PWTORCH.COM
VIP SIGN-UP JUMP TO VIP
CONTACT US VISIT MMA TORCH




Select Next Article by Category





TAKE PWTORCH
WITH YOU!

PWTORCH IPHONE APP
Get our iPhone App (FREE!): Click Here
Or enter "PWTorch.com" on your Blackberry or other Smart Phone browser for mobile-version of PWTorch.


The Specialists
Raw Storylines and Feuds - What to look for in next week's Raw
Feb 21, 2008 - 3:50:00 PM


By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Monday Night Raw
February 18, 2008
Upcoming PPV: WrestleMania (sixth-to-last episode before PPV)

RAW STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the twenty-seventh edition of Raw Storylines and Feuds.

For those wondering about the Intrigue Level system that I employ, you can refer to the numbers as follows:

10 (excellent), 9 (great), 8-6 (very good, good, pretty good), 5 (decent; has its good and bad qualities), 4-3 (needs work, poor), 2 (bad), 1 (terrible)


WWE Champion RANDY ORTON vs. TRIPLE H vs. JOHN CENA (1 week)

Triple H kicked off the show with a promo that included his feelings about WrestleMania and his confidence heading into WWE's biggest PPV of the year. As he continued, Randy Orton's music interrupted. Orton talked about how things have come full circle since he's the one who had beaten Triple H for the title months ago. The theme of the WWE Champion's promo seemed to be jealousy, but before he could get too far, John Cena made an interruption of his own. Cena called Orton "the only champion to lose his way into WrestleMania."

As these three argued, William Regal stepped out to the stage to resolve issues. He had a plan: John Cena would face Randy Orton in a non-title match. If Cena won, the WrestleMania main event match would be a Triple Threat; if Orton won, it would be a singles match between Orton and The Game. Regal made it even more interesting when he appointed Triple H the special guest referee.

In the back, Randy Orton met with Triple H in his locker room. The WWE Champion tried to convince Triple H to side with him so that the match at WrestleMania would be one-on-one. He warned Triple H that he probably wouldn't want to find himself tapping out again to Cena. The Game wasn't impressed with Orton's attempt at persuasion. "If it favors anyone, it'll favor me," Triple H responded. A look of disdain was etched on The Game's face as the segment closed. In the main event, John Cena was able to pin Orton cleanly after hitting his FU finisher for the decisive three count.

The match setup was accomplished with an outstanding stipulation. Regal made a lot of sense, which was particularly welcoming. His decision to be fair to John Cena was more dependent on his concern for his own image than it was for his desire to help a cheated John Cena. When he prefaced his decision by explaining how Orton's actions at the PPV last Sunday didn't reflect well on Raw or himself as the GM of the brand, it gave credence to his words since everybody recognizes him as a selfish heel authority figure.

A rematch between Orton and Cena with a special referee provided a greatly anticipated main event while simultaneously incorporating an intriguing subplot. Triple H was effectively placed in a tough predicament. On the one hand, he probably would rather side with John Cena over Randy Orton since Cena's the babyface and since Orton is trying to push him. On the other hand, The Game personally wants to have a singles title match at WrestleMania. So what was a predictable outcome immediately became questioned as viewers understood that Triple H preferred a one-on-one title match. This angle certainly enhanced the intrigue for Raw's main event this week as well as the storyline itself as it heads into WrestleMania.

What should you look for? Triple H to address the events this week and Orton to get some much needed heat back

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 8

Previous Feuds
John Cena: Edge, Umaga, Bobby Lashley, Randy Orton
Randy Orton: Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes, John Cena, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho
Triple H: King Booker, Umaga, Jeff Hardy

THE JEOPARDOUS ULTIMATUM FOR RIC FLAIR (13 weeks w/ 3 weeks hiatus)

Shawn Michaels showed up for a big WWE Hall of Fame announcement. Michaels entered the ring and introduced a highlight package on Ric Flair, who is technically the first person to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame while still an active wrestler. After the video package aired, a teary-eyed Shawn Michaels gave a proud "wooo" to close the segment.

If the plan is to pit these two against each other for a huge WrestleMania retirement match, this was a fantastic start. The story is there; the history is there. Shawn Michaels can make this all the more worth it with the emotion he's going to bring to the moment. In many ways, Michaels is the best person for this role. This segment was pretty intense, and WWE (and Michaels, of course) deserves credit for nailing it here.

What should you look for? Some type of initial interaction between Michaels and Flair after this latest announcement

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Ric Flair: n/a
Shawn Michaels: Randy Orton, Mr. Kennedy

THE BIG SHOW vs. FLOYD MAYWEATHER (1 week)

Big Show came out and offered to give a formal apology to Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather, flanked by his rather large entourage, entered the ring to confront Show. "I'm sorry things had to happen that way last night, but I'm the best fighter in the world. And when someone calls Floyd Mayweather out, I have to retaliate," Mayweather said. Big Show apologized and extended his hand. Mayweather silently shook it before leaving the ring; however, Show wasn't done.

As Mayweather approached the stage, Big Show taunted him by saying that he allowed him to walk out last night as well as tonight. He then challenged him to a match. Mayweather ran to the ring and told Big Show that he accepted his challenge. He then feigned a punch, and Show flinched. Mayweather smiled as he exited the ring with his entourage. Ross and Lawler questioned what type of match it would be.

This feud is interesting in that it involves a new personality for wrestling fans to watch, someone who they recognize as a WWE outsider who is famous in his own right. With the possibility of Michaels-Flair, two huge world title matches, and a Money in the Bank Ladder Match, this Mayweather-Show rivalry is a great way to round out the WrestleMania card. Furthermore, it gives the WWE audience something new to watch in the next month and a half.

Big Show has just returned, and Mayweather is a professional boxer with a size disadvantage. That dynamic alone is enough to stir interest and excitement. Mayweather also showed some nice personality on Raw, and these two can play off one another well for some nice PPV build. The storyline here is that Big Show took advantage of a weaker, injured Rey Mysterio, while Floyd Mayweather stepped in as a hero. It's still pretty unclear why Big Show apologized only to cause more trouble, but one thing is certain: neither man is intimidated.

What should you look for? More Big Show bullying with a possible squash in his first match since returning

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7

Previous Feuds
Big Show: n/a
Floyd Mayweather: n/a

HORNSWOGGLE vs. MR. McMAHON (24 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

McMahon awaited in the ring with devious eyes on his son. When Hornswoggle made his way into the cage, Finlay tried to talk McMahon out of it, but JBL suddenly attacked Finlay using the cage door. JBL handcuffed Finlay to the ropes so that McMahon could use his belt on Hornswoggle. The Fighting Irishman helplessly watched as Hornswoggle took a brutal beating. McMahon left the ring, and JBL took over. "Take it out on me!" Finlay screamed as JBL took advantage of the situation. Layfield kicked Finlay's little friend in the head, delivered an elbow drop, and hurled him into the cage wall.

It was actually nice to see McMahon put most of the heat onto JBL, whose character can really use it after the failed feud with Jericho. A Finlay-JBL rivalry is promising, and they now have a terrific start. As for McMahon, it was interesting to see him experience some type of sympathy. After Hornswoggle was launched into the cage wall, McMahon looked on almost regretfully. When he said that things went too far aloud, it didn't appear to be in a mocking sense. In fact, it slightly humanized McMahon while emphasizing JBL's brutality.

The events this week did help to set the stage for what could be some decent feuds down the line. Hornswoggle played his role well as the vulnerable, abused son of McMahon. Finlay also did a great job; he may have been tethered to the ring ropes, but his cries for help and his fear for Hornswoggle felt genuine. JBL looked heartless, which was the intended purpose. And McMahon had an interesting reaction, which should be further explored in the coming weeks.

What should you look for? Finlay to be seeking major revenge against both McMahon and John Bradshaw Layfield

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7 [up 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Mr. McMahon: Bobby Lashley, Triple H, Hornswoggle

WWE Women's Champion BETH PHOENIX vs. CANDICE MICHELLE (1 week)

Santino Marella and Maria walked to the ring to talk about Maria's possible stint with Playboy. Santino feigned happiness when announcing that Maria would indeed be posing for the magazine, but then announced that she would also be facing Beth Phoenix. As the match was getting underway, Santino spotted something in small print on the contract: In order to pose for Playboy, Maria would have to be victorious in her match against The Glamazon. A shocked Maria tried her best, but Phoenix overpowered her throughout the match. In the end, Candice made a surprise return, which provided enough distraction to allow Maria to roll up Beth for the three count.

Well, it looks like this marks the end of the Mickie-Beth rivalry. It's not necessarily wrong for WWE to capitalize on Candice's return by having her seek out the person who caused her injury. The only downside is that WWE seemed to be in the middle of a promising run for Mickie James. A few weeks ago, Mickie broke down, suggesting some type of resurgence to come. Now there's a new story in the works. In a way, that helps Beth's image and strengthens Candice's obstacles. But it also leaves the audience hanging. On the bright side, Mickie can come back after Candice tries to dethrone The Glamazon with some new fire. Perhaps a new and improved Mickie James is on the way in the next few months.

What should you look for? Promo time for both Candice (on returning) and Beth (in reaction to her loss)

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5.5

Previous Feuds
Beth Phoenix: Candice Michelle, Mickie James
Candice Michelle: Melina, Beth Phoenix

SANTINO MARELLA (w/ Maria) & CARLITO vs. World Tag Team Champions HARDCORE HOLLY & CODY RHODES (7 weeks w/ 3 weeks hiatus)

What happened here? Just a few weeks ago, Raw dedicated two separate segments of the show to this feud. Additionally, Carlito and Santino stepped out to make a formal announcement that they in fact were the new Number One Contenders for the World Tag Team Championship. Now, presumably because of all the WrestleMania hype, this rivalry lost all of the momentum that it once enjoyed.

What should you look for? Anything that could act as a semblance of a hint that this feud even exists anymore

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Santino Marella: Umaga, Ron Simmons, Val Venis, Steve Austin
Carlito: Triple H
London & Kendrick: Lance Cade & Trevor Murdoch

PAUL BURCHILL

This week, Burchill was set to take on Super Crazy one-on-one. His sister Katie Lea observed the match from ringside. In the end, Burchill decisively won by slamming Super Crazy's head and chest to the mat. It looks like WWE shifted its original plan by making that particular move his signature finisher.

This was just another squash to help build some steam for Burchill's new gimmick. As for the story, WWE clearly toned the incest qualities of their relationship down a notch. Last week I noted that they may have been too blunt about it, but this week seemed to be the opposite. There was plenty of discussion about siblings, but nothing sexually obvious between the two. Oh, and Lawler didn't make suggestive comments like "Katie seems enamored with her brother." So now we have two weeks and two different strategies. Let's see how next week goes.

What should you look for? A continuation of squash matches and more commentary that cements these characters as siblings

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5 [same as last week]

Previous Feuds
Paul Burchill: n/a


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Santino vs. Maria
(2) Paul Burchill vs. Super Crazy
(3) JBL vs. Finlay
(4) Candice vs. Beth Phoenix
(5) Maria vs. Beth Phoenix


Thanks for reading, everyone. If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, feel free to email me at newthtorch@hotmail.com. I greatly appreciate all the feedback that I receive, and I will respond to every email. Please insert a word in the subject line that deals with a wrestling topic or write something such as "WWE," "feud," or "Charlie Haas" so that I know it's not junk mail.



Send feedback on this article to pwtorch@gmail.com and we'll regularly publish reader feedback in the "Torch Feedback" category on the Main Listing.

For more BREAKING NEWS on WWE, TNA!
VISIT OUR AFFILIATE - PROWRESTLING.NET


For UFC & MMA NEWS & BLOGS:
VISIT OUR SISTER SITE - MMATORCH.COM

Upgrade to PWTORCH VIP: DETAILS & SIGN-UP INFO


MORE "The Specialists" ARTICLES
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - TNA Impact: CLICK ON THIS LINK TNA, If You Dress Like Hulk Hogan People Will Give You Money, I Use Amazing Red To Floss My Teeth
11/19 WWE Superstars Hits & Misses: Rosa Mendes, Eric Escobar, Lackluster Show
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - TNA Impact 11/19: Forgotten history between A.J. and Angle, TNA's new cameras, Pope gets referee assist, Numbers - The Rock a horrible tag champ
HITS & MISSES - TNA IMPACT 11/12: Review of last week's show before tonight's Impact - Wolfe-Angle build-up, Lethal loses to Niedhart
11/17 WWE ECW Hits & Misses: Intensity, Hurricane vs. Burchill, Regal & Punk vs. Christian & Truth
11/16 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Miz vs. MVP, Piper - McMahon, Kingston's Moment, Survivor Series Hype, JeriShow vs. DX vs. Cena & Taker
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - WWE Raw: Kofi's Boom Drop In The Garden, Triple H Fears Hornswoggle, Piper To Star In John Carpenter's "They Bald" Starring Hulk Hogan
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - TNA Turning Point: Rewarding Main Events, Nash And "The Fingerpoke of Doom" Incident, Why Jay Lethal Should Be A TNA Cameraman
11/13 WWE Smackdown Hits & Misses: Punk vs. Truth, Lame DQ, Ziggler vs. Morrison, Jericho vs. Undertaker
PARKS BLOG: A Mind-Boggling, Legendary Loss for Jay Lethal on Impact
GARDNER'S KEY MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Where the Survivor Series build-up has fallen short
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - WWE Smackdown: Chris Jericho vs. Undertaker For The First-Time Ever, Batista Wants To Snap His Friend's Neck, Jim Neidhart Squashes Evan Bourne
WILKENFELD'S TNA Turning Point 2009 PPV Preview
11/12 WWE Superstars Hits & Misses: Hardy vs. Smith, MVP vs. DiBiase
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - TNA Impact 11/12: Jay Lethal's ridiculous Impact losing streak, More 1980s music quotes, What else does STF mean?, Numbers - top and bottom title averages
PARKS BLOG: WWE could learn something about character development from Food Network's WWE-themed show
11/10 WWE ECW Hits & Misses: Abraham Washington, Ryder's Fantasy, Christian vs. Regal
11/9 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Miz - Swagger, Guerrero vs. Hatton, VIP Lounge, Cena vs. Triple H vs. Michaels Hype
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - WWE Raw: Trust Funds Babies vs. Ex-Cons, Two Things for C.M. Punk Fans To Look Out For, DX and Cena To Break Sensational Record
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - TNA Impact: "Do Not Undermine Mother TNA, Comrades. TNAism Will Crush The Weak And Corrupt North!"

(c) 1999-2009 TDH Communications Inc. - All rights reserved.

Current Top Ten Staff Picks
Staff Picks
11/21 Hulkamania Tour in Melbourne: Very detailed report on Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's first matches back, Hogan and Flair bleed heavily, Undercard matches re-create Attitude Era
TORCH TALK DAILY with Eric Bischoff: In-depth look at why Vince McMahon is marketing the WWE product as PG family-friendly
WWE News: TOP STORY - "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson working with WWE on a TV project beyond guest-hosting Raw
WWE News: Linda McMahon reveals the McMahon Family's vast wealth in Senate campaign filing
WWE News: Raw TV ratings are in - Did Raw rebound from the 2009 year-low?
WWE News: WWE announces guest hosts for the next four weeks of Raw, including two new names
Hogan News: Watch VIDEO of the Hulkamania Press Conference breaking down into a staged fight (w/VIDEO)
TNA News: SPOILERS - first two matches announced for TNA's December PPV
MOJO MITCHELL'S WWE RAW 11/16: Stream of Piper In The Back, Hornswoggle Stabbed in the Back, An MSG Look Back, Mr. McMahon Backs Out, Kofi Kingston Backs Randy Orton Up
CALDWELL'S WWE RAW REPORT 11/16: Complete coverage of Roddy Piper hosting, DX vs. Cena & Taker vs. Jericho & Show


TORCH QUICK-CLICK REFERENCE LIST
-CLICK TO FOLLOW PWTORCH ON TWITTER!
-CLICK FOR OUR FREE PWTORCH IPHONE APP

-CLICK FOR OUR FREE PODCAST (#1 in iTunes!)
-CLICK TO GET INFO ON BECOMING A VIP MEMBER
-CLICK TO VISIT MMATORCH.COM
-CLICK TO VISIT PROWRESTLING.NET

-CLICK TO EMAIL PWTORCH EDITORS




PWTORCH READER POLL

SMACKDOWN POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/20 Smackdown if you saw the show?
The Undertaker
Kane
Chris Jericho
Big Show
Batista
Rey Mysterio
Matt Hardy
Tyson Kidd
John Morrison
Dolph Ziggler
C.M. Punk
R-Truth
Drew McIntyre
Finlay
Mickie James
Layla
Eric Escobar
Vince McMahon
Teddy Long
Vickie Guerrero
  

VOTE IN OR SEE RESULTS OF PREVIOUS POLLS

ARE YOU VIP? SIGN UP NOW FOR $7.50 A MONTH FOR INSTANT ACCESS TO AD-FREE, BENEFIT-PACKED VIP VERSION OF PWTORCH.COM (see screen capture)
PWTORCH VIP HOME PAGE

INFO ON SUBSCRIPTION TO AD-FREE VIP SITE

INCREDIBLE BENEFITS!
Over 50 full-length audio updates per month (iPod compatible)... New weekly award-winning Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter (text and printable pdf versions) with latest exclusive insider news, new Torch Talks, great columns, Keller's cover story, much more... Hundreds of full-length back issues of PWTorch Newsletter from late-'80s to today... Ad-free access to PWTorch.com's Main Listing... VIP Forum with interaction with other subscribers and Torch staff... Torch Talk Library with text and audio of hundreds of interview installments from last 20 years... Great layout... Deepest archives on pro wrestling history anywhere... Keller's PWTorch Today PDF Bulletins with email alerts... VIP Email reports on major PPVs and TV shows... Staff Roundtable Reviews (text and audio) followiing major events... The best staff of writers and world class reporting since 1987... We'd love for you to join us and experience the most entertaining, authoritative, experienced staff of professional reporters and commentators in the business...

SIGN ME UP NOW!

Compare the value of four or five months of PWTorch VIP content to the price of just one PPV. Can you cut 25 cents a day from your budget to make room for PWTorch VIP?

AND NEW FOR 2009!
Monthly "Vintage Audio Torch Talks." We are releasing for the first time ever audio versions of our text Torch Talk updates, the historical first series of insider interviews ever. Wade Keller's newsmaking in-depth interviews with wrestling's biggest names are now being made available exclusively to VIP members. But you must be a member each month, as these are not archived, so they are replaced with a new one each month! This debuted in January 2009 with a 68 minute interview with the late "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith. Who's next? Hulk Hogan? Eric Bischoff? The Rock? Goldberg? Jeff Hardy?

SIGN ME UP NOW!


UPCOMING EVENTS LISTING

Articles Grouped by Category
Torch Today
WWE SURVIVOR SERIES PPV PICK 'EM CONTEST: Prediction Contest for Sunday's PPV
WWE RAW 11/16: Place Your Bets on tonight's Raw - Week 12 featuring Roddy Piper
WWE RAW 11/2: "Place your Bets" Scoreboard after Week 11 - Review the previous scores before tonight's Raw PYB contest
WWE News
TORCH TALK DAILY with Eric Bischoff: Bischoff talks Standards & Practices in WCW before Vince Russo came along
WWE News: What's on Smackdown tonight - Taker & Kane vs. Big Show & Jericho
WWE News: Jim Ross comments on possible WrestleMania 26 return, current WWE contract status
TNA News
TNA News: Spike TV pre-empting episode of Impact in December
TNA News: TNA Impact ratings break down - Inside the numbers on TNA's recent ratings trends
TNA News: Impact rating is in - how did post Turning Point episode fare?
ROH News
ROH News: ROH Title match signed for Final Battle; Air dates for McGuinness and Danielson's Farewell speeches
ROH News: Ring of Honor announces details on Austin Aries's next ROH Title defense
ROH News: Tonight is Bryan Danielson's final ROH match - details on tonight's special ROH TV episode (w/VIDEO)
Other News
Other News: "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson records PSA for NASA as new spokesman (w/VIDEO)
PWG News: Results from Battle of Los Angeles first round matches; final matches scheduled for tonight
PWG News: First round matches for tonight's Battle of Los Angeles tournament - Aries vs. Kendrick; Cabana, Shelley, Strong in action
PPV Reports
CALDWELL'S TNA TURNING POINT PPV REPORT 11/15: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Daniels
RADICAN'S DGUSA "Untouchable" PPV review - Doi vs. Danielson, Shingo vs. Richards
10/25 WWE Bragging Rights Results: KELLER'S detailed match-by-match PPV report - Cena vs. Orton Iron Man match
TV Reports
PARKS' WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 11/20: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Jericho & Show vs. Undertaker & Kane
CALDWELL'S WWE SUPERSTARS TV REPORT 11/19: Complete coverage of Henry vs. Rhodes on WGN
PARKS' TNA IMPACT REPORT 11/19: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the post-Turning Point show
Arena Reports
11/21 Hulkamania Tour in Melbourne: Very detailed report on Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's first matches back, Hogan and Flair bleed heavily, Undercard matches re-create Attitude Era
11/14 TNA in Scranton, Pa.: Second Report - Styles vs. Joe vs. Daniels, Chris Sabin vs. Suicide, Amazing Red vs. Homicide
11/14 WWE in Dublin: The Undertaker very limited in the ring vs. C.M. Punk, Rey vs. Dolph, Very interesting John Morrison vs. Matt Hardy match, No Jericho
MMA / UFC Coverage
MMA News: Update on Brock Lesnar's health - how long Lesnar had been dealing with health problems, expected return to UFC
MMA News: Brock Lesnar health update - UFC president much more optimistic than this weekend
MMA News: Brock Lesnar released from the hospital tonight; Lesnar's UFC future in doubt
KELLER'S TAKE
KELLER BLOG: WrestleMania goes up to $55, all other PPVs $45 - let the pirate feed frenzy begin
KELLER BLOG: Dixie Carter asks wrestlers to step it up, but what does that mean? Shouldn't their goal to be winning matches and nothing else?
KELLER FLASHBACK: Review of Hulk Hogan's first autobiography - Hogan's political maneuvers evident in who he protects and buries
MITCHELL'S TAKE
MITCHELL FLASHBACK (Dec. 1994): C.M. Punk's character is the latest Vince McMahon creation responding to criticism of his WWE product
MOJO MITCHELL'S WWE RAW 11/16: Stream of Piper In The Back, Hornswoggle Stabbed in the Back, An MSG Look Back, Mr. McMahon Backs Out, Kofi Kingston Backs Randy Orton Up
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 11/2: Stream of My Fourth Grade Hero and The Mid-Card Kicks Main Event Ass
MCNEILL'S TAKE
Get Thru This: McNEILL Previews WWE Survivor Series 2009!
The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down: McNEILL previews TNA Turning Point 2009!
McNEILL BLOG: The Big Questions About Hulk Hogan in TNA
CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL'S PPV/DVD REVIEW: Dragon Gate USA's "Open the Historic Gate" debut event - Review of whether following DGUSA is worth your time and money
CALDWELL'S TUESDAY CHAT w/GREG PARKS: Raw, Smackdown, TNA PPV discussion - MSG crowd, Survivor Series hype, Kofi breaks out, CSI:Miami vs. 30 Rock
CALDWELL'S BLOG: Hitting the hot topics - Raw tonight, Turning Point vs. Survivor Series, Jesse Ventura, Brock Lesnar, Shane McMahon
RADICAN'S TAKE
RADICAN: A list of things wresters and TNA fans can support for Dixie Carter
RADICAN'S SHIMMER Vol. 23 Review - Busic-Melissa, Kong-Martinez, MsChif-Deeb
RADICAN: Daddy's little girl V 2.0 debuts on Impact
The Specialists
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - TNA Impact: CLICK ON THIS LINK TNA, If You Dress Like Hulk Hogan People Will Give You Money, I Use Amazing Red To Floss My Teeth
11/19 WWE Superstars Hits & Misses: Rosa Mendes, Eric Escobar, Lackluster Show
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - TNA Impact 11/19: Forgotten history between A.J. and Angle, TNA's new cameras, Pope gets referee assist, Numbers - The Rock a horrible tag champ
Guest Editorials
GUEST EDITORIAL: Disgruntled TNA fan says he's done with the promotion after today's Impact taping (Contains SPOILERS)
GUEST EDITORIAL: The ultimate irony - Hulk Hogan appears on TNA Impact and pre-taped TV sitcom promoting WWE on the same night
GUEST BOOK REVIEW: Hulk Hogan provides strong defense of his public image in new autobiography
Torch Feedback
ECW TV Reax #1: "C.M. Punk scoring the pin in the main event made Smackdown seem more important than ECW"
WWE Raw Reax #3: "While WWE delivered an above-quality show, they still haven't given viewers a reason to order Survivor Series"
WWE Raw Reax #2: "This was NOT one of the best Raws of 2009, but one of the worst..."
Ask the Editor
Ask the Editor: Wouldn't incorporating MMA-style holds into pro wrestling matches just be trying to be something it's not?
ASK THE EDITOR: Have the Michaels-Batista promos crossed a line with use of insider terms, references to "jobs"?
ASK THE EDITOR: Why do wrestlers in WWE refer to wrestling as "the business" and not "the sport"?
DVDs - VGames - Books
CALDWELL'S PPV/DVD REVIEW: Dragon Gate USA's "Open the Historic Gate" debut event - Review of whether following DGUSA is worth your time and money
RADICAN'S ROH DVD REVIEW SERIES: Death Before Dishonor VII: N2 - Storm-Hero, Ryan-Cabana
RADICAN'S SHIMMER Vol. 23 Review - Busic-Melissa, Kong-Martinez, MsChif-Deeb
Torch Flashbacks
KELLER'S WWE SURVIVOR SERIES PPV REPORT 5 YRS. AGO (11-14-04): Benoit & Orton & Jericho vs. Evolution & Edge, JBL vs. Booker T, Team Angle vs. Cena Dream Team
PARKS'S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 1 YR. AGO (11-21-08): Final Survivor Series build-up to Undertaker vs. Big Show casket match, Jeff Hardy vs. Triple H, Morrison & Miz
KELLER'S WWE SURVIVOR SERIES PPV REPORT 10 YRS. AGO (11-14-99): Big Show vs. Triple H vs. The Rock, Edge & Christian & Hardys team, Chris Jericho vs. Chyna
VIP Exclusive Features
11/20 Wade Keller Hotline - Guest Bruce Mitchell: Survivor Series Match by Match Preview & Predictions (20 min.)
11/20 Bruce Mitchell Audio Show: Listener Questions - How Vince McMahon was perceived before he took over, Outlaw Promotions stories, Sting Flips off Bruce, Albano Craziness (45 min.)
PWTorch Newsletter #1117/1118 (31 pages!): Raw at MSG, TNA Victory Road PPV Roundtable, Mitchell on Russo-Hogan, Keller on Dixie Speech, more
Torch Trivia
TORCH TRIVIA 2/28: Which wrestler backed out of a WWA PPV in February 2002?
TORCH TRIVIA 2/27: Who said this quote about Hulk Hogan's athleticism 11 years ago?
TORCH TRIVIA 2/25: What said this quote about WWE's mid-1990s drug testing policy?
Torch Instant Polls
SMACKDOWN POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/20 Smackdown if you saw the show?
TNA IMPACT POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/19 Impact if you saw the show?
ECW MVP POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/17 ECW TV if you saw the show?
PWTorch Free Podcast
11/4 Nostalgia Audio with Brian Hoops: Format change to the show, new guest host, upcoming shows
FREE FOR ALL: 10/27 Bruce Mitchell Audio Special: Hogan-Bischoff-TNA story from all angles including Monday Night War II possibilities (32 min.)
6/23 Nostalgia Audio with Brian Hoops: Former WCW rapmaster PN News joins Brian Hoops to preview upcoming Midwest shows (10 min.)
Annual Obituaries
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 1999 - Muchnick, Rick Rude, Owen Hart, Renegade...
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2000 - Solie, Albright, Duncum, Tsuruta, Blue Demon, Al Costello
SPECIALIST: List of Deceased Wrestlers for 2001: Johnny Valentine, Terry Gordy, Chris Adams, Bertha Faye, Helen Hart