2008 WWE King of the Ring

2008 WWE King of the Ring
William Regal - a big push followed by a 60 day suspension.

5/20/08

William Regal and the General Update - 5/20/2008

When William Regal lost to Ken Kennedy on Raw, I thought that the 2008 King of the Ring would be headed over to Smackdown to work with the Undertaker or Batista. Well, he's not. He's suspended. Smackdown could sure use another wrestler... anybody. I'd be relieved if Cody Rhodes got drafted over to the Blue Brand to work in a title program with Taker. I'd be relieved if Lance Cade got drafted over to the Blue Brand to work in a title program with Taker. I'd be relieved if the Brooklyn Brawler came out of retirement and got drafted to Smackdown to work in a title program with Taker. You get the point. I am sick of Undertaker v. Edge. I am sick of Batista v. Undertaker. I am sick of Batista v. Edge. I am sick of Undertaker v. Batista v. Edge. I am sick of everything on Smackdown... and I don't even watch Smackdown.

I'm happy to see that Vince McMahon is keeping a tough policy as far as drug and alcohol abuse is concerned. I'm very disappointed in William Regal. Of all the years I've been watching him work, I've never been as interested in him as I have been since he won the King of the Ring. This seemed as though it would be the push of his career. And he blew it. It will be interesting to see how he is brought back from his suspension just as it is interesting to see how Jeff Hardy is being utilized.

Speaking of Jeff Hardy and Umaga... they work great together. I'm sure their One Night Stand match will steal the show. I'm not watching the show though. It will be the first PPV in over a year that I'm skipping. It's a 'B' PPV and I've seen each match that has been booked so far more than 5 times. Nothing is going to happen at this PPV. I'll read the results.

The WWE goes into a lull after Wrestlemania. I think they could use some gimmick Pay Per Views after Backlash. Maybe King of the Ring should have been a PPV... and instead of 8 wrestlers - with 3 being jokes - there should have been 16 wrestlers and the entire tournament should have taken place during the PPV. If that was the case, the King of the Ring would truly have been a King of the Ring.

Honestly, how many times do I have to watch Triple H v. Randy Orton and Undertaker v. Edge and John Cena v. JBL and Jeff Hardy v. Umaga? How many times do I have to watch Santino Marella poke fun at an ex-superstar and have his ass handed to him? It's funny. I'm not saying it's unfunny. I'd just like to see Santino get a belt and work with some current wrestlers. Please, give him and Carlito the tag titles. They'd be as successful as the New Age Outlaws and funnier.

I have no control over any of this though. I'm not going to get worked up at how bland the WWE is right now. Like I said, they have a Wrestlemania Hangover right now. They have it each year. Things will pick up around Summerslam.

One last note, why did CM Punk win the Money in the Bank? He keeps losing cleanly to guys like John Morrison and The Miz. I don't understand. How am I supposed to believe that Punk can win a World title if he jobs to Johnny Nitro? Or am I supposed to believe that he covets the ECW Championship enough to use his Money in the Bank for that belt? Yeah... sorry, I don't believe that at all. CM Punk should be booked to win some matches and should be drafted to a better brand. But again... who am I? I'm not a booker, I'm just a looker.

Peace out...

Seannie Wan

3/11/08

Hardy Suspended/Updated Mania Card

Jeff Hardy has been suspended due to wellness policy issues for sixty days. This is why he dropped the ic belt in, presumably his last match for at least 59 days, to Y2j Chris Jericho, the sexy beast.

Chris Jericho's book is awesome. Everyone should read it at least twice.

WrestleMania XXIV, aside from the prescence of OIW, currently smells like this:
Triple Threat (no DQ) WWe championship match:
Triple H(hhh) v. John Cena( ) v. Randy Orton(c) (Excitement level: !!)

(WCW)World Heavyweight Championship match(no DQ):
Undertaker v. Edge (c) (Excitement level: !!!)

Floyd "Money" Mayweather v. Big Show(Excitement level: !!!!!)

Belfast Brawl:
Finlay v. Jbl (Excitement level: !!!1/2)

Ric Flair v. Shawn Micheals (Excitement level:!!!!!)

Smackdown v. Raw match:
Batista v. Umaga (Excitement level: !1/2)

Money in the bank ladder match: (Excitement level: !!!!!)
Y2j v. Shelton Benjamin v. MVP v. Mr. Kennedy v. Carlito v. (CMPunk?) v. (Kane?) v. (Jon Morrison?)

2/17/08

CLASSIC MATCH - Kurt Angle v. Chris Jericho v. Chris Benoit (Wrestlemania 2000)

In 1999 and early 2000, three world renowned athletes made their respective debuts as superstars with the WWe. Chris Jericho became Y2J, olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle became the WWe's first ever 'real' wrestler, and Chris Benoit was introduced as the leader of the radicals(along with Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn, and Dean Malenko), a group of very popular and talented wrestlers from then Ted Turner's WCW, who had swapped promotions seemingly overnight.

At Wrestlemania 2000 all these three talented on the risers made their Wrestlemania debuts together in OIW's fourteenth greatest match in Wrestlemania history. This was a very unique match in that both the European and Intercontinental Championships were on the line in a Triple Threat Match. It was a two-fall match. Fall 1 would decide the Intercontinental Championship with fall 2 awarding the European Championship.

Benoit used his fliying headbutt to pin Chris Jericho and win the first fall becoming the new Intercontinental Champion. The action continued and Angle went on the offensive, taking out both Benoit and Jericho, but then missing a moonsault. Jericho locked in the Lion Tamer on Angle, which Benoit broke up. As the match progressed, Jericho hooked in the Lion Tamer on Benoit this time, but Angle came back and knocked Jericho out with the European Championship. Benoit then suplexed Angle, but missed the headbutt. Jericho took advantage and hit the Lion Sault for the pin and the European Championship.

Kurt Angle came in with two championships and lost both without submitting or even being pinned once.

This match looks great on paper and floors expectations when you play it back.

2/12/08

Post-Raw Notes and Observations 2/12/2008

Raw was strong... strong and excellent in some ways. Yes, I still hate John Cena and I still hate Randy Orton and no, I don't hate the human beings John Cena and Randy Orton but the WWE products John Cena and Randy Orton. When I see Randy Orton on Raw - even though he is the WWE Champion - I think of Ted Danson's cameo in 'Saving Private Ryan'; unnecessary, momentum-killing, and utterly lame. When I see John Cena on Raw I think of Vin Diesel in 'XXX.' Bad analogies? Possibly. Bad wrestlers? Definitely.

Chris Jericho and JBL are picking up the pace. They're working out the rust. This will take them a little while as neither one of them has wrestled a regular schedule in years. I trust their talent enough to know that they will come around and I think that booking them to work with each other is the best way to go. JBL is such a fowl heel and Jericho is such a baby face and they both have such a winning career that the poor wrestling they have been displaying won't affect their standing with the audience. However, their match last night was the best yet. I believe this feud will lead right into Wrestlemania and I think the two of them will steal the show in Orlando.

The match of night and easily the best television match of the year thus far was Shawn Michaels and Jeff Hardy. I don't know why Shawn Michaels is still working but he is doing the right thing for the industry that he has made his living from. He is putting over the young, deserving stars and it was no different last night with Jeff Hardy. Jeff Hardy, on the other hand, needed a high-profile victory more than anybody else on the roster. He got f'd at the Royal Rumble ala John Cena. He had been groomed to win the WWE Championship and as soon as John Cena juked and jived his way to the ring at Madison Square Garden, Jeff Hardy was pushed to the back of the line behind Cena, HHH, Michaels, and hell, even Umaga... not really Umaga, but it wasn't fair!

But what is fair in today's WWE? Vince puts John Cena on top of the world because the little kids like him and he wants to market his product toward little kids, right? By the way, did anybody see Paul Burchill's new incest gimmick last night? Fucking McMahon... he's an enigma and quite frankly, I think he is insane.

The Michaels-Hardy match flowed effortlessly. Parts of the match were literally lines of poetry in motion. I didn't realize how much of Shawn Michael's style Jeff Hardy has used for his own until I saw them in the ring together. My respect for the Heartbreak Kid has grown immensely. He should and may take Hardy under his wing... not to teach him in-ring ability but to teach him charisma and how to speak to the audience. Jeff Hardy has the Triple H and the HBK seal-of-approval. If he can be patient, at some point one of three things will happen: 1. John Cena will really be hurt for 6 months to a year and Hardy will get his chance to shine or 2. Vince McMahon will be arrested or die or something and Triple H will be running the show and give Hardy the chance to shine or 3. The kids will become Internet marks and the bottom will fall out on John Cena and Hardy will get his chance to shine... OR, and I just came up with this so I guess I should have typed that at some point one of four things will happen but whatevie, Jeff Hardy will jump over to Smackdown... but I imagine I'd be bashing Batista every day instead of John Cena. Oh well...

Vince McMahon v. Finaly at Wrestlemania XXIV.

2/11/08

CLASSIC MATCH - Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior (Wrestlemania VI)

Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior
WWE Champion v. WWE Intercontinental Champion
Wrestlemania VI Main Event
April 1, 1990 at the Skydome in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

WINNER.... and NEW World Wrestling Federation Champion....
The Ultimate Warrior...

This was a match that couldn't happen. How could the WWE - at that time the WWF - tear my heart in two? How could WWF President Jack Tunney make a good guy - and not just any good guy, but THE good guy Hulk Hogan - wrestle another good guy - and not just any other good guy, but the most popular good guy since Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior? How would the crowd react? Who would the fans be cheering for? Hulk Hogan can't lose, can he? No... Hulk Hogan never loses... to bad guys.

This match took place before I had ever heard the terms 'babyface' or 'heel.' This match took place when Hulk Hogan was truly Immortal. This match took place when wrestling was a real competition between two athletes who had trained hard and scouted their opponent. In 1990, I had no idea that the competition I thought I was watching was actually a physical exhibition. I had no idea that Hogan and The Warrior discussed how the match would progress and what the 'high spots' would be and how the match would finish. I had no idea of all the locker room politics that must have gone into such a high-profile match between the two biggest money-making professional wrestlers on the planet. I had no idea that Hulk Hogan was looking to get out of the industry and go work in Hollywood.

What I did know in the beginning of the year of our Lord, 1990, was that with each Saturday morning, The Ultimate Warrior became more and more appealing to me. His entrance was so cool. His antics in the ring were so cool. His music was so cool. His look was so cool. The promos he cut made no sense but they were so cool to an 11 year old kid that they didn't have to make any sense. In 1990, Hulkamania became boring to me. In 1990, I wanted to see The Ultimate Warrior become the WWE (or WWF) Champion.

The tagline for this match was 'The Ultimate Challenge,' and I think that the tagline referred less to the actual match and more to the fans. Would the fans support a new top face? Would the fans jeer The Ultimate Warrior? Would the fans be able to handle their two heroes facing off against each other in Canada? The answers were 'For a little while,' 'No,' and 'Yes.'

The match itself was exciting only because of the caliber of the wrestlers. It was a popularity contest between the well-known biggest draw in the world and the up-and-coming cool new guy. Vince McMahon went with the cool new guy because the biggest draw in the world thought he could move on to bigger and better things. This sort of 'passing of the torch' match has happened several times at Wrestlemania and it had happened before this particular match was booked. However, this is the first time that the WWE dared to book two faces - the two most popular faces - in a Championship Main Event match at Wrestlemania. McMahon wasn't spoon-feeding his audience a main event that would have an obvious finish. He was putting the ball in his audience's court. He was daring in a way. Obviously his audience would accept The Warrior as the top star... he was immensely popular... but the chance of the winner and the new torch bearer being booed out of the Skydome was very real.

The match began with a stare-down/pose-down and moved onto a test of strength. The crowd ate it up. They cheered for both participants. It was unbelievable that this match was happening. As Gorilla Monsoon put it, the tension could truly 'be cut with a knife.'

Hogan injured his leg outside the ring and at one point told Earl Hebner that he could no longer continue the match. This was a heel move and a nice strategy to ensure that The Ultimate Warrior - who was pushed as a bigger face in this match - would be accepted as the winner.

Hogan was able to shake his head and stomp around the ring and point his finger and go numb to any offense Warrior was able to produce. It was a sure thing that Hogan would pass this 'Ultimate Challenge.' The swerve came as Hogan went to drop his big leg. The Warrior rolled out of the way and landed a body splash on the surprised Champion and covered him for a somewhat quick 1-2-3. The Skydome erupted in excitement.

Hogan put The Warrior over even more by handing him the WWE Championship Belt, embracing him in a very manly way, and raising The Warrior's hand in victory. The torch was passed... for about nine months...

When the WWE adopted the 'Attitude' moniker, the fundamental focus was creating a shade of grey between the opponents. I'll paraphrase Vince McMahon: 'Our audience is tired of Good Guy versus Bad Guy.' The excitement in the Skydome and the excitement in the suburban houses of all the kids watching Wrestlemania VI on Pay-Per-View was created by the prospect of the ultimate Good Guy versus another ultimate Good Guy. The excitement was the shade of grey. The excitement was the audience not really knowing who they wanted to win the match and not being able to assume who would win the match. As far as being the biggest possible match on the biggest wrestling event of the year; Hulk Hogan v. The Ultimate Warrior defined what a Wrestlemania Main Event should be. The excitement leading up to and surrounding this match defines what the excitement surrounding Wrestlemania should be.

Hogan v. Warrior is quite possibly the most memorable match in Wrestlemania history. It buried the already dead 'Rock and Wrestling' 1980's Bigger-is-Better Era. It ushered in an era without Hulk Hogan - although he wouldn't be gone from WWE television and Pay-Per-Views for another two years - and started the search for a new top draw. The Ultimate Warrior couldn't carry the torch that Hogan and McMahon bestowed upon him on April 1rst, 1990. However, it was clear that Hogan no longer wanted to carry it and it was clear that a new talent would have to reach for it. With Wrestlemania VI, the WWE as I had known it - and as all the wrestling fans from my generation had known it - was changed forever.


Here, for the loyal readers of OIW's viewing pleasure, is Hulk Hogan versus The Ultimate Warrior... The match is split into eight parts because we respect the OIW Nation's intelligence and time. We know that not only do our readers have better things to do than watch the complete match in one sitting, but we also know that our readers are intelligent fans who can live without a test of strength...

















Regarding The Kidd's Spelling...

Nicely done... some of the best spelling I've seen all year.

As far as Melina and Maria... you're forgetting about Mickie James - yes, the same Mickie James that is much hotter than Maria.

Concerning the 'Incest Angle,' OIW does not support or condone incest. In fact, OIW is greatly offended by Vince McMahon's desire to do an incest storyline. It's uncomfortable and awkward and it will be another segment of Raw that will make me say to myself, 'Man, I wish WCW was still around so that not only would I not be watching this garbage, but if this garbage was still being produced, I could change the channel to WCW and see Goldberg maintain his undefeated streak.' I hate Incest and John Cena and adults kissing Vince McMahon's ass on national television. Why do I keep watching Raw?

If Bobby Lashley shows up in TNA I will be angry.

Raw Preview(non-spoiler), Against All Odds Results, more..

Tonights edition of Raw will run taped from last monday. Here is a rundown of what you can expect, shot(but not nessecarily to be run) in this order:
Hornswoggle v. McMahon-no dq
Y2J v. JBL-ends clean
The return of Paul Burchill in the debut of the 'incest angle' that's gotten internet buzz elsewhere as of late.
Cena v. Henry-Orton at ringside
Kennedy/Flair-face to face
Melina v. Maria-WWe's two hottest divas(I'll argue that with anyone)
Hardy v. Michaels-I am told this match is given lots of time and comes off very good with many near falls and a clean, uninterupted finish

Should be a decent show.

TNA Against All Odds took place last night and went down like this:
-Tomko ran in to assist Angle of all people with a Death Valley Driver on Christian Cage while the ref was down to score Kurt the fall.
-Abyss d. Judas in a match that was said by the live crowd to be bloody and pretty good but not as good as TNA's first Barb Wire Match between Abyss and Sabu. I say Duh.
-Motor City Machine Guns and Jay Lethal picked up the win in the street fight against Johnny Devine and Team 3D. Lethal left with the x-division title. It seems a last minute stipulation was added that whoever pins Devine wins the belt i.e; Black Machismo. I'm starting to agree w Sean about this title, and that doesn't happen often.
-Kong retained Knockouts Title defeating ODB
-Tomko and AJ successfully retained tag belts earlier in the night against BG James and father
-Steiner d. Petey Williams to leave with both the X-Division title shot case as well as the world. This match had some good wrestling but also a lot more of the pose/mock-pose, kill time during the match filler crap that was a good idea that's been repeatedly beaten to death week in and week out and hopefully for all of us we've been insulted by it for the last time.
-Booker T and Robert Roode wrestled to a double countout. What do people see in Robert Roode? Generic heel?
-Traci Brooks rolled up Payton Banks in a match that nobody cares about.
-Finally, Rhino returned to gore James Storm and help Eric Young pick up the victory to retain the Drinking Championship. After the match Rhino cut a promo about how he is back to kick ass and has lots to say this Thursday on Impact. Be warned.

TNA Impact the video game is scheduled for release on June 2nd of this years. Wrestling gamers should note that this game is 'supposed to' revolutionize wrestling gaming the way No Mercy did on the N64 console almost 10 years ago.

Kurt Angle has been quoted saying Bobby Lashley will be TNA's next 'acquisition.'
There are however also rumors that Lashley has met with reps from MMA.

Booker T will be getting a lighter schedule in the coming months to heel from several minor injuries that have bothered him as of late. Nothing major is wrong with the former G.I.Bro, however the feeling in TNA is with so much talent on the roster right now there is no need to overwork the still relatively new to the company former King Booker. One example of his work rate being reduced can be seen in the New York area TNA dates in late February. Originally billed to headline were Angle v. Booker for the title. As of this writing the cards have now been modified and show Angle being challenged by Cage, standing in for Booker. Should still be a treat, especially for any members of the live crowd that didn't see the ppv.

How's my spelling, jerk?