Montreal Screwjob Retrospective

How do you make an otherwise forgettable event the most infamous pay-per-view in professional wrestling history?

A simple answer: screw over the man who is about to go over to the competition!

The real answer is much more complicated. It’s fallout would ultimately impact the professional wrestling scene forever.

Raw emotion struck during this time wouldn’t be fully resolved until well into the new millennium. Today, on the 15th anniversary of the most infamous wrestling double-cross ever, this piece will reflect the decisions and the trauma behind the most argued piece of shoot ever devised. This will feel almost as cold as a normal winter’s day in the Canadian province of Quebec.

If anyone wants to doubt how bad the financial state the WWE was at this time, look no further than the Screwjob.

Vince McMahon, in full-out desperation, signed Bret Hart to an exclusive 20-year contract just the year before. McMahon did it because not only would it ensure Bret’s loyalty, but Vince also knew that WCW wouldn’t know what to do with a Bret Hart.

The terms of the contract stipulated that Bret would be paid “x” amount one year, then as time went on, he would get a somewhat smaller sum. Keep in mind that this is upfront costs, and does not the additional bonuses Bret would most likely accrue from merchandise plus other odds and ends.

Sadly for Vince, this was a contract he wasn’t able to keep.

In the summer of 1997, right after the Summerslam event when Bret won his fifth World Wrestling Federation Championship, Vince talked to Bret. McMahon laid out his folly, and told Bret he was free to look at other employment opportunities.

Behind the scenes, Bret didn’t want to go. While he has had his fair share of personal drama and bullshit with members of the roster (i.e: Shawn Michaels), the WWE had primarily been his home base for well over a decade. He was built from the ground up, and pulled through every rank there was. Bret was looked upon as a leader to the boys, and inspiration when times got rough.

For the state of the company though, times were indeed VERY rough.

WCW came from the trenches and established itself as the dog to beat. Between the Ric Flair and Randy Savage angle at the end of 1995, to the not-so-humble beginnings of the nWo, the Georgia-based juggernaut was growing exponentially.

Almost to the point of putting the Connecticut-based WWE out of business!

Vince had to cut Bret because not only was WWE losing money, but also viewed Bret as a growing liability due to age. Bret had just turned the big 4-0, while other men in their twenties and early thirties were just starting to hit their stride.

As noted, Bret was given the option to look for other work. Bret had sent his notice, and uneasy tensions were quickly surfacing.

The 1997 Survivor Series was heavily hyped around the rematch from WrestleMania XII. Only this time, Bret and Shawn were not only enemies on screen, but they were even worse at odds off it. Without getting too far into it, let’s say that most of the locker room was firmly on the side of Bret while Shawn and his Kliq were viewed as outcasts of power.

Originally, the outcome of the match was seen to have Shawn and Bret battle to a double-disqualification. It seemed as if everyone had agreed on the plan…

Until Vince called a meeting.

In a nutshell, this was where the Screwjob was orchestrated. Shawn was in on it, but had no hand in the decision making. Shawn, as much as as he despised Bret, didn’t really want to go through with this because the locker room hated him to begin with, and the reaction to this would be an upheaval of the guard.

Shawn told Earl what to do, and from Shawn’s autobiography, it was described as if Earl aged many years during this transaction.

Before the match started, Shawn turned into the most heinous dick ever conceived in Canada. He had consecrated the Canadian flag in many fashioned, into up and including simulated humping. Of course this was in design to make Bret look like a proud hero in his home country.

The main flow of the match was a brawl, interrupted with a few sound technical maneuvers. Then Shawn put Bret in the sharpshooter…

In the main script of the match, Bret was going to go to the ropes, and the match would continue on until the DQ.

As we all know, Vince McMahon (who had been at ringside the duration of the contest) ordered Earl to “RING THE FUCKING BELL!”

Bret looked confused, lost, and shell-shocked when the bell rang. Shawn had a startled face himself, but in reality was a mask of knowing that the plan had worked.

Vince handed Shawn the belt, and with many legitimate road agents at hand, they all walked behind the curtain the masterminds of the greatest shoot in wrestling history.

Garbage filled the ring like a blizzard, and Bret went around destroying the tables at ringside not unlike the nWo did on WCW earlier in the year.

The shit really hit the fan (and I don’t mean the forum) backstage. Vince McMahon was confronted by Bret, and was socked in the face. Vince was struck down in vain, but let’s not forget that all Vince was trying to do was cover his ass so his champion couldn’t defect to WCW with the title at hand. It was only the year before were Alundyra Blaze, aka Madusa, went to Nitro and threw the not-so-prestigious WWE’s Women’s Championship in the trash can!

Shawn and the Kliq had to fight off multiple threats, and even more of “the boys” threatened to no-show the following night’s RAW.

And they did!

The albatross known as RAW in Toronto took place live the following night. Seriously, I’m not telling going to tell you the synopsis of the show because it was so bad. Shawn looked drunker than drunk, the ever-eloquent Commissioner Slaughter was babbling needlessly, and it seemed like jobbers were all over the show. This was the absolute lowest point for the WWE, not just for ratings but also in morale. It could not have looked worse for Vince and company.

Slowly but surely, WWE climbed out of its hole. Ironically, the man who legitimately screwed Bret Hart became the biggest heel by doing working screwjobs on a semi-regular basis.

As for Mr. Vincent K. McMahon, he stated that “Bret screwed Bret” the RAW after Survivor Series, and the fans gravitated towards him. He was evil, seedy, plus his intentions were biased one way or another. No one was safe in his path of destruction. The clientele includes names amongst the likes of Steve Austin, Goldust, Undertaker, Kane, etc.

In another note of irony, another plot of double-cross worked to great effect in one of the highest points of 1998. At THAT Survivor Series event, the Deadly Game tournament culminated in The Rock, long-standing Corporation enemy, versus Mankind, a fully-made-over character perceived to be in cahoots with Vince. Rock put Mankind in the sharpshooter…

And it was revealed that Rock was a patsy for the Master Plan of Vince’s! It signaled the arrival of Dwayne Johnson in the upper echelon of the WWE, and Mick Foley was hot in pursuit. The Deadly Game solidified the future of the WWE, with establishment of the main event secure.

As for Shawn Michaels, he would pay the price of winning the WWE title, but in a different fashion. Over the next little while, Shawn would experience back pain getting a little more intense. Add in the casket bump from the Royal Rumble the following January, and we have a champ who was damn near immobile.

Go to 11:45 in the video!

Shawn lost the belt to Austin at WrestleMania in March, and then disappeared. While he would show up every now and then on WWE television, it would be more than four years before he made an in-ring return. With his life in order, Shawn is a man of faith and dignity.

As for Bret Hart, he would pay the price of going to WCW almost immediately. Hart was misused from day one. A botched introduction at WCW’s Starrcade would only be ominous of signs to come. Numerous injuries took their toll, and a brutal kick from Goldberg sealed the deal.

 

Bret would also suffer a stroke, one that forced him to relearn how to talk. WWE and Bret Hart did put aside their differences to make a career retrospective. That DVD is (as of this moment) the best WWE compilation ever made.

Bret’s feelings towards Shawn wouldn’t budge, even with the revelations of Shawn’s lifestyle revamp. At WrestleMania 22 weekend in 2006, Bret was inducted into the Hall of Fame. However, Bret only did it with the knowledge he couldn’t see Shawn in the audience, and that he kept away from Shawn during the show. Bret’s no-show of the big show gave him heat that rivaled almost all the heels on that event!

It wouldn’t be until 2010 where the past finally came to rest. Shawn and Bret aired their dirty laundry for all to see on national television, capped off with an emotional embrace. The two became friends, and even agreed to do a DVD based on their rivalry. It’s an excellent production, and if you want to purchase that, click here.

How do you make an otherwise forgettable event the most infamous pay-per-view in professional wrestling history?

A simple answer: by orchestrating an event that would shake the very foundation of the business for years to come.

The legacy of the screwjob has, and will always be, measured in how the business has changed. Vince McMahon was able to make a smashing positive out of what should have been a crushing negative. Viva La Attitude!

Technorati Tags: wwe,wwf,montreal screwjob,bad booking,amazon,youtube,shawn michaels,bret hart,vince mcmahon,raw,survivor series,wrestlemania,royal rumble,attitude era,pay per view,slaughter,drunk,screwed,albatross,rivalry,business,meeting,contract,steve austin,goldust,kane,mankind,vince russo,concussion,goldberg,wcw

 

 

The Cult of Personality: CM Punk’s Heel Turn

Over the last ten years, WWE hasn’t had any real competition. Therefore, the company has been able to do things its own way without many consequences.

In the process, it seemed as if some arts of character establishing were lost. The people behind the gimmicks were now more tightly wound than they had been, and in return seemed as if Vince McMahon went back on what he promised back in 1997.

When the seeds were hatched for CM Punk’s turn to the dark side on RAW 1000, there was skepticism.

Not only was Punk still getting cheered like a mad man, but Jerry Lawler on commentary made a double-standard that somehow made Punk look more face-ish than almost ever.

It started out with The Rock who pretty much side-stepped Punk in a promo earlier in the show. It should be noted that the continuity from the initial pipe bomb promo was inexplicably absent.

Then it was Lawler’s misstep on commentary. This led to Punk downright owning Lawler multiple times on the microphone and inside of a steel cage. 

Then it was John Cena telling him that respect needs to be earned every night at every arena. A Falls-Count-Anywhere match led Punk to interfere on his “night off”, and perform Go-to-Sleep on Cena on a Chrysler 300.

Add in a dash of Paul Heyman, who was the driver of said 300 (not the SE Spartan Edition), and we got a slow-burn heel-turn that quite frankly is kicking all sorts of ass.

While many people don’t see the sense of a Punk and Heyman pairing, it should be noted these two had been going back and forth on Twitter months leading up to the reveal. Punk having a manager in Heyman would also bring attention to not only themselves, but also to Brock Lesnar, and this could lead to mega main-events on PPV’s for months to come. Some people have also watered at the fact that the breakup (which is inevitable in yo-yo WWE writing) would have some epic shoots.

Punk, whose status as WWE Champion apparently means nothing in the universe, can really elevate himself to the wide-open spot of top heel if he can carry this momentum past Night of Champions. With Heyman as a manager, the possibilities seem endless.

With Lesnar as mentioned before, Heyman has some former clientele on the roster. There is Big Show, whose potential affiliation with Punk and Heyman could potentially salvage his floundering heel turn. Also there is Tensai, who as A-Train, was seemingly coming up through the ranks with Heyman as a manager. Tensai is not in a good place right now, and a sense of familiarity from the past could very well awake a sleeping monster.

That four-man alliance (Punk/Lesnar/Show/Tensai) could easily be a new ‘Dangerous Alliance’. Make a team of Cena/Rock/Triple H/Undertaker, men with various chips on all their shoulders, and we have ourselves a main event for Survivor Series that could blow the roof off wherever that event takes place.

I’m really curious as to see where Punk’s assholetry is going from here. Punk’s been a capable heel before, but he’s in a new echelon now. May the Alliance begin!

Technorati Tags: 1000th episode,raw,smackdown,wwe,wwf,wwe championship,blog,cm punk,heel,paul heyman,brock lesnar,big show,a-train tensai,john cena,the rock,triple h,undertaker,survivor series,dangerous alliance,wrestlemania

WrestleMania Profile: Bret Hart

When it comes to Wrestlemania, there are men whose careers count on bringing on epic performances of a lifetime.

At the same time, there are men whose careers are legendary to the point that whatever they do on the grandest stage is just icing on the cake.

This would perfectly describe Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Bret’s career is a who’s who of accomplishments, in which some of them just so happen to occur at WrestleMania.

From battle royals to submission-based quarrels, Bret has seemingly done just about everything there is at Wrestlemania. Let’s take a look back at some of his more major accomplishments.

His inaugural Wrestlemania contest was one in earnest, as Bret was one of the last men eliminated in the battle royal at Wrestlemania 2. Keep in mind this was during the Hart Foundation’s infancy, and the one hurling Bret (and Jim Neidhart for that matter) over the top was Andre the Giant.

Although a six-man tag at Wrestlemania III (Hart Foundation w/ Danny Davis vs. The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana) did have a good amount of heat to it, it would be a few years before the Hart Foundation had a meaningful match on the big show.

On a one-off singles appearance, Bret took part in a battle royal at Wrestlemania IV that would change the course of his history. After being eliminated by Bad News Brown, Bret jumped Brown from behind and destroyed his trophy. This would turn Bret Hart face, and Hitman would stay good for close to a decade.

Instead of the crooked viles of heel work in most of their prior matches, the Hart Foundation at Wrestlemania VII were fun-loving good guys pandering to the zeal of the crowd. It didn’t help them much against the Nasty Boys however, as Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags used their cheating to win the tag team championships.

On one hand, this was an end of an era as the Hart Foundation amicably split up shortly afterwards.

On the other hand, this was the start of a new era, as Bret would launch his singles career.

Wrestlemania VIII saw Bret Hart face off against Roddy Piper for the Intercontinental Championship. This match was so impressive that in an earlier entry, this was the 1992 pick for the best matches of the 1990s. Bret, in a move that even stifles contemporaries today, was able to nicely conceal a blade job three-quarters of the way through the bout. The finish was one of the neatest reversals in the history of Wrestlemania: Piper locked Bret in the his patented sleeper, and then Bret kicked off the turnbuckles, and hooked Piper into a pinning predicament thus becoming a two-time IC belt-holder.

Wrestlemania IX and X are inter-twined, as a story seemingly started and ended between those two events. Yokozuna faced Hart for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania IX. Yoko, who had Mr. Fuji as a pick in his corner, won the title after the manager Fuji threw salt in the Hitman’s eyes. Hulk Hogan seemingly came out to ‘avenge’ Hart, and won the title in a impromptu match. Yokozuna would win the title again at King of the Ring, the same event where Hart won the KOTR tournament.

Now between KOTR and Wrestlemania X, another major component would enter into the mix. Bret’s little brother Owen would tag with him and the rest of the Hart brothers at the Survivor Series. Owen was the only one eliminated, and it sparked some jealousy from the little nugget. After patching things up on paper, the feud re-ignited big time as Owen turned on Bret after Bret was ‘injured’ during a tag title match at the Royal Rumble. Jealously turned into righteousness, and Owen received the bout he wanted with Bret for Wrestlemania X.

More on that in a second.

Bret’s business wasn’t done at the Rumble, as he would take part in the Rumble match itself. He and Lex Luger simultaneously eliminated one another, and therefore each received a title bout for Wrestlemania X. A coin-toss on RAW further signified the two-match format for the big day.

In the opening contest of Wrestlemania X, Owen defeated Bret, the first of what would be many matches between the two. It was a great contest, easily the best opener in ‘Mania history. The other shocker about this match was that Owen pinned Bret clean as a sheet. With Bret as mega-huge at the time as he is, you’d almost think that a ‘cheap’ win would be the only way to go. In the long run, Owen benefitted big off the clean win.

In the main event of the show, Bret defeated Yokozuna (who had defeated Lex via DQ earlier) via pinfall after Yokozuna messed up (planned) a Bonzai Drop. Just like the Yoko/Luger match earlier with Mr. Perfect, this match had a special referee. Roddy Piper, whom Bret Hart had faced for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania VIII, made the call for this important match.

Speaking of Roddy, this wouldn’t be his last foray into representing Bret Hart at WrestleMania. Wrestlemania XI saw a match that was every bit as bad as Survivor Series 1994 was great. Bret Hart. Bob Backlund. Submissions only (well, it was really ‘I Quit’). Bret won, but in the long run it’s considered a match best served in the trash can.

Although XI wouldn’t mean much in the overall career of Bret Hart, XII sure would.

Bret would walk into WrestleMania XII as the WWE Champion. His opponent was Shawn Michaels, winner of the Royal Rumble for the second consecutive year. While most of the attention was on the Heartbreak Kid, Hart wasn’t exactly silent on the sidelines either. In the background, he was ready to prove he was the Iron Man about to paint a 60 minute masterpiece. Before the match, it was decided the match would go 0-0 in regulation with a forced overtime period. This would make a note of how tough either man was to beat. In what is the longest match in Wrestlemania history, Shawn defeated Bret in the second minute of overtime to clinch his first-ever WWE Championship. This would mark a sabbatical for Bret, whose stretch of in-ring time without a break was quickly approaching a decade.

While he was away, a new rival burst onto the scene.

Steve Austin entered WWE via a hot stint in ECW. While Austin’s early WWE days were nothing to write home about, one promo changed everything. After that King of the Ring promo, a newfound confidence arose in Austin. Confidence that allowed the rattlesnake to call out Bret Hart for a future challenge.

As summarized from Austin’s profile, the two would have on-going feud stemming from the fall of 1996. By the time Wrestlemania 13 rolled around, this duel had reached its apex.

It was yet another Submissions Match. Unlike the Backlund disaster of a couple of years before, this one was primed on being a masterpiece. Instead of swapping holds, these two were trading punches. Both men gave each other everything they had. Hart even bladed Austin, which in turn would give the WWE Universe some of the most iconic imagery in WrestleMania history. Austin’s resilience gave the fans ammunition to root Steve on while making Bret look like a transitional villain. Austin valiantly tried to get out of Bret’s Sharpshooter, but passed out in a pool of his own blood trying to get out. This match not only turned out to be a classic, but it is also regarded by many as the best double-turn in professional wrestling history.

Later on in 1997, the Montreal Screwjob reared its ugly head and people feared Bret would NEVER return to the WWE.

Upon a phone call and a handshake, Bret went to Stamford, Connecticut to meet with Vince McMahon and make his DVD. In this blogger’s opinion, it’s the best WWE DVD ever put out.

In turn, this led into his 2006 Hall of Fame induction. Who inducted ‘The Hitman’? None other than Austin himself. It was very fitting because not only did their legendary match happen in the Rosemont Horizon, but also it was a wild turning point for both men in their respective careers. Austin and Hart were also friends outside the ring and that made the request easier to accept.

At the dawn of 2010, Bret Hart returned to WWE and RAW to make amends with Shawn Michaels. After he did, Bret was thrust into a feud with Vince McMahon. This culminated into a No Holds Barred match at WM XXVI, a match that will go down as one of the slowest-paced matches in history. Hart persuaded his family members to turn on Vince, and it led to making Vince tap in Bret’s Sharpshooter.

Overall, Bret’s Wrestlemania history is like icing on the proverbial cake. He may not have singularly put WrestleMania on the map. Hell, he’s not considered a ‘Showstopper’, or ‘Headliner’, or ‘Main Event’, or even ‘Immortal’. Not only was he the excellence in execution, but Bret’s matches were amongst the best there ever would be.

---

CONTESTS

Wrestlemania II: Andre the Giant won a 20-Man Battle Royal Featuring WWE Superstars and NFL Players, lastly eliminating Bret Hart. (9:53) NR

Wrestlemania III: The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart, Jim “the Anvil” Neidhart, w/ Jimmy Hart) & ‘Dangerous Danny Davis defeated The British Bulldogs (Tom Billington and Davey Boy Smith) & Tito Santana in a Six-Man Tag Match by pinfall. (8:52) **1/2

Wrestlemania IV: Bad News Brown won a 20-Man Battle Royal by defeating Bret Hart last. (10:40). NR. After Brown’s victory, Bret proceeded to destroy the trophy, and therefore he turned face.

Wrestlemania V: The Hart Foundation defeated The Honky Tonk Man & Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart by pinfall. (7:37) **

Wrestlemania VI: The Hart Foundation defeated The Bolsheviks (Boris Zhukov and Nikolai Volkoff) by pinfall. (0:19) NR

Wrestlemania VII: The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs) w/ Jimmy Hart defeated The Hart Foundation by pinfall to capture the WWE Tag Team Championships. (12:10) **3/4

Wrestlemania VIII: Bret Hart defeated Roddy Piper by a reversal out of a sleeper into a pinfall to capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship. (13:51) ****1/4

Wrestlemania IX: Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji) defeated Bret Hart by pinfall to capture the WWE Championship. (8:55) **1/2. After the match, Hulk Hogan came out to ‘avenge’ Hart, and in a impromptu match, defeated Yokozuna to become WWE Champion.

Wrestlemania X: Owen Hart defeated Bret Hart by pinfall. (20:21) *****

- Bret Hart defeated Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) by pinfall to win the WWE Championship with Roddy Piper as special referee. (10:38) **1/2

Wrestlemania XI: Bret Hart defeated Bob Backlund in a “I Quit” Match after Roddy Piper determined that the sound Backlund made into the microphone was a submission. (9:34) *

Wrestlemania XII: Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart in a 60-minute Iron man match (1-0) to win the WWE Championship. This occurred in overtime. (1:01:56) ****1/2

Wrestlemania 13: Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin in a Submission Match after special guest referee Ken Shamrock deemed Steve Austin unable to compete due to blood loss. (22:05) ***** Launched Steve Austin into the stratosphere, and both men flipped roles post-match.

Wrestlemania 22: Bret Hart was inducted into the Hall of Fame by Steve Austin.

Wrestlemania XXVI: Bret Hart defeated Vince McMahon by submission in a No Holds Barred Match with Bruce Hart as special referee. (11:09) *

Overall Record: 8-6 (5 pinfall victories, 2 submission victories, and one referee stoppage win. 2 battle royal losses, 4 pinfall losses.)

Overall Combined Length In-Ring: 3:27:56 (3 hours, 27 minutes, and 56 seconds. That’s about 13:12 a contest.)

Technorati Tags: wwe championship,wwe,wrestling,blog,bad booking,bret hart,jim neidhart,jimmy hart,the hart foundation,danny davis,british bulldogs,tito santana,bad news brown,andre the giant,honky tonk man,greg valentine,boris zhukov,nikolai volkoff,the nasty boys,roddy piper,intercontinental championship,tag team championship,yokozuna,mr fuji,hulk hogan,king of the ring,owen hart,survivor series,lex luger,royal rumble,bob backlund,jim cornette,shawn michaels,submission,battle royal,iron man,steve austin,vince mcmahon,face,heel,hall of fame,no holds barred

The Story/Statistics of the Elimination Chamber

Let’s reset the clock. The fall of 2002 to be exact.

While the Monday Night War had been put to bed by over a year at this point, Eric Bischoff had another war to fight.

This time, as General Manager of RAW, he had to combat the voluptuous Stephanie McMahon of SMACKDOWN.

On the blue brand, Stephanie put Brock Lesnar, WWE Champion, inside Hell in the Cell with The Undertaker.  What resulted was an instant classic, full of brutal savagery that was the pinnacle of the feud at hand.

Bischoff knew he had to do something in order to counter-act this.

Enter the Elimination Chamber.

Announced on RAW shortly after No Mercy where the Hell in the Cell match took place, Bischoff announced five men to be in the match, with the sixth (Shawn Michaels) answering his invitation later.

This device of disaster was hidden from public view until the big day. When Survivor Series 2002 hit, no one realized what it’s full potential could be.

16 feet tall and 36 feet wide, this pentagonal-shaped structure of pain was designed to let men inflict severe damage upon one another.

There are three other notes to keep in mind when talking about the Chamber:

1. The “cage”, or what we know as the outer portion, is held together by chains. Not steel mesh, or blue bars, but chains like you’d see on tires in the winter time. There is about two tons of the material inside the chamber. When the PG rules went into effect, it was really hard not to imagine blood there because these chains really do inflict damage.

2. Connecting said cage to the ring, steel grates were built-in. Imagine if you were body-slammed onto your barbeque grill. That’s the concept in a nutshell. Now imagine superstars being hurled like cord-wood over the top and onto the floor! YEE-OUCH!

3. There are PODS in the damn thing. One pod for each corner of the ring, they are topped in chain, with plexiglass concealing it’s inhabitant from the outside action. This glass apparently can stop bullets, but not WWE superstars!

It maybe bulletproof, but it ain’t KANE PROOF!

In the first Chamber environment, it was a contest with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line.

To read more about the event and the match itself, please click on this review conjured up here.

If you didn’t click, long story short: it was a wonderfully done match, despite the pratfalls and botches that nearly conspired to ruin the thing. Triple H getting his throat crushed on a five-star from Rob Van Dam is one example, while certain superstars missing cues to do things is another.

Over the next decade, the Chamber laid waste to many superstars. With or without titles on the line, everyone who stepped foot into the Chamber walked out a changed person than what they were before.

Let’s take a look at the records of the men who have competed inside the Chamber:

Superstar	Record
Triple H	4-2 Won World Heavyweight Championship (1x) (2005) Won WWE Championship (1x) (2009 SMACKDOWN) Retained WHC (1x) (2003) Lost WHC (1x) (2002) Won #1 Contender (1x) (2008 RAW)
Shawn Michaels	1-3 Won WHC (1x) (2002) Ref’ed 2005 Chamber Screwed Undertaker out of WHC in 2010.
Chris Jericho	1-5 Won WHC (1x) (2010 SMACKDOWN)
Rob Van Dam	0-2
Booker T	0-1
Kane	0-5
Goldberg	0-1
Randy Orton	0-3
Kevin Nash	0-1
Edge	2-2 Won WHC Championship (1x) (2009 RAW) Lost WWE Championship (1x) (2009 SMACKDOWN) Retained WHC (1x) (2011 SMACKDOWN)
Chris Benoit	0-1
Batista	0-2
John Cena	3-1 Retained WWE Championship (1x) (2006 NYR) Won WWE Championship (1x) (2010 RAW) Lost WHC (1x) (2009 RAW) Won #1 Contender (1x) (2011 RAW)
Carlito	0-1
Chris Masters	0-1
Kurt Angle	0-1
Big Show	0-3 Lost ECW Championship (1x) (2006 D2D)
Hardcore Holly	0-1
CM Punk	0-3
Test	0-1
Bobby Lashley	1-0 Won ECW Championship (1x) (2006 D2D)
Finlay	0-1
MVP	0-1
The Great Khali	0-1
Big Daddy V	0-1
JBL	0-1
Umaga	0-1
Jeff Hardy	0-2
Vladimir Kozlov	0-1
Rey Mysterio	0-3
Mike Knox	0-1
Kofi Kingston	0-1
John Morrison	0-2
R-Truth	0-2
Drew McIntyre	0-1
Wade Barrett	0-1
Sheamus	0-2 Lost WWE Championship (1x) (2010 RAW)
Undertaker	1-2 Won #1 Contender (1x) (2008 SMACKDOWN) Lost WHC (1x) (2010 SMACKDOWN)
Ted DiBiase (Jr.)	0-1
John Morrison	0-2

 

Now before you start scratching your head at some of these, there are some statistics to go over.

- Triple H went coast-to-coast in 2002 (as in he started the match and was also there at the end).

- Shawn Michaels and Chris Jericho started a Chamber match twice (2003 and 2008 RAW).

- Edge is the only man to compete in two EC’s in one night. After losing the WWE Championship within the first five minutes of the SMACKDOWN match, Edge took Kofi Kingston out of the RAW match and went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship.

- Summerslam 2003 featured the shortest amount of time in-between combatants. In that match, it was three minutes.

- As noted above, Kane has lost the most amount of Chamber matches without winning one. Chris Jericho’s saving grace was the WHC victory in 2010 SMACKDOWN.

- Undertaker has been amongst the final two in all three matches he has been in. He defeated Batista in 2008 on a wicked Tombstone reversal. In 2009 he was pinned clean by Triple H. In 2010, he was taken out by Shawn Michaels, then pinned by Chris Jericho to lose the World Heavyweight Championship. Between Triple H/Shawn Michaels/Batista, they account for five  of ‘Taker’s matches at Wrestlemania.

- Triple H has been amongst the final two in all six matches he has been in. After losing the 2002 Survivor Series match, Triple H didn’t lose a Chamber match until 2010 when he lost to John Cena via a submission.

- Speaking of John Cena, he has one stat unique to him. He has lost the WWE Championship twice right after an Elimination Chamber match. At 2006’s New Year’s Revolution, he lost to Edge, who had Money in the Bank cashed in. In 2010, he lost to Batista, who had title match granted to him. Both announcements were made by Vince McMahon.

 

- Shawn Michaels is the only man to compete, referee. and interfere in EC matches.

- Undertaker was nearly fried extra crispy in 2010. During his entrance, the fire pyro went up at the wrong place and time, and thus the Phenom more than felt it. He is the only man to be injured during a Chamber match for something other than the match itself.

- Since 2008 when the EC was relegated to the February PPV, the last men standing who were CHAMPIONS have compiled a record of 4-1 at Wrestlemania. The only loser was Edge in 2009 when he lost the WHC to John Cena in a Triple Threat match. For anyone wondering, John Cena did indeed win the WWE Championship in the 2010 RAW Chamber match, and although he lost it mere minutes later, he would re-win the title at Wrestlemania, so the statistic still stands.

-Since 2008 when the EC was relegated to the February PPV, the last men standing who were #1 Contenders have compiled a record of 1-2 at Wrestlemania. The only winner was when Undertaker defeated Batista in the SMACKDOWN 2008 match, then defeated Edge for the WHC at Wrestlemania. Triple H lost at that year’s ‘Mania to Randy Orton, who actually pinned John Cena in that Triple Threat contest. Also, John Cena won his #1 contender RAW match from 2011, but lost at Wrestlemania to The Miz.

- Dolph Ziggler was “fired” from SMACKDOWN in 2011 (for a short time), and therefore his spot in that EC was opened up. Big Show filled the slot.

To wrap this up, this should be the hype-up page for the Chamber coming up February 19th. It’s amongst the most brutal matches in wrestling history, and there hasn’t been a totally bad match of the bunch. Should be a good PPV with two really good Chamber matches, everyone should enjoy this one!

Technorati Tags: wwe,wwe championship,world heavyweight championship,ecw championship,eric bischoff,survivor series,summerslam,no mercy,new years revolution,no way out,elimination chamber,triple h,shawn michaels,chris jericho,rob van dam,booker t,kane,randy orton,goldberg,kevin nash,edge,chris benoit,batista,chris masters,carlito,kurt angle,john cena,bobby lashley,big show,cm punk,test,hardcore holly,finlay,great khali,big daddy v,mvp,jeff hardy,jbl,umaga,vladimir kozlov,mike knox,kofi kingston,screwjob,sheamus,ted dibiase,r-truth,rey mysterio. john morrison,drew mcintyre,wade barrett,blood,pg,pod,plexiglass,bbq grill,chain,ton

Survivor Series- A Fantasy Card

With Survivor Series hailing from Madison Square Garden just a few weeks away, this blogger has got that “fantasy card” thing going on.

Before I start, I’ll make a little disclaimer that what you’re about to read is not representative of WWE and their employees. This is not a “bash” or “praise” WWE post, as it is just opinion and opinion only. All I can hope is that I’ve entertained some people, so here it goes! I’m going with most important match, on down... (might I also note I’m not that good coming up with team names...)

MAIN EVENT TRADITIONAL SURVIVOR SERIES MATCH: Team Diesel (Diesel, The Miz, R-Truth, Wade Barrett & WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio) vs. Team Hunter (Triple H, Zack Ryder, The Rock, John Cena, & CM Punk)

I’m basing this match off of a “what if”. A what if there was a big ol’ swerve come Monday night on RAW.

For starters, we got the CM Punk vs. Mark Henry contest as mandated by interim GM John Laurinaitis. If Punk wins, he will get a WWE Championship match at Survivor Series. This is where the “fantasy” part comes in.

At the very beginning of the show, John slides in a stipulation in addition that Punk must win the match via pinfall or submission. DQ’s and count-outs, like a real title match, will you get nothing.

The match would come down to Punk about to get the World’s Strongest Slam, but wiggles free. Punk, while trying to get Henry up for the Go To Sleep, instead gets low-blowed and destroyed as the match ends. Henry hits the WSS, and therefore the GM comes out. John informs Punk that since he won the match via DQ, that he will not get a title match at Survivor Series. However, he’ll do the next best thing.

He notices a lot of loose ends to be tied up, and since it’s Survivor Series where team-work along shaky alliances is the name of the game, why not go there. CM Punk will be on the most star-studded team in history. He will once again team up with Triple H, but also have The Rock and John Cena with them as they face Awesome-Truth, Kevin Nash, and Alberto Del Rio. Statler and Waldorf at the end do one of their wise-crack, “Ho ho ho, this show stunk. Be here next week? Yep!”

Later on in the week on SD, Wade Barrett verbalizes a promo where he believes he’s being held down. He calls out Zack Ryder, because he believes Ryder doesn’t deserve “big matches” like he did. They spout off against each other’s credentials, comparing a win over Cena to getting noticed on Youtube.

Triple H as COO makes a Titantron appearance and invites Zack Ryder to his team, while telling Barrett he will not ignore him and puts him on Diesel’s team. Both men brawl and battle the next week where Barrett cheats to win.

Expect a ton of verbal smackdowns, physical smackdowns, and well, a lot of smackdownery heading into MSG. And yes, expect a face win, but only at the expense of Rock/Cena getting the double-pin over Awesome Truth. Ryder takes out Barrett, but Ryder gets double-teamed out by AT. Diesel and Triple H will be counted out, but in the shocking twist of the match, Alberto makes Punk tap, but gets DQ’ed for holding the move too long! This will set up Punk/Del Rio for TLC, and perhaps Cena in a handicap match for the next PPV as well. Diesel/Triple H will be like Shawn Michaels/Diesel In the sense where Survivor Series starts the major angle heading into ‘Mania, but in the case of the former, it really started at Summerslam.

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, LAST MAN STANDING: Mark Henry (C) vs. Big Show

Ever since coming back from his injury, Big Show has never been more determined to take down a monster.

Show came back and destroyed Henry on SMACKDOWN, leading into a powerhouse match at Vengeance.

The ferocity of the men was so great, the ring collapsed in its wake. While it led to a No Contest, to think Henry is done with Show is not the right assumption at all.

At SS, the ring will most likely be re-enforced to sustain any power move. The announcer tables will not be a place to hide, and any weapon is fair game.

In this realization, it will most likely be a Mark Henry “cheap-out” win where after a huge move is done, Henry barely gets back on his feet before the count of ten. Show on the mean-hand, is just out of it. This will end the feud, and Henry will go on to who’s next. Maybe Kane, who knows.

TRADITIONAL SURVIVOR SERIES MATCH:  Team RKO (Randy Orton, Sheamus, Evan Bourne & Kofi Kingston) vs. Team Grotesque (Cody Rhodes, Christian, “Evil” Sin Cara, Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger w/ Vickie Guerrero)

Call this match a “greatest hits” compilation of the mid-card.

Christian needs to beat Sheamus. Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger have been so close to destroying Air Boom. More importantly, Cody Rhodes needs that breakthrough win against Randy Orton to cement his path to the main event scene.

While the build-up has been on-going on all angles for several months, let’s not forget one thing: in order to build up credible good guys, the bad guys need one too.

Which is why is match will have a heel winner.

Now before I get into when the eliminations are going to fall, let me tell you that this match will be the longest one on the card in terms of action, and hopefully will get some guys majorly over.

Here’s the list now:

1. Evil Sin Cara (count-out, because Good Sin Cara is a distraction)

2. Kofi Kingston (pinfall, a double-finisher by ZigSwag did it of bomb and sleeper)

3. Evan Bourne (pinfall, eventually same thing as above after Evan misses his Shooting Star. Don’t be surprised if this is the TLC match at TLC)

4. Dolph Ziggler (submission, Daniel Bryan locked LaBell on good and tight)

5. Daniel Bryan (pinfall, Jack Swagger bombed his ass into the mat almost immediately after Dolph’s submission)

6. Sheamus (pinfall, gets inadvertently the double-boot in the face corner and Cody Rhodes takes advantage)

7. Jack Swagger (pinfall, eats RKO by Randy Orton)

8. Randy Orton (pinfall, numbers game from Christian and Cody Rhodes is too great. Christian hits the Killswitch while Rhodes covers and places the bag over the head of Orton. Fan-boys EVERYWHERE will rejoice)

FATAL-FOUR-WAY MATCH FOR THE DIVAS CHAMPIONSHIP: Beth Phoenix (C) vs. Natalya vs. Kelly Kelly vs. Eve Torres

I sense major potential in this, even if the match doesn’t turn out that great.

The GM on RAW says he wants to shake things up. He will make friends and foes go up against one another in a fatal-four-way for the Divas Championship.

While Kelly and Eve seem to have a game plan worked up, Natalya and Beth are a little concerned. They’re both competitive women whose egos will make them turn on each other like venomous snakes. Both of them nod their head in agreement, and look at the “bimbos” who wait before them.

Eve and Kelly dominate the match, but would be caught up in their own dominance. Beth and Natalya get momentum back on their side, and that would be the beginning of the end.

Beth would hit her Glam Slam on Kelly while Natalya would put Eve in the Sharpshooter.

In this, the ref starts to count 1-2-3, but before the ref makes it all the way down to 3, Eve submits! Therefore the ref tells Justin Roberts that since Eve submitted before the pinfall was made, we have a NEW Diva’s Champion!

After the match, Beth and Natalya hug and shake hands, but Beth pulls in her friend. A re-match will be in order: a ladder match at TLC! Pimp the new Ladder Match 2: Crash & Burn disc set, and it’ll be worthwhile.

____________________________________________

Before you go “wait, that’s only four matches,” let’s not forget that the old-school Survivor Series events were only 4 or 5 match shows. Those cards though featured pretty much every single important person on the roster, and really made that gimmick/match important.

With a promo segment or two, this will easily flesh out to at least 2 hours and 40 minutes. Entrances are long, and there will be a “pimp-out MSG” video vignette. Hope you all enjoyed reading this.

 

del.icio.us Tags: wwe,wwf,blog,survivor series,triple h,john cena,kevin nash,alberto del rio,cm punk,zack ryder,wade barrett,r-truth,the miz,the rock,beth phoenix,natalya,eve torres,kelly kelly,maxim,big show,mark henry,christian,randy orton,cody rhodes,evan bourne,kofi kingston,dolph ziggler,jack swagger,sin cara,daniel bryan