In terms of being able to stake a claim in the general public's minds that they are indeed serious about becoming the kind of powerhouse promotion WWE is (or WCW was when it challenged the WWF in the 1990's), signing Hulk Hogan is the greatest move possible for TNA.
Whatever impact (pun intended) Hogan's presence has, specifically whatever benefit/damage to the status quo (firing Vince Russo is the top of my personal list) or to whatever the elements of TNA are going to be upended by him (will Samoa Joe and AJ Styles be eating the big legdrop, brother?), in terms of public perception - and TNA has very, very little to the general public - Hulk Hogan's name, stature and star power gives TNA instant credence.
There are really only three true free agent megastars that TNA could bring in to give them the kind of recognition they need to be considered a rival - or they hope, an equal - to WWE:
Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock.
Everyone else, including Ric Flair, is a just wrestling star, no matter how big a wrestling star. Those three guys are household names transcending the wrestling business. Rock and Austin are pipe dreams for TNA. Hulk Hogan is the biggest score they'll ever have.
TNA, by the majority of credible accounts I've seen regarding their business, was just not growing. With Hulk Hogan's name and Eric Bischoff working with them, given what they did for WCW (not to WCW, because that's a whole different ball of wax) TNA has the best chance they've ever had to be seen as an equal to WWE. What they do from this point on will be hotly debated, dissected, complained about, but it may also work.
I'd say congratulations to all parties are involved. I would suspect that today, for the first time probably ever, Vince McMahon took some time out of his day to seriously consider what TNA is and what this means to his business.
In the weekly procession of RAW guest hosts, there have been winners (Shaq, Ben Rothlisberger), losers (ZZ Top, Jeremy Piven) and welcome comebacks (Trish Stratus). Access Hollywood hosts Nancy O'Dell and Maria Menounos join the winners category with a bullet. And while O'Dell got to "run RAW" and was given the storyline role of initiating the blockbuster Diva Trade that rearranged the women's division on all three brands, it was "special correspondent" Maria Menounos who truly stood out and made memories.
A lifelong WWE fan, Maria was clearly excited to be at RAW. That was evident from every minute she was on screen. What's more, she appeared to be knowledgeable about the WWE product, which is the most important aspect to loyal WWE fans for a celebrity outsider entering "their world" to be. Menounos made no faux pas like Piven did when he called Summerslam "Summerfest."
Maria fulfilled what she called a lifelong dream to enter a WWE ring and compete in a six Diva tag alongside Kelly Kelly and Gail Kim against Beth Phoenix, Alicia Fox, and Rosa Mendes. Though limited as to what she could do because she pulled her hamstring while training, Maria still impressed by tossing Fox around and slapping Beth Phoenix (before making an opportune tag and getting out of there lest get torn apart by the angry Glamazon.) No one would confuse Menounos with fellow Greek goddess and WWE megastar Trish Stratus in the ring, but for a celebrity guest she performed admirably in the squared circle.
There was a YouTube video that briefly made the rounds a few days ago showing that Menounos took her WWE appearance very seriously: training in an AWF ring and executing some eye-opening maneuvers for someone who is not an actual wrestler. The video showed that Maria listened carefully, trying to absorb as much as she could about what it takes to be a pro wrestler.
It's a shame the Divas match was so short and Maria couldn't show off that cool looking handspring elbow (Kelly got to do the honors). Still, for a non-wrestler, Maria did a great job and looked like she belonged. And why not? She's a real fan. She gets it. And standing next to the other Divas, she was clearly as hot as any of them.
As fun as her wrestling debut was to watch, Maria really rocked as a backstage interviewer. No surprise she'd be more than comfortable with a microphone in her hand as she has interviewed all of Hollywood's top celebrities. But Maria was really phenomenal interviewing Legacy and dropping the bombshell that they wouldn't be wrestling together at Bragging Rights and would be facing John Cena in a Triple Threat match.
The standard forevermore in being a great backstage interviewer is Mean Gene Okerlund. No one could ask a question, instigate and feign offense at a heel like Mean Gene. Maria must have dug up some buried memories of Mean Gene from when she watched WWF as a kid because she was right on point talking to Legacy. Better than many of the backstage interviewers actually on the WWE payroll. My reaction when she strutted away smugly to close the promo was, "Wow, that was phenomenal!"
As far as I'm concerned, Maria Menounos is welcome back in WWE any time. And when she's back, she hopefully won't need to show Triple H how to do a headscissors for 15 minutes again.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 10:51 AM EST
[General]
Sorry for the melodramatic title.
It's been a couple of days since the Diva Draft that reorganized the women's division in all three brands. I wanted to toss out my thoughts on the Draft.
It seems to me Mickie James is the reason all of this even happened. Without speculating too much on developments going on backstage between Mickie and her WWE superiors, enough rumors, stories and evidence on television exist that Mickie and WWE weren't seeing eye to eye. The factors, rumors say, involve her performance in the ring, her supposed weight gain, both or perhaps neither.
Regardless, prevailing wisdom at the moment indicates that Mickie James was stripped of the Divas Title, jobbed out unceremoniously to an unranked contender (no offense Jillian, but you haven't won a match in maybe years) like she was Barry Horowitz, and then literally replaced with Melina on RAW.
Melina came in like Hulk Hogan and claimed the Divas Title the way Hogan took the WWF title from Yokozuna after Bret Hart lost it at WrestleMania IX. It's a great attagirl for Melina, who becomes the third Diva to win both the Women's and Divas Championships, and is instantly re-established as the queen bee on RAW.
As for Mickie, she was then drafted (banished?) to Smackdown to, again rumors say, "send her a message". (Never mind my personal umbrage at using a draft to Smackdown as a "punishment" instead of being seen as a lateral move. Smackdown is only the best wrestling program WWE has. But that's another gripe for another time.)
If the Diva trade between Smackdown and RAW were limited to Mickie James for Melina, or Mickie James and Beth Phoenix for Melina, that would have been enough. Instead, seven Divas were traded between the brands, shaking up the entire women's division.
On one hand, it's been such a long time since anything interesting was done with the Divas of WWE that this seems like a blockbuster move for the women's division. (Although The Fink claimed it's "not a blockbuster in any sense of the word" on his blog. I took him to task for that in the comments. This perhaps underscores WWE management's general feeling about the Divas, that they're a second rate sideshow and not a serious component of the company. Although promoted and supported properly, they'd be as viable, if not moreso, than the TNA Knockouts. But that's yet another gripe for another time.)
The interesting elements of having so many Divas on new brands aside - and there definitely are compelling aspects to the trades - looking over the new rosters, one can't help but wonder how the trade would benefit certain Divas.
Mainly, I wonder about Eve Torres. Eve is the Maryse of 2009 - a Smackdown Diva who was given time and opportunity to develop as a wrestler and made some noticable gains in a few short months. Eve grew as an in-ring performer quickly by getting to work with Natalya and Michelle McCool. She added impressive moves to her arsenal like a flipping senton and a moonsault. But even with her rapid improvement, there is still a long, long way to go.
Now Eve finds herself on RAW prematurely, in an environment where the evidence shows the Divas wrestling and becoming the best workers they can be is not the priority.
Maryse is a good example. On Smackdown, Maryse was a fighter, someone who instigated confrontations, went toe to toe with Beth Phoenix, and nearly upset her as the sole remaining member of her team at Survivor Series 2008. Moved to RAW as Divas Champion, RAW Creative booked Maryse as a perpetually posing, preening, ineffectual coward who couldn't back up what she said. RAW Creative didn't understand, or worse care, what Maryse's character was, as long as she looked hot. The fear is the same lack of interest might happen to Eve.
If Eve had remained on Smackdown as a babyface, she would have had the chance to face and further learn from Natalya, McCool, and would have benefitted greatly from getting in the ring against Mickie James and Beth Phoenix. Instead, on RAW, she finds herself as a babyface on a roster that also has Melina, Kelly Kelly, Gail Kim, and the Bellas as faces. Who does Eve get to wrestle on the heel side? Currently, Alicia Fox, Jillian, and Maryse when she returns from the DL, two of whom are still novices who have as much to learn as Eve, and one who's mainly a comedy act.
Still, WWE sees Eve on RAW as a promotion for her. And it one sense it is: RAW is the flagship of WWE, the most important and prestigious TV element, and would increase Eve's star in the company. But if she wants to be a real wrestler, and Eve has indicated she does, RAW isn't really the place for her to learn, grow, and better herself as a worker in the ring. Nor is RAW Creative likely to give her the support she needs on the booking side. But we'll see, I suppose.
Bottom line, and this is likely WWE's thinking, RAW just enchanced their Diva eye candy to the Nth degree by adding Eve and the Bellas to a roster lead by Melina on the babyface side and Maryse on the heel side, with K2 and A. Fox in supporting roles.
The Bellas are back on RAW, too. They mainly exist in WWE because they're hot and there's two of them. If WWE wanted to, they could pair the Bellas with their good friend in real life, Maryse, to be a heel faction (sort of like a female Legacy with the Bellas as Maryse's lackeys and cannon fodder). But they likely won't as the Bellas are too valuable as spokesmodel sex bombs for the RAW guest host du jour. Wrestling is not the priority on RAW, especially not where Divas are concerned.
Smackdown scored big time by drafting Beth Phoenix, whose star was dimmed in the last year after being built as the most indomitable Diva monster ever, and Mickie James, who remains as talented and popular as she ever was. Phoenix and McCool have been kept apart for years, outside of the rare champion vs. champion match, and there is potential here for Beth to become a monster babyface on Smackdown. Audiences are more likely to embrace Beth as a hero than rally behind McCool, who they've been generally indifferent to at best whether as a face or a heel.
Where this leaves Mickie James isn't clear, but Mickie and McCool is also something new and interesting. As is Natalya vs. Beth or Natalya vs. Mickie. Even the quickly improving Layla would be interesting against the newest Smackdown Divas. Either way, the best Diva matches WWE will present for the forseeable future will continue to be on Smackdown.
Where all of this leaves poor Maria, single again after getting Dolphed by Ziggler, or poor Katie Lea Burchill, perpetually lost and forgotten in the weeds of ECW, is anyone's guess.
This year, I'm taking a stand. I decided I'm breaking the pattern of abuse. Week after week, RAW is garbage. Pay per view after pay per view, WWE delivers at best half a good show. I've had enough.
I am not watching Summerfest.
Frankly, Vince McMahondoesn't deserve any of my money for this card:
Randy Orton vs. John Cena Chris Jericho and Big Show vs.Cryme Tyme DX vs. Legacy Kane vs. The Great Khali Jack Swagger vs. MVP Rey Mysterio vs. Dolph Ziggler Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk TLC
Are you kidding me?! That's the Summerfest card?!
How in God's green Earth can Vince McMahon call that the second biggest show of the year, much less charge money for it?
I'm not paying to see Kane vs. Khali.
I refuse to pay to see another DX reunion and the world's oldest teenagers do their 12 year old schtick.
I refuse to pay to watch Cryme Tyme.
I absolutely refuse to sit through yet another Orton vs. Cena match, much less pay for the privilage.
The TLC is the only thing worth seeing, but is that one match worth $50 to order the Summerfest in HD? No.
That card is horrible. The last PPV, Night of Champions, was horrible. Every week RAW is horrible.
Skipping Summerfest is not only the right thing to do, it's the only sane thing to do. I'm not rewarding WWE for a card line up like that, especially when they have the nerve to sell that as the second biggest show of the year.
If the TLC is great, I figure I'll catch it eventually. If it's Jeff Hardy's last match, well, it's been real, Jeffrey.
Biggest Party of the Summer? No thanks, Mr. McMahon. I'd rather be doing anything else.
I hated Night of Champions with a Vengeance. There was nothing on the show, not a single match, that justifies a pay per view. Missing it entirely would have left me a little wealthier in money and time. At best a mediocre effort from WWE.
Big Show was a Big Letdown. The biggest letdown, literally. It could have been almost anyone else and would have been more interesting. The possibilities they lost: HBK, Undertaker, Christian, John Morrison, even Miz for instance, means they squandered the opportunities for a new, interesting storyline coming out of it. Instead they went for Big Show. YAWN. The less we see of Big Show, the better. He's best left as a special attraction, not someone who may have to wrestle on two brands every week. For the amount of time Show actually wrestled in the match - because Jericho became Haku in the match and worked 98% of it - it could have been someone like UT or HBK, someone still injured but at least could have had an interesting story come out of it. No one cared that they beat Legacy. No one cares about Legacy to begin with.
They started the show with a heel vs. heel match and then went right into a face vs. face match. Tommy Dreamer lost in Philly. Some traditions continue.
My burning hatred of McCool colors my opinion of anything she's involved with but I thought the match with Melina sucked. They had a little more time than expected but they were just flying through their stuff and hardly selling. SLOW IT DOWN. The work was better than average but they were acting like they were rushing to squeeze everything in. The DDT on the barricade was a great spot but Melina was up and at 'em 15 seconds later. Sell it longer, so the fans can be drawn in and emotionally invest! But back to hating McCool: All I saw in the match was McCool getting the first shot in on Melina, outwrestling her, outsmarting her, and getting the win. McCool's better! McCool's better, everyone! Great story.
I simply couldn't enjoy the Triple Threat. I could barely stand looking at the screen. I'm so incredibly sick of the three of these guys wrestling each other, there's nothing they can do anymore against each other that would interest me. Well, except for JOHN CENA MISSING THE ROCKER DROPPER FROM THE TOP ROPE AND GETTING BOOED BY THE PHILLY CROWD FOR IT. That was hilarious. Cena seemed off during the match but he didn't quite recover from that. I did like the finish of Cody landing on Cena after the RKO but God, let this five way clusterf--- be over.
Did I mention there was way too much Legacy on this show? Did we really need Cody and DiBiase wrestle, interfere and be interviewed about it?
Divas Title match was a royal mess. God bless Mickie James, but she's always had one particular problem: she can't carry anyone to a good match. She's never been able to. Against someone who can work, Mickie looks great, but she doesn't have the ability to make someone look better than they are. Taking the title of Maryse was fine since she's had it for 7+ months, but all I could think of was - burning hatred for McCool again - why couldn't this have happened a month ago? Mickie James is Buzz Aldrin. Second comes right after first.
Intercontinental Title was disappointing. It was either Dolph blows everyone away with a near miraculous performance, he does okay, or he completely gets exposed as not ready. Option B happened. He was fine. But this match was positioned on the card to be at a point where nothing great happened before it so expectations were raised as something special needed to happen to help save the show and they couldn't do it. Dolph is not Jericho or Edge, he's not up to it. Rey did his stuff, Dolph did his best, it was fine. No one was embarrassing or looked bad. But it was only fine. The finish was correct because it's too soon to give the IC belt to Dolph.
This left Punk vs. Hardy to save the show and they weren't up to it either. I like the new CM Punk a lot. I loved his promo at the Philly Crowd. I think Punk is interesting for the first time ever in his WWE tenure. But I remain unconvinced he's any real great shakes in the ring. And Punk and Hardy don't seem to click in the ring like they should. On paper, they are perfect rivals, the antitheses of each other, and the storyline was good. But their matches haven't been great, just okay. The finish of Hardy beating Punk clean to win the World Title was the right finish and it sent everyone home happy, but it sure as hell didn't redeem this crappy show. If you look at how Punk is booked, nothing at all has changed. He was a job boy who was lucky to have the belt a year ago as a face, and now he's an interesting heel who cuts really good promos but he's still a job boy who loses or is about to lose every week and then loses on PPV. Same old Punk booking. But love the promos.
In all, I hated this show more than WrestleMania 25.25, for the financial and emotional toll it inflicted – and I will never watch that entire show again for any reason – had Undertaker and HBK to point to and say, “Well, at least one match was GREAT.”Night of Champions had nothing resembling a great match, nothing that belonged on PPV and was worth paying for. All the best moments could have been summarized in a 30 second video package.If I’d never watched this show, I’d be happier for it.
