Time for our weekly look at the highs and lows of the pro wrestling business as we prepare for the unofficial kickoff of the summer season. Gentlemen, start your engines!
WHO'S HOT?
Dave Batista: Judgment Day turned out to be addition by subtraction as WWE kept one of their top acts, Dave Batista, from wrestling on Sunday's pay-per-view. The Animal did make an appearance to challenge Shawn Michaels, so he still received some exposure. Then, Big Dave had a good match with Chris Jericho on Raw, reestablishing himself as a threat. Batista vs. Michaels in the stretcher match is one of the most anticipated parts of next month's One Night Stand event, and it might end up stealing the show.
Mickie James: With Candice Michelle injured and Ashley Massaro a washout, Mickie James is the focal point of the WWE Women's Division. And since Richmond's favorite lady wrestler didn't drop the title this weekend, and Melina and Beth Phoenix are kicking off a feud of their own, it looks as though the former Alexis Laree will be a focal point of Raw for a while, especially if the company wants to keep pairing her on camera with John Cena.
Booker T: After being mishandled and poorly booked throughout his tenure in TNA, it finally looks as if The Book is getting taken seriously in his new home promotion, as you'll see when he headlines Impact this week. The former King is also welcoming Bobby Lashley to his promotion and wrestling school this week, a coup for any independent promoter.
Jack Evans & Roderick Strong: Out on the Left Coast, one of the more exciting tag team pairings in Ring of Honor history reunited for the weekend at Pro Wrestling Guerilla's tag team tournament. Not only did the former Generation Next pair win the tournament, they captured the PWG Tag Team titles, which means we'll probably see more of the distinctive tandem this summer. Us East Coast fans are jealous.
WHO'S NOT?
William Regal: A month ago, Regal was flying high as the Raw authority figure, and WWE had just devoted three hours of Raw to Regal winning this year's "King of the Ring" tournament. After being caught by the Sports Illustrated steroid article, WWE announced today that Regal has been suspended for sixty days for his second violation of the Wellness Policy. You can forget about the potential Triple H vs. Regal feud for now, and the end of the Kennedy-Reagl feud happened last night. Can the King of the RIng bounce back in time for SummerSlam?
Total Nonstop Action: TNA, teetering on the brink with another 0.9 last week on Spike TV, are flirting with disaster by making overtures to Jim "Ultimate Warrior" Hellwig to come in for a program with the Stinger. The leader of the One Warrior Nation was a dreadful flop ten years ago in World Championship Wrestling, so much so that WCW couldn't wait to get rid of him after his blowoff match with Hollywood Hogan. Have we learned nothing?
C.M. Punk: Mr. Money In The Bank has been buried across WWE television since capturing that darn briefcase at WrestleMania. Apparently his (alleged) regimen of blowing off agents' suggestions, not going out drinking with the fellows after the shows, and hitting on the girlfriends of fellow wrestlers might be rubbing people the wrong way. Either that or he hasn't learned how to work "WWE style." Allegedly.
Matt Morgan & Kip James: Apparently, even though TNA clipped the Morgan vs. James match on the May 9th epsiode of Impact to shreds, enough of it stil aired to send wrestling fans diving for their remotes in a fevered effort to see what was happening with Locke and Ben's quest to find the cabin over on "Lost." One fourth of the viewing audience disappeared in that quarter hour, a feat worthy of David Blaine.
LATEST PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER #1039 (17 PAGES)
This issue begins with a cover story by Wade Keller who attended Brock Lesnar's first UFC victory on Saturday night in the semi-main event in front of a record-setting crowd in his hometown. Keller's BBL looks at Lesnar's place in MMA and in what ways he seems more comfortable than ever... Bruce Mitchell's Memo examines the dilemma of Chris Benoit and the Hall of Fame... Sean Radican reviews the two latest TNA DVD releases... In-depth coverage of the TNA Hard Justice PPV including Keller's match report with star ratings and the newsletter-exclusive Roundtable Reviews... Jason Powell's "Page 2 Buzz" with scoops and insider analysis... WWE Newswire, TNA Newswire, and ROH Newswire with insider news, big story analysis, and notebook tidbits... Plus Keller's reports on Raw, Smackdown, and Impact, the Top 5 Stories of the Week, and more....
