The Quick Talkdown 12.30.06: TNA Breaks Out in 2007

  Happy New Year’s loyal Talkdown readers. Now while many writers will reflect on the year that was, I’d rather look at the year that will be. Plus, a Quick Talkdown reader continues our WWE-EX storyline.
 
5.) WWE HALL OF FAMERS
 
All the talk that Jimmy Ross has been doing about Randy “Macho Man” Savage on his blog in recent weeks leads me to believe that the Macho Man might be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2007. Obviously, Mr. Ross receives tons of emails regarding Macho Man’s induction, however, time will tell if it actually happens. I’ll actually go on a limb and make that prediction.
 
Brian Pillman and Owen Hart are also two predictions for 2007. If the WWE is only going to induct one dead guy a year, I think Brian Pillman will be this year’s choice while Owen Hart will follow in 2008.
 
Anyone notice that the WWE scrapped the Slammy Awards in 2006? The WWE had kept the tradition going on doing the celebration every ten years, but not this year. I predict it will be the same in 2007.
 
4.) TNA GETS MONDAY NIGHT SLOT
 
C’mon, this is what Spike Television and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling are trying to obtain: the chance to compete with WWE on Monday nights. The TNA will rise in ratings putting the spotlight on the wrestling marketplace once again. How, you ask? Check #3.
 
3.) TNA GAINS MORE SIGNIFICANT PLAYERS
 
“The Crybaby” Kurt Angle signing with TNA was a major blow to World Wrestling Entertainment whether they’d like to admit it or not. Even Christian Cage making an impact before Angle was enough to get the WWE to take notice.
 
I predict in 2007 that the likes of Bill Goldberg and Brock Lesnar might surface in TNA. Also, add to that Mr. Chris Jericho who will give up on his Hollywood career and return to professional wrestling.
 
These moves will prompt the likes of Chris Benoit, Tazz, Rob Van Dam and other WWE superstars to sign with TNA. I think I’m making you nervous now.
 
2.) WWE SIGNS ON TNA TALENT… ACKNOWLEDGES COMPETITION.

The WWE will have a chance to fight back. While many WWEers move to Spike and TNA, former TNA mainstays will feel a little left out and surprise the world by signing with the WWE. Who? Samoa Joe… not likely. AJ Styles or Ron Killings? Now you’re talking.
 
Here is a list of WWE’s Impact Players in 2007. Jeff Hardy, Edge, Randy Orton, Matt Hardy, Johnny Nitro, Mr. Kennedy, and some of those hot divas will rise to prominence in 2007.
 
What would be interesting if a Diva actually won the WWE World title. I’m not talking butchy, nasty Chyna. I’m talking about Ashley or Candace winning the title with a lot of help from their friends. Maybe I’m I’m just providing some innovative booking.  
 
1.) ECW GOES TITS UP

The WWE will give more than one excuse in 2007 why the ECW didn’t work, but we know that it’s just because that the WWE aren’t listening to their fans.

What I love in all of this is that the WWE keeps telling us fans that we won’t see the ECW of old. Obviously not, this is why it will go tits up. The WWE is trying to re-invent the apple by putting an orange peel on it. It just doesn’t work.

If you continue to job the ECW Originals, bash the fans and change the formula of the matches, it’s no longer ECW, and fans eventually lose interest. After WrestleMania, the WWE will realize that their failed experiment call ECW will cease to exist.

WWE-EX FAN FICTION

Talkdown reader Dan Wojcik continues our story.
 
12/19/06:  Our first match kicks off with Burke and Terkey in the ring.  The FBI’s music hits, and out walks Little Guido dressed in a black leather coat with a wife beater underneath.  He makes his way to the ring and grabs the mic from the announcer.  Little Guido announces that the opponents for Burke and Terkey will be Chuck Palumbo and Big Guido.  And that they will be accompanied to the ring by Trinity.
 
The match begins with Palumbo and Burke in the ring.  It’s a pretty good match up with double teaming on both sides and good use of the ring.  The finisher comes when Trinity gets up on the apron and Terkey knocks her off.  Little Guido goes to her side and then jumps up onto the apron.  The ref steps in to prevent Little Guido from getting in; meanwhile Palumbo and Burke have started brawling on the outside.  From the fans jumps Johnny Stamboli who give the double team on Burke. They roll Burke into the ring, which promps Big Guido to dump Terkey outside of the ring.  Big Guido grabs Burke, while Palumbo climbs to the top rope.  Big Guido hoists Burke into a powerbomb as Palumbo jumps from the top rope to deliver a flying clothesline.  Palumbo makes the cover and gets the win.
 
Tommy Dreamer comes out bandaged and challenges Daivari and the great Khali to a tag match.  Daivari and Khali accept. Dreamer finishes his challenge by saying the Khali is not the only great one out there.  Daivari and Khali make their way to the ring while calls out his tag team partner the Big Ron Studd.  Studd makes it to the ring and stands nose to nose with the Great Khali.  The men brawl an eventually pair off.  The match ends in a double count out.
 
Up next: Kevin Thorne and a tag team partner take on The Sandman in a handi-cap match.
 
Sandman makes his traditional entrance from the fans and enters the ring.  Thorn’s music hits and he and his partner go to the ring with Ariel.  Ariel removes the robe from Thorns partner to reveal the ECW Zombie?  Yup, it’s the ECW Zombie, but he looks slightly different than before.  The match kicks off with Thorn and the Sandman having a go at it.  Eventually the Zombie gets tagged in and unleashes with a series of rights, lefts and head butts. Sandman dodges and slams the zombie.  Thorn enters and takes a series of rights and falls victim to the white Russian legsweep.  Sandman gets up and clotheslines the zombie out of the ring.  Ariel is screaming at the fans when the Sandman walks over and reaches over the ropes to pull Ariel up onto the ring apron.  Ariel slaps the Sandman, which promps the Sandman to strech Ariel out over the top rope.  The Sandman reaches into his pocket and pulls out a beer!  The Sandman cracks the beer and pours it over Ariels’ breast and goes into drink the golden brew off of her skin; when Thorn suddenly recovers.  The Zombie slides Thorn Sandman’s Singapore Cane.  Thorn cracks the Sandman in the back of the head allowing the Zombie to scoop the Sandman into a fireman’s carry and hit his finisher, the Zombie’s Revenge (Fireman’s Carry into a Stunner) for the win.
 
Up Next: 3-way Dance w/ Extreme rules for a title shot next week at Lashley.

The 1st participant is Stevie Richards. The 2nd participant is Rene Dupree and the 3rd participant is Balls Mahoney.  After all three men are in the ring and the bell sounds, Test charges the ring and nearly takes off Stevie Richards head with a big boot.  Tajiri also charges blinds Dupree with the Asian Mist, while Heyman’s Riot Squad hit the ring with Hardcore Holly and take out Balls. Test, Holly and the Riot Squad then focus on Tajiri who is not backing down.  From the locker room rush Muto, Punk and RVD who all slide into the ring.  All eight men begin to brawl, while Richards, Dupree and Balls are helped to the back.  Foley comes out with the mic and announces that this contest is now an eight-man dance  and will still be contested under extreme rules; and it begins right now.
 
It downs to Riot Squad #1, Test, Muto and Punk.  Punk forces Test to tap while Riot Squad #1 pins Muto with the Piledriver.  While pushing Muto out of the ring, Muto attempts to hit Riot Squad #1 with the Asian Mist and catches Punk instead.  Riot Squad #1 clinches in a small package for the win.
 
 On a side note, The Riot Squad are actually Doug and Danny Basham. Continue the story, write to [email protected].
 
THE TALKDOWN MAILBAG
 
WWE-EX – WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
 
I love these fantasy promotion things, as I’ve followed the TEW series and the EWR series, and if you truly enjoy booking your own shows, that’s something I would recommend to you. That aside…
 
If I were running WWE-Extreme, I would think that if you weren’t going to have Paul E. in charge, there are only three other possiblities, and only two of them are really options. First off is Raven. Raven is one of the main reasons that ECW did so well, as his promos are some of the greatest of all time. Second is Taz. The fans respect him because on the commentary he’s always called it like it is, and in the ring he’s a machine. I think he’d be my personal choice. Thirdly, it Tommy Dreamer. Dreamer had a large role in the booking of ECW, as he had more loyalty to that promotion than I’ve seen in any other wrestler in a long time. He’d have cut his arm off for ECW if he thinks it would have saved that company. Now, I’m sure you could also put Stevie Richards in charge, as he was there for a long time, was another face that all ECW fans know, and has good microphone skills. Or even Steve Austin. Sure, he was only there for a little while, but he continued to follow the standard ECW “I make the rules” style that got him so far over.
 
Out of those five, my personal choice still would be Taz however. Plus, if someone isn’t listening to him, WHAM, Tazmission. That’s my opinon, take it as you will.
 
Thanks,
 
Justin
[email protected]
 
AND…
 
If I know the WWE as well as I think I do, the answer is blatantly obvious. They’ll come back with Mick Foley.
 
As for who should fight Bobby Lashley at the Royal Rumble… Get it over with and give a push to Khali. We all know that’s what Vince wants.
 
As I walk through the valley of darkness, I am not afraid, because I know I am not alone.

From

Dustin Yeary

Don’t agree with something I said? Well tell me so! Write to [email protected] and I’ll put you in the mail bag. See you next week.