a flagship group. It was a great time. Nothing will ever replace the “Four Horseman”. That was a different time. I was fortunate to be with some great performers of that generation and some great people. I don’t think I have enjoyed anything as much since the 80s as I enjoyed with “Evolution”.
skysports.com: You mentioned the respect from Randy Orton and Batista. How do you feel when you hear and see all of the respect and admiration from the fans? For example last month the WWE was in the UK for the Survivor Series Tour and even though you weren’t scheduled to appear the fans were screaming “Wooo’s” in honour of you throughout the night. How important are the fans to you?
Ric Flair: It’s funny you mention that question and I say this when people ask me questions about wrestling in Europe who aren’t in this line of work. What’s really, really nice for me and what should be for any athlete with some mileage on him is that in Europe athletes get great, they don’t get old. And that’s just my take on it. We’re revered in such high esteem it’s amazing. I love wrestling out there. The level of respect they afford me is second to nothing, that’s the honest truth.
With my success I wouldn’t leave until the crowd got their money’s worth. If it took an hour that’s how long I would be out there. That’s what I felt about myself and what the fans deserved. I think that has translated and made me what the fans admire now.
skysports.com: With young wrestler’s coming through, to be a great wrestler do you think it has more to do with genetics or experience to help you tell a story in the ring?
Ric Flair: I think it is experience but I think it is wanting to be that person, wanting to have that knowledge and it’s wanting to take that next step. The parameters that we work in now, with the short matches on television, the idea of telling a story can be impossible. That’s why the story is told in so many different ways through the promotion and the body of the show. Sometimes there isn’t time to tell a story in the match. A lot of the hype for the matches is built up on the outside. Now if the guys have got twenty minutes to wrestle, then the fans are going to get a great story. If it’s something the fans really want to see it can be told in ten minutes. But a lot of that, as you know, is brought by other vehicles in the show prior to them getting the ring. The guys who really turn it on can turn it on. The guys who can’t turn it on because they don’t have the ability, get lost in the shuffle.
skysports.com: Out of the current crop of young Superstars which are the ones who you think have the potential to be future champions or even legends?
Ric Flair: Well I guess you would call them young guys but I would say three: Orton, Cena and Batista. But I consider three or four guys in the promotion who have obviously already achieved that. We’re talking about Hunter (Triple H), Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, they are the first names that come to mind. They have legendary status right now and all three can wrestle twenty, thirty minutes and give the fans a phenomenal match. But it took time; all three have been in the business for 15 to 18 years. They didn’t arrive with that level of ability; they brought that level of ability with them. They didn’t arrive to that level of greatness in two years.
I think the three guys I mentioned, Orton, Cena and Batista have the ability to be in that category but it takes time.
skysports.com: Talking of legends, it is really a matter of rather when, than if, you will be inducted into the “WWE Hall of Fame”. Have you been told about any possibility of being inducted next year at Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando, Florida?
Ric Flair: I’ve heard talk of it but nothing has been confirmed. But if the WWE think it is the right time I would certainly be very obliged and proud to be in that position. My problem is I take it too serious. And when it happens it will be a very real moment for me. It will be something I will cherish and my family will cherish forever.
skysports.com: Who would you want to induct into the “Hall of Fame”?
Ric Flair: It’s funny you ask me that, I’m not sure right now but if I had an answer now it would be Triple H.
skysports.com: You said that you expect to return to the WWE in a few weeks. How long to you plan to continue for?
Ric Flair: For as long as they can put up with me! They can’t keep a good man down!
Source: skysports.com
Popularity: 2% [?]
- Matches confirmed for tonight’s SmackDown:
*Finlay vs. Jeff Hardy
*Torrie Wilson and Mickie James vs. Beth Phoenix and Victoria
*MVP and Matt Hardy vs. The Miz and John Morrison
*Mr. Kennedy vs. Rey Mysterio
*Batista vs. Mark Henry
Also on SmackDown tonight will be The Undertaker, Hornswoggle, The Great Khali and others.
Popularity: 2% [?]
US, November 15, 2007 - It’s been a hectic 2007 for Shawn Michaels. When best pal Triple H went down with a torn quadriceps muscle in January, Michaels had to take over on the babyface side and become the top wrestler on the RAW brand. That led to a face vs. face match at WrestleMania, where Michaels main-evented his fourth WrestleMania against John Cena. Two months after losing that match, Michaels was injured by Randy Orton on an episode of RAW, and in his time off, had long-needed knee surgery that put him on the shelf for several months.
Michaels returned on the October 8 RAW, attacking Orton, who he wrestled at Cyber Sunday on October 28, winning by disqualification. On November 18, he wrestles Orton at the WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view, in a match where he won’t be allowed to use his now-legendary “Sweet Chin Music” superkick finisher.
In addition, “The Shawn Michaels Story: Heartbreak and Triumph”, a three-disc DVD collection spanning Michaels’ career, hits stores on November 27. IGN recently spoke with Michaels and discussed his career, working with new talent, and both his favorite and least favorite matches.
What’s it like seeing yourself in a video game?
Well, it’s just phenomenal with what they’ve done. It looks so real. Obviously, I’m in nowhere near as good as shape as the guys made me in the game, but it does look pretty cool. With me, it’s when my kids see it. It’s neat when your children see, “Holy cow, my dad’s in a video game”; you get the impression all dads do. It’s amazing with what’s been done with the graphics and the realism; unfortunately, I’m not equipped…I’m not nimble enough in my fingers to do all those things at once!
How’s the knee coming along?
It feels good. I had a couple of weeks there where it got a little dicey on me, last week and the week before, but it feels good.
Have you had to modify the way you’ve worked since you’ve come back to account for it?
Well, you know, I’ve made sure I’ve either wrapped my knees or wore my braces on interviews. I’m not gambling in any respect, but I think it’s holding up fine.
Your DVD comes out on November 27th, and outside of the many WWE matches on there, there’s the famous bloodbath match with you and Marty Jannetty versus Buddy Rose and Doug Somers (from the AWA) on it. Are there any other matches from before your WWE tenure that you’d like to have seen put on the DVD?
Well the one match with Buddy and Doug is the one everyone always comments on, and that was an awesome match, but the next time we came back to Vegas, we did a cage match, and I thought that one was really cool. That one doesn’t get much play because the bloodbath one was the one that put me on the map, but the next month, doing the blowoff in the cage was pretty cool.
After that, the only one I’d want to see on there, for personal reasons really, would be my first feud in Louisiana [for Mid-South Wrestling]. Years ago, I don’t know he got it, but Tommy Dreamer gave me a tape of my first matches out there with Jake [Roberts] and things like that. Something happened in that match I had with Jake where I learned one of my first lessons about the wrestling business. Jake wanted me to reverse a hold, and gave me what we call “the office” and… I wasn’t doing anything (laughs). And the way I look is just funny, seeing myself so young. I looked like I was ten.
Do you feel that now, being on the other side of things in the ring, when you wrestle with guys who are less experienced and younger, and you give them “the office”, do you see them getting confused the same way you did?
I think the only thing with our talent is that they sometimes, so I’m told, that they get intimidated. On one hand, that’s extremely flattering; I tell guys “Don’t be afraid to whomp on me in there, I appreciate you respecting me back here, but when you go out there, you can’t do that.” Even with guys like Batista, he’ll tell me “I don’t want to hurt you!”, but they’ve got to do that.
I enjoy the teaching part, when I get to do that, and when they tell me they’ve learned something, I take it as a huge compliment from them. I enjoyed working with John [Cena] because he was incredibly trusting and understanding. It’s nice to go out there and take somebody through something and have it work out well. I had an attitude [at that point of my career], and would certainly understand if they had one, but they don’t, and it’s nice that they don’t, but it’s OK even if they do. That attitude or that air of confidence is what’s going to eventually separate them from everyone else and they need to find out that they need to have that and it’s OK to be confident.
That DVD will serve as part of your legacy as a wrestler, but another part of that is the guys you’ve helped train who have become fantastic talents in their own right, notably Brian Kendrick, Lance Cade, and Bryan Danielson. Do you feel a sense of pride when they have a good match, or are they out on their own now that they’re on the big stage?
All of them were good when they came in. I knew they’d be good, and they would make it if they wanted to. As much as I would love to lay claim to them and say, “Yeah, I did it”, those young boys worked hard, so hard. All those guys were my first class, and my first class was so incredibly special.
But yeah, I still do talk to them about things; Lance even rode to me with TV this last week, and I had a talk with Brian. At the same time, I don’t want them getting labeled as Shawn’s boy, either. I’ve tried to make sure that I’m off them enough to avoid getting them heat and let them do it on their own, but also to let them know that I’m there if they need me. I don’t believe in the whole “I’m the mentor, they need to come sit underneath the learning tree” kinda thing. They’re all individuals and they’ve all gotta find their niche and find what works for them, when they have problems or a situation, I’m always there to help them through it and give them audience, but they never have to take it. I respect them all enough to let them decide. I just don’t have the ability to discount the way I looked at things when I was that age. Sometimes I took the advice, and sometimes I said “Old man, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Is there anyone you haven’t worked with yet who you’d like to have a match with before you retire, or anyone you haven’t done a program with who you’d like to work across from?
I’d love to get out there with Jeff Hardy, if we had time. I’d like to get out there with Brian or Lance too, again, if we had time. There are a number of guys I’d like to work with, but the biggest issue with me is getting time with them. The time constraints from a production standpoint don’t always work with me, but hey, it’s not my company, so I have no say in that. I think those time constraints keep us from seeing the talent in some guys who I know have more ability.
This Sunday, of course, you’re up against Randy Orton at Survivor Series in a match where you’re not allowed to use the superkick. Does that mean that we’re going to see the return of the Teardrop Suplex?
Is that what it’s called? The one I first used?
Yep, the one you used in the 90’s.
OK, then yes, definitely, if that’s what it’s called. I can do all the moves, but I have no idea what it’s called. I may have to pull out some new stuff and wrestle like I did years ago. I think it’ll make it interesting. I enjoy the stipulations that we’ve put into this. It’s sparked the creative flow, and that’s the one part of the industry I’ll never get tired of, thinking of new ways to do something different and interesting.
There was that one match you had with Shelton Benjamin where you did the superkick out of nowhere, and it came off so well that they’ve tried to use it nine or ten times again because it was magic the first time it happened.
Exactly, and unfortunately…you can’t do that. You can say that to somebody, but most of the really cool things just sort of happen, and everytime you try and go back and make it happen, it’s not the same, but again, it’s not my game. That being said, if I say no to anything, I might get labeled with the same attitude that I had years ago, so I say yes to everything now.
You look back, it’s been a pretty amazing career with regards to your match quality. I know this is difficult, but if there was one match you wanted to show to people as the best example of your craft, what would it be?
It’s a hard question, a really hard one. I mean, I love the Hell in the Cell match, love the Ironman match at WrestleMania, like the hour-long match with John [Cena] from TV, like the Mind Games match with Mick, like my match with Angle, I like my WrestleMania 19 match with Jericho, I mean, I like my In Your House with Jeff Jarrett. There are ones that are special to me just because of one thing in the match where I think “Wow, I really liked that”.
OK, well, on the other side, is there a match you just wish you could bury it and hope you never see it again?
That’s pretty easy, actually. The one in San Antonio versus Sid. I was feeling horrible, had the flu, didn’t feel or look good, and there was not a lot of effort put into it on both sides, but it was a main event for the World Championship, with a sold-out house, 60,000 people. I wish it had been better. On the other hand, I’d have to say Montreal, too. I would’ve liked to just be absent that day.
Well, indirectly, Montreal probably made the most money in the long run.
Well, yeah, it started a whole new trend in the industry, but for different reasons, creative ones. I’ve probably got a ton of house show matches I’d want to take away, too, but I can’t remember them all.
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Survivor Series Kickoff Week continues this Friday night on SmackDown, and it kicks off with a unique match: The Celtic combatant Finlay may love to fight, as he demonstrated during his victory over Rey Mysterio last week. But his original offense may be sorely tested this Friday in a non-title contest against Raw’s high-flying Intercontinental Champion, Jeff Hardy. Jeff will definitely find Finlay’s smashmouth technique a change from the loudmouth attacks of the always-vocal Mr. Kennedy, who will also see SmackDown competition in the form of the Belfast brawler’s bane of recent weeks, Rey Mysterio. With nearly half the competitors from the Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match appearing this Friday night, the hostilities among all parties is guaranteed to soar to new heights.
And as for heights, “might vs. mite” will take center stage on Friday Night SmackDown when The Great Khali and Hornswoggle actually weigh in before Sunday’s lopsided Survivor Series match. Needless to say, Mr. McMahon’s illegitimate son has no other options to weigh; his father’s “tough love” is forcing him to go head-to…waist against the highest man-made mountain ever to step in a WWE ring. As for Friday night, the only thing we can recommend for Hornswoggle is salad, because the scales don’t lie.
The Animal’s survival instincts better kick into high gear. Before he meets Undertaker in “The Deadman’s playground” – Hell in a Cell – at Survivor Series this Sunday, Batista must first contend with Mark Henry in a No Disqualification Match. In a WWE.com exclusive last week, the World Heavyweight Champion had strong words for the World’s Strongest Man (WATCH), who has taken full advantage of the recent working arrangement between SmackDown and ECW. So why would The Animal request a No Disqualification stipulation two days before he defends his title inside the sadistic Hell in a Cell? Last year, Batista was forced to relinquish his title after being injured by Henry; will history repeat itself this Friday, less than 48 hours before his fifth – and surely most epic – battle with Undertaker? Or does The Animal plan on sending a definitive statement to The Phenom through Mark Henry?
The road to Survivor Series continues this Friday on SmackDown, 8/7 CT.
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