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CALDWELL'S POLL ANALYSIS 4/22: The match Torch readers are looking forward to at Backlash - not a World Title match Apr 22, 2009 - 5:40:28 PM
Torch Morning Poll 4/22: Which Backlash match are you most looking forward to? We asked Torch readers this morning to decide which match on the Backlash PPV line-up they are most looking forward to it. It's not either of the two World Title matches.
Torch readers are looking forward to Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Steamboat the most. I'm not surprised by the popularity of the match, but the margin of victory. 37 percent of Torch readers who voted in the poll picked Jericho vs. Steamboat.
The second place vote-getter was the ECW Title match between Jack Swagger and Christian. That is my personal selection, as I believe the ECW Title match will steal the show if WWE gives the two top stars of the ECW brand at least 15 minutes to showcase their abilities.
Back to Jericho vs. Steamboat for a second. I believe this is a case of two things at work. One is that Jericho is immensely popular with Torch readers. Jericho was the MVP of 2008 in our Torch year-end voting and he won the MVP of February earlier this year.
In the weekly Raw polls, Jericho is week-in and week-out the top vote-getter or one of the top recipients of love from Torch readers. It's not a matter of favoritism, but Torch readers simply enjoying his great work over the past year.
It was right around this time last year that Jericho flipped the switch on his WWE character and began a program with Shawn Michaels that carried the Raw brand through the summer and fall months.
Steamboat is also part of the equation for this morning's Backlash poll. Steamboat had a Flair-in-2008 three-day run with the Hall of Fame, WrestleMania, and Raw-after-Mania that re-captured Steamboat's glory days, if only for a brief moment in 2009.
Jericho vs. Steamboat could be a classic match depending on how long Steamboat can still go in the ring. We've only seen him in limited doses as part of a handicap match and ten-man tag match. Can he go 15-20 minutes in a singles match with all eyes on him?
Torch readers want to find out.
As for the rest of the poll results, John Cena vs. Edge came in third place with 17 percent, which was still respectable compared to the measly 8 percent for Team Triple H vs. Team Randy Orton.
This one is surprising. Orton has regularly been one of the top recipients of votes for the weekly Raw MVP poll. He's also in the same boat as Jericho in receiving Torch Monthly Award votes.
He was the far-and-away MVP of January with 71 percent, he came in second-place in February with 31 percent, and he won March with 35 percent. So, if Orton is immensely popular with Torch readers, what gives?
Triple H is not popular with Torch readers. Also, the storyline build-up to the WWE Title match six-man tag at Backlash has revolved around the McMahon Family Drama Hour each week on Raw, leaving Torch readers tired of watching Orton play a secondary role to Hunter and Shane.
I'm surprised by how few votes the WWE Title match received because Orton is involved, but there is an obvious vibe from Torch readers that Triple H is not at the top of the list in terms of favorites to watch in WWE.
Hunter is in the same category as John Cena with Torch readers. Neither one is near the top of the list for the post-Raw MVP poll on a weekly basis. Torch readers are consistent with the anti-Cena sentiment seen in arenas across the world and the anti-Hunter sentiment reserved for the Internet.
Below are the poll results for this morning's poll, as we try to make this a regular feature to break down the morning poll results each evening.
Poll Results as of 5:30 p.m. CST
WWE Title match: Team Triple H vs. Team Randy Orton ... 8%
World Title match: John Cena vs. Edge ...17%
ECW Title match: Jack Swagger vs. Christian ... 21%
Ricky Steamboat vs. Chris Jericho ... 37%
I Quit match: Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy ... 14%
C.M. Punk vs. Kane ... 2%
Torch readers write back! How do you see the voting? Have additional thoughts on the poll results? Send in your feedback to pwtorch@gmail.com
Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.
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