The Cheap Shot [issue 1]

uh....ohhhh....

Hot off the heels of yet another WWE Pay-Per-View, and with only two weeks (seriously) until the next one, I thought I'd fire this brand new concept onto the EC/WC in the same ramshackle and disjointed way that we're being presented with World Wrestling Entertainment at present. It's called The Cheap Shot, and I'll toss a few of them out each month to air some general views in between 'properly written' pieces of journalism.

-Judgement Day: Definately not worth the fifteen quid. The only match I could really get into was HBK v. Y2J. Shawn could drag a five star match out of The Great Khali, so it's no wonder the two men worked so well off each other. Nice show of respect afterwards too.

-Jeff Hardy's back, and he's looking great. However, i'm not entirely impressed by his return-results. For him to have violated wellness for a second time (reportedly with Crystal-Meth) and return from a 60-day suspension to pick up wins over MVP and Umaga x2 doesn't exactly display a great role model. I'd like to see Hardy fighting his way back to where he was, get jobbed a few times and put some heels over, as opposed to having it handed to him. Perhaps the house fire means WWE are going easy on him? Either way, Hardy: thumbs up.

-Speaking of the Wellness Issue, it was reported on WWE.com this week that William Regal (see top) has been suspended for 60 days for his second violation. We saw Ken Kennedy tying up the loose storyline ends on Raw, but with Teddy Long looking to Holla his way into the GM spot on Raw, what will be left for Regal upon his return? I hope he doesn't waste the wrestling talent that he has. It's sad to see another man getting some deserved recognition with a main-event push, only to squander it.

-Randy Orton's new music is the dog's danglies.

-Did you hear the heel-heat that Vickie Guerrero got at Judgement Day? I thought the roof of the arena was coming down. I haven't heard that much spiteful hate since John Cena took on RVD at the first WWE controlled One Night Stand in the old ECW arena...(and if you haven't seen that match before: [contains swearing...and rabid, rabid hate]) It's definately good to have the top heel of your brand get such a reception, but it leaves you wondering how much more WWE fans can take of La Familia. She's not just a heel...the woman makes me want to scratch my eyes out. Edge could be used a whole lot better.

-Am I the only one getting slightly bored of main events involving Randy Orton and HHH? If Orton applies one more resthold, or indeed if HHH wrestles any slower, the image of the pair will forever be burned into my TV. Not good.

-Miz and Morrison: is it so wrong that they're quickly becoming two of my favourite wrestlers in the WWE? I hope they continue restoring credability to the tag titles...well, half of the tag titles. *sigh* Johnny's gimmick change from Nitro to Morrison is the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

-John Cena seems to be taking a lot less heat across the board than times of old. Maybe taking the title off him and not pushing him so hard will finally give him the organic positive crowd reaction that WWE has been looking for, a-la Jeff Hardy.

-Can anyone explain the end of Smackdown! to me last week? It was my understanding that if Vickie and La Familia lost to the Undertaker she would lose her spot as GM? It ended as a no-contest? Alright...I can't lie, I fast-forward through most of Smackdown...what have I missed?

-It was apparently Vince McMahon's personal decision to take the title off the Undertaker. Something along the lines of wanting a top face to be chasing a top heel. The rumours are that he wants it back on Edge. Better for business? You decide.

-Speaking of which... CM Punk for World Heavyweight Champ? Or will he turn on his new buddy Kane? Just a thought...

Twelve Down, Five To Go...

(image from wwe.com)

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? Triple H bringing the Age of Orton (tm) to an end at Backlash this week confirmed to all present that everything is back on track. When Trips came back from injury to completely squash Booker [stuff this crap, i'm off to...] T(NA) at Summerslam 07', it was no secret that he was booked for a title win at Wrestlemania in early 2008. When the official Biggest Swerve of The Year was pulled by creative and Orton retained, everyone sat back and waited for the inevitable. I just didn't think it would be this night, at Backlash, and it just doesn't sit right with me.

See the thing is, I was secretly really happy that Hunter didn't pick up the strap at WM24. Everyone knows the story with The Game, married to the bosses daughter, one time member of 'The Cliq' (which allegedly had almost more control over the locker room than the McMahon's at the time), and avid, rabid...determined pursuer of Ric Flair's all-time world championship record (Tally stroke at No Mercy last year, anyone?). One of the letters in Fighting Spirit Magazine this month said; "I hope Triple H has enough respect for Ric Flair to never become a seventeen time world champion". I couldn't agree more. Ric carved a path in professional wrestling over a career spanning thirty six years, and set the standards of greatness both for the business, and for anyone who ever dared lace a pair of wrestling boots. The world was privvy to one of, if not the most, historical weekends in the history of professional wrestling with the naitch's tearful final defeat and goodbye the next night on Raw. For Triple H to reign at the top once again so close to something that long-term wrestling fans will mourn for a while...well, it was bittersweet.

Don't get me wrong here, it was the lesser of two evils, and the man born Paul Levesque has worked damn hard to get where he is in the business. You don't command so much creative control and so much reverence overnight. He has been jobbed out, screwed over, humiliated and physically torn apart on a number of occasions. The thing is that he does command creative control. Where I can't begrudge him a title run, I also cannot hold it in almost the same prestige as the naitch's NWA, WCW and WWF/E title reigns, and for him to pick it up so close to Flair's final farewell is a sobering reminder. If Triple H was to beat RF's record he would be stamping all over his legacy, and for the sake of the wrestling business as a whole, and whatever integrity it has left, I hope he doesn't.

Even when we consider the more immediate effects of HHH being back on top, there are definate problems. See, I spent many years gone by craving my four weekly hours of Attitude Era WWF, and back then D-Generation X was a heel stable, full of men (X-Pac) that made you spit angry-mark venom like no other. The bottom line here is, that HHH is a solid wrestler, a marketing gem, and an entertaining enough babyface character...but the man is a demonic, anger inducing and ruthless heel! Cast your mind back to the Corporation and the McMahon/Helmsley Era.


(The photoshopping is the fault of the Pandas.)

In order to make this title run worth something, seeing as it has to happen, I believe Hunter needs to turn heel, lose the Orton feud after Judgement Day and work on getting guys like John Cena over with the relentlessly 'smart' fans. Smart as mud.

In other news:

-I was glad to see Matt Hardy take the U.S. Championship from MVP at Backlash for both of their sakes. Matt needs to re-establish himself as a solid mid-carder, and continue giving the belt the credability that MVP has given it. Montel is on for bigger and better things, and in order to climb the ladder, he needed to lose it. Keep a close eye on him this year.

-Mike 'Jeff Harvey' Adamle as ECW colour commentator?! You get one problem solved (Coach) and another one just slips into it's place. What was with the walkout on ECW this past week? Work or shoot?

-Kenta Kobashi wrestling in the UK with Pro Wrestling Noah this June? I would love to be there so much. There isn't much left in the old master, especially after his recovery from Cancer just recently. It could be the UK fan's only chance to see him in action...and alongside the best the UK has to offer. Nigel McGuinness, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams. I wish I lived in Coventry.

-12 person diva tag match? Trips v. Orton for the WWE title? Backlash? Nope! Two matches, two times, in two nights. Booking diversity at its finest.

until next time.
J