A huge thanks today to all the readers that found a way to get in touch with me, whether via e-mail or via IM, and congratulate me on fifty editions of N & A. I thank you very much for the support! If you’re new to contacting me, you may do so through e-mail at eddie@thebalrogslair.com.
WWE presented SmackDown this past Thursday night. It seems that over the past one month we were in stored for yet another switch of momentum where the two main shows go, as SmackDown had become the better one for the time being. The show was great again, however, as expected, didn’t live up to the two programs in the weeks before. In what was probably one of the best matches of 2003, The World’s Greatest Tag Team defeated Rey Mysterio and Billy Kidman to remain Tag Team Champs. Elsewhere on the program, the real Brock Lesnar took on Hershey’s Kiss Spanky, and destroyed him. Stephanie McMahon made a return to SmackDown but found herself beat up yet again by A-Train. ‘Taker, Cena, Benoit, Guerrero, Tajiri, Rhyno, the Bashams, Gunn, Noble, Nidia, Torrie, and your favorite Big Show were all on SmackDown as well. No SmackDown rating this week, as due to the power blackouts, the markets were dead. As one could imagine, this week’s SmackDown rating will simply be ignored by WWE, and everyone else.
I was going to go ahead and run through SmackDown, like I usually do… However, today, I have chosen another format for my little space on-line. I’m going to give you the SummerSlam card and then run through SmackDown brand matches, and also include my RAW Preview in the thoughts of the RAW brand matches. Did that make any sense? I hope it didn’t, because otherwise you’ll stop reading. Now you need to go on to find out what I meant…
SummerSlam 2003:
– Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Triple H (c) vs. Bill Goldberg vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho vs. Kevin Nash vs. Randy Orton
– WWE Championship Match
Kurt Angle (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
– US Championship Match
Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Chris Benoit vs. Rhyno vs. Tajiri
– One-on-One Match
The Undertaker vs. A-Train
– One-on-One Match
Matt Hardy with Shannon Moore vs. Zach Gowen
– One-on-One Match
Shane McMahon vs. Eric Bischoff
– One-on-One Match
RVD vs. Kane
– World Tag Team Championships Match (RUMORED)
La Resistance (c) vs. The Dudley Boyz
I will discuss the Elimination Chamber Match in my report next week, following RAW. But as a RAW Preview, I’d expect the focus on RAW to be mainly around Nash and Jericho in their Hair vs. Hair match. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Goldberg and Shawn Michaels faced Ric Flair and Randy Orton in a tag match, or something of that nature. In either way, I think we’ll definitely see Goldberg in action, or involved with something on RAW. Triple H shouldn’t be too far behind either.
Kurt Angle pulled a no show on SmackDown, and this goes to show you that WWE has lost any momentum they tried to built in the Angle/Lesnar feud. It’s really unfortunate that due to Angle’s neck injury, this great rivalry had to end, then begin again, and kind of get lost. I didn’t think at first that it was a bad idea to do Angle/Lesnar at ‘Slam, but now I feel that it was better for WWE to save that match for later on. Brock’s heel turn has worked out well for me, and I’m going to go on a limb and guess he’ll probably win the belt from Angle at SummerSlam. I am also pretty sure that Kurt Angle will end up being aligned with Stephanie McMahon or a returning Paul Heyman. (Heyman is still recovering by the way.) At any rate, they did a good job on SmackDown with Brock’s “beating” on Spanky, but Angle’s no show really confuses me. Then again, there might have been a reason for that.
I enjoyed Eddie Guerrero’s bit with Chris Benoit a lot on SmackDown. It was hard to believe that Chris Benoit of all people would show so much personality, charisma, and humor all in one bit. Guerrero is so over with the crowd right now, that some Internet analysts are saying he will have no problem carrying the brand and being the champion. I don’t know for how long I’ve been saying that, but a main point in my old reports was that only good things can happen for Eddie Guerrero when he goes back to wrestling as a singles competitor. Guerrero is at his peak right now, and still has so much room to better his character. I think that both Eddie and Chris Benoit need to be in the title picture. Is it just me or has WWE sort of backed themselves in a corner when it comes to the SmackDown title? They have Lesnar being the permanent champion or challenge, no matter what, and other than him, it’s been guys like Kurt Angle, Big Show, and Undertaker working the matches. Chris Benoit and John Cena had also been there, but I believe it’s time to get Eddie Guerrero that top spot. It will happen down the lane, but not for now.
Undertaker taking on A-Train isn’t exactly my favorite feud. I like both men, but it seems that Undertakers works better programs with guys like Cena, Angle, and Lesnar, rather men of his size such as Big Show or A-Train. In either way, it’s at least good that these two will fight each other instead of taking a spot in another match. I also think it’ll be cool for Vince McMahon to “go public” with his little alliance that he’s forming. It’s practically a known fact now that Big Show, A-Train, and Brock Lesnar do what the Boss tells them to do, but instead of playing off of that, WWE went ahead and is working the storyline to make McMahon look better instead of give the rub to the guys who are in what could be a good “stable.” Also, Angle teaming up with Taker, and Benoit for example would be a good “counter stable” to McMahon’s. Stephanie McMahon could be the leader of that one.
The one thing that the McMahons themselves can’t understand is that they can be worth a lot as TV characters, but only if they write themselves into the right stories, with the right amount of TV time.
Matt Hardy will probably end up jobbing to Zach Gowen at SummerSlam. At this point, I truly hope that happens because Gowen is now a jobber. He is yet to win a one-on-one match, and the fun the rest of the superstars poke of him is now to the point where it’s absolutely not needed. On the other hand, having Hardy job like that isn’t good at all. I’m hoping that WWE will find something better for him soon.
As I’m typing this, I just realized what’s happening at SmackDown right now (and for the past few months): Great Wrestling, Horrible Booking. Before I go back to the RAW side of things, here’s some other SmackDown thoughts and rhetorical questions… How great are Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas? How great are Billy Kidman and Rey Mysterio? Not one word exchanged between the two teams to make the feud, and it’s still the best thing on the program. It’s all about WRESTLING… So what happened to Nathan Jones? Big Show’s lonely… I really liked what they did with the Bashams on SmackDown. They really put them and Shaniqua over, and they did well. Also, for once, it made sense to book the segment the way they did… Is Jamie Noble’s face turn another way to get a babyface cruiserweight on the show since Vince is sour with Ultimo Dragon?… Where is Bill DeMott?… Where is Dawn Marie?… Do you fear to even think what the real Mr. McMahon is like?… Did Vinnie Mac forget that Brock was being “real” when he was heel several months ago?… Is John Cena the best gimmick around or what?… Should Triple H go over to SmackDown and lecture Spanky that drinking chocolate syrup instead of watching the show is horrible for his future?… How hard is it for the McMahons to simply say “my mom” instead of “the mother of your children, Shane’s mom, my mom, your wife, Linda McMahon?” Does Steph enjoy doing that every week or what?… When Cole said Shaniqua is taller than Tazz, did you catch Tazz say “Everyone is?”… How great are Michael Cole and Tazz?
I’m guessing Shane O’Mac will be back on RAW this Monday night to confront Eric Bischoff. I still believe that they’re going to go ahead and add a stipulation to this match. There’s a chance they’ll add a gimmick to the bout as well, as it could be for the RAW Co-G.M. position, or some kind of “power control” on RAW. Other than that, I hardly doubt it’ll be a straight wrestling match, so I’m guessing it’ll be a Street Fight or a No DQ.
Kane and RVD had a little confrontation last week, but I’m sure the two will probably meet face-to-face yet again on RAW. There isn’t a whole lot they can do with this feud. For weeks now, I continue to believe it’s not the right match for SummerSlam. Either way, I hope WWE will do something good on RAW. It all starts at 9 PM on Spike TV, the First Network for Men and the fan club of Spike Dudley’s push on RAW.
Before I go… I’m guessing that besides the tag team match (La Resistance vs. Dudleyz), WWE might add a women’s bout to the SummerSlam card if time allows it. They can also go ahead and have SmackDown’s tag team belts on the line. We shall see this week! Have a good one!
Thanks for reading. See ya.
Eddie
