Source: The Sun Online
By THE LILSBOYS
ANY poster for a wrestling event always features the phrase ‘card subject to change’.
But no one could predict how different Sunday’s Great American Bash would be to how it was originally billed.
Four of the seven matches at the bizarrely named Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis were not what fans were expecting just two weeks ago – including two of the three main events and the US title match.
First, as we reported last week, Mark Henry was injured on Saturday Night’s Main Event meaning he missed his grudge match with Batista.
Then the WWE was hit by a series of cases of “elevated liver enzymes” taking out Bobby Lashley, The Great Khali and Super Crazy.
No one is quite sure what is behind the medical problem, but steroid abuse is the obvious conclusion many will jump to. Hepatitis is another possible reason and it could also have been some form of food or water poisoning.
Right now the best explanation comes from Dave Scherer from the PWInsider website. He told us: “The WWE Wellness program has reeked havoc on the Smackdown brand over the last few weeks with at least those three wrestlers showing elevated liver enzyme levels.
“WWE immediately decided to take them all out of their matches at the PPV until they could find the reason for the elevated levels.
“While it adversely affected the Bash, the positive here is that it shows that WWE is taking the health and safety of its wrestlers very seriously.”
After the death of Eddie Guerrero that can only be a good thing, although anyone buying the PPV has a right to feel cheated.
Each absence was handled in a different way.
Mark Henry’s injury was announced a week ago and Mr Kennedy was named as Batista’s new opponent on Smackdown – two days before the Bash.
And although the new bout was OK visually thanks to Kennedy’s excessive blood loss – we’re told he was busted open for real rather than by blading himself – it lacked a coherent storyline.
Dave had no motivation to want to beat Ken up, other than frustration at being away so long, which stopped fans getting into his return as much as they should have.
It also made us question the ending, the Animal going mad and getting DQd, when a clean powerful victory would have been much more satisfying.
Bobby Lashley’s absence also hurt his match. Although it had been announced on the WWE’s website, for fans who don’t regularly read the net it would have come as a shock to see Teddy Long reveal his medical condition live on PPV.
That left Finlay v Regal for the US title, a heel v heel comedy match that died in front of the live crowd due to fans not having anyone to cheer for.
Fit retained his title in what was only a fair contest, far from the grappling exhibition we were hoping for.
Sticking Big Show in the Punjabi Prison match, on the other hand, saved that bout from total disaster.
Unaware of The Great Khali’s enzymes when watching the show, we assumed someone in management had actually bothered to watch Khali ‘wrestle’ and simply removed him from the PPV.
Unwilling to repeat what they did with Lashley, the writers simply had Teddy Long change the match on account of Show attacking Taker earlier in the night.
It was a preposterous reason to change a much-hyped bout and, although it was definitely better than if Khali had appeared, it was still pretty dull with a horrible half-hearted ending as Taker ‘fell’ through the structure first to claim victory.
Super Crazy’s absence was not even mentioned – which says a lot about his star power – with Matt Hardy losing to Gregory Helms in a good match instead.
All the absences and speculation over what can actually enlarge an enzyme overshadowed the big wrestling story of the night – Booker T winning a WWE world heavyweight title after five and a half years of trying.
He beat Rey Mysterio in another good wrestling match after Chavo Guerrero predictably turned on his pal.
Elsewhere at the Bash the bra and panties match, won by Ashley, was OK for what it was – a chance to ogle some half-named Divas – but no more.
So it was only really the tag team opener that stood out and as good as champions London and Kendrick were in retaining their titles against The Pitbulls they were never going to save this show.
There was some good action at The Great American Bash but it was typified but a lack of any sort of direction.
All the build-up was obliterated by the loss of four superstars and when even Batista, the hottest star on Smackdown by a mile, isn’t handed a clean victory you can see the booking is in a state of limbo.
