Source: Del Rio News-Herald
Brian Argabright
Del Rio News-Herald
Published July 17, 2006
Really, where are we going here?
After a dismal Saturday Night Main Event, and a sub-par TNA Victory Road Sunday, the state of pro wrestling is kind of lax.
While content to take the people’s money, it seems that the big two are entering a sort of summer slump that can alienate loyal viewers and won’t bring in the new money.
For example, Saturday night the WWE used its Saturday Night Main Event program to essentially push the same old matches (DX vs. The Spirit Squad, John Cena vs. Edge) on the public, during primetime no less.
Even when the company had a chance to do something big, such as Randy Orton’s attack on Hulk Hogan, the while thing seemed out of place and forced. While it was understood that Orton’s place in the business is to be a sort of legend killer, trying to hit Hogan with an RKO across the trunk of a limousine didn’t have the same effect as it would have had inside the ring.
Saturday night was a rough night for the WWE, also, in that they will now have to restructure its Great American Bash event card in the wake of a serious injury to Mark Henry.
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POWERBOMBS AND PRESS SLAMS: Really, where are we going here?
Really, where are we going here?
After a dismal Saturday Night Main Event, and a sub-par TNA Victory Road Sunday, the state of pro wrestling is kind of lax.
While content to take the people’s money, it seems that the big two are entering a sort of summer slump that can alienate loyal viewers and won’t bring in the new money.
For example, Saturday night the WWE used its Saturday Night Main Event program to essentially push the same old matches (DX vs. The Spirit Squad, John Cena vs. Edge) on the public, during primetime no less.
Even when the company had a chance to do something big, such as Randy Orton’s attack on Hulk Hogan, the while thing seemed out of place and forced. While it was understood that Orton’s place in the business is to be a sort of legend killer, trying to hit Hogan with an RKO across the trunk of a limousine didn’t have the same effect as it would have had inside the ring.
Saturday night was a rough night for the WWE, also, in that they will now have to restructure its Great American Bash event card in the wake of a serious injury to Mark Henry.
Henry was injured during his six-man tag team match with Rey Mysterio, Batista, Booker T, Bobby Lashley and Fit Finlay. According to WWE.com, Henry suffered a fractured patella and a possible patella tendon rapture. That means the match between he and Batista at Bash is off.
Meanwhile, over in TNA, Victory Road saw no title changes, the return of a former X Division competitor and the identity of the number one contender to the NWA Title was learned.
Here are the results:
The Naturals defeated the Diamonds in the Rough by pin fall after Elix Skipper was hit with an Andy Douglas dropkick off the top rope.
Rhino and Monty Brown brawled to a no decision.
LAX’s Homicide and Hernandez defeated Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt by pin fall after Konnan interfered and Hernandez dimmed Dutt’s lights with a vicious launch across the ring.
Senshi defeated a returning Frankie Kazarian to retain the X Division title. Senshi used his Warrior Way stomp to retain his belt.
Raven used a Raven Effect DDT to defeat Larry Zbyszko by pin fall in a Hair vs. Hair match. Now, Zbyszko is bald.
Chris Sabin and Jay Lethal defeated Kevin Nash and Alex Shelly by pin fall.
The James Gang and Abyss defeated Team 3D when Abyss put Brother Runt through a table.
A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels and Sirelda defeated America’s Most Wanted and Gail Kim by pin fall.
Sting defeated Scott Steiner, Christian Cage and Samoa Joe to earn a shot at Jeff Jarrett’s title at Hard Justice in August. Sting missed most of the match after being sprayed in the eyes by Jarrett, but returned at the end to hit Steiner with a Scorpion Death Drop and get the pin.
And finally, the public will decide who will be the grand prizewinner in my inaugural Create a Wrestler contest.
Over the course of the next four weeks, each of the contestants will have their entry published. Fans can read about their characters, see which one they enjoy most, and then vote for their favorite.
Voting begins Aug. 14. You can only vote once, but everyone in your home can vote. Call in your vote to 775-1551, ext. 229 or email it to sports(at)delrionewsherald.com. No votes will be accepted before Aug. 14.
So without further ado, here’s the first contestant — Shadow, as submitted by Juan Roberto Martinez of Del Rio.
“He’s worked for the very few things he ever had in his life, just to watch them leave or have them taken away.
“So, how do you faze a man whose soul is filled with pain? How do you psyche out a man whose sole purpose is to focus on his opponent, because he has nothing to look forward to after the match is over? How do you expect to beat a man who has ‘nothing to lose’?
“Bad luck, wrong choices, missed opportunities — such is life. These are the things that had led him here. This is Shadow.
“He’s 6’ 3â€, 245 lbs. He walks to the ring wearing a long black jacket and a white wrap around Phantom of the Opera-like mask, which covers more than half of his face and any and all emotion. In the ring, he wears black boots and black (long) tights with an Old English ‘S’ on his left thigh.
“He used a slow, methodical, deliberate style. Without warning, and when his opponent least expects, he’ll explode with an offensive barrage of kickboxing kicks, reverses and knee lifts. He’s also very comfortable with mat wrestling. Often times, with his opponent on the mat, he’ll lose patience, control, or maybe he just remembers something from his past. With unrelenting rage, he’ll pummel his opponents senseless. Many times this leads to a DQ. Regardless of the outcome, these outbursts serve to overwhelm his opponent and serve to intimidate future foes.
“He uses a dropkick to the knee(s) which sets up his submission hold, the cloverleaf. He calls it S.O.L. – S*** Out of Luck. On TV, they’ll call it Sure Out of Luck. When it won’t work as a submission, he’ll lock it up, flip onto his opponent and use it as a pinning maneuver.
“He sets up his finisher by Irish-whipping his opponent and catching him with a sleeper which he quickly uses to drive the back of his opponent’s head into the mat. He’ll do a forward roll, climb the turnbuckles, face the crowd while standing on the top rope and hit a moonsault. He calls it ‘Nothing to Lose’.â€
Meet our next competitor in next week’s column.
That’s all for now. Enjoy this week’s programming and, as always, STAY TUNED!!
