ON THE MAT LOOKS AT THE ROYAL<
By: Michael Tearson
1/23/2004 7:08:00 PM
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First off, sorry I’ve been absent from view so
long. I have been totally absorbed in a massive music project as part of
launching a radio show. More details when appropriate.
I thought about doing my annual year end Coveted
CoO Awards (CoO stands for Committee of One), but since it would have been
virtually a WWE retrospective I didn’t do it. I continue to enjoy NWA-TNA when
I get the chance, but the chances have been fewer than I’d like. 2003 was not
a year of plenty except for plenty of face into walls since The Philadelphia
Daily News discontinued running my On The Mat column at the beginning of May
when they cut loose virtually all features written for them by freelance writers
like this Mad Dog. So as a matter of tightening the belt I have had to forego
TNA most of the time.
A year ago Philadelphia was a hotbed of
independent promotions. A Darwinian weeding out has narrowed the field quite a
bit. CZW which was bounced from Viking Hall (the old ECW Arena) is back there as
in 3PW. Ring of Honor looks to have had a banner year. They are promoting shows
in more new places all the time, but we hardly ever get to see them anymore in
their home territory. (Personal to Rob and Gabe: sorry I couldn’t get to the
big December show in NE Philly. The Eagles game took precedence. I’m sure Dave
Scherer will understand where I come from on this one.) And down in Delaware
ECWA continues to put on a highly entertaining show virtually each time they do
one, and DCW continues to carve its niche.
But the weekly plethora of indie shows has waned
nearly entirely to the regulars. This is just a symptom of the state of the
business at large.
Pro Wrestling as an industry keeps waiting for
the next spike of interest. It will come, but not until another pro wrestler
makes the jump to mainstream celebrity. Remember how Hulk Hogan in the 80s and
Steve Austin and then the Rock spiked the game in the 90s.
Clearly WWE hopes Smackdown’s John Cena or Raw’s
Randy Orton will be the break out. (Note there is one per show.) It doesn’t
look like Brock Lesnar will break out mainstream. Could happen, but other
dominos must fall first. And there aren’t really other any serious candidates
yet.
Speaking of the biz at large, Sunday’s Royal
Rumble is the first Pay Per View WWE has staged in Philadelphia since
WrestleMania XV 5 years ago, just as On The Mat began. Hard to believe it took
that long for a return with a major event to a city that has been WWE (and WWF
and WWWF) territory since WWWF began!
The Rumble, most years one of my favorite shows,
has a nice under card. I’ll offer a couple comments match-by-match.
WWE champ Brock Lesnar vs. Hardcore Holly:
However hard they try to portray Bob Holly as a serious threat to Lesnar, it is
still a stretch. Somehow I suspect this one will be more entertaining than I
expect though for the life of me I can’t say why.
World champ Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels:
This one should be the show stealer. Both men love to be in the best match on a
show, and I see no reason why they shouldn’t do it again here. Michaels has
been a constant surprise to me since his unexpected return to action in 2002. I
doubted he’d have much left in the tank, but he proves me wrong time and
again, and keeps getting better at doing it!
Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero:
I expect Chavo, Sr. to be in Chavo, Jr.’s corner. It wouldn’t surprise me to
see another Guerrero, perhaps Hector “Gobbledy Gooker” Guerrero appear in
Eddie’s corner. By the way, Hector deserves much better than to be remembered
for being the poor stiff in the Gooker suit. He was a fine grappler who I have
not seen in ages. This one should be a lot of fun. Both Eddie and young Chavo
can really go when they pull out the stops. Judging from this week’s Smackdown
I expect Eddie to win and set his sights on higher stakes. Did you catch the
subtle tease for Eddie to take a shot at Lesnar after Rumble in the show?
Cruiserweight champ Rey Mysterio vs. Jamie Noble:
Can’t see Jamie winning, but I can see Nidia getting a head bump and suddenly
regaining her sight only to discover how Noble’s been double-dealing her. She
could leave with Rey.
World tag champs Ric Flair and Batista vs Bubba
and D-Von Dudley in a tables match: The
match is the Dudleys’ specialty. Thus I’ll predict they lose in ECW home
territory though I do hope I am wrong.
Royal Rumble: Let
me suggest a couple scenarios I am pretty sure will not happen. Goldberg
entering at #30, and heavily hyped as the logical favorite (a sure sign he won’t
be winning) wins and says about the WrestleMania XX title show he’s earned,
“I’ve been there and done that with Hunter Hearst Helmsley. I like fresh
challenges. And I really like winning titles. I remember meeting that young
Lesnar kid at SummerSlam. I think Brock and his WWE title would be fun. Brock,
you’re next!” Or Randy Orton is a surprise winner setting up Orton vs.
Triple H at Mania. I do believe that will happen down the line, but it is too
soon. Built properly there is serious money in that match. Perhaps Survivor
Series after the inevitable split in Evolution and Orton, Legend Killer, has had
more time to grow into a top spot. Besides there is still the lingering issue of
Orton and Mick Foley to be dealt with.
My favorite Rumble was Ric Flair’s nearly
wire-to-wire victory way back when. My brother and his family were visiting me
and my late wife Lynne in Cherry Hill, NJ from their suburban D.C. home. When
Flair entered at #3 I crowed, “Turn off the lights--FLAIR WINS!” Everybody
in the room hooted at me, but who hooted last? It was a certifiably great
performance by the Nature Boy.
I will be at Wachovia Center Sunday. If any
readers spot me, do say hi to the Mad Dog. It should be an electric atmosphere.
Philadelphia has been starved for a great WWE show for a long time. Hope the
Rumble is it.
LIVE AND LOCAL: 3PW and ECWA both have real fine
looking cards set for Saturday
3PW is at Viking Hall (Swanson & Ritner Sts.,
Philadelphia) with an 8 PM bell time. There is a WWE presence on the card as Al
Snow faces Sabu and Stevie Richards returns home to reform the Blue World Order
with Blue Meanie. (I’ll pull my BwO shirt out of mothballs for this one!).
Also 3PW champ Raven vs. Sandman and AJ Styles vs. ever improving Joey Matthews.
Info at www.3pwrestling.com or (866) 228-0326.
Meanwhile ECWA returns to St. Matthews (Maryland
Ave. & Boxwood Rd. Wilmington, DE ) with a 7 PM start. WWE’s Charlie Haas
and Billy Kidman will be inducted into the ECWA Hall of Fame providing a WWE
presence here, too. (By the way, I am especially proud of Charlie Haas. After
brother Russ’ sudden and tragic passing, Charlie has been totally focused, and
his game just keeps getting better all the time. Small wonder Kurt Angle told me
in an interview last March he expected someday Charlie Haas would be a Main
Event talent.) In ECWA matches, champ Mike Kruel defends against whoever wins a
#1 Contender Battle Royal. Tag champs Valedictorians Billy Bax and Rob Eckos
defend against the Shaolin Wrecking Crew. Mid-Atlantic champ Prince Nana faces
Johnny Maxx. Lots amore info at www.ecwaprowrestling.com or at 302-325-1592
Michael Tearson, a lifelong wrestling fan,
appears on WMGK, 102.9 FM in Philadelphia,6-8 AM Saturdays with his Saturday
Morning 60s shoe and again 3-7 PM Saturdays. He also does Psychedelic Psupper
(tm) 5 PM Fridays and The Attic (tm) 10 PM Fridays on WBZC-FM from Burlington
County (NJ) College (88.9) and also on line streaming through the station’s
website. Michael is 9 months older than Nature Boy Ric Flair.
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