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SEScoops Mailbag for April 15th
(submit YOUR questions to [email protected])
Q: So is the Kane/Undertaker feud that was going on before Taker was buried alive completely over or are they going to go back to it upon Taker’s return? – Ryan B.
A: You assume that Undertaker will return for a program at some point, but that’s not etched in stone. If he’s back before next year’s Mania, it sounds like Triple H will be waiting for him. Also, it would be mighty difficult to take such a feud seriously considering that Kane has seemingly reverted back to being a babyface. Going from blowing Santino’s trombone on TV (hmm, that doesn’t sound PG) back to being a heel to feud with Taker seems unlikely, and you know what, I hope it doesn’t happen. For years, Kane lost virtually all of his singles matches against his brother and FINALLY racks up a string of PPV wins over him last year without retribution. It would be rather fitting for their feud to end on such a note.
Q: [Some time] ago, someone sent you a question asking about the first cage match being in 1937 and if it was true. That brought a couple of questions to mind for me. When was the chair first used in a match, as well as the first table? – Bryan Weeks
A: First, it’s impossible to know for sure when the first chair shot or first table bump took place. They each could have occurred in some random match in Japan 40 years ago for all we know. Now, with that disclaimer out of the way, some research indicates the use of folding chairs in pro wrestling isn’t really traceable prior to the 1950’s. It is believed that Dory Funk Sr. might have been the first to use them in Texas. He is credited not only for the creation of the Texas Death Match, but wrestling in over 250 of them himself. Seeing as how these were essentially no-holds-barred, anything goes brawls with weapons, the chair was used here a time or two. As for the table, if we’re talking about taking a bump onto or through one, it can be traced as far back as Memphis in the early 80’s.
Q: What was the deal with HBK and the HHH/Undertaker match? Hunter made a big thing about asking Shawn why he was going to beat Taker at WrestleMania on the Raw before, but nothing came of it. Was this an idea [Vince] scrapped afterwards? – Alex L.
A: Hunter and Undertaker pretty much had full control over their match and the buildup to it. Vince didn’t nix anything. Of course, WWE decided that Taker was not losing, but I don’t think that was ever going to be a disputed finish, anyway. As for the go-home Raw show where Michaels appeared and seem to tease something with Hunter, I think you simply read too much into it. My interpretation was that Hunter asked Shawn to tell everyone why he was going to win at Mania, but after hearing Undertaker’s comments earlier in that same segment, HBK freaked and realized that Hunter truly had an impossible task ahead of him. Even though they were best friends, HBK “found religion” and realized that his buddy didn’t stand a chance, hence why he kept saying “I’m sorry, you can’t win” at the end of the segment.
Q: What are your thoughts on the FCW divas division? Some people say it’s better than the divas division on Raw or Smackdown. – Tyler Johnson
A: Who might these people be, pray tell? Just curious. I don’t have access to FCW television since I’m not in Florida, but a cursory check of the FCW website shows seven divas on their roster, all but two of whom were part of the cast from NXT Season Three, including Kaitlyn who won the competition and briefly appeared on Smackdown before being relegated back to developmental. Aksana is apparently their champion, which is frightening. Naomi is probably the most athletically gifted of the bunch, so I can see her doing well. Raquel Diaz is listed as Diva of the Month and she is of course the daughter of Eddie and Vickie Guerrero (which is clearly stated in her bio, which begs the question why they had to give her a different last name). I haven’t seen her wrestle yet, but she’s apparently green as grass, which is to be expected. Lastly, the only thing I know about Sonia is that she’s done some announcing down there and is currently dating Jerry Lawler. It’s good to be the king.
Q: Will the NWO storyline ever brought back to WWE? With Kevin Nash back and possibly X-pack, Big Show, this can be a good angle to turn The CORRE & NEXUS under the NWO banner? – Mohammed
A: This would be a horrible idea. The NWO has been dead and buried since 2002 and that is where it shall stay. Nash is back under a Legends deal with WWE, but has no business being in the ring for more than a token match here and there. Sean Waltman is on good terms with the company and could end up with them in a training capacity at some point, but his Hepatitis C would preclude him from being cleared to wrestle under their Wellness policy. As far as “turning” Nexus and The Corre under the NOW banner, I’m not sure what you mean, but it doesn’t matter. Whether you’re talking about a feud or an alliance, or if you were going to use the NWO to help put over the newer factions, nobody would take them seriously in 2011.
Q: Why did TNA all of a sudden get rid of their octagon ring to get a square ring to copy WWE? – Devin G.
A: They actually had a hexagon ring. An octagon has 8 sides and is what UFC uses. Plain and simple, it was a call made by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff when they first came to TNA over a year ago. They have a more traditional view of what pro wrestling should be, although you would never know it watching Impact on most weeks. And I wouldn’t say they “stole” the idea from WWE, either. For decades, pro wrestling promotions have used a 4-sided ring. It’s not as though Vince McMahon can be credited for being the first to use it.
Q: What’s the real story behind Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels? Was there some major falling out? Did Michaels squash Janetty’s singles push? Or is it simply that Michaels career “took off” and Marty’s didn’t? The reason I ask is because recently Jannetty made some sarcastic comments regarding the HOF induction of Shawn Michaels. What happened that there’s still bad blood after all these years? – Matt Isaia
A: Not sure if these are the remarks you are referencing, but Jannetty had been asked the week before WrestleMania if he would be attending HBK’s induction in Atlanta. His response was, “I want to be there, but the cab ride from where I am is over 22 dollars and 23 cents, give or stank a dolla.” I didn’t realize the crack house was that far from the arena, but I digress. I’m not aware of any lingering bad blood between the two as I had heard they made amends years ago. I know Marty was unhappy when the Rockers were broken up, but Shawn never tried to sabotage Marty’s single career, Marty did a fine job of doing that himself with his hard partying. In 2004, it was Michaels who actually “saved” Marty and baptized him at an event in Phoenix (there are photos floating around online that show he and Marty in a pool together during the baptism). The following year, in promoting Michaels’ match with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania, they even did a Rockers reunion on Raw.
Q: I haven’t seen Ezekiel Jackson in action many times since he joined The Corre except for a few minutes in the 2 out of 3 falls last week on Smackdown. Is he still injured or just kept for the house shows or what because I think he is a great talent and he has the size and the charisma to be a great superstar in WWE? – E.H. from Egypt
A: He stinks in the ring, that’s why you don’t see him wrestling all that much. He’s just not that good. It’s the same reason you don’t see Vladimir Koslov in the ring too much, or Great Khali. They’re limited in what they can do and you need to hide a person’s weaknesses and accentuate their strengths. In the case of Big Zeke, I do think there’s a charisma there that has not yet been tapped.
Q: I’ve always wondered this, is every move planned for a match or are they just told who has to win and its just their job to make it like that? – Harrison M.
A: No match is scripted move for move. In fact, the only time I can recall hearing of such a thing in a big promotion was Randy Savage mapping out his match with Ricky Steamboat move for move, months before their WrestleMania 3 bout. They are given a finish and while certain spots may be suggested for them to incorporate into the match, the workers are left of the their own accord to plan certain spots for their match and call the rest of it in the ring.
Q: I’m from Kentucky and I have always wanted to go to a WrestleMania in KY so I will have a story to tell when I am older (as in 60-70). Is WrestleMania ever coming to Kentucky? – Arthur Bradley Lewis
A: Let’s put it this way. I don’t think you will have a story to tell even if you live to be 100.
Keep those questions coming to [email protected] and remember to include your name!
