Dot Net Water Cooler: TNA Impact moving to Monday nights, the current Wrestlemania 26 card, WWE Elimination Chamber
Feb 28, 2010 - 10:13 AM |
Chris Shore and Marvin Hermanstyne hang out around the DotNet water cooler and discuss the topics of the week. Today, they discuss the fall out from the Elimination Chamber PPV, TNA Impact, and the matches booked for Wrestlemania 26.
Shore: Wow, oh wow, has this been a busy week! Where to begin? Let's start with the PPV. Both world titles changed hands, one of them twice. What did you think about the Elimination Chamber?
Marv: This was a decent PPV, not throwaway as I expected because I only thought that one title was changing hands. Powell mentioned that he does not like title changes before Mania and I agree because the title seems a little devalued with fresh champions going into the biggest PPV of the year. There was some dissapointments such as The Miz and MVP having another inpromptu match for the second PPV in a row and the throwaway Divas match which basically buried Gail Kim. What did you think about the PPV?
Shore: Yeah, I think the non-EC matches left a lot to be desired, where as the EC matches delivered well. I don't mind the Smackdown title change. I don't think it devalues that title. But I do think the WWE Title is devalued the way it played out. My biggest problem is that the John Cena vs. Batista feud doesn't need the belt. All Cena ever does is hold or chase the belt. He needs a feud, and a lengthy one, away from the title scene. Agreed?
Marv: Come on buddy, you know I agree with this assessment because both of these guys in the title picture is an headache. The world title change is what was expected and to be perfectly honest, the world title in my mind, is the highest title in the WWE right now. The WWE Title is useless because its the same spinnerless belt that Cena debuted in 2005, and only a handful of people held that title since then. The same old guys with the exception of Jeff Hardy who was a transitional champion and Sheamus who I just started to like as a badass heel. Moving on, WWE did some early spring cleaning with the roster and released three stars (and a referee) on Friday. What are your thoughts?
Shore: Shane Helms hasn't been doing much, so who cares? Paul Burchill is a solid talent, but they just never seemed to know how to use him. Maria is a shock. Either WWE cut the woman who was most popular with the fans, or the woman they wanted to be the most popular based on her Slammy Award win late last year. Strange timing with her NBC show coming up. I just hope I can se more of Maria...if you catch my drift.
Marv: The releases were no surprise to me and here is the breakdown: Helms was a goner (perhaps because of his drunken actions). The recent episode of ECW, when he interviewed Zeke Jackson and William Regal, and they basically kicked his ass was a sign to me that he was gone. I'm shocked it took this long to be honest with you. Burchill was underutilized and TNA could cash in on a talented big man like him. Maria getting released was not shocking either because she was always green in the ring and she barely appeared on TV anyway. I know a lot of people like her, but if you asked me to come up with a list of Top 10 Divas currently, she wouldn't even crack my Top 10 when it comes to beauty or talent. With that being said, who do you think is the next contestant on the WWE Future Endeavored list?
Shore: Really? Maria wasn't the least bit shocking after winning a Slammy like 30 minutes ago? And with the NBC gig coming up? Wow. I'm not sure who is next to go. I think Vladimir Kozlov's time is limited. Shelton Benjamin might be in toruble after Mania. They need him to kill himself in MITB first. Who ever goes will undoubtedly try to land in TNA, especially since they announced going head to head with Raw starting March 8. Do you think TNA is ready for this?
Marv: Unless Kozlov is becoming a jobber on one of the big brands, he's done too. He's still considered a free agent unless we will see more of him on Superstars. Unfortuately, I will have to agree with you with Shelton Benjamin because if he is not going to get pushed after Mania, he will be seeing the door too. If that happens, TNA should scoop him up because he is one of the most underrated wrestlers in sports entertainment period. WWE is playing craps with this guy and its a shame that he hasn't smelled the world title yet.
As far as TNA being ready for March 8, with that show that they threw at us on Thursday, I don't think so. Here are the flaws: The promo work last night was very effective, but we only got about 15 minutes of wrestling in total which is terrible. The fact that Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair will be wrestling may catch the eyes of older viewers, but for sport entertainment enthusists like ourselves, we don't want to see these fifty year old guys in a wrestling ring again.
Hogan can barely walk and the sight of Flair going back to the ring basically says that the Hall of Fame closeout that WWE gave him was worthless and we cannot take any other retirement seriously. TNA has a lot of work to do and with Hogan's cronies (Nastys, Orlando Jordan, Scott Hall and Syxx Pac) taking over TV. They may crack another 1.3-1.5, but thats about it. WWE will come with a full ammo of a show that will murder TNA because they are preparing for WM26. Thoughts?
Shore: Yeah, I don't know if going live just a few weeks before Career vs. Streak, Edge vs. Chris Jericho, Cena vs. Batista (for the kiddies), and MITB is the smartest move. Say what you want, WWE turns up the volume this time of year without competition. Vince McMahon will probably see this as an opportunity to crush TNA, and he may be right. Did we even get 20 minutes of wrestling on Thursday?
Marv: No sir. We got five very short matches which was pathetic. The WM card is shaping up quite nicely and with The Miz appearing on all three shows, do you see WWE giving him a mega push after NXT and WM26?
Shore: God I hope so. CM Punk and The Miz are the two most compelling characters in all of wrestling right now. My hope is Miz and Morrison get on the same show and we have the feud that we have been looking forward to for sometime. Okay, so asking which match is the most intriguing is a stupid question. So right now, before any more hype, who wins the Shwan Michaels vs. Undertaker match?
Marv: This is easy, Taker keeps the streak alive and they both go away for a while. HBK will most likely hang it up and be involved in a non-wrestling role and Taker will be out until Summerslam and he retires next year.
Shore: Why so sure?
Marv: Both guys are beat up and they will both take time off after Mania like they did last year. Taker and HBK both look done and won't be shocked if one or both of them decided to hang it up after Mania.
Shore: It just seems hard to believe that Shawn would go out like that. Looking all crazed and obsessed. I would rather see the Flair semi-retirement tour than this. Wouldn't you?
Marv: I'm netural about HBK to be honest. It would be nice to see a super kick to someone's face to end his career, but at the same time, its time to move on. I just don't take retirements in sports seriously anymore...look at Brett Favre, for Christ sakes. I know is sports entertainment, but look at Flair and Hogan these guys were done 10-plus years ago and they are still wrestling into their fifties.
Shore: True, but these guys are performers too. And I would like to see all of them go out on a big high. I guess I'm just a sap. However it plays out, Wrestlemania 26 will be a hot show.
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