Monday, April 28, 2008

I'm Back!!

Hello there.

It's me, Mike Tedesco, and I'm back with a new column after an extended absence due to writer's block and an extreme lack of news in the wrestling world. Oh, and the fact that I turned 21 and this whole month was just a big party! However, I figured I'd just gut it out and see what I can put together!

Should I talk about the big news or should I just list my thoughts on the Backlash Pay Per View? I think I'll talk Backlash first.

I didn't make any picks for Backlash but from the way I was calling the matches during the Pay Per View I would have been in good standing, picks wise. I rate all matches out of four stars unless something blows me away, like Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels. It's rare. Last time that happened was Wrestlemania 20 with the Triple Threat Main Event and before that it was Hogan vs. Rock. Probably won't happen on Backlash.

US Title Match - What a way to open up the Pay Per View! A real strong opener. Matt Hardy came out looking huge here, ending MVP's near year long reign as champion, but the real star of the match - in my mind - was Montel Vontavious Porter. MVP is getting better and better and there's really no stopping him. He's a huge future star in the making and I have a feeling he's going to be huge - as long as they don't go the way they did with Booker T. You don't remember? When they first made Booker T a main eventer, legit style - not by the Invasion storyline - they accentuated this mistake that Booker made years ago, in which he robbed a Wendy's and went to prison. It's no secret MVP was in prison for many years so I just hope they don't do that. Doubt it, given his character - but you never know... especially with that racist Michael Hayes as head of Smackdown. More on him later. Anyway, it was a tremendous match and completed this tremendous feud and Matt Hardy's comeback. I'm really happy for Matt Hardy. He deserved this. I give this match *** stars! Great stuff!

ECW Championship - Did anyone really believe that Chavo Guerrero stood a chance in this match? The real loser of this match is Bam Neely - Chavo's bodyguard. Does Chavo Guerrero really need a bodyguard. I don't like playing God with people's livelihoods but I have a feeling like this guy is going to be gone within the year - or at least back in developmental. It was an OK match. I give it ** and 1/4 stars.

Side Note: I think it's disgraceful taking Joey Styles off the ECW commentary team in place of this no talent garbage Mike Adamle. Joey Styles and "The Tazz" were a good team and about the only link left with the old ECW. What the hell does Mike Adamle know about wrestling? Dick Ebersol's boy. The only good Mike Adamle can bring to ECW is making me crack up by making mistakes, as highlighted in this wonderful video. Enjoy that.

Big Show vs. Great Khali - We knew going into it that this match would be "bowling shoe ugly", to quote Mr. Jim Ross, and we weren't wrong. This was a terrible match and none of the blame goes to the Big Show. Show did the best he could with that Indian behemoth Khali but it wasn't enough to save this match. It was just ugly as all hell. Good thing Big Show won because that would've killed his return if he lost to Khali. Another good thing is Khali will be leaving our TV screens for a while! YES!!! I give this * and a 1/2 stars just for Big Show's effort.

Shawn Michaels vs. Batista - For the past two weeks they've been teasing Chris Jericho as the wildcard in this match being that he was the special guest referee and for all that hype nothing happened and that was the right call. It gave Jericho something to do for the Pay Per View, added a little more intrigue in a match that was built spectacularly for the past few weeks, and made the match feel just a little more important, like something big was riding on the line. The match was great. HBK brings out the best in Batista, as evidenced during their match at Armageddon 2003 and last night was no exception. Good wrestling, good finish. They sold really well too! I give it *** 1/2 stars and I hope they keep going with this feud.

12 Diva Tag Match - Not a bad tag match considering how on the heel team 5 out of the 6 could actually wrestle and the face team only 2 out of the 6 could actually wrestle. They put it together well, everyone did their finishers, and in the end the heels won with a Beth Phoenix "fisherwoman's" suplex, helping to drive home the fact that Mickie James' upset win over Beth may have just been a fluke! Finally a woman's division storyline!! I give it ** stars.

World Heavyweight Championship - Undertaker and Edge put on a great return match, on par with their Wrestlemania effort. It was still predicatable, given the build of the match. Still, it's great to be watching what looks to be the last long title run of Undertaker's career. There wasn't anything too crazy here, just a couple of run ins from the Edgeheads. Undertaker won with that still unnamed gogoplata that I hate so much. 'Taker retained, as if there was any doubt. I give it ** and 3/4 stars.

Interesting Side Note: Don't know if anyone else has ever done this but have you ever called a time when you believe the Undertaker will make it to the ring and the action will begin? My friends and I do it all the time. Last night his entrance started at 9:39 so I called that he would be in the ring and the music would be off at 9:43 and the action would start at 9:44. Nailed it.

WWE Championship - A Fatal Four Way Elimination Match for the WWE Championship. I think the last time they did a four way elimination match for the WWE Title it was at Wrestlemania 2000. Correct me if I'm wrong. You had to know Triple H was winning this. Deep down I actually wanted JBL to win it all but they made the right call with Triple H. I just hope he turns heel because I'm tired of joke-joke Triple H. That's why I'm not going to RAW tonight, even though I live twenty minutes away from the IZOD Center. I think this match would have been so much better if Orton was one of the first eliminated instead of JBL and Cena going first. That way the suspense builds because we KNOW we're getting a new champion. But whatever - the match was still good anyway. Triple H is a 12 time champion and all of Orton's World Title reigns have ended at the hands of Triple H. I give the match ** and a 1/2 stars.

Final Thoughts - Overall the Pay Per View wasn't bad at all. I like the addition of Mick Foley on the Smackdown announcer's team. He's a great addition to the team and offers a lot more wrestling insight than Jonathan Coachman and he definitely knows a lot more than Coach. All the matches were good for the most part and it was a good follow up from Wrestlemania. Good show.

Now, onto the big stories of April.

Before I start, I'd like to say goodbye to Balls Mahoney and Dave Taylor, victims of the yearly WWE Roster cuts. Balls is a good guy. I met him at Six Flags Great Adventure during Fright Fest '06 and he was really decent with me. Even signed some autographs and took some pictures when he didn't have to. He wasn't really given a chance in WWE. If they did throw him a bone, they never followed through with it - like when he was trying to ask out Kelly Kelly. What happened to their date? Oh well. Another link to the old ECW gone. Who's left? The Tazz, Stevie Richards and Tommy Dreamer?

Dave Taylor was an old WCW guy and when Regal went to RAW they couldn't do anything with him. Sensible cut.

Now, onto the real big stuff.

Freebird Michael "PS" Hayes, head writer on Smackdown, has used that legendary tongue (with a mixture of drinks) to get himself into trouble, yet again. At a Wrestlemania party during the weekend of the event Michaels Hayes said to Mark Henry - a guy you really don't want to mess with - that he's more n****r than he is. Why, Michael, why? For what reason did you have to say that? Trying to be funny? Taking a stab at someone's race isn't fashionable. It's not allowed. Especially in a big corporate company like WWE, who obviously has harassment rules.

Good thing Mark Henry took the high road and issued a formal complaint instead of just slugging Hayes, which he deserved. Now PS is suspended for 30 days and is embarrassed because a lot of big news sites picked it up.

I don't think he'll be fired because he's too valuable to Smackdown - he was instrumental in putting together the Mayweather/Big Show match - but this will let him learn a valuable lesson... and that lesson is the South lost and the North won and racism is BAD. Someone should e-mail him the video of Barack Obama's speech on racism. It'd help.

King of the Ring made it's return to the WWE last Monday on RAW. I always loved the King of the Ring tournament. My first event was actually King of the Ring 2001. If anyone has a copy I'm dead center front row, backwards black hat, red shirt. The tournament wasn't bad this time around. I like how they threw a curve ball and made William Regal King of all WWE. That's the best choice. It fits his character and hopefully it gives Regal a much deserved push. I hope he goes to the top and beyond. Regal is a great wrestler and WWE needs more like him.

Now, from what I hear, the WWE Draft is coming up. I can't wait for that. They'll probably do it in June. When that comes around I'll put up some predictions for it. I have a few ideas but I'll keep them to myself for now.

Until next time, wrestling fans.