In his mediocre attempt to bring back Extreme Championship Wrestling, Vince McMahon launched the “new breeds” first pay per view since its return, entitled “December to Dismember.” Although the show didn’t go as smoothly as McMahon would have liked, it did put gold around the waist of a new ECW champion. Up and rising superstar Bobby Lashley survived the weapons filled extreme elimination chamber match, defeating the Big Show, RVD, Sabu, CM Punk and Test.
Team Extreme is back in action. The show they belong to, however, is a little foggy. The Hardys reunited on Raw, but have been spotted on Smackdown and competed at ECW’s December to Dismember. Whatever network they decide to call home, wrestling fans are no doubt happy to see them back together. The only disappointment may be the lack of build up their reunion received.
It’s great that Matt and Jeff Hardy are in the same ring again, but the reunion everyone is really excited about is the joining of D-Generation X! Hints of Shawn Michaels and Triple H joining forces again started before WrestleMania 22 last April. The Chicago crowd exploded when both HBK and Triple H threw out the crotch chop during their matches. The boys got back together at Vengeance and have been raising hell ever since.
Emotions filled the wrestling world when wwe.com announced legend Rowdy Roddy Piper had been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Piper returned home early from the United Kingdom tour and underwent surgery. According to wwe.com, “doctors removed a large mass at the spinal cord with an enlarged lymph node.”
Piper gives WWE fans credit for saving his life on two occasions. “When I was 15, it took me off the streets and kept me out of jail,” Piper said. “This time, thanks to WWE fans who voted me in Cyber Sunday, I was able to find cancer.” Piper also told wwe.com that after receiving four weeks of radiation treatment, he expects to walk out of the hospital with a clean bill of health.
WWE is maintaining its powerful stance in the wrestling business, but TNA is gaining a lot of fire and fast. Total Nonstop Action is a young wrestling program that has been airing on Spike TV for about four years. TNA matches move at a much faster pace and have fewer false finishes. The wrestlers with TNA are given much more creative freedom. This means that instead of being given a script to read, the performers are given a mike and thrown in front of the camera. That’s how it should be in the wrestling business.
TNA has been picking up a lot of WWE’s former talent. The first to make wrestling fans’ jaws drop by making the transition was Christian Cage. The real shocker though, was when Kurt Angle crossed over. Tyson Tomko, also recently released by the WWE, has signed with TNA. Rumors have been floating around that WWE superstars like the Big Show and RVD could be looking to sign with TNA as well. Could you imagine RVD in the X- division? Wrestling fans could only hope.
WWE superstars look towards TNA for other possible employment because TNA offers a much easier work schedule. The travel schedule that WWE follows is a grueling one. Between shows, travel time and publicity projects, superstars often work up to 300 days out of the year. That doesn’t leave much time for family, or physical recovery. With TNA there would be very limited traveling, and the athletes work for only one month at a time.
TNA has been throwing out threats to WWE on the air Thursday nights on Spike TV. Could we be seeing a return of the Monday night wars? Who knows, but if RVD does cross over to the X division, Vince could be given a run for his money.
Comment Policy: Comments are welcomed and encouraged. However, the editorial board reserves the right to edit or delete, without notice, any comments submitted to the blog. For more details, see our full Comment Policy.