CALDWELL'S TAKE CORNER CUBE FRIDAY: Previewing Big Three matches at the Rumble, Impact review Jan 25, 2008 - 6:50:16 PM

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Updated throughout the day from the corner cubicle, Torch columnist James Caldwell's weekday blog focuses on hot topic current events and other items of interest from around wrestling.

Updated Friday, January 25

6:50 p.m. Two days away from the Royal Rumble PPV, it's obvious this has a WrestleMania-feel to it. Combine a marquee singles match with the traditional Rumble match with New York City with a red-hot babyface in Jeff Hardy and it's a formula for a big event. So, let's break down the Big Three matches. Scroll down a few inches for yesterday's preview of the undercard matches. And be sure to check back on Sunday night for our in-depth real-time coverage of the Rumble.

Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy - WWE Title match. It will be very interesting to see if this is the actual main event instead of the Rumble match. If the match goes on before the Rumble, then I would be under the impression that Orton is retaining the belt, but Hardy would probably win with a DQ or count-out. WWE would then be depending on the Rumble to send folks home happy. If Orton-Hardy goes on last, then I would put money on Hardy winning the belt to close with that "epic moment" feel to the PPV.

The quality of the match itself is up in the air. They've been wrestling each other on house shows for the past month or so, and I've read conflicting reports on the quality of the matches. It is a PPV, and not a house show, so they should be able to up their game for an epic match, no matter the planned finish.

Overall, the PPV should do well at the box office. Of course, WWE's buy totals have been unpredictable for several months. A PPV with no champion going into the show (No Mercy, following Cena's injury) did more buys than Hell in a Cell (Armageddon), and the Cell always draws well.

So, with an expected increase in new and returning PPV customers, this is a chance for WWE to earn some goodwill. They've hyped and hyped Hardy's sudden rise to the main event, and this is one of those moments to crown a new champion and see what he can do with the ball in his hands. If Orton retains the belt, they run the risk of setting back the PPV business, but if there's a strong Rumble match before or after Hardy-Orton, they could still salvage any disappointment.

It's just a real risk to pull the Lex Luger Express of hyping and hyping a babyface to get him red-hot, then not delivering the title victory in the money match. Back in 1993 when I was a young buck casual wrestling fan, I bought Summerslam '93 to see Luger win the title over Yokozuna. But, when the match ended with a crappy count-out finish, I didn't buy another PPV for almost a year. Moral of the story is that WWE has an opportunity to win or lose customers with the finish of this match. Prediction: Jeff Hardy wins WWE Title.

Royal Rumble match. Now with Triple H back into the Rumble, he's the favorite to win the match. Not as much star power this year, with most of the big names concentrated in the singles matches. The Big Five in the match is a pretty good list of the who's who in wrestling, though. Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Batista, and Mr. Kennedy is a pretty nice list.

This year, they didn't announce any numbers ahead of time. In past years, Chris Benoit (2004) and Rey Mysterio (2006) walked into the Rumble with everyone knowing that they had the dubious task of running the table as #1. They'll probably do some backstage segments with each wrestler drawing a number out of the official golden drum, but the surprise element will be more in play this year than in previous years, especially when only 24 wrestlers have been announced as of this writing. Prediction: Final four - Hunter, Michaels, Kennedy, Undertaker. Winner - Hunter.

Edge vs. Rey Mysterio - World Hvt. Title match. It doesn't even seem like this match is a big deal, as Edge's character has been more concerned about getting his family straightened out on TV than preparing for an impending battle with Rey. No one is ordering the PPV for Rey to win the title, as that seems like a 0.01 percent chance, but WWE always has a surprise or two up its sleeve. ... Just not this match. It could be a show-stealing match, with Rey playing a good underdog, with Edge just being Edge.

***

1:15 p.m. Oh, Impact. How does one evaluate this show? If you take this show seriously and try to evaluate it the same way you do Raw, Smackdown, and ECW, then it's a thumbs down every week. They're trying to do WWE/WCW-lite, with storylines that aren't consistent from week-to-week, and surface-level characters who seem to be concerned only with looking like a "big man" by running down the 157 women on the roster.

If you look at this as a parody of a wrestling show that delivers inconsequential wrestling matches, main event wrestlers who don't care about titles, and an abundance of cartoon characters, all wrapped into one giant package of non-stop action that will at least hold your attention for the better part of two hours, then it is entertaining and possibly worth a thumbs up.

No one's going to buy a PPV, but TNA doesn't seem concerned about that as long as people snap up some merchandise, attend a house show if TNA comes to town, and watch the show every week. Chances are, if you didn't like the brand of TV wrestling TNA offers, you would have already stopped watching after week 1. If you're still watching the show to get two hours of entertainment every week, then you're not pretty much committed to the show because it's the same formula every week. You know what you're getting.

Aside from the larger picture of how to evaluate this weekly whatchamacallit, there were some tangible improvements this week. Namely, Samoa Joe. He's still acting heelish by running around causing havoc, bullying authority figures, demanding a long-term deal, and asking for some serious payment. But, it's appealing to the audience because, well, he is Samoa Joe. (Plus, he finally upgraded the wardrobe to seem more like a star wrestler, not a star-struck tourist.)

Along with improvements to Joe this week was the establishment of Tomko as the top babyface in the company. Actually, he's the only babyface in the company, but work with me. They christened him with that main event status with the classic stack-the-deck formula where Tomko overcame the loss of his tag partner, A.J. Styles, to the siren call of Karen Angle. Sure, the match was rushed and the announcers didn't have time to establish how big of a deal it was for Tomko to retain the belts by himself, but Tomko's slow ascension to becoming a top tier player came into the forefront this week.

As it stands, Angle vs. Christian is the title match at the next PPV, but Christian's character is being booked not to care about the belt, while Angle is a comedy heel without much credibility despite being showcased on Global Impact last week. So, Angle vs. Christian doesn't matter at this point. One man isn't concerned about defending his title and more concerned about Brock Lesnar; the other man isn't concerned about going after the title.

That leaves TNA with one money match in their back pocket: Tomko vs. Samoa Joe. So, let's put the wheels in motion that Angle retains the belt at the PPV. The feud between Angle and Tomko, which picked up steam on last night's show, leads to a title match. Tomko wins the title in March. Joe is next in line. Unless they hold off for a few months, it's Lockdown in the cage with Tomko vs. Joe for the belt.

It's difficult to come up with any other money matches TNA has left in the bag, so a few more months of quality build-up for Tomko and Joe like last night could finally give TNA a PPV main event to hang its hat on.

Updated Thursday, January 24

6:15 p.m. Today and tomorrow, I'll look at the Royal Rumble PPV card. Today, it's the undercard with JBL-Jericho and Flair-MVP. Tomorrow, I'll pick up with the Rumble match, Edge-Rey, and Hardy-Orton. (Really, a case could be made that Flair vs. MVP is more of a Big Three match than Edge vs. Rey.) Also with tomorrow's Big Three break down will be a significant debate on something being overlooked with Jeff Hardy. For now, the Rumble undercard.

Flair vs. MVP. A few days after reporting on any given TV show, I like to think back on said show and see what sticks out. What resonated enough for me to store it in the memory? What stuck with me days after the fact? I just said "last week's Impact" in my head and the very first think that came to mind was Shark Boy. ... Not a good sign.

But, when I started writing this break down on Flair vs. MVP, the first thing that came to mind was the promo exchange from six days ago on Smackdown. The verbal exchange was so good, with both men elevating their games and each other. MVP was confirmed for main event status by Flair, while Flair showcased that quiet, yet intimidating confidence. Just another piece of great TV in the VIP Lounge.

As for their PPV match, I don't see a clean finish here. MVP doesn't win or loss clean on PPV. Flair's program is that he's kept his career alive by the skin of his teeth. It's a formula for a DQ or count-out or something to that effect. MVP walked out of a match against Rey Mysterio at the last PPV, so it's a possibility at this PPV to keep Flair's career in tact on the way to Mania. If they really want to turn MVP into a legit main event, ending Flair's career with a clean pin would be monumental. Prediction: Flair via countout.

JBL vs. Jericho. Way too early in the feud for this match to end with a clean win. The easy follow-up is a bullrope match after JBL dragged Jericho around the building a few weeks ago, with Jim Ross throwing out the subtle farming references. No Way Out usually has some sort of gimmick match to sell the "bridge" PPV in between the Rumble and Mania, so it would make sense to stretch this into a two-month program.

JBL's verbal skills are superior to the majority of the roster, so it would be easy for him to get his heat back on Monday if he were to lose to Jericho on Sunday in his first match back from injury. I don't see a loss happening, though, so it comes down to what direction WWE wants to go with Jericho from this point forward. He's been good, but not great. Superstar, but not main event-level. The finish of the match could tell a lot about Jericho's future on Raw. Prediction: Jericho via DQ.

Updated Wednesday, January 23

10:25 a.m. Last night's ECW had all the glitz and glamour of a big-feel show, but it ended on a downer note with the heels conspiring for an ECW Title change and a lackluster debut from Kofi Kingston. Colin D. remains great in the Big Three of mid-card excellence - Santino (Raw) and Jamie Noble (SD) being in his peer group. The Rumble video package was a nice touch to give ECW something tangible - anything! - to call their own in selling the PPV. But, without the usual filler ECW Title match for the PPV, it came down to booking a five-man battle royale that was too short to give viewers a real taste for the PPV.

The production value to last night's show was a major upgrade over the previous ECW set. The previous set was designed to give ECW an "alternative" feel, but over time, "alternative" become second-rate and drab. So, it was nice to see ECW wrestlers with full ring entrances in vibrant color for a change. Viewers who were once interested in ECW because it was supposed to be different than Raw and Smackdown have long-since given up on watching. Now that the show feels major-league, WWE might get some interested "WWE casual" viewers back to the show.

WWE has their snazzy video presentation, but if they don't give viewers something worth watching, it'll be for naught. I think people will stick around if C.M. Punk gives them something to cheer about. Punk's character has been idling for months. To start this year, there was a little bit of fire from Punk, as his character was written to claim ownership of the show. But, that was long overdue and too little, too late.

Now, without the belt, Punk can go a different direction. If he's going to maintain a babyface position, he has to cut a very passionate promo that gets his fans (and there were girls screaming during his intro last night) riled up in his favor without sounding like he's whining about the stacked deck. Fan reaction will determine whether he's cheered or deemed a crybaby for standing up to the conspirators headed by Armando Estrada.

For once in a great while, Punk has options with his character. I don't think he was given a fair shake as champion, having to wrestle the likes of Mark Henry, Big Daddy V, and The Miz. That's tough sledding to improve in the ring and grow a fanbase taking beatings every week. How Punk is presented next week will determine the direction of his character going forward. Should be interesting.

As for Kofi Kingston's debut, I wasn't too impressed. He was a little rough around the edges. If this were American Idol competition (work with me here), I'd say he was trying to hit all the high notes in a Whitney Houston song, but forgot to stay in key and on pitch. He definitely wouldn't be going to Hollywood, like the single father from California with the babyface-enhancing four-year-old child. (Man, that guy can sing.) The potential for Kofi is there, and maybe it was a bad night or the wrong opponent, but he needs to smooth out some of those rough spots.

Let's look at some of the feedback from HD viewing of Raw last night...

Torch reader Jennifer Stevens checks in: I have a 42" LCD flat screen television, but my local cable provider does not include the USA Network in its HD lineup. Despite the obvious limitations of a standard vs. HD broadcast, the show was hardly a letdown. The new sets looked crisp and brilliant, and the energy level was off the charts for much of the show. There were a few technical hiccups during the opening bout, but other than that the show came across flawlessly. I'm very much looking forward to purchasing the Royal Rumble in HD to experience the full effect of WWE's new technology.

JC: Monday night, I watched Raw on my HDTV, but on the regular USA channel, like Jennifer. I noticed the same technical glitches on the standard channel during the opening match. There was one spot in particular where Kennedy and Michaels were battling on the top turnbuckle and I could only see a few dangling legs in the lower third of the screen. So, there were some early flaws, but even on the standard feed, the crispness of the videos and entrances really came across. It looked like a major PPV broadcast.

Torch reader Michael Bahn checks in ... I'm not sure if my cable system had the USAHD channel, but since I do not have an HDTV this whole hoopla is of no benefit to me. I would hope that you would at the very least consider and take into account the possibility that not everyone has an HDTV.

JC: Certainly, there are plenty of wrestling fans who don't have HD capability on their cable or satellite system. I'm not sure if the American household percentage has tipped over to 50 percent on HD vs. non-HD TVs, but I keep seeing ads on the local cable about standard TVs becoming obsolete in a few years. A little bit of scare tactics, but it's going to come to the point where no one is selling standard TVs three or four years from now. As for now, yes, the HD hoopla isn't applicable to standard TV sets. But, even on a low-def. TV, the crispness of the new sets and graphics and ring entrances is an upgrade over the previous sets, ECW especially.

Updated Tuesday, January 22

6:55 p.m. Today's big story in entertainment news is the death of 28-year-old actor Heath Ledger in his New York City apartment. Now, it's far too early to speculate on cause of death or what contributed to his death, but the AP is reporting that sleeping pills were found on his bed.

It could have been an accidental death; it could have been an intentional death. So, it's important to keep that in mind when trying to be sensitive to Ledger's family and the situation. But, this is going to be a huge story in the 24-hour news cycle, so it's important to look at what's going on.

The story reads just like the many pro wrestling deaths from the past two decades. Wrestler found dead before the age of 40. Sleeping pills involved. Circumstances a bit fuzzy. Yet, after about 50 of these, people are still walking around with the mentality of "yeah, but it won't happen to me."

To be fair, not everyone is dependent on pills to be part of the wrestling business. Just like not every young Hollywood actor is out partying every night. But, there's a problem. Pro wrestling is trying to address it (with some success and some fail), but pro wrestling's lessons aren't being heeded by mainstream individuals who haven't followed the wrestling business or seen the list of deaths.

Unless we're content to live in a society where superstars are placed on a pedestal for our entertainment desires, and we allow them to risk their bodies to generate our entertainment, and simply wash our hands of any guilt when they die or risk serious injury, such as Owen Wilson, then yeah, continue to demand entertainment from the next superstar waiting on the assembly line.

But, I believe we're better than that. At least, I'd like to think we're capable of intelligent thought on these serious issues. That's why 2007 was about asking questions on concussions, and how drug dependency interacts with concussions and steroids. Otherwise, we'd simply say, "the heck with it, take another unprotected chair shot to the head."

How many wrestler deaths is one too many? How many more times do I have to pick up the paper and read about another thirtysomething rapper's death, where the article details his style, influence, and record deals, instead of asking the tough questions and saying, "hey, there appears to be a problem, let's address it."

There is too much hand-washing in the entertainment business. I'm not sure who's responsible for it because I don't cover music and entertainment. But, if you apply the history of pro wrestling from the past 20 years to the current state of the entertainment business - from Britney on down - it's obvious there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

***

12:35 p.m. Last night's Raw was a very significant show. It was significant for the obvious of the HD debut. But, it was also significant because WWE delivered WrestleMania-level hype to a WWE Title match at the Royal Rumble. In past years, title matches contested at the Rumble PPV have been given a backseat to the Rumble match itself.

I think back to the 2004 Rumble when the hype was for Chris Benoit against a stacked deck in the Rumble match. Meanwhile, WWE had a "filler" title match of Brock Lesnar defending against Hardcore Holly. This year, a significant amount of the star power is concentrated in the singles match. Hardy-Orton. Edge-Rey. Flair-MVP. JBL-Jericho. Finlay-Khali.

Looking at the list of 21 wrestlers currently qualified for the Rumble, there isn't as much star power as in previous years. Sure, there's Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Batista, and Mr. Kennedy. But, the focus is more on the singles matches, not the Rumble.

WWE created four really good storylines that came together at once to create intriguing singles matches. Hardy's ascension to the main event has been the stuff of legend, while Orton's character has finally found the right note. Jericho's second coming and JBL's move from the broadcast booth back to the ring have collided head-on.

Flair's retirement program is something fans can grasp hold of as a tangible storyline, while MVP has become a main event heel on Smackdown. Rey's quest for his second World Title has been downplayed, but the Rey vs. Guerrero family storyline is something fans are (all too) familiar with from a recycling of the post-Eddie feud between Rey and Chavo.

I'd argue this Rumble card is one of WWE's best line-ups from top-to-bottom since WrestleMania 23 or the Backlash PPV a few weeks after Mania. Just look at the possibilities for the opening match on the card. JBL vs. Jericho is a PPV main event waiting to happen if there is something tangible on the line. There could be a World Title match to open the show with Rey vs. Edge. It's just a stacked line-up this year.

But, the hype for Hardy vs. Orton was so well done the past three weeks, starting with Hardy's dive from the top of the cage and stare down at Orton. It feels like a WrestleMania main event match, which they can't do for every PPV, but they have to find a way to get their declining PPV buys back to acceptable levels. If WWE continues to focus on individual PPV match-ups with this much quality TLC, I'm convinced the buys will reverse the negative trend over the long haul.

Throughout this week, I'll break down the Big Four singles matches and the Rumble match itself leading to Sunday's PPV. As for the HD debut last night, I'm curious how you, the readers, watched the show. I know some people don't have USA HD on their cable systems. Did you watch the show on HD or the regular feed, and what are your thoughts on how it came across?

Updated Monday, January 21

2:50 p.m. At the risk of painting music industry journalists with a very large broke stroke of obliviousness (because it's unfair when blanket opinions are attributed to all wrestling journalists as a whole), it seems to me that some people just don't get the steroid issue.

I'm not an expert by any means on the music industry, but you and I, who follow the wrestling business closely, know what the issue is from living through the death cycle in wrestling. So, I'll take an opinion piece on Yahoo Music as an example of why the picture is still fuzzy to the general public.

The music industry was rocked last week when New York state's federal investigation into Signature Pharmacy records revealed names of several famous music artists. There have been informed opinions on the significance of this story, but misconceptions continue to be fueled by the mainstream media.

The premise of the Yahoo article is that the government's accusations of steroid purchases by well-known celebrities must be false because Wyclef Jean isn't ripped to shreds and getting endorsement deals for fitness products. It could be as simple as Wyclef's name appearing on Signature Pharmacy records because he's buying for someone else. But, for the sake of argument, let's look at the real issue.

Apparently, the lessons from the Mitchell Report haven't been learned, where the story isn't about breaking home run records, but finding an edge in a particular profession. Just because a person isn't ripped doesn't mean he or she isn't using steroids. People can debate the specific health-ramifications forever, and the discussion is very important, but today's issue is athletes and celebrities gaining an edge through unfair, illegal, and potentially unsafe means if used in excess.

In wrestling, TNA is usually overlooked in wrestling's steroids game because WWE pushes larger-than-life athletes, who get the skeptical looks and questions. But, just because TNA has a roster of mid-sized wrestlers who won't win bodybuilding contests (pause for the make-believe Mr. Maple Leaf Muscle), doesn't exclude TNA from the conversation. The drug testing set to begin at today's TV taping will establish some baseline levels that may or may not reinforce my point, although TNA won't disclose the results publicly per their company policy.

The takeaway that we have maintained through countless stories written here on the Torch is that steroids is an enhancer for people of all sizes, shapes, and body types. It's about gaining a competitive edge.

Apparently without even realizing it, the Yahoo author hits home on the issue when he says Timbaland, who was on the Signature Pharmacy list, is now taking his shirt off with confidence in recent music videos. Something like that will make a strong impression with decision-makers in the industry. Whether or not Timbaland used steroids from an illegal source hasn't been proven yet. But, if he did, he found an edge through unfair, illegal, and potentially unsafe means. That's the issue. In music, in entertainment, in sports, and especially in wrestling.

***

11:15 a.m. It's been a few weeks since I've watched Smackdown. Actually, it's the first Smackdown show I've watched this year. So, it was interesting watching this last night on the DVR to catch up on what I missed. My first thought after watching the show is how great MVP and Ric Flair were in the VIP Lounge segment.

The VIP Lounge segment was great, in part because it didn't look rehearsed or scripted or force-fed. It was like two men were thinking off the top of their heads in reaction to each other's comments, building to a climax in their war of words. MVP with one line, Flair one-upped him, MVP one-upped him, and then Flair just chopped him and left.

For the past three or four years, Ric Flair's role on the mic has been very limited, in comparison to what we know he's capable of. The supposed reason was to allow younger wrestlers an opportunity to work on their promos and not be overshadowed by Flair. There's a hint of logic to that, but they took it too far by nearly eliminating Flair's promo time, instead of reaching a compromise of Flair interacting with a younger talent.

Flair didn't overshadow MVP in the Lounge segment; he enhanced his cocky heel character, even giving a little rub by saying that MVP reminds of him, but he'll never be him. And MVP with the classic line, "Nah, that's because I'm better than you." In practice, when WWE utilizes Flair in a give-and-take, rather than a give-and-disappear, storylines are enhanced by a significant margin. Now, I'm wondering how many wasted opportunities there were to enhance younger talent when WWE took a pessimistic view to using Flair with a mic in hand.

The other thing stood out to me was the announcing of Michael Cole and The Coach. I'm really disappointed in WWE's approach to this announce team. It's not the selection of Jonathan Coach that I'm even concerned about. I think he's a serviceable-to-good announcer. The problem is that a) he's not JBL and b) he's not challenging Cole.

Challenging Cole comes in two different ways. JBL challenged Cole to cut out his bad habits of superlatives and histrionics. When Cole slipped into his 1999ish bad form, JBL quickly pointed it out. There is none of that with Coach. It's like an echo in the room, with Coach repeating, rephrasing, and reinforcing what Cole says into his own words.

The other "challenge" element is that Coach isn't playing devil's advocate. JBL played the heel wrestling announcer perfectly, and it made for great TV commentary, even helping Cole improve as an announcer because he refined his arguments in support of the babyfaces - as the voice of the fans. Coach isn't being scripted for that role, leaving a huge void in how the stories are being told on the show.

The storylines are pretty basic, with Flair-MVP obviously being the bright spot. The one that's really disturbing is the direction of the Vickie Guerrero storyline. I'm still trying to give WWE the benefit of the doubt on this one, but Chavo's scripted line to Vickie early in the show made my blood boil in frustration (which apparently is the intended purpose, so WWE is doing its wrestling carny job of getting heat on Vickie and Chavo).

After apologizing to Vickie for his outburst last week, Chavo said: "I think I speak for the rest of the Guerreros when I say that, Vickie, you're right. You should be able to go on with the rest of your life, and you should be able to love again." There's only one thing missing from that: it should be OFF TV in Vickie's private life, not as part of a TV storyline. I still can't wrap my head around Vickie having to be part of this storyline.

Imagine you're a partner with a good-sized law firm. You die, and your salary, bonuses, stock options, etc. transfer to your wife, who is now widowed. Now, imagine there is no transfer of assets, and your widow must work for the law firm to earn a decent living without the income generated by you. That's what's happening here. Maybe I'm crazy, but it doesn't make any sense.

You could say WWE is still stung by the settlement to Martha Hart, but I don't buy that when a wrestling company with billions of dollars in assets and 95 percent monopolization of the American market can't transfer the downside guarantee of Eddie Guerrero's contract to Vickie and her family for x number of years. But, WWE operates in its own world where stockholders are oblivious and wrestlers are considered independent contractors, yet they would never be able to work a TNA PPV or an ROH show.

For more opinions and analysis, be sure to check out Jon Mezzera's Smackdown Hitlist from this week's show in the Specialist section. Mezzera does a great job of breaking down every TV episode during the week.

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