November 2006 News Archive

As if Sandman vs. Hardcore Holly wasn't random enough for December to Dismember this Sunday, here's the latest non-sensical match to be added to the card:

• Tommy Dreamer vs. Daivari

Can't you just smell the buy rates now, ECW fans?!?

The 11/23 (Thanksgiving) edition of TNA iMPACT! drew a final 0.9 cable rating with a 1.5 share. This number has to be considered a success despite a .1 drop with the show falling on a holiday.

The 11/25 Saturday replay of TNA iMPACT! drew a 0.5 cable rating with a 1.0 share.

How disorganized is the WWE when it comes to ECW? Let's see ...

There are currently only two booked matches - for an event that takes place this weekend. One of them is the Extreme Elimination Chamber. The other is the Hardy Boyz vs. MNM.

It looks as though a third has been added, between a pair of wrestlers not even feuding at the moment. Sandman will take on Hardcore Holly.

Is it really that difficult to pay attention to the ECW brand? Why bring it back, WWE, if you have no intention of building it up?

According to PWtorch.com, relationships between WWE wrestlers and WWE Divas are at an all-time high. One source said some move from partner to partner "like it's high school now; week to week it's different."

Maria, for instance, was reportedly involved with Carlito before moving onto a relationship with CM Punk.

And Torrie Wilson, who recently separated from husband Billy Kidman, has already begun dating one of the Spirit Squad members.

One veteran actually believes that the backstage atmosphere in WWE could have played a part in Lita's disinterest in continuing with the company.

Says the source: "It's a men's club, even with Steph around. The men are all knights in shining armour and the women are all seen as whores."

That's harsh ... but sounds like it may be true.

We reported yesterday that the main event for Armageddon would be Batista and a mystery partner against King Booker and Finlay.

That mystery partner has now been revealed as ... John Cena.

Really, WWE? Come on. This is a SMACKDOWN event. Why must you throw in a RAW superstar? The Smackdown brand will never grow as long as you treat it in such a second class fashion.

In an idiotic publicity stunt, BG James and Kip James (aka The Voodoo Kin Mafia) have accepted the open challenge laid out by the Hardy Boyz for ECW's December To Dismember this Sunday.

In an article on the TNA Wrestling website, the team makes the challenge and says that even though "another team" has accepted (MNM), they would like to makie it a three way dance at the pay-per-view.

BG James said: "You know Vince – a funny thing happened on Monday afternoon on your website when we were watching your little online press conference. When the Hardys made the open challenge, I couldn’t help but hear the fans chanting ‘VKM.'

Some other tag team may have accepted it, but it’s still an open challenge and the Voodoo Kin Mafia want in the match – so let’s make it a three-way. You have until this Thursday night before iMPACT! goes on the air to give us an answer.”

The Wrestling Post take: Talk about a desperate attempt at attention. These are two different companies. The VKM are not employees of Vince or the WWE. Of course they can't actually participate in a WWE event.

Any wrestling fan with a quarter of a brain knows how ridiculous of a supposed challenge this is. TNA should focus on its own brand instead of trying to mock the most successful wrestling outfit in history ... especially when BG and Kip and simply stealing their own antics from their DX days.

This is a troubling story.

Smackdown is under fire in Indonesia after a nine-year old boy was killed last month. Speculation is that the child was killed by blows from someone mimicking wrestling moves after watching the show.

Widespread media coverage and public discussion in that nation has focused on the possibility that the WWE is to blame.Private broadcaster Lativi airs the show in Indonesia and illegal video copies are sold across the world's fourth most populous country. Schoolboys are a leading fanbase.

"It is just proper for these kind of shows to be wisely stopped. It seems as if there are no better shows," Women Empowerment Minister Meutia Hatta said on Elshinta news radio on Wednesday.

"This is not only a problem for parents to deal with. This is about society failing to filter what shows are good for our children," she added.

For more on this story, click here.

After her final match at Survivor Series, Lita posted the following message on her MySpace page:

So, to say I was disappointed with my final moments with WWE is quite an understatement. It was comforting to read all your comments and emails when I got home. I appreciate that you were able to see I did my best in the situation that was handed to me to give you guys an entertaining match and play along and be a professional with the other stuff that went along with my big farewell night.

The following report is courtesy of lordsofpain.net ...

ECW begins with Paul Heyman and his security force in the ring. This Sunday, he will present the Extreme Elimination Chamber. Six men will sacrifice everything for the ECW championship. Heyman runs down the rules for the match, which are the same as any other elimination chamber, except the men locked in the pod will also have a weapon in the pod with them. Heyman has his security team demonstrate the possible damage that can be caused by the weapons in the match, which include a chair, table, crowbar, and a barbwire baseball bat.

Rob Van Dam vs Sabu
- Match starts with back and forth counter moves. RVD monkey flips Sabu for a 2 count. Back and forth and then RVD sticks Sabu with a German suplex pin for another 2. Sabu goes for RVD’s knee again and follows up with a springboard leg drop. Sabu goes for a moonsault from the ring apron, but finds nothing but mat. RVD hits Sabu with rolling thunder for 2. Sabu connects with a springboard lariat followed by two springboard clotheslines for 2. Sabu attempts a springboard DDT, but is unable to connect. RVD lands the 5 Star Frog Splash for the win.
Winner: Rob Van Dam

Before the commercial break, a video recap of Lashley joining the Extreme Elimination Chamber match and the ensuing drama with the Big Show is shown.

Matt and Jeff Hardy vs Sylvester Terkay and Elijah Burke
- Jeff and Burke start the match. Quick back and forth action. Jeff lands a hurricanrana on Burke and tags in Matt. Matt locks Burke in a sleeper hold, but Burke counters into a slam. Matt tags Jeff back in. Jeff jumps over the top rope and kicks Burke in the head. Jeff connects with an inverted atomic drop. Jeff bounces off the ropes but catches a kick in the back from Terkay. Burke hits Jeff with a leg sweep. Terkay gets the tag. Terkay hits some head butts on Jeff before hitting a big power slam for 2. Jeff is whipped into the corner, but dodges a Terkay spear. Jeff tags in Matt. Jeff lands a Swanton that allows Matt to pick up the pin. After the win, MNM rush the ring. MNM lay the smack down on Matt and Jeff.
Winner: The Hardy Boyz
CM Punk vs Test

- Test and CM Punk lock up. Test takes and early advantage over Punk with elbows and kicks. Punk comes back with some elbow shots of his own. Test takes Punk down with a clothesline. Test throws Punk to the outside. Test picks up Punk and heads for the ring post. Punk slides down Test’s back and pushes him into the ring post. Punk rolls Test back into the ring. Punk connects with a springboard clothesline. Punk lands a series of knees, but Test counters into a sidewalk slam for 2. Test works on the neck and shoulder of Punk. Punk hits a double leg lariat that knocks Test outside of the ring. Punk lands a suicide dive onto Test. Punk whips Test into the ring steps. Punk mounts Test and unleashes a flurry of rights. Test and Punk are counted out. The ref tries to pull Punk off of Test, but Punk goes to get some more of Test. Test finally retreats to the back and the ref restrains Punk.
Winner: Double DQ

Big Show vs Bobby Lashley
- After a stare down and a shove from Big Show, Lashley erupts with a series of punches. Lashley tries to take down the giant with some shoulder block, but Big Show connects with a big clothesline takedown. Big Show hits Lashley with head butts and slaps. Big Show suplexes Lashley. Big Show continues to dominate Lashley with punches and slaps. Lashley tries to mount some offense, but eats a boot from Big Show. Big Show stands on Lashley’s back with both feet. Big Show tries to climb the turnbuckle, but Lashley catches him and suplexes him off the bottom rope. Lashley gets his second wind and hits Big Show with a series of shoulder blocks before connecting with a spear. Heyman has seen enough and calls for reinforcement.

Security hits the ring first, but Lashley takes care of them with belly to belly suplexes. Test comes up from behind and hits Lashley with a big boot. Security, Test, and Hetman put the boots to Lashley. Big Show choke slams Lashley before the quintet put the boots back on Lashley. Big Show hits the final cut on Lashley. Test and security hold Lashley so that Heyman can slap away at him. Big Show lays out Lashley with the ECW title. Big Show lays the title across Lashley and has Heyman count the pin.
Winner: Big Show

** Click here for more ECW photos from this week's show

• WWE.com is reporting that SmackDown diva Michelle McCool was hospitalized over the Thanksgiving for general sickness and acute back pain. Additional tests, including an ultra sound, revealed that McCool was suffering from an enlarged kidney and an electrolyte imbalance.

If left untreated this could have led to other major health issues, such as heart or kidney failure. The Wrestling Post wishes her a speedy recovery.

• The company website also confirmed Ashley Massaro as as the next WWE Diva to be on the cover of Playboy. Talk about the sexy SmackDown diva appearing in those pages has been going around for months, but it has not been confirmed until now.

Ashley (pictured below), the latest nude WWE Diva to follow in the footsteps of Sable and Torrie Wilson, is slated for the cover of the April 2007 issue. She told the site: “I’m super-honored, majorly honored.”