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Getting Your Moneys Worth
If you ever needed any reason, any proof, any evidence, any justification, ANYTHING, that you should support your local indy, Wrestlemania 18 Sunday night proved it.
Wrestlemania 18 (I refuse to call it X-8) showed everything that's wrong with the wrestling business. From Rob Van Dam curtain jerking to Hulk Hogan soaking in cheers he never deserved, Wrestlemania made me embarrassed to be a wrestling fan.
It's tough being a wrestling fan these days. I'm sure most of the people reading this have dealt with some shame when telling others they watch professional wrestling. And there's nothing on TV that's going to change the minds of any non-fan out there. Click on TNN any Monday night and you'll see the worst acting on any television program courtesy of Stephanie McMahon, and the worst wrestling anywhere from a variety of culprits.
Sounds bleak...but if you ever want to change anyone's mind about the wrestling business, show them a copy of this year's Super 8.
Looking at both cards from the bottom to the top, you'll see what I mean:
WWF: Rob Van Dam vs. William Regal for the Intercontinental title
At one time, the Intercontinental title was the second most important title in the WWF. I've actually gone on months long stretches lately where I had no idea who the Intercontinental champion was. And leave it to the WWF to take their most over worker, RVD, and plant him in the opening match against a ground based worker like Regal who won't give RVD the opportunity to really showcase his talents. Jealousy's a real bitch.
ECWA Super 8: Red vs. Bobby Rude
Red is a relative newcomer to ECWA and Bobby Rude was making his debut. A perfect placement for two guys who got a chance to show their stuff.
Edge: ECWA
WWF: Christian vs. DDP for the European title
There's a European title? What a waste of Christian. Why is DDP on my TV? And why does he have a belt? And why is Christian jobbing to that old, irritating, obnoxious, lives-his-gimmick goofball?
Too many questions and not enough answers from this waste of a match.
ECWA Super 8: Donovan Morgan vs. Pepper Parks
I wish Parks could have gotten more mileage out of his gimmick, but Morgan was booked in a relatively one sided squash here, so there was none of that. Good match nonetheless to establish Morgan as a legit, solid contender for the Super 8.
Edge: ECWA (sensing a pattern?)
WWF: Maven vs. Goldust for the Hardcore title
Maven, the Tough Enough winner last year, gets rewarded with the Hardcore title, a belt rendered so meaningless that Mighty Molly was crowned the Hardcore champion at one point during the card. Mick Foley is rolling in his grave and he's not even dead yet.
ECWA Super 8: Jamie Knoble vs. Matt Stryker
Knoble was a late substitute for RC Haas and looked good in his ECWA debut. Stryker didn't do much, but made Knoble look credible and didn't make any glaring mistakes.
Edge: ECWA
(BTW, did I mention I paid $13.00 for the Super 8 for a ringside seat and paid $40.00 for Wrestlemania, a show that ended after 11:30 pm on a Sunday night?)
WWF: Kurt Angle vs. Kane
No title on the line. No real reason for these guys to have a match other than to get them both on the card. Kurt Angle is the best thing the WWF has right now and is working in the first hour of the biggest card of the year. Angle's been wrestling less than five years and looks better than 95% of the WWF roster, and he's wrestling Kane, who can't even sell a rollup properly for the finish. Kurt Angle should be the WWF champion dating back to the first time he won it, but I guess it was important to give the Rock, HHH, and Steve Austin time at the top- again.
ECWA Super 8: AJ Styles vs. Xavier
If the stars were properly aligned this would be on Wrestlemania 20, or 2X or whatever they'll call it. Xavier is my pick for Sleeper of 2002 and AJ Styles is "ready right now," to quote a carny. And they'll both be back working for ECWA in the future.
Edge: ECWA
WWF: The Undertaker vs. Ric Flair
Ric Flair's my favorite wrestler of all time. It's a damn shame to see him be wasted jobbing to the ego of the Undertaker, the Hulk Hogan of the 21st century who's such a "badass" that he can beat Arn Anderson, Ric Flair, and the entire front row despite his haggard face and not so intimidating paunch. That said, Flair looked terrific out there and if this was a just world, one where Stephanie McMahon wasn't booked into a title match you all know she's going to win, he'd be WWF champion for one last, glorious run.
ECWA: Scoot Andrews vs. Billy Fives in a ladder match for the ECWA championship
This match...didn't do much for me. At least there was a reason for them wrestling, with Fives established as a legit threat by pinning Scoot at the last ECWA show- rather than having a match to boost some old, past his prime wrestler's flaccid ego. I think I've been overexposed to ladder matches.
Edge: WWF (I'm not totally biased)
WWF: Booker T vs. Edge
This match was the result of them fighting over a shampoo commercial. And yes, there are people in the WWF who get paid a lot of money to come up with well thought out, intelligent, entertaining angles like this. What a joke.
ECWA Super 8: AJ Styles vs. Red
Styles slaughtered Red with a 2nd rope Styles Clash. When he debuts the top rope Styles Clash the place is going to explode. But honestly, a Benny Stoltzfus/Bob Barker match would have been preferable to that WWF embarrassment. Shampoo...good Lord.
Edge (no pun intended): ECWA
WWF: Steve Austin vs. Scott Hall
Austin was the best thing about the WWF last year and proved he could be entertaining in any role. Hall is just a joke and a real disappointment considering how good he used to be not too long ago. From Wrestlemania ladder matches to puking on WCW Nitro, groping fiftysomething women, and keying limos...the legacy of Scott Hall. The nWo ain't what it used to be- and it wasn't much then, either.
ECWA Super 8: Donovan Morgan vs. Jamie Knoble
This should also be on Wrestlemania 20. Knowing who's running things in the WWF and who's being featured on TV now, it won't be.
Edge: ECWA
WWF: The Dudley Boys vs. the aPa vs. the Hardy Boyz vs. Billy and Chuck for the WWF tag team titles
Why was this switched from just the aPa vs. Billy and Chuck? Was it really that necessary to have the Dudleys do their stale by the numbers as usual tag match? Did I really need to see Jeff Hardly strip off his shirt to reveal the physique of a 15 year old? Why is the Ambiguously Gay Duo gimmick being done- again?
ECWA: The ECWA Summit battle royal
More entertaining angles and matchups were shown in this battle royal than in the last five months worth of WWF TV.
Edge: ECWA
WWF: Hulk Hogan vs. The Rock
Watching the Rock sell Hogan's weak, pathetic looking "offense," seeing Hogan "Hulk up" and no sell offense from a guy 20 years younger and in ten times better shape made me ashamed to be a wrestling fan. And the people of Canada must not get recent WWF television if they're cheering Hogan. Perhaps they missed Uncensored. Or Starrcade 1997. Or Halloween Havoc 1995. Or Hogan no selling the Vader Bomb. Or WCW from 1994-2001.
ECWA Super 8: Donovan Morgan vs. AJ Styles
Morgan wins the Super 8 in an engaging, exciting match that made both wrestlers look good and completely involved the fans. I was proud to be a wrestling fan after seeing this match.
Since it's Wrestlemania and they went four hours, there were two more matches than the ECWA Super 8- the women's title match and the WWF title match where a blind man could have seen the outcome ahead of time. I got more entertainment from the ECWAtron than seeing Lita, Trish Stratus, and Jazz humiliate themselves in front of 68,000 people, while the best female worker in the WWF is walking around with a pink cape, and I got more satisfaction from the French fries I mooched off of Murph than I got from seeing HHH and his supplements (wink, wink) pin Chris Jericho for the WWF title.
Maybe with the roster "split," the WWF can finally showcase all of its talent, and guys like RVD, Chris Benoit, William Regal, and half the guys in the Heartland Wrestling Association will get their shot to shine. But I doubt it.
Give me an indy show- any indy show - every day of the week. At least I know that no matter what I paid, I'll get my money's worth. You couldn't pay me enough to watch Wrestlemania 18 again.
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Jim has been watching
wrestling for over 20 years and has followed and reported on indy wrestling
for over 6 years. He's also a fan of the New York Giants, New York Yankees,
St. John's Red Storm basketball, Alabama Crimson Tide football, and the
New Jersey Devils, but please don't hold that against him.
Contact Jim at BilJim2@aol.com
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Previous Columns:
Watching Tazz is Tough Enough
Seven in Two
