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Badseed's Bottomline #337: Home Sweet Home |
» Reported by Jon Minners of WrestleView.com
» On Sunday, October 9, 2005 at 6:30 PM EST
Hey yo! Monday night was a night to be a fight fan. I can’t remember a night I was more excited to watch wrestling or UFC, for that matter, in my entire life. Wow! Monday’s over and I am still talking about it. Welcome home WWE.
The night started out perfectly with Mick Foley and Rowdy Roddy Piper teasing Foley’s return to the company. All those who were upset that Randy Orton interfered just don’t get the meaning behind the whole thing. You can’t have a face like Piper interview a face like Foley and have any controversy around it. You need a heel to interrupt. What better heel than Randy Orton, who was involved in Foley’s last match and whose father accompanied Piper throughout the early part of Piper’s WWE career.
This was an exciting moment for me, as an all-time wrestling fan who loves all the eras of wrestling. In a WWE Homecoming, to have representatives from all eras start the show was a perfect way to get everyone involved. In addition, it got the fans ready for Smackdown. Piper vs. Randy Orton/Bob Orton was not really a bad match. Maybe Mick Foley will show up on Smackdown for one more great match with Randy Orton. What about the Ortons vs. The Undertaker and Foley? That would be hot. You never know what could come out of this.
HBK vs. Kurt Angle was a classic match, but did I not tell everyone that they would give us a screwjob ending. I knew it would end in a draw. The battle was sick. What a great back and forth clinic. The best thing about it was they gave it away on free television. What a way to get fans back into the WWE Raw programming. But I was not happy with the end and I am not sure how they will handle that when it comes time for Taboo Tuesday’s main event title match. However, looking at the bigger picture, it was a great way to start the show and it did a lot to garner interest for one more PPV rematch. Let’s do that at the Royal Rumble.
Steve Austin and Vince McMahon had a great segment. For some reason, it felt a little awkward at first, but as it went on, I think it was done that way on purpose. Austin was using a more laid back and dry sense of humor. He had no reason to hate McMahon storyline wise, so he couldn’t come out in a ball of fire. Stunning McMahon was expected, but doing it to the entire family was unexpected. Shane still looks good out there. Stephanie is still annoying and I love her interactions with Austin. Linda McMahon has never been stunned before and now we know why. That was brutal, but the segment was a blast from the past and enjoyable nonetheless.
Matt Hardy vs. Edge in a ladder match was perfect for Raw’s Homecoming considering how their feud played out long ago for their respective teams. What a brutal encounter. I was highly entertained by this match. I loved all the spots and I kind of enjoyed that weird use of the ladder by Hardy to crush Edge. I also really enjoyed the end wit Lita tying up Hardy to keep him from winning. It was an exciting match and it built interest for the future for both wrestlers. Edge is still a contender; when is he going to ask for his title match? What is Matt Hardy going to do on Smackdown? Will Edge and Hardy ever have another encounter? Definitely. More on that later.
HHH and Ric Flair vs. Chris Masters and Carlito had a special kind of magic to it. I enjoyed the match. I loved the interplay between Flair and HHH during the match and I thought they did a good job of giving something of a rub to Masters and Carlito. I knew the faces would win if HHH didn’t turn on Flair in the middle of the match. When the match was over, I actually hoped HHH wouldn’t turn. It was great to see him battle a match as a face and I would want to see more matches with HHH as a face. I think they could have gotten some mileage from a short term HHH face run with an out-of-nowhere turn later on down the line, but I guess this gave us something to look forward to next week. Why did HHH turn? What did he mean by his comments while he was beating on Flair? I am excited about that. Plus, I really want to see how HHH interacts with Masters and Carlito, who I am sure will still have run-ins with Flair. I don’t see HHH wanting the IC title, so who will HHH help win the title belt and will Evolution be reborn?
Bra and Panties match! Hot! These girls are hot. Match sucked, but I wouldn’t turn any of these hotties away. Keep them coming.
Loved the legends segment. It was great that they gave the mic to Dusty Rhodes who may have wrestled in the WWE, but is always considered an NWA wrestler. But he deserved to be a spokesperson there and was probably the best speaker in the ring. Superfly Jimmy Snuka always gets a pop for the splash. But probably the best move was the acknowledgment of Kevin Von Erich who never stepped in a WWE ring. Very classy move. I miss World Class. I can’t wait to see it on WWE 24/7 whenever the hell Cablevision decides to get it.
The World title match sort of sucked, but the payback by Smackdown for the earlier snub and the battle between the two brands was a great way to end the show. I am hearing about a Smackdown vs. Raw Survivor Series match this year and I can’t wait. I think it should be HBK, Edge, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, Big Show vs. JBL, Matt Hardy, Christian, Ken Kennedy, Chris Benoit. You can sub Rey Mysterio and Booker T for any one of the Smackdown guys and you will still have a great match. Too bad RVD can’t come back for this one. I would have loved to have seen him mix it up with Mysterio.
Also, Hulk Hogan vs. Austin has been set up for Wrestlemania next year. That’s the match everyone wants to see. If Austin loses, I will never watch wrestling again, but this one match is the dream match we all thought would never come to pass. It can save wrestling. With the lead-up to Wrestlemania already starting, WWE is hot. Coming home can do that to a company. WWE is back on USA and wrestling has become fun again.
Finally, TNA was hot this week. AJ Styles vs. Roderick Strong, the Three-Way X-Division match, Jeff Hardy vs. Rhino, seeing Monty Brown in action again, 3 Live Kru attacking Jarrett, AMW and Team Canada, Team 3-D making the save and Kevin Nash’s return all made TNA the show to watch this week. In one hour, TNA did so much of what the WWE did. Sure, WWE had legends, but TNA is building future legends. Both companies are hot. Only time will tell how this war plays out. And for once, the only winner in this war is the fans.
Back To WrestleView.com
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