Showing posts with label smackdown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label smackdown. Show all posts

Monday, July 20, 2009

WWE Storyline Cancelled


A member of the WWE Smackdown creative team pitched an angle for the Dolph Ziggler and Maria storyline which would have had Ziggler blackmailing Maria with video footage.


THE SEX-TAPE SQUAD?

It would have been heavily implied that the footage was a sex tape, although they never would have come right out and said it. The proposed angle called for Ziggler threatening that he would show it to her family and friends, but not any of the fans.

The angle was rejected.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Triple H Interview


Dave McCoy at MSN Entertainment interviewed WWE Champion Triple H to promote the 500th episode of Friday Night Smackdown.


THE KING OF INTERVIEWS

Here are some of the highlights:

The Road:

"It's funny because I'll watch those VH1 "Behind the Music" shows and I'll hear these bands say, "After four months on the road, we're ready to crack. We're at each other's throats." I'm thinking, "Four months?" We don't have time when we don't tour. That's the thing that's a bit daunting about what we do. You know, we have WrestleMania 25 coming up and it's our Super Bowl. Once that Super Bowl is over, there is a party, but if you are a top guy you really don't want to go to the party too long because you have to get up the next morning. You have a live TV show the next night, a live "RAW," and it starts all over again. It's a never-ending cycle."

Working for Vince McMahon:

"Well, the good thing is I had a really good relationship with him before I even met Steph. We had a great relationship not only from a talent standpoint, but I used to work a lot with Vince hand-in-hand to create story lines behind the scenes, not just for myself but other guys. But if you have ever met Vince, he's a complex man and it can be trying. There are times he wants to choke me and there are times when I want to choke him.....But we are very careful to separate the two out. I can be in the office and we can have a big drag-out over something to the point where he wants to strangle me, but then two hours later we all go to dinner and it's like nothing ever happened. There is business and personal. If it was going to destroy my personal life, I would walk away from the business. My kids are going to grow up knowing their grandparents. No business or job is that important."

Backstage Work vs. Performing:

"When I come up with a good idea in the back, there's not 70,000 people standing up and cheering. [Laughter.] Usually when I have an idea in the back, it is dismissed and Vince will bring it up later and pretend it is his idea. There's nothing like it. And that is why you see guys like Ric Flair and the older guys and they are still doing it. I get it. Even if they don't need the money, I get it. There is something about going out there and entertaining people and having them go crazy. I don't think that's just our business. I think that is why the Stones still play or AC/DC puts out albums. You see these guys performing, very late in their lives and acting like kids. It's an addictive thing to be able to go out there and do what you do and have that many people express their appreciation for it. It's a trip. If you go to an event, or a WrestleMania, and you sit there and feel that energy and then imagine being on that stage and that energy being directed at you ... it's an amazing, addictive thing."

Heel vs. Babyface:

"If I had my way, I'd have been a heel my whole career. I compare it to Darth Vader by the second or third movie, when he came on, you started saying, "Yeah!" Even though he was trying to kill Luke Skywalker... he was just cool. There was a point in time with my character where I had been here a long time, I had a certain amount of respect [from the fans] and ... you know, I beat up a lot of people and caused mayhem, and to teenagers and kids, that is cool. It just became a cool character and we were struggling ... the worse things we thought I was doing, the louder the audience would cheer me for it. I was coming out and drilling a guy with a sledgehammer and people would go nuts. So I had no choice as people basically turned me. If I thought it would work, I'd turn back in a minute."

You can read the entire piece by clicking here.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Kizarny Released


WWE is basically shooting SmackDown Superstars in a barrel, as Kizarny (pictured above) has been released by the company.


KIZARNY KUT

Kizarny (Real name: Nick Cvjetkovich), was signed by the WWE in July 2007 and debuted on the main roster in October 2008, staring in various vignettes (Promo videos introducing a persona to the audience).

He didn't officially make his WWE in-ring debut until January 2009, after spending time in WWE's training camp, Florida Championship Wrestling.

Kizarny was previously a carnival freak, a persona that he transferred into his on air character.

He originally broke in on the Canadian/Michigan independent scene alongside lifelong friends Edge and Christian. He also worked for TNA a few years back as part of Jim Mitchell's "New Church".


KRAZY KOMMENTS

Before being released, Kizarny posted a blog (which has already been taken down) on the official WWE Universe fan-to-superstar page, where he said one of his goals was:

"...To convince Vince McMahon to dress up as Doink the Clown and then they can go after tag team gold."

I guess Vince must not have been impressed. Kizarny also blogged that he wanted to have all the gold in WWE.


FINAL THOUGHT

Somehow, I don't think Kizarny winning WWE Gold will happen.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Future of SmackDown



With the current economic crisis affected the global economic market, no one is safe.

This even includes TV stations, as MyNetworkTV, the company that broadcasts SmackDown to the US Market, is under financial pressure.


WWE RESPONDS


WWE.com was quick to reply to the claims that MyNetworkTV was no longer going to broadcast new episodes of TV-Shows, but instead were going to host re-runs to famous shows, including Law and Order.

Luckily, for the wrestling world, SmackDown is not affected.

The following was taken from WWE.com

"STAMFORD, CT – February 9, 2009 – In light of today’s announcement by MyNetworkTV, World Wrestling Entertainment® officials are certain that SmackDown has a bright future.

WWE SmackDown, airing on Friday nights at 8:00/7:00 PM Central on MyNetworkTV, is the number one program on Friday nights on all broadcast television for males under the age of 50, including the key advertiser demos, M12-17 and M18-34.

WWE SmackDown will enter its 10th consecutive year this Fall, attesting to the popularity and longevity of the brand.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/."



FINAL THOUGHT


Glad to see the SmackDown is not being affected by MyNetworkTV's drastic economic changes.

Which, in turn, makes us able to continue to watch SmackDown on Fox8

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Trish Stratus on Victoria's Retirement


Trish Stratus has spoken publicly about Victoria's decision to retire from World Wrestling Entertainment


STRATUS SPEAKS

Trish has a new WWE Universe blog up, discussing Victoria's retirement, stating:

"Her departure was the last of a group of women who collectively raised the bar in women's wrestling. A time when of the core players that made up the women's roster, 9 of them were champions, 6 of them becoming champion for the first time, second time, etc. During that time we saw the introduction of new characters and the reinvention of others, good guys and bad, each offering something different than the other - a flavor for everyone."

You can check out the full blog here.


FINAL THOUGHT

Sad to see Victoria leave - but great to hear from Trish again.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 Patch



THQ has announced a new Create-A-Superstar Patch for the PS3 version of WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009.


FINALLY, AN UPDATE!


THQ Inc. and JAKKS Pacific, Inc. today announced the availability of a Create-a-Superstar patch for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system. The patch, available via PlayStation®Network, will let players give their created Superstars increased attributes following a one-time completion of the game's Career Mode, as well as allow players to accept or decline Superstar abilities once they are unlocked. In addition, players may enter the code "MAXCAS" to provide created Superstars with increased attributes in lieu of repeating Career Mode play.

A Create-a-Superstar patch for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft is expected to release in early 2009.

"The Create-a-Superstar feature has always been a very popular component of the WWE SmackDown vs. Raw franchise," said Cory Ledesma, senior creative manager, THQ. "The new patch will give players more flexibility and greatly enhance their ability to fully customize multiple Created Superstars at the same time."


More information about WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 can be found at www.smackdownvsraw.com and www.thq.com.


FINAL THOUGHT

The arrangement to improve a Create A Superstar in this years version of the SmackDown vs Raw series was a joke.

Thank god for this patch -- this actually makes me want to go out, buy a PS3 and play the game.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

SMACKDOWN RESULTS 23rd January 2009


WWE SMACKDOWN Results
(Set to air 23rd January 2009)

OPENING PROMO

Edge cuts the opening promo. Matt Hardy runs out and takes him outside the ring. Edge runs.


FIRST MATCH
The Undertaker defeated Shelton Benjamin in a non-title match.


SECOND MATCH
The Great Khali defeated Chavo Guerrero


THIRD MATCH
The Bella Twins defeated Michelle McCool & Natalya


FOURTH MATCH
Edge defeated Matt Hardy


FIFTH MATCH
John Morrison & The Miz defeated Carlito & Primo Colon in a non-title match.


SIXTH MATCH
Vladimir Kozlov vs. Triple H

During the match Vickie Guerrero comes out and says it's now a handicap match with The Big Show.


SIXTH MATCH (cont.)
Vladimir Kozlov defeated The Big Show & Triple H in a Handicap Match

Vladimir Kozlov pins Triple H for the win. Edge comes out and gets pedigreed by Hunter.

When Edge recovers, he gets on the mic and tries to talk but his microphone keeps cutting out. He gets frustrated and elbow-drops the mic.

This ends next week's SmackDown.


WWE Diva Victoria Retires


Victoria has apparently worked her last match with WWE.


FINAL SMACKDOWN

According to live reports from tonight's SmackDown taping in Omaha, Nebraska, Victoria lost to Michelle McCool in a match that will air on this week's edition of SmackDown.

After the bout, Victoria announced that she was finished with WWE.

This doesn't appear to be a work, as Victoria reportedly gave notice to WWE officials a couple of months ago stating that she would be retiring from the company.


FUTURE PROJECTS

Victoria opened a custom car shop in Louisville, Kentucky last May and is said to be pursuing other career opportunities.


FINAL THOUGHT

Victoria was the last "diva" who could actually wrestle.

Now, we're all going to have to sit back and watch Michelle McCool do a really bad job as a heel - and Maria continue to be a babyface.

Lame.

SMACKDOWN RESULTS 15th January 2009


WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS
(Set to air 15th January 2009)

Dark Match:
Kung Fu Naki defeated Ryan Braddock via a Kung Fu Kick

SmackDown: (Airing This Friday)
SmackDown opens with Triple H & Vickie Guerrero.

FIRST MATCH
Matt Hardy & Finlay defeated Jack Swagger & Mark Henry


SECOND MATCH
R-Truth deafeated The Brian Kendrick.

After the match Ezekiel Jackson attacks Truth.


THIRD MATCH
MVP defeated The Big Show

MVP got the win after Triple H hit Big Show with a sledgehammer.


FOURTH MATCH
Michelle McCool defeated Victoria

After the match Victoria said she quits WWE.



FINAL SEGMENT

The Cutting Edge is up next.

Edge invites out Jeff Hardy. As he enters his pyro blows up in his face and he is stretchered out (obviously a work).

This ends this week’s edition of SmackDown.



Umaga Set to Return


Looks like we are in the running for not one, but two superstars to return to the WWE ring.

Umaga's return date has been set.


COMEBACK SPIKE

Fans around the world have been tuning into SmackDown and have all scene the Umaga return promos. The annoying thing about these promos is that they never officially set a date - they just write "Returns to SmackDown".

Great. Like we couldn't figure that bit out for ourselves.


DATE SET

I reported earlier about Mr. Kennedy's Comeback. It now looks like he'll be sharing this day with Umaga.

They have both now been advertised for the February 27th Cornwall, Ontario Smackdown House Show, and are set to verse one another.


FINAL THOUGHTS

Good to see Umaga finally returning. In light of Batista being out of action, the WWE need more superstars to cover up the gap.