Another decent Raw, however I wasn’t at all happy with ANOTHER Lumberjack match, so soon after the one on Smackdown with The Big Show’s return. Plus, it ended the same way. All the lumberjacks got in the ring, until one man (Orton) cleared the ring completely. But, this did give me a chance to look at Orton, as his character continuously progresses. As you can see by my column title, you know where this is going, but save that for the end. WWE No Mercy was on Sunday, and it was all right. John Cena’s title win was a huge shocker, and forced me to settle with just 5 out of 7 predictions right. Not bad, if I say so myself. It’s going to be tough predicting Taboo Tuesday. You can check out more extensive thoughts on No Mercy this Saturday, with my Smackdown column.
Triple H: Again with the whining? WE GET IT!! You hate the idea of letting some sixteen-year-old, snot nosed, pimply faced kid deciding your fate on a PPV. It’s just so damn unjust, you have to rant on about it for three straight weeks, right? I am absolutely sick of hearing him complaining now. It’s gone beyond the point of drawing heat for himself, and now is just plain boring. I did find pairing Hunter with Jericho was a huge treat for the fans. A match we have not seen in a long time, and it pitted champion vs. champion.
But, that wasn’t the best part. Ric Flair goes off about virgins, and how he beats them, makes them bleed, makes them scream, or something to that effect, in regards (loosely) to Randy Orton’s virginity, in the field of legend killing. Now, when I watched this (even after Lita’s miscarriage, Katie Vick, Al Wilson, and many other disgusting angles), I even cringed at this. Why? Maybe because it was Flair, of all people, going on about this. I never get offended, and NEVER get disgusted by someone’s words or actions. But that was near appalling to hear him say that on television. Apparently, Vince tore a strip off of Flair backstage, and I say good job, Vince. He has made a lot of mistakes, but at least he thought them out, so they didn’t get so damn descriptive. This was just plain bad taste. And like I said, I have no bad taste. Nothing bothers me, at all, but it just seemed out of place. I actually would have enjoyed to hear he was fired, but as long as he got told. Just because he’s a veteran, and a supposed “legend” shouldn’t give him a right to say what he wants, and do what he wants.
After all this occurs, Jericho goes down, and it’s 3 on 1. But wait! Benoit makes the save, but not even the Rabid Wolverine can be a match for Evilution. Out comes Edge, out of nowhere I might add, and helps out the good guys. I’m getting sick of this back and forth stuff. Now he cares about Jericho? Now he wants to help? Why? I hope he’s face for good, because if they jerk him in the heel direction again, it’s going to be too damn confusing. I was expecting ANOTHER six man tag team match tonight, where he would turn heel, but neither happened, so maybe he’s a permanent face. Who knows? All I know is that he probably does deserve the title shot against Hunter, but I have the feeling that Benoit will get it instead.
Captain Charisma vs. Show Stopper After a few weeks of build-up, they let a potential PPV match slip by, in favor of a match at the grand-daddy of all WWE spots, Madison Square Garden. But, it was without a doubt, a solid match between the two. I think Christian is the new HBK, barring any unforeseen accidents. I think Christian could definitely do it. He did start with Edge in a tag team. Marty Jannetty was HBK’s old teammate. Now, Christian is on his own, in a heel role, as was HBK when he left Jannetty. I see so much potential in Christian, and I think down the road, he could also be the next Benoit or Guerrero, in being a World Champion or WWE Champion.
On to the match, at hand. Shawn Michaels is one trooper, you know that? It’s been so many years since The Heartbreak Kid first hit the wrestling scene, and it’s still been many years since what many considered his last match in the ring. He is now wrestling every other week, and is better than ever in his role. This match was, without a doubt, match of the night, but a certain golden feel was missing, that would have been there, if this was a PPV match like it could have been. HBK snares an expected win over CLB, and I have a feeling their feud is far from over yet.
Snitsky is a dead man! This whole Gene Snitsky business has me in stitches. Between Kane and Lita screaming the phrase “Snitsky is a dead man!” and his laughable mic work, this is the funniest bit of WWE work in recent memory. Just say “I’ll get you, Snitsky!!” and you can’t help but laugh. It’s a silly name for a supposed monstrous guy. Plus, his mic work is really strange. Like I said before, he sounds like each sentence is a question, not a statement. Apparently, Stephanie McMahon also found it hilarious, and that’s his gimmick, of sorts, to talk strangely. Okay then! Goldust did something like that, but either way, maybe Snitsky can prove to be valuable, rather than just be another big guy in a big league.
I also got a good laugh out of seeing this big guy wheeling a baby carriage down, in complete disrespect of Kane and Lita’s “loss”. What I don’t get is who’s the face, and who’s the heel? Snitsky apparently got the crowd going during the break, by calling down New Yorkers, but I never got the memo saying Kane is now a babyface. I wouldn’t mind seeing Kane try and be a face, while maintaining his monstrous image. Don’t play to the crowds, just sign an unspoken contract that the crowds cheer you. Maybe that’s just me. I’m not interested in seeing a heel vs. heel match, because they’re highly difficult to get into. Snitsky lays the literal smackdown on Kane, and has him bleeding from a lead pipe. Snitsky seems dominant, but the wind will quickly exit his sails next week, I presume, if Kane can get an upper hand. I don’t mind this new angle, but Snitsky is just one weird man.
Benoit vs. Batista I feel bad for Benoit. This is the same Benoit we saw for years, before his historic World Title reign. Chris Benoit is the modern-day Bret Hart, if there ever was one, and I think he is one of the few guys who really shows like he gives 110% each and every week out there, but with Orton and Hunter in the main event mix (until this Taboo Tuesday business is finished), Benoit is relegated to the mid-card status. Not to mention he has fought every Evolution member at least ten times now, and it’s getting old. I say we should have another Lottery soon, because too many feuds on Raw are the same ones. But, maybe they’ll save something like that till after Wrestlemania 21, which is still quite a ways away.
The match is typical, with Benoit doing his absolute best, and of course, Ric Flair scurries out, after getting chewed out by the boss, and tries to lend a legendary helping hand to Batista, but it’s not enough, as we see Randy Orton storm out, ready to fight anything and everything with a pulse. He’s more than ready to take everyone out, and in the process, causes Benoit to lose by Disqualification, then Eric Bischoff has the security to throw him out of the building. I will get more to Randy Orton later, and what I think of him now.
Eugene: Loved by Someone Bischoff stays out in the ring, and announces a few stipulations for some of the matches at Taboo Tuesday. Anyone not in a match can face Chris Jericho for the IC Title, Snitsky and Kane will face each other, in a weapon of choice match. Yeah yeah, you hate it as much as Triple H, we get it. I really wish they would stop doing this, because it gets incredibly annoying hearing Bischoff and Hunter express their deep hatred for the damn PPV.
Bischoff brings out Eugene, and proceeds to tell Eugene that someone in the back has a crush on him. Assuming Steven Richards hasn’t flipped altogether, I figured it had to be Carmella, and I’m glad to see her still around. She did a pretty decent job, I think, and is doing a great job playing out that “I’m a Playmate of the Year, and nobody on the planet is good enough for me” role. I have no clue if she’ll be around after Taboo Tuesday, but for now, she is one awesome heel. If she hated WWE –that- much, she wouldn’t be there. So, she must have some interest.
Bischoff tries to convince Eugene that Carmella loves bald men. Too bad Angle and Big Show are on Smackdown, and Austin is home in… wherever the poor guy is at. Anyway, Bischoff assumes correctly in thinking the fans will undoubtedly choose a Hair vs. Hair match, and he wants Eugene to willingly let Eric win, so he doesn’t have to get his head shaved. Clever planning, Eric, and it almost worked. But alas, the poor boy has figured out a way to get around Eric’s devilish ruse. He wants a kiss from Carmella, which Carm obviously does not want at all. They both tell Eugene how nobody loves him, blah blah blah. I was waiting for Rock to come out and plant one on Eugene, but Christy takes the job instead. I like Christy a lot, so of the two finalists, I guess I do prefer Christy over Carmella, but a perfect WWE world would allow both to be there.
Hurricane, Simon Dean, Edge and Stacy You guessed it, I have little to say about all four of these segments or matches. Hurricane and Rosey have a match against La Resistance, and it’s about as average as a match gets. Rosey inadvertently attacks Hurricane, and we get more reason to see The Heelicane soon. Simon Dean has yet another pointless info-promo for his new WWE character. If he has something to bring to WWE, I want to see it. Enough with all these promos. Edge made a lot of good points in his promo, and of all three candidates, he actually has convinced me that he deserves a match against Hunter. I doubt he’ll get it, but I’ll vote for him. Stacy Keibler picks up ANOTHER win, this time in a singles match against Molly Holly. Good for Stacy, but since when is she an actual wrestler, and not just a third tag team member in a six woman match? I hope this doesn’t lead to a match against Trish, where she wins the title.
I’m a lumberjack, and I’m after Y2J I know, yet another lumberjack match. But, this time, we get a HUGE main event match, between Triple H and Chris Jericho. It really has been far too long since we saw these two in a wrestling ring, in a singles match. I was hoping for a longer match, but I take what I can get sometimes. The only difference was all the lumberjacks were after Jericho. The match ends when Rhyno (earlier struck by Y2J, who thought Rhyno had attacked him) gores Jericho, and Hunter picks up the win, then all hell breaks loose (yes, like all the other Lumberjack matches), and this time, Randy Orton sneaks back in, and cleans house. He RKOs everyone, even Rosey, and this ends a pretty good show.
They seemed to leave all the worst segments till a specific part of the show, which I’m not used to, but I have to take about Randy Orton, or my new name for him, Stone Cold Rocky Orton. Now, Randy Orton is undoubtedly gaining a LOT of popularity each week now, and I think he almost has everyone backing him. What I see when I see his promos and his mic work and in-ring work is The Rock. 100% The Rock. I think he is the next Rock, and he has a lot of potential to go the whole nine yards, to that huge status. Where does my Stone Cold comparison come in? I didn’t say he’s entirely like Stone Cold either, but seeing him clear the ring on Raw of that lumberjack match, and RKOing everyone, including Rosey, it felt reminiscent of Steve Austin, who would Stone Cold Stun everyone, face or heel. Randy isn’t all Austin or all Rock, but he shows a lot from both legends, and I think he could cement himself really soon, and be named a legend of his own someday. I will have no complaints, if I hear anyone refer to Orton as a legend in a few years time.
That does it for yet another delayed edition of The X-Factor. Some personal problems have plagued me, with my cousin suffering a heart attack. He is recovering in hospital now, but he needs to go to a different hospital soon, to possibly get surgery on a clogged artery. It’s really a tough time right now, but there’s not a whole lot for me to do, so I thought I would get my mind off of it by writing about wrestling. Tomorrow, you’ll find my Smackdown column, and in the event of me not getting to finish it on time, Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends. As always, I am Mr. X saying to my American readers, go out and buy a turkey, so you don’t feel left out. Buh-bye!
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