TAKE PWTORCH
WITH YOU! Get our iPhone App (FREE!): Click Here Or enter "PWTorch.com" on your Blackberry or other Smart Phone browser for mobile-version of PWTorch.
RADICAN'S TAKE
RADICAN: WWE delivers strong show as a big jump out of the gate toward WrestleMania Feb 19, 2008 - 2:31:12 PM
WWE delivered a strong show that got a big jump out of the gate in setting up WrestleMania. We got to qualifiers for the MITB match with Hardy and Kennedy going over their opponents in short order. The Mayweather-Big Show storyline added another chapter to their ongoing feud. Throw in a good main event match that solidified the main event for WM and there was a lot to like here.
I was surprised that Chris Jericho and Umaga were left off the show. Umaga had a strong performance in the main event of No Way Out and deserves to have a strong storyline going into WrestleMania. Jericho, who has just been ordinary since making his return, should still be involved in the build to WrestleMania in some form or fashion. Jeff Hardy has really taken his slot and is much more popular than Jericho at this point. Speaking of Hardy, I can't believe they changed his theme music after all these years.
I really liked Santino once again tonight. He's just a blast to watch with his facial expressions and mic work. I loved his reaction to Maria pinning the Glamazon. It was priceless.
HBK's introduction of Flair being the first inductee into the WWE HOF this year was really nice. I'm guessing Flair is going to go against HBK at WM and this could have been the first thing done to set the wheels in motion for their upcoming storyline. I really hate the entire Flair retirement storyline. They won't let Flair be himself and his matches don't have much heat. This should be a passionate angle with a lot of fire, but it's been a total letdown and I hate to see Flair end his tenure as an active performer on this note. I think there would be a lot of money in Flair playing the Couture figure in WWE and going for one more championship win.
I'm not into the Hornswaggle character. It's just one of those low brow straight out of the rock n' wrestling era things that I can't stand. He's presented much of the times as being almost childlike, so the entire angle it only took something that's usually presented as being silly and made it serious. Not only has Jericho been a disappointment since his return, but now JBL is relegated to beating up Hornswaggle. I bet WWE was counting on them being more valuable than they are right now.
I thought Big Show was really good on the mic tonight. After doing his fake apology, he called out Mayweather and "went into business for himself." Mayweather is going to have to be stronger on the mic if he's going to hold up his end of what could be a potentially great storyline.
The main event and post-match angles were both strong. Triple H called things down the middle and Cena (as if there was ever any doubt) will now be a part of the WM main event. I'm not sure why WWE is going with a three way match for their Raw WM main event. I think a big build for Cena-Triple H singles match would have been a more interesting way to go, but I'll reserve judgment, as all three men have intertwining histories together.
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.
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...
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?
