QUESTIONS!

[nbpsfc]

Are Edge and Lita the first "couple" to hold both the WWE Championship and Women's Championship at the same time? I could've sworn that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon held both those belts at the same time when the were married (the pretend time).

You are correct. HHH and Stephanie, respectively, each held those championships in 2000.

What is Vince's deal with Smackdown? I mean, a few month's ago, it was the better of the 2 show's (ECW wasn't around then). But now, you have a guy wearing a dress, a leprechaun, THE Boogeyman, a horrible worker like The Great Khali, and even up until a month ago there was a 160 lb. World Champion (who is a great worker, just it isn't believable). Then he took away MNM, which were phenomenal. He took away Kurt Angle and Randy Orton. For some reason he thinks Miz has talent, and not just annoying. JBL is now just announcing. He doesn't use the cruiserweight talent that he has there. Chris Benoit is taking some time off. Mark Henry is injured, even though he wasn't the best in ring worker, they were pushing him so much that he was becoming a weekly name. What gives? Personally, I think that if Vince were to have kept Orton on Smackdown and had the Hogan fued with him there, or reform the Hardy Boyz there, or just have started one of the segments from Raw (Umaga, Foley vs. Flair, even The Highlanders) it would definably make the show better. Does he purposely want the show to keep going to the toliet, or does he want Raw to stay the "number one" show?

There were a number of factors involved, although I do want to note that I think Snackdown has been a really good show from an in-ring perspective most weeks. WWE has had to deal with performers being pulled from the ring due to health issues and injuries, as well as the knowledge that they have been preempted in a number of major markets in most weeks. My feeling is that WWE decided to treat the summer as their lame duck season and are waiting for the Fall debut of their new home, the CW Network, before they put some juice back on the series,

Question, this is a two part question about tna. Question 1.) With Goldberg most likely about to sign a deal with TNA. Do you see TNA pushing spike TV into giving them a 2 hour time slot since Goldberg would definitely draw in some ratings? And my second question is, do you think it is impossible that Ted Turner might become interested in TNA if they do get that new time slot and draw in 2.3 ratings over a year or so. Maybe even to buy it from Jeff Jarrett or has Ted lost complete interest in going head to head with Vince again?

There are talks internally that Spike TV will be moving TNA to two hours at some point. Goldberg signed a holding deal with Spike, meaning he is unable to do anything with any other network while he and Spike discuss different possibilities and ideas on how to use him. There's been no indication he is going to sign with TNA, beyond Goldberg acknowledging that TNA would be included under that holding umbrella. I don't think Turner is going to have interest in wrestling anytime soon, especially when he's completely broken away from AOL and is no longer involved with any of their networks.

More of a thought than a question, but it seems a shame that Chris Chavis had to bring Tatanka out of retirement only to become the Chief Jay Strongbow of the 21st Century. With all the good young performers that are available, RAW continues to recycle old characters and place them in a bad light. What's the deal?

I believe the cameos are done more to keep the WWE Legends concept (action figures, older footage, legends merchandise, etc.) viable by plugging it into the WWE synergy.

I was just thinking (I know I know but listened anyway), if Tod Gordon Started and owned ECW, how could he be let go by Paul Heyman? I remember seeing this on the "Rise and Fall of ECW" DVD. Thanks.

At some point in 1995, Gordon stopped bankrolling the company, which Heyman picked up and continued to run under the HHG Corporation. Gordon remained as a front office type and on camera personality until be bowed out in the Fall of 1997 during the entire "mole" scenario.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/19

Montell Vontavious Porter, Armando Alejandro Estrada, Carlito Caribbean Cool...what's up with all these names WWE are making up?

I don't know why WWE likes giving wrestlers three names, as they very rarely stick. Carlito Caribbean Cool has been just "Carlito" for weeks now, and I haven't heard the "Hearst Helmsley" part of Triple H's name in quite some time.

The first War Games in 1987 was one of the most hyped and best cage matches of all-time. It was a huge part of the Crockett era. We've now had WWE DVD's of the Greatest Cage Matches, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, the Road Warriors, and a piece on Arn Anderson in The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 80s. However, not once is there even a mention of this match. I thought it would fit perfectly on Dusty's DVD. Why the absence? Because Vince wants fans to think he invented the Hell in the Cell?

I honestly don't think it has to do with Hell In The Cell, since WarGames is very different from that match. Hell, Vince gave Eric Bischoff credit (in the storylines) for creating the Elimination Chamber, so I'm pretty sure that isn't it. I do recall hearing that the WarGames would be included on the often rumored, but has yet to happen Four Horsemen DVD, so who knows.

Now that Jeff Hardy is returning to WWE, do you think Lita could turn on Edge and return to the Hardy Boyz? or could Ashley manage the Hardyz? And which brand do you think the Hardy Boyz will end up on?

Considering that Jeff is going to be on Raw, and I've heard to mention of Matt being taken off Smackdown, I think any speculation on a future for the Hardy Boyz would be premature. I can say that I highly doubt Lita will be part of their unit again.

Something that always confuses me while reading your site is the connection between ROH and TNA. Why is it that so many wrestlers that are on the TNA roster wrestle for ROH i.e. A.J. Styles, Christopher Daniels, Austin Aries, Roderick Strong, and so on. Aries & Strong are currently the tag champs in ROH and even Cornette is the authority figure in both promotions. Is ROH some sort of unofficial training ground to TNA? If not then how can TNA people work in ROH? Isn't there something in the contract that states that you can't appear for other promotions? Finally, is ROH located near Orlando because it would seem that it would have to be or else it would be a hectic travel schedule for the wrestlers.

TNA, despite having weekly national television and monthly PPV events, often only has two or three shows a month. The wrestlers cannot make a living off of that, so they are allowed to work for other promotions, including Ring Of Honor. The only thing that TNA prevents their wrestlers from doing is appearing on national television for another promotion. Since Ring Of Honor has no plans to go for a television slot, there is no problem. As for ROH being an "unofficial training ground", there is no doubt that TNA notices Ring Of Honor talent, and will pursue them if they feel they would be a good fit for their product. Ring Of Honor is not located in Orlando, and the travel schedule for working wrestlers is hectic no matter if you work for WWE, ROH or just wrestle in indy groups.

How do independent wrestlers contact WWE and or TNA for possible employment ?

There's a few ways. One is to send tapes to their respective offices and hope someone watches it and likes what they see. Another way is to go to their events and hope to get work, which many indy workers do when WWE comes to town. The best way, obviously, is to build a name for yourself on the independent scene and earn yourself a tryout match when they come to your area.

 

[nbpsfc]

I read somewhere recently that Batista was 40 years old. Is this true? I really thought he was in his 20s!

Batista was born on January 18, 1966, which makes him 40 years of age.

With TNA coming to Detroit is there any chance we could see a feud between the ICP and Cornette or at least some kind of "war of words" playing off there real life dislike for each other? Cause in my opinion if there's anyone that can talk out of there asses as much as Jim Cornette it's the ICP.

There's always a possibility that the Insane Clown Posse will be involved in some fashion at the Bound for Glory PPV this October, but I don't see them being in a program with Jim Cornette. TNA hardly has enough TV time to get over their top programs right now, much less devote TV time to a feud involving a musical group and their Commissioner, although for reasons unknown, Earl Hebner vs. Slick Johnson is certainly getting some TV time right now.

At ECW One Night Stand 2005, Tommy Dreamer had an instrumental version of 'Man In The Box' by Alice in Chains and it sounded almost real. Balls Mahoney also had an instrumental of 'Balls To The Walls', however I've just realized that both of their themes respectively have been slowed down and doesn't sound like a real instrumental theme of the real song. What gives? Thanks

Balls Mahoney's theme is WWE created. The music Dreamer currently uses is WWE created as well. At the first One Night Stand PPV, Dreamer came out to music written by Harry Slash and Roderick Kohn, which was created specifically for Dreamer's use in WWF appearances during the original ECW's run. WWE purchased that music library as part of a lawsuit settlement with Slash and Kohn in 2005, but opted to create new music for Dreamer later on.

After reading interviews with Joey Styles where he said that MLW was just something he did for the paychecks then watching MLW and hearing all the scathing comments he had for "sports entertainment" almost to the point where he becomes JBL redundant makes me wonder is Joey Styles just a big hypocrite. He said he had a great job in advertising that he liked much more than wrestling. I understand that even likes getting the WWE's paychecks but with all these conflicting comments doesn't he start to lose credibility somewhere?

Absolutely, but you have to separate Joey Styles the on air performer from Joe Bonsignore the person, and decide who has credibility. During the time he did MLW, he was pretty bitter (as were a lot of people) about the end of ECW and I think it showed in his work. Styles would often say privately and publicly that he didn't care anymore for the business, but I always felt it was just him saying that because he was hurt. Obviously, when ECW was revived he was brought in and while it hasn't always been a smooth journey for him, I think Styles is a lot happier now than he used to be. The comments on sports-entertainment in MLW were typical wrestling hype and I don't see any reason to assume they were how he really felt.

I know JBL is a heel announcer and should be supporting the heels but whenever Sylvan is involved in any match, JBL indicates that he hates him. I was wondering besides the fact that the JBL character is played off as someone that hates the French and the Canadians, is there personal heat between the two?

I think it's more that he's doing whatever he wants on the mic and since he's well liked by upper management, it's overlooked.

 

[nbpsfc]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand why Randy Orton, or WWE for that matter, still calls himself the legend killer? He beat Mick Foley, when Mick wasn't even a full-time wrestler. So what's Mick up to? The Hardcore Legend is in a huge match at Summerslam against another legend Orton "killed", RIc Flair. He beat Shawn Michaels, and look at HBK now, in the biggest feud of the summer. Shouldn't he be called the Legend Pinner, or something like that?

It's just a way to market the character, being that he's taken down so many "legends" in the ring or disrespected them in the past.

I see the IWA-Mid South is now IWA East Coast. What's happened? Why the move from Indiana to W. Va?

I believe there are different indy companies that have a relationship with Ian Rotten's IWA and share the initials, nothing more. Rotten still promotes in the Illinois and Indiana area.

One of my favorites was The Birdman Koko B. Ware. Where is he?

KoKo B. Ware still resides in the Tennessee area and does indy shots in that region as well as occasional convention appearances.

Does the WWE eventually get a return in their investment when they sign a guy like the Great Kahli. They had to know he was a stiff and to build up a feud with a guy that is so bad it can't be used on a major PPV with one of your all time great stars-The Undertaker seems like a dumb move on someone's part.

They do because they see it as a way to create a storyline for Undertaker. It was never about creating and making Khali but about giving Undertaker an adversary that would seem dangerous to him, giving him a storyline and something to overcome. If nothing else, from a storyline standpoint idea on paper, they accomplished that, although the matches were often quite dreadful.

Why are some fans so hard on guys like RVD and Sabu. Yeah their matches aren't what they were ten years ago, but they are older more banged up and probably want to save what is left of their bodies. Even so I thought their match on ECW television was pretty darn good even with a few botches. I fell off a ladder a few years ago painting my house and I gotta say it really hurts, I think they should be more appreciative and less critical of guys who really take bumps.

Personally, I enjoyed the ECW match between the two because it was exactly what I expected going in - a lot of psychotic moves, some of which won't hit to perfection because just based on the nature of what they were doing and how timing is everything, it's not always going to work. I think there is a segment of the online fan base that cares very much about the performance aspect of the business, almost to the point of forgetting that while its a performance, its near-impossible for everything to always go 100% right in a wrestling ring, a theatrical stage, a professional competition, etc. Mistakes happen in all sports, worked or legitimate. Throw in the psycho aspect and that these guys are doing things that many won't or can't do, and obviously, it's not always going to be perfect, but you have to respect them for doing it.

 

[Smitty]

I read somewhere recently that Batista was 40 years old. Is this true? I really thought he was in his 20s!

Batista was born on January 18, 1966, which makes him 40 years of age.


^^Batista was born in 69 not 66. That makes him 37.

 

[nbpsfc]

I read somewhere recently that Batista was 40 years old. Is this true? I really thought he was in his 20s!

Batista was born on January 18, 1966, which makes him 40 years of age.


^^Batista was born in 69 not 66. That makes him 37.

good shit!!!!

 

[GHP]

that still makes him old as hell for how long hes been in the biz, he doesn't have alot of time left

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/23

I was just wondering if anyone else noticed how little reaction Hulk Hogan got to the fans Monday Night on Raw on 8/14? It was kind of crazy seeing that he got very little reaction.

I noticed and to tell you the truth, I don't think it's that surprising. Hogan has come back a lot more recently than he had in the past. The bloom being off his rose was pretty obvious when his return at Saturday Night's Main Event did such a soft rating. I think that when you combine his frequent comebacks with the fact that fewer and fewer of his fans still follow the business, due to attrition, it's understandable that he doesn't always get the reaction that he did at SummerSlam.

Not to sound morbid or anything, but do you think Vince will die before he retires? Do you believe that maybe when HHH stops being a full time wrestler that Vince will hand over the powers equally between HHH, Stephanie and Shane, or will he kick the bucket without naming a successor?

How could what you wrote EVER be taken as sounding morbid? I mean, the caring way you spoke about Vince's death would make it impossible for anyone to think that of you. With that said, when Vince isn't around any more, Steph, Shane and Triple H will be in place to run the company.

I recently rewatched Beyond the Mat, and the documentary showed Mick Foley's family backstage at Royal Rumble 1999. I was wondering whether Foley still takes his family backstage, and what the WWE's policy is on who's allowed backstage and who isn't allowed backstage.

Mick, like the other workers, can bring their families to shows if they want to. Most only do it for very big cards or when they are in their home areas. I haven't heard of Mick bringing his family to recent shows but I haven't asked about it either.

Any chance of Rey Rey telling Vince to take a flying leap and head over to TNA so he can get some real respect before he sinks back into mid card waste land?

If he was going to do it, he'd have done it already. So, I don't see any chance of that happening any time soon. And I don't see him jumping to TNA either since he needs knee surgery and will most probably have it by the end of the year. He should have had it months ago but he wasn't going to do it while he was champion.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/24

I remember whenever Hulk Hogan or The Rock went off to shoot a movie, they always took a brief hiatus from wrestling. I was just wondering due to John Cena's heavy work schedule of working on all RAW shows and booked on practically all the RAW house shows, when did he ever find time to shoot "The Marine"?

To his credit, Cena kept a very heavy schedule during the making of "The Marine". Obviously, since WWE was producing the film, they were able to dictate the schedule and work it out so Cena's absences from television were minimal, and that he was always available for major events. Cena did take brief absences for shooting (most notably off house shows), but never took a prolonged break like Rock or Hogan did.

I was on another website reading a review of the "Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior" DVD and the guy writing the review stated that Hulk Hogan and the Warrior rehearsed their WM VI match for a full month leading up to the event under Pat Patterson's supervision. I know some stories can be outlandish to the point that there must be some credence to them but tell me, is there ANY truth to this?

What were you doing reading another website? Seriously, it is true. Hogan and Warrior wanted to have the match go off perfectly, and obviously couldn't wrestle on house shows to prepare for the PPV. So, they worked out the match in private, with Patterson, Vince McMahon and other WWE officials helping them put together the bout.

I don't get ECW up here in Canada, but I read an article on WWE.com that said that the ECW fans booed both Batista and Big Show in the latest edition. In fact, it seems to point out the exact sentiments of real ECW fans when it says that they refuse Show as their champ and that they weren't happy with Batista (mega-face) because he's an outsider. My question is, why is WWE.com talking about this freely? If both competitors in my main event were being booed, I would be ashamed of it and definitely not boast about it on my website. If anything, I think it shows that the WWE understands ECW fans, but still refuses to accommodate them.

WWE decided to make the best of a bad situation, and put over the "dedicated ECW fans" as rejecting the "outsider" instead of leaving it as "the match sucked" which is the impression most viewers would have. As far as accommodating them, it is interesting to note that since the Batista-Big Show match, all ECW on SciFi main events have featured members of the ECW roster exclusively.

My question is about the new TNA video game that's currently in the works. Personally, seeing as how developers are closely working with two of the biggest stars in the business today (Joe and Styles) who are avid wrestling game fans and using No Mercy as their inspiration, I think we are ready to see one of the best wrestling game to date. Do you think that having Styles and Joe working on this game will make for a much better game? I wish WWE would take the same amount of care with their games. Sometimes it seems like they are being made my people who don't know anything at all about wrestling.

First, you have to realize what Joe and Styles are doing. They're not creating the came, but rather are performing the moves (wearing motion capture suits) that will be used in the came. I had the chance to see Spike Dudley, Danny Doring and Dawn Marie do it for one of the ECW video games. Basically, they have to perform every move you will see in the game for all the different wrestlers. That said, I'm sure both of them (especially Styles, who is reportedly a big game fan) are giving input into the game as well. Obviously, WWE games get a lot of press, so it is in TNA's best interest to make a great game that will get a buzz in game magazines and websites, so it can build a following.

Recently I heard that Buck said he believed that John Cena has been improving as of late. I want to know what kind of improvement you mean, because I can't believe you mean in-ring skills. In fact, I believe that he is becoming an even worse wrestler as he continues to substitute his in-ring charisma for an actual wrestling moveset. Every single match he wrestles, he does that same for (maybe six) moves. Furthermore, his new finishing submission, the STFU, is a terrible finish to all his matches and makes the opponent seem weak, especially since every opponent seems to tap out in three seconds. I think Cena just wants his own version of the Crippler Crossface.

I certainly wasn't referring to his moveset, which in my opinion remains woefully inadequate. What I was referring to is his ability to make the most of his limited in-ring skills, while using his selling, charisma and psychology to make up for it. Remember, the most popular wrestler of all-time, Hulk Hogan, has a limited moveset too. I think that Cena, starting with the ECW program and carrying on through his feud with Edge, has learned how to work with the crowd, reacting to their feelings towards him, and had better matches (not better technically, but emotionally) as a result.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/25

Shawn Michaels is often called HBK, the Heart Break Kid, I'm wondering if this name was attributed to him during his bouts with Bret Hart (bad pun but typical of wrestling announcers) or if it was given to him earlier during the 80's along with the pretty boy gimmick?

The name has nothing to do with Bret Hart. It was given to Michaels when he first went solo after the Rockers broke up, playing up his good looks and arrogant attitude.

Can WWE release a DVD of Sting's career in the future? From what I understand WWE now owns all of WCW's tape library, but Sting (I assume since he still uses it) owns the rights to his gimmick. We've seen this happen already with the Ultimate Warrior DVD do you see this happening sometime down the road with Sting and do you think he would participate in such a DVD after purposely not working for WWE for years?

WWE absolutely can release a Sting DVD, since they own all the footage from his WCW days. I don't see Sting being involved, since he is under contract to TNA. In the future, who knows, but I don't see either WWE releasing such a DVD, or Sting working with them, anytime soon.

I was watching the footage of RVD after he dropped the belt to Big Show on YouTube and something struck me as odd. When RVD finished greeting the fans around ringside he entered the ring and performed a gesture that I've never seen before. It seemed to me that it was a unique attempt at bowing to the crowd out of respect. So, is that the case, and does RVD have a history of doing the move whether the cameras are on or not?

Actually, bowing to the crowd is something I saw Rob Van Dam do following main events on ECW house shows many times.

I read somewhere that WWF(E) had legal problems with Marvel over the use of Hulk Hogan's name. Has anyone had similar problems with The Sandman especially with the new Spiderman 3 film coming next year with the Sandman being one of the main villains? Thanks for your insight and keep up the good work.

From what I understand, the name "Sandman" is public domain, sort of like Santa Claus, where anyone can use it and no one can own the exclusive rights to the name. However, if Sandman were to dress or act like the Marvel Comics character, then there could be legal problems.

Why on earth is the ring called the Squared Circle?

Basically, it is derived from the idea that early forms of wrestling (sumo, Greco-Roman, etc.) were always held in a circled off area. When pro wrestling moved into a square ring, ala boxing, the term "Squared Circle" was coined.

 

[nbpsfc]

I just noticed that Paul Burchill's profile is no longer listed on WWE.com, although I confess I don't check the roster pages too often. When and why did he get released?

Paul Burchill is still under contract to World Wrestling Entertainment. He was given time off to deal with some personal issues, including a knee injury. WWE creative also decided to shelve the pirate deal, so when they have a new plan in place for Burchill, he'll be back.

With Stephanie in charge of creative, what is Shane in charge of?

Shane McMahon is in charge of WWE's publications and Internet media. He was also originally going to be a much larger force in the ECW relaunch, until Vince McMahon opted to make that brand a full fledged third company as opposed to a smaller, niche deal.

Do you think the new ECW will bring in wrestlers just for one show/PPV (that aren't under WWE contract), apart from One Night Stand of course, wrestlers like Masato Tanaka or Lance Storm, or maybe even wrestlers who the general audience mightn't be familiar with and hadn't had a previous affiliation with ECW, like TNA did with Jushin Liger, Team Japan, etc?

It's possible, but as time goes on, it's extremely unlikely that WWE would want to give precious TV and PPV time to those they can't fully market and promote all the time for the company's good.

Do you think the new ECW will be doing some of the more "extreme" spots that made the company popular, as in flaming tables, multiple stacked tables, fans bring the weapons etc., or would the WWE rather protect their wrestlers?

I think we'll see those spots from time to time, but not on the regularly occurring basis that they were seen during the original incarnation of ECW. They will be something that is built to and happen during major, critical storyline points, and not just thrown out there as "another spot." WWE is always going to want to protect their wrestlers, but it's also smarter to make less mean more as a way to not jade the audience.

I was reading your answer to about the Bash at the Beach incident where Hogan "won" the title and left. So does that mean Hogan is the person really holding the real WCW heavyweight title at this point in time?

To the best of my knowledge, yes. Ric Flair even wrote about the irony of the situation- that the gold belt he carried around the world defending sits in the home of Hulk Hogan.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/30

Why is Vicki Guerrero getting involved in angles? What is her motivation? Is it because she thinks Eddie would enjoy the angle, because she thinks she is honoring his memory, or does she just need the money?

I can't tell you what her motivation is but I see it like this. Vince McMahon sent her money after Eddie died. Vince wants to do the current angle in the worst way, in my opinion mistakenly thinking it will sell to the public, so he wanted her to be a part of it. He asked, and she said yes, at least in some part because the checks she will get for being apart of it are more than she can make outside of wrestling. She may also believe that "Eddie would want it this way". Only she can answer that.

In a question in PWInsider Xtra on 7/26 there was a question about Melina and a reference of her being taken to "wrestler's court" over her attitude.

Now, I'm curious if you

(A) just made up that term

(B) if it's an informal way set up by the locker room to deal with personality conflicts or other issues

A) No we didn't. It's what the wrestler's call it.

B) Yes, that is it's exact purpose.

A couple of months back we heard a lot about Harry Smith debuting soon for the RAW brand, and he had that one cameo on RAW where the RAW locker cleared to help get rid of some ECW guys. So what's the deal with him, is he injured or does "creative" not have anything for him at the moment?

We were told a month or so ago that Smith was taken out of the WWE loop because he has a planned role on Hulk Hogan's VH1 reality show (yes I know, it's an oxymoron) as Brooke Hogan's "boyfriend".

I have read/heard about Triple H's backstage reputation. I heard that he was a jerk ever since he got his push in 2000 and he refused to drop the title and he prevented other superstars from getting over. Has he toned it down, or is he still a jerk in the WWE?

Jerk is entirely the wrong word to use here. Triple H is always friendly to people, jerk's aren't. People in the company say that he uses his position to manipulate situations backstage. People still tell me that, for what it's worth. It should also be stated that he's hardly the first top guy to do this and he won't be the last.

What are your feelings about the entire cruiserweight division (title and all) going over to ECW? I mean, I really couldn't see how it could hurt Smackdown since they're barely used anyway. It could add a ton of wrestlers onto ECW, even some alumni. They could also throw Rey over there too, and get him into some of the mix as well, and it could also make the title a little more legit, and add another title to ECW as well.

So, you think that an entire division will be used better on a one-hour show than a two-hour broadcast? I don't see it.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/30

Do you think WWE would be better served getting Booker T into the color commentary role than having him as champion? This is not meant as a knock against his in-ring or promo ability - I like his matches, and think he does his current role as well as he can (though I've never been a fan of the "King" gimmick in wrestling). Rather, he was so strong a few months back doing guest commentary, and seems like a great fit. He has the wrestling knowledge to call matches and bring background to the wrestlers and their moves, and clearly has a great comic ability to make the broadcast entertaining. Good commentary can make such a difference in a weekly broadcast, and JBL is THE WORST I've heard in 19 years as a fan.

I agree, JBL is not cutting it. He has his positive moments, but he hasn't grasped the most basic concept of the job, to get get other guys over instead of himself. It's fine to talk a lot, provided you are putting over the workers. When you aren't, it's not good. At all. With that said, the Smackdown brand is in desperate need of stars and top talent. Booker is far more important in the ring now than he would be out of it. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't look to replace JBL because I think that they should. But Booker should keep working as long as he is good at it. When he retires, I would love to see him get a chance at doing commentary.

First let me say I love the site and I love being an Elite member keep up the great work. Anyway, on to my question do you think we will see the Ministry of Darkness being brought back, even if it is minus Taker? I think having a stable like that would really help the Smackdown brand or would something like that be more suited for ECW considering they are on Sci Fi?

I am not a fan of redoing old factions. Most of the time when they do them, they fail. Taker was the only one who mattered in that gimmick and without him, it wouldn't matter. Even with him, his character now is so different from what it was then that I don't see it working.

Why doesn't WWE Anthologies of their longest running shows. I would love to see them release Raw and SD seasons?

I can see two reasons. One would be that it would take a lot of time to put them together and run them. Why run them? Because they would be 52 disc sets. That leads to reason 2. Even if they only charged 5 bucks a disc, it's 260 bucks. I don't see many people paying that for a year of WWE TV. They are much better off selling their DVDs, which you can buy from our friends at www.highspots.com (and www.wrestlingshopzone.com in the UK) and pushing their older footage on WWE 24/7.

How much money did Stone Cold Steve Austin make during his role as top face/heel (1998-2001)?

A lot. I don't have the exact figure, but I would think that it's reasonable to assume that he made 15 million dollars over that period.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/31

Hey....I recently heard that Batista is supposed to go to ECW, and DX is supposed to break up at Summerslam but Stephanie McMahon doesn't want them to. Is any of this true? Or is the site my Aunt found a fake site?

Why are you listening to your Aunt when it comes to wrestling websites when you already know about PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com? And neither is true (and after Batista's last ECW appearance, he is probably happy about that).

A lot of wrestlers say they are the best in the World: Bryan Danielson, Kurt Angle, Fallen Angel, etc. from each show Raw, SmackDown, TNA and ROH. Who are their best wrestlers? and who is the best out of the 4 selected?

This is just my opinion, but I would say the best wrestlers right now are Shawn Michaels (Raw), Fit Finlay (Smackdown), Sabu (ECW), Samoa Joe (TNA), and Bryan Danielson (ROH). Of all of them, I would say Danielson is probably the best wrestler. Although, if we are talking about all-around performer, I would be very tempted to select Christopher Daniels or Edge.

If ECW continues to get good ratings on Sci-Fi, do you think they will eventually get a 2 hour timeslot?

Obviously, the kneejerk answer is "Yes, if the show does great ratings, Sci-Fi will want more". However, there are other factors to consider. ECW is broadcast from the Smackdown tapings right now, which means fans are sitting through a three hour show. To expand ECW would mean a four hour show, and also mean possibly having an earlier start time to the tapings, which can result in problems when you consider that the show is on a weeknight (it wouldn't look good to have a half-empty arena for half of Smackdown because fans are still arriving). If ECW does great ratings, I can see expanding it, but if that happens, it will require rearranging WWE's production schedule and giving ECW their own taping.

I personally believe that Smackdown is cursed and it seems that when it rains it pours when it comes to Smackdown but my question is has there ever been a time in the WWE where they were losing all of this talent? Did it possibly happen during the drug testing in the early 90s? I would also guess that there would have been a lot of Kayfabe cover up if something similar to this epidemic happened during that time. Tell me if I am wrong.

Smackdown obviously has been suffering from a lot of problems in the talent department, due to injuries, the wellness program, and WWE's decision to move key players onto Raw and ECW. Obviously, in the pre-brand extension era, talent wasn't spread out, so WWE has never quite had this problem. In 1992, with the steroid controversy, WWE lost two top pieces of talent (Davey Boy Smith and Ultimate Warrior) but the company wasn't so depleted of talent, and in a way it allowed guys like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels to shine.

Is WWE planning on releasing any ECW DVDs in the future? Also, does WWE plan on releasing any old ECW events on DVD in the US, similar to the ones released in the UK a few years back?

There are no plans at this point to release old ECW events in their entirety on DVD. However, WWE is working on another collection of ECW matches, ala the Bloodsport: ECW's Most Violent Matches DVD.

 

[Smitty]

Do you think WWE would be better served getting Booker T into the color commentary role than having him as champion? This is not meant as a knock against his in-ring or promo ability - I like his matches, and think he does his current role as well as he can (though I've never been a fan of the "King" gimmick in wrestling). Rather, he was so strong a few months back doing guest commentary, and seems like a great fit. He has the wrestling knowledge to call matches and bring background to the wrestlers and their moves, and clearly has a great comic ability to make the broadcast entertaining. Good commentary can make such a difference in a weekly broadcast, and JBL is THE WORST I've heard in 19 years as a fan.

I can't believe this dumb fuck thinks JBL is the worst commentator he's ever heard. JBL has already skyrocketed to damn near the top of the heap of color guys. He thinks Booker T would be better? I would rather have Stevie Ray back in the booth calling people fruit booties, than listen to 2 hours of Booker T and his Madonna English accent.

 

[nbpsfc]

Do you think WWE would be better served getting Booker T into the color commentary role than having him as champion? This is not meant as a knock against his in-ring or promo ability - I like his matches, and think he does his current role as well as he can (though I've never been a fan of the "King" gimmick in wrestling). Rather, he was so strong a few months back doing guest commentary, and seems like a great fit. He has the wrestling knowledge to call matches and bring background to the wrestlers and their moves, and clearly has a great comic ability to make the broadcast entertaining. Good commentary can make such a difference in a weekly broadcast, and JBL is THE WORST I've heard in 19 years as a fan.

I can't believe this dumb fuck thinks JBL is the worst commentator he's ever heard. JBL has already skyrocketed to damn near the top of the heap of color guys. He thinks Booker T would be better? I would rather have Stevie Ray back in the booth calling people fruit booties, than listen to 2 hours of Booker T and his Madonna English accent.

most of the people that write in are idiots, jbl is the shit, funny as fuck

 

[GHP]

JBL rules behind the booth

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 9/6

I was just wondering where, if anywhere, the WWE are going with this Stephanie/Triple H thing? First they started dropping the hints that Triple H is Aurora's Father, which I could understand but then there has been no mention of Stephanie or anything for weeks and then out of the blue on Raw this week (28th August) Triple H mentioned about Stephanie getting married "to the man with the worlds largest *bleep*" yet they have never before acknowledged Stephanie's marital status on TV in her brief appearances since she got married.

At this point, it's just inside jokes to pop the "smart" fans, in part to humor the audience and in part because it's the kind of "inside" thing that DX's characters would do.

Which does WWE regard as a bigger threat, UFC or TNA?

It's not even close. UFC is a much bigger threat to WWE for one reason, they do great PPV buyrates and are generating a lot of money. In fact, some sources have told me that UFC is often outdrawing many WWE PPVs. Any company that can challenge WWE's supremacy on PPV is a threat to them. TNA has made progress with their business but they are still not strong enough to scare WWE at this time.

Now with the SummerSlam games being over and Sir Regal and Sir Finlay being knighted. Do you think that King Booker will make it into the history books as the first King to rule over both the Irish and the English since the 1600s? I would love for future generations to learn about how King Booker with all his wisdom and majesty untied too kingdoms under a common goal of championship glory.

I don't know about that but I do know this, humor is supposed to be funny. That is, of course, if you meant this as a joke. If you were serious, well I am afraid. Very, very afraid.

Has the WWE always been this careless with giving away PPV matches months before they are scheduled? Did they do this during the attitude days as well?

They didn't do it in the attitude era because they didn't have to. They had a great run when pretty much every show that they did sold out, and PPVs were a slam dunk. They just put the tickets on sale and they sold out, that simple. As the times have changed, they have been forced to do more advanced advertising in the markets where the shows take place and the top matches get out to the masses.

I'm wondering what kind of contract Jeff Hardy signed with the WWE. I'm not interested in the amount he's being paid, but the length of it. Is it possible that WWE signed him to a long term deal so they can get what they can out of him and when he returns to his old ways he can sit on the shelf and not make money for the competition, but still collect a paycheck?

From what I heard, they signed him to their standard multi-year deal with the ninety day out clause. What that means is simple, at any time they can release him with 90 days severance. If they wanted, they could also pay him his downside guarantee to sit home and do nothing. That isn't bad work if you can get it.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 9/9

Whatever happened to the WWE Hardcore, Light Heavyweight and European championships? Thanks.

The European title was unified with the Intercontinental Title when Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy in a ladder match on July 22, 2002. The Hardcore title was unified with the Intercontinental Title when Rob Van Dam defeated Tommy Dreamer on August 26, 2002. The Light Heavyweight title was unified with the Cruiserweight Title when X-Pac defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri on August 19, 2001 (and shockingly, WWE stuck with the name of the old WCW belt, not their own title).

I've been a wrestling fan for 14 years and have always wanted to get in the business. Family and friends constantly saying it was a stupid idea helped me to miss the boat. In your opinion, what do you think the cut-off age should be for training or trying to get into the business. Also, I am in decent shape, but have been training hard for the past year. I am only 5'10" and weigh around 200 lbs. Do you think that my lack of size would also have a negative impact on my chances given my age, 28? Just curious about your thoughts.


Honestly, you would be getting into the game pretty late in life, especially if you haven't even begun training yet. While it isn't unheard of for someone your age to enter the business (the Boogeyman was a lot older, and he made it), the chances of making it into a career get slimmer the older you get, especially if you are only in "decent" shape right now. If you are serious, you need to get into a good training camp now, because time is against you.

Do you think WWE is driving SmackDown even further into the ground by having it John Cena's "punishment" to go to SmackDown if he loses at Unforgiven? I mean, they act as if it's a bad thing.

It certainly doesn't help the image of Smackdown. Then again, a lot of things WWE does (like having twice as many Raw matches as Smackdown bouts on joint PPVs) hurts the image of Smackdown. This is just par for the course.

Is Trish Stratus really getting married, or is this just part of an upcoming storyline which will lead to Trish being seriously injured to the point where she will be out of action for a long time? Is that the plan for Trish?

Trish really is getting married, which is the one thing WWE isn't mentioning in their storylines. In fact, they're not mentioning it in their "real story" coverage on WWE.com either.

In Lance Storm's recent Q&A (Aug. 29) he mentions he saw Bubba-D-Von fight backstage (blowing off steam) such as DDP-Steiner, Sandman-New Jack and Goldberg-Jericho. My question is what was the reason behind Bubba-D-Von, when did it happen, and how did the two patch things up?

When you spend as much time together as Bubba & D-Von have over the last ten years (which in this day and age is amazing for a tag team, even with a short break), you're bound to have blow ups and fights. I would chalk it up as being the same as two brothers fighting. You might go at it, but at the end, you're still brothers.

 

[nbpsfc]

9/10/2006


Hey guys, love the site(s). Just wanted to know why all the wrestlers who we see for a month or two on tv and then disappear and reappear with different gimmicks, why does the WWE keep these people heels or faces. If a wrestler, doesn't get themselves over after a while why aren't they turned and allowed to try a different tack instead of another lame gimmick?

It's simply a creative decision made by WWE management to keep trying the performer until it clicks. It usually varies depending on the performer involved. WWE often feels that giving them time away from the camera is better then trying to run them through a rotating door of face/heel/face turns.

CM Punk, we've heard all the hype about this guy, I've seen all his matches on ECW and they bored me to tears. Is it that he's not getting enough time on ECW tv to show us all of what he has or does he always have boring, sloppy matches.

Personally, I think Punk has looked good so far in ECW. I expect that you won't see his full potential for awhile as they still have him in an introductory phase. He's not doing anything beyond getting established right now. If you want to check out some of his stuff in Ring of Honor, I would advise checking out ROHWrestling.com as he's had some great matches with Samoa Joe, Raven, and others.

From what I can discern, Kurt Angle didn't want to leave the WWE, and while I understand that he does have a great deal of physical (and possibly emotional) trauma, what do you think is the probability we can see Angle showing up in TNA or some other promotion?

Angle didn't want to leave WWE. He was let go and released over concerns about his health. If he can prove to WWE he is healthy, they would be happy to take him back. My feeling is that Angle may try to return to the ring as soon as whatever no compete he may have is completed in an effort to show WWE that's he's "fine." Whether he is or not, that's the most likely scenario, unless the two sides come to some sort of agreement. WWE's decision to back away from Angle with their text message alert last week doesn't make it appear that will happen any time soon, but in wrestling, things can change with no rhyme or reason, much less no warning.

The DX gimmick is starting to seem very stale. It seems like something is missing. The thing that sticks out most to me is the lack of Chyna. Since it seems highly unlikely that WWE would desire the services of Joanie Luarer for several reasons, not the least of which is her former relationship with HHH, I was wondering if you could see WWE bringing in a different "big" woman to spice up DX. TNA's Sirelda, whom I believe I heard you guys say didn't have a deal with the promotion comes to mind. Though green, she seems to have the look of a Chyna and her in-ring skills would probably grow faster in a WWE developmental territory. What do you think?

I don't know whether TNA has Sirelda under any sort of deal, but if they were looking to re-create a Chyna like persona in DX, she would be the perfect person to look towards. That said, she is still very green in the ring (but with a lot of charisma), and I don't know that playing her off a similar character would be good for her long-term career prospects. Look at Rick "Renegade" Wilson in WCW or Rick Bogner, the fake Razor Ramon in the WWF circa 1996.

I just wanted to know if you had any idea when Benoit is returning from his injury, I really miss his wrestling and think he could greatly flesh out the main event scene on Smackdown as well as the rest of the show.

Chris Benoit was slated to return, at least on the road, the week of 9/9 to Smackdown events.