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
Smackdown Storylines and Feuds - Complete summary and analysis of all the feuds as we get closer to SummerSlam
Aug 13, 2008 - 11:50:24 PM


By Chris Newth, PWTorch contributor

WWE Friday Night Smackdown
August 8, 2008
Upcoming PPV: SummerSlam (second-to-last episode before PPV)

SMACKDOWN STORYLINES AND FEUDS

Welcome to the forty-sixth edition of Smackdown 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 TRIPLE H vs. THE GREAT KHALI (w/ Ranjin Singh) (3 weeks)

Summary:

At about the halfway mark of the show, Triple H faced The Great Khali in a Broken Glass Arm Wrestling Contest. On either side of the normal arm wrestling stand lay sharp pieces of jagged shards that looked to be glued face-up. Before the contest got underway, Khali said something. His accent is extremely heavy, but he's at the point where you can, if you pay close attention, understand about 25% of what he's saying. Maybe it was simply because he was listing names, but I could have sworn I heard some English in there. Triple H admitted that he didn't understand a word, so Ranjin Singh translated, saying that Khali told the Game that he should get out now while he still can because Khali has destroyed many people in the past. He also said that Triple H has never faced the Punjabi Nightmare one-on-one before.

Triple H came back with a few jokes; he kept calling Ranjin names that rhyme with onion (including onion). He also suggested that Khali be shoved back into the genie's lamp he came out of to protect him from the Game. Triple H continued by explaining that he was going to take Khali's legs out, bring him to his size, and then destroy him. After that threat, they began to prepare for the arm wrestling contest. Triple H continued to hesitate each time they locked up, and Khali was getting agitated. As the contest commenced, Triple H struggled to keep Khali from winning, but his strength slowly faded as Khali managed to shift the momentum to his own court. It seemed to be a stalemate before Khali grabbed Triple H by the hair with his other hand and disqualified himself by delivering a head butt. After the contest, Khali tried to give Triple H his double-armed chokeslam, but the Game countered and attempted a Pedigree. Eventually, Khali locked in his Vise Grip on Triple H, getting the upper hand in their feud this week.

Analysis:

WWE's handling of this particular feud is a less engaging version of the giant vs. less-than-giant storyline. Using Khali as a huge, seemingly insurmountable wall against fighting underdog champions like Rey Mysterio is often effective because of the sheer size disadvantage the babyface has heading into the match. But a Khali-Triple H rivalry falls short and can never be an entertaining long-term storyline because many fans believe that Triple H is the best in the business. Viewers realize that others have beaten Khali in the past and that Triple H is probably the favorite as their PPV clash nears.

If WWE took a poll asking fans to vote for the person they thought would win that WWE Championship contest, I'd guess that the results would show an overwhelming majority place their faith in the Game. The result of such a conclusion is a less intense storyline with a threat level that's almost nonexistent. And once Khali loses to Triple H, his reputation against main-eventers will likely sink even lower until WWE rebuilds him again. On the bright side, Khali showed some kind of strength against his SummerSlam opponent with an average attempt at obtaining a perceptual advantage.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 6 [up 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Triple H: King Booker, Umaga, Jeff Hardy, Orton & JBL, Randy Orton, John Cena
The Great Khali: Batista, Finlay, Hornswoggle, Big Show

EDGE vs. THE UNDERTAKER & Smackdown GM VICKIE GUERRERO (6 weeks)

Summary:

In the back, Hawkins and Ryder discovered a crime scene, complete with metal barrels and a forklift. The victim? Bam Neely, who lay motionless as Chavo ran in to check on him. Next to Bam's prone body Chavo found a black rose. He handed it to Vickie, who inspected the curious clue suspiciously. Later in the show, Chavo and Vickie seemed confused about the rose. When Chavo suggested that it could be the Undertaker because the black rose symbolized death, Vickie became even more unsettled. Curt Hawkins then barged into the room and said that he couldn't find Zack. Chavo and Vickie said that he should check the parking lot if he already looked in the locker room and in the catering area.

As the show progressed, unconscious bodies continued to pop up. Eventually, Hawkins, Ryder, and Bam were all out, leaving Chavo and Vickie worried. Chavo suggested that they seek the help of Edge, but Vickie was reluctant to agree with the idea. When Chavo came back to her to tell her that Edge was willing to help, an unhappy Vickie hesitantly agreed to be nice to him. At the end of the show, Edge brought Chavo and Vickie to the ring, but he soon turned on them. He took Chavo out with a chair before threatening Vickie. He said that the Undertaker isn't the one that she (and the rest of La Familia) has to worry about.

Analysis:

Now the storyline has taken a dramatic shift from recent weeks. Of course, Edge and Vickie have been longtime lovers since Edge returned from injury months ago. After a brief month of turbulence between the two former lovebirds and the rocky reveal of Edge's extramarital affair—which was exposed the night the two officially got married—Edge and Vickie are now fully sided against one another. Edge proved that this week with his spate of threats.

Why he would turn on Chavo and the rest of La Familia is unclear because those faction members would easily have continued to pretend to side with both Edge and Vickie through their breakup; they have always been too indecisive to act on any sense of moral judgment. In any event, now the storyline about Edge's solo run back to the top of the roster commences in full. You would assume that Triple H is still on his mind after a revival feud with the Undertaker winds down.

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

Previous Feuds
Edge: Kane, Batista
Vickie Guerrero: Undertaker, Batista
Undertaker: Mark Henry, Batista, Big Daddy V, Edge

WWE Tag Team Champions CURT HAWKINS & ZACK RYDER vs. JESSE & FESTUS (6 weeks w/ 1 week hiatus)

Summary:

This week, Hawkins and Ryder faced Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore in a normal tag team matchup. The contest ended when Hawkins and Ryder hit their double-team lifting DDT finisher on Shannon Moore for the three count.

Analysis:

Not sure if this will lead anywhere, but all indications point in the negative direction. If Yang and Moore were getting a new run for the titles, something other than a crystal-clear win by Hawkins and Ryder would have transpired. As for Jesse and Festus, only time will tell whether they will continue this midcard tag team storyline with the champions. I assume that this feud was put on temporary hold as Hawkins and Ryder participated in the main event storyline of Smackdown—the Edge-Vickie-Undertaker saga.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 5 [down 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder: n/a
Jesse & Festus: Deuce 'N' Domino, Morrison & Miz

MVP vs. JEFF HARDY (3 weeks)

Summary:

Backstage, Eve interviewed MVP about his SummerSlam opponent, Jeff Hardy. She talked about how Porter has made his rivalry with Hardy personal when he began bringing personal issues into the conversation on TV a few weeks ago. She then ran footage of Porter kicking Hardy right in the head at Saturday Night's Main Event. After seeing the video, MVP labeled it a convenient case of media bias because she didn't bother to air the footage of Hardy's actions against MVP the night before SNME on Smackdown. He said that he would beat Hardy at SummerSlam because Hardy will be his own worst enemy.

Later in the show, Jeff Hardy met Shelton Benjamin in one-on-one competition. The match saw Jeff Hardy manage to land the Swanton Bomb on a frustrated Shelton Benjamin. Before Hardy could even attempt a cover, he was blindsided by MVP, who charged at him with a huge kick to the head. As Hardy lay unconscious in the ring, Porter held his "MVP" necklace over his head.

Analysis:

This is beginning to become the feud to watch on Smackdown. These guys have great talent and they are currently being supported by an intriguing narrative angle—the introduction of Hardy's personal life and how it affects his in-ring performance in one way or another. Unfortunately, MVP's argument about Hardy being his own worst enemy and the insinuation that Hardy should not be considered a threat is off-base.

Porter is neglecting to address the relevant concern he should be feeling right now. As cocky as the guy is, he can't overlook Hardy's past success. That's one storyline plot hole (in a sense): MVP is attempting to paint a picture that Jeff Hardy's high-flying style, like his past personal life, is reckless and dangerous. But he is not exactly touching on how Jeff's in-ring style sometimes gives him great advantage. Sure there is risk involved, but it's a risk Jeff feels is worth it because of the potential positive consequences. Jim Ross does a good job emphasizing the risk/reward factor during Hardy's matches, but MVP wrongly assumes that his high-risk wrestling style is solely a detriment.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 7.5 [up 1 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Jeff Hardy: Umaga, Mr. Kennedy, Triple H, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho
MVP: Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Batista, Matt Hardy

MR. KENNEDY vs. UMAGA (5 weeks)

Summary:

No sign of either man on the show, and with Kennedy's newest injury, this one's probably over.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): n/a

Previous Feuds
Mr. Kennedy: Jeff Hardy, Shawn Michaels, William Regal, Paul Burchill
Umaga: Jeff Hardy, Triple H, Batista

NATALYA NEIDHART vs. MICHELLE McCOOL (19 weeks w/ 4 weeks hiatus)

Summary:

This week featured a six-woman tag team match using the Olympics as its main theme. On the heel side, Maryse dressed as a tennis player, Victoria as a gymnast, and Natalya as an equestrian. As for the babyfaces, Michelle McCool sported volleyball attire, Cherry boxing gear, and Maria donned skiing clothes. The match ended with an array of various finishing maneuvers from Cherry, Victoria, and Maria, but the bout ended when Natalya knocked Maria to the ground before applying her Sharpshooter. The submission move forced Maria to tap out, allowing the heel team to pick up the victory.

Analysis:

Another win by Natalya and McCool as the Divas' Champion heavily suggest that their very lengthy feud will continue to SummerSlam. WWE has decided in recent weeks to cut it down a little bit by introducing McCool to some new talent (like Maryse two weeks ago). And this week, she participated with a plethora of divas from the Smackdown roster. It would be nice to see a more streamlined storyline between McCool and her current rival, who is by all accounts presumably Natalya. The current state of the feud isn't very strong simply because it feels watered down and unfocused; and that's a shame because they have an extensive background now as the feud nears its 20-week mark.

Intrigue Level (out of 10): 4.5 [down 0.5 since last week]

Previous Feuds
Natalya Neidhart: n/a
Michelle McCool: Victoria, Chuck Palumbo


CONCLUDED FEUDS

(1) Mr. Kennedy vs. Umaga
(2) Mr. Kennedy vs. Umaga


POTENTIAL FEUDS

(1) Vladimir Kozlov vs. Jesse & Festus
(2) Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin
(3) Edge vs. La Familia
(4) Brian Kendrick vs. ?


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 "Funaki" 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 - Greed Is Good For PPV Business (Just Not For You), Jericho vs. Undertaker, Punk vs. Scott Armstrong, Batista vs. My Boredom
GARDNER'S KEY MOMENT OF THE WEEK: WWE's Even-Steven booking isn't elevating younger stars, just benefiting Triple H
11/7 WWE Smackdown Hits & Misses: Mysterio vs. Knox, Punk vs. Truth, Batista vs. Hardy
PARKS BLOG: Chris Jericho should know better
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - TNA Impact 11/5: TNA = The Office, What Vince Russo was thinking during Dixie Carter's speech, Desmond Wolfe and Duran Duran, Highlander spotting, Numbers - Titleholders since 1990
11/3 WWE ECW Hits & Misses: Goldust vs. Regal, Ryder's POV, Burchill - Hurricane
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - Chris Jericho Should Drink Some Shut Up Juice, Zack Ryder Fantasizes About Mrs. Potato, Vance Archer - Who Wants to Get Infected Tonight?, I Love TNA!
11/2 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Miz vs. Bourne, Raw's Got Talent, Kofi - Orton, Cena vs. Jericho vs Show
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - WWE Raw: Sheamus The Bad Barbarian, Chris Masters Finds His New Gimmick, The Beginning Of The End Will Happen When Triple H Retires
HITS & MISSES - TNA IMPACT 10/29: Hulk Hogan the good and bad, Styles Stalker Angle, TNA's handling of Chris Sabin's injury, Title Name change
10/30 WWE Smackdown Hits & Misses: Grisham & Striker, Mysterio - Batista, Kane vs. Jericho
GARDNER'S KEY MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Is Hulk Hogan a difference-maker for TNA or just another addition to the aging roster?
VALENTINO'S MAGIC, MEMORIES, AND MANIA: Top Five Best Hell in a Cell matches and why they worked - HBK vs. Taker, Batista vs. Triple H
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - WWE Smackdown: WWE Gives Into Matt Hardy's Demands to Showcase Acting Ability, Scott Armstrong's a Hulkamaniac, Rey and Big Dave Have a Moment
10/29 WWE Superstars Hits & Misses: Swagger vs. Primo, Cryme Tyme & Truth vs. Hart Dynasty & Knox
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - TNA Impact: Kurt Angle Is Fine, Ladies And Gentlemen...and we guess Chris Sabin too, plus more Humble Hero Hulk Hogan Hogwash!
UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - TNA Impact 10/29: TNA defends Chris Sabin injury, Prince Justice flashback, Qualifications for Legends Title shot?, Numbers - Hulk Hogan's age vs. TNA roster
PARKS BLOG: WWE is still relevant (to kids, at least)
10/27 WWE ECW Hits & Misses: Abraham Washington Show, Shaemus vs. Benjamin, Christian vs. Tatsu
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - Hogan & ECW: Why Hogan Joined TNA, New Announcer Bryon Saxton Doesn't Want To Wake The Baby, Tatsu Is Annoyingly Adorable

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

Current Top Ten Staff Picks
Staff Picks
TNA News: Ratings are in for Thursday's Impact - did TNA retain the audience from last week's Hulk Hogan Impact?
WWE News: Major update on 2010 PPVs - price change, PPV name change, WWE addresses PPV criticism (w/Detailed Analysis)
WWE News: WWE announces details on three-hour Raw featuring Slammy Award Show and special guest host Dennis Miller
WWE News: Report on WWE's conference call with investors - serious discussion of WWE TV, Vince McMahon: "This is not a Family Business"
WWE News: WWE announces third quarter 2009 earnings results - revenue up due to int'l, PPV business weak
WWE News: Raw TV ratings are in - how did the Osbournes fare as guest hosts?
WWE/TNA News: Hulk Hogan claims he taught Vince McMahon the wrestling business, talks more about his role in TNA
WWE Raw Results 11/2: KELLER'S rundown of all matches and segments, plus analysis, star ratings, quotebook
TNA News: Ratings are in for Hulk Hogan Impact - did the publicity help TNA?
WWE News: Hulk Hogan knocks WWE Hall of Fame ring and Vince McMahon in mainstream interview


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

How will WWE's price raise to $44.95 per PPV event affect you?
I buy many PPVs a year and will continue to do so regardless
I buy a few PPVs a year and will selectively continue despite the price raise
I will cut back somewhat as it seems a little pricey
I will cut back drastically as this feels like gouging
Out of principle and protest, I will stop ordering any other than maybe WM
They had previously priced me out of the market, so this affirms my non-ordering habits
I will order any and all WWE PPVs because price isn't an issue for me
Price doesn't matter. I've been watching pirate feeds for a while
  

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
TORCH MONTHLY AWARDS: List of the 2009 Torch Monthly Award winners through October
TORCH MONTHLY AWARD VOTING: Results for Best/Worst in pro wrestling for October
TORCH MONTHLY AWARD VOTING: Polls OPEN for best/worst in pro wrestling from the month of October (Part 2 of 2)
WWE News
WWE News: NBA player awarded WWE Title belt for Iron Man competition
Torch Talk Daily with ERIC BISCHOFF: Could Bret Hart have been better utilized in WCW after strong initial PPV business?
WWE News: "Target" of Chris Jericho's drunken slur turns the incident into a joke (w/VIDEO)
TNA News
TNA News: Ratings are in for Thursday's Impact - did TNA retain the audience from last week's Hulk Hogan Impact?
TNA News: Next week's TNA Impact - Sting reappearing to talk Hulk Hogan, A.J. Styles vs. Samoa Joe
TNA News: Watch TNA president Dixie Carter's "Love it or Leave It" speech to the roster from Impact (w/VIDEO)
ROH News
11/7 ROH in Edison, N.J. results (live reports wanted)
ROH News: Jim Cornette officially begins as ROH executive producer at today's ROH TV tapings (w/VIDEO)
ROH News: Ring of Honor receives positive press for ROH TV taping this weekend
Other News
DGUSA News: Untouchable PPV debuts for most Indemand customers this week
Hogan News: Can Hulk Hogan wrestle again? Hogan needs help walking during TV interview (w/VIDEO)
DGUSA News: Gabe Sapolsky predicts the wrestling industry will die without new TV wrestling stars
PPV Reports
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
CALDWELL'S WWE BRAGGING RIGHTS PPV REPORT 10/25: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of Cena vs. Orton, Team Raw vs. Team Smackdown
TV Reports
WWE SMACKDOWN ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS 11/6: Donofrio, Mezzera, Parks rate and review
WWE SUPERSTARS ROUNDTABLE REVIEWS 11/5: Caldwell, Donofrio, Parks rate and review
PARKS' WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 11/6: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Batista vs. Hardy
Arena Reports
11/6 ROH on HDNet tapings results: Pick 6 contender series continues, Strong-Richards, Omega-Hero
11/5 ROH on HDNet tapings results: Pick 6 contender series announced, Aries defends title in four-way
11/6 WWE in Brussels: Undertaker vs. Punk casket match, Christian vs. William Regal, Cryme Tyme vs. Hart Dynasty, of course
MMA / UFC Coverage
Strikeforce News: Fedor vs. Rogers Fight Results - Exciting fight lives up to expectations live on CBS
FEDOR VS. BRETT ROGERS - Keller's detailed report, analysis, star ratings of CBS live MMA fight card (redirect)
FEDOR vs. BRETT ROGERS on CBS Saturday Night - Torch Team Coverage (redirect)
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
MOJO MITCHELL'S RAW 11/2: Stream of My Fourth Grade Hero and The Mid-Card Kicks Main Event Ass
MITCHELL FLASHBACK #4: In 1993, after Hogan first left the WWF, he had a lot of career choices
MITCHELL FLASHBACK #3: Hogan's autobiography review - insight into his world
MCNEILL'S TAKE
McNEILL BLOG: The Big Questions About Hulk Hogan in TNA
Fight For Your Right to Bragging: McNEILL Previews WWE Bragging Rights!
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! McNEILL Previews TNA Bound for Glory 2009
CALDWELL'S TAKE
CALDWELL'S BLOG: Vince McMahon is officially delusional, plus Vince's hidden message to Stephanie McMahon
CALDWELL'S TUESDAY CHAT w/GREG PARKS: Raw & Smackdown discussion - Orton-Kofi build-up compared to Rey-Batista, DX dissension, Sheamus stands out
CALDWELL FLASHBACK: TNA Year-End Review 2005 - Must-read flashback to when TNA became a choice for wrestlers in an era very, very similar to 2009
RADICAN'S TAKE
RADICAN: Daddy's little girl V 2.0 debuts on Impact
RADICAN: Wolfe-Angle follow up displays typical warning signs of danger from creative standpoint
RADICAN: TNA finally straps a rocket on the right ass
The Specialists
ABSURDITY OF IT ALL - Greed Is Good For PPV Business (Just Not For You), Jericho vs. Undertaker, Punk vs. Scott Armstrong, Batista vs. My Boredom
GARDNER'S KEY MOMENT OF THE WEEK: WWE's Even-Steven booking isn't elevating younger stars, just benefiting Triple H
11/7 WWE Smackdown Hits & Misses: Mysterio vs. Knox, Punk vs. Truth, Batista vs. Hardy
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
WWE PPV Price Increase Reax #2: "I spent more money on Vince every year than anything else and he does not even care about me or the people like me!"
WWE PPV Price Increase Reax #1: Outrage expressed over WWE's latest PPV price raise - could the backlash cause WWE to second-guess decision?
TNA Impact Reax #3: "The build for the PPV matches somehow featured Hulk Hogan despite him yet to show up on TV"
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
VIDEO GAME REVIEW - Smackdown vs. Raw 2010: WWE's latest video game called best since the No Mercy measuring stick
RADICAN'S ROH DVD REVIEW SERIES: 7/24 DBD VII: N1 - Hero & Richards vs. Storm & Steen
RADICAN'S CHIKARA DVD REVIEW: 5/24 "Anniversario Yang" - The Colony vs. F.I.S.T, 8-Man Tag
Torch Flashbacks
TORCH TALK FLASHBACK with Hulk Hogan: Hogan talks to PWTorch editor Wade Keller about Eric Bischoff, the demise of WCW
TORCH TALK FLASHBACK with Hulk Hogan: Hogan talks to PWTorch editor Wade Keller about his relationship with Ric Flair
TORCH TALK FLASHBACK with Hulk Hogan: Hogan talks to PWTorch editor Wade Keller about his relationship with Vince Russo
VIP Exclusive Features
5+ HOURS: Definitive all-new Eric Bischoff "Torch Talk" available exclusively to PWTorch VIP members
11/7 Bruce Mitchell Audio Show: Reader questions on Goldberg's Winning Streak, Zbyszko's HOF Credentials, Overrated Matches, X-Pac Sucks Chants, Test's Name, Paul Ellering's Story (44 min.)
11/6 Bruce Mitchell Audio Show: Why Vince McMahon said WWE isn't a family business, Hulk Hogan-TNA analysis, Dixie Carter's last-gasp speech (65 min.)
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
INSTANT POLL: How will WWE's price raise to $4.95 per PPV affect you?
SMACKDOWN POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/6 Smackdown if you saw the show?
TNA IMPACT POLL: Who was the MVP of the 11/5 Impact 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