The Chop Shop News

Last week, The Chop Shop focused on Monday Night RAW and how this fan was enjoying its content recently.

In this edition, our columnist expands on those thoughts ...

I hate quoting JR, but " business is about to pick." I'm not sure if Taker will be on WWE RAW moving forward, but his presence was electric and chilling for this viewer this week. It'll be great to see who the Taker will take on.

Seems like John Cena would be the ideal choice with RAW being the true championship. Smackdown and ECW don't count to me. A Cena-Taker main event would be one for the history books.

It appears that Edge and Randy Orton will be feuding. That should be a " slobberknocker " (thanks, JR). That leaves us with Shawn Michaels, who has been carrying the product since Triple H went down. They need to find him a meaningful battle. Maybe Kennedy or a fued with Lashley.

Who will the Great Khali be brawling with? There seems to be talent and story lines that could be used with each other.

I am not a huge fan of Smackdown or ECW; however, there is some huge talent on both those shows. A Boogeyman/Lashley/Monty Brown three-way tango woud be fun to watch. I like Kennedy and CM Punk, but that seems to be it.

TRIM DOWN THE ROSTERS!!!

I would be tickled pink if Umaga went to Smackdown and had some wars with Batista. What a fight that would be.

TNA Wrestling is just running okay I guess , but I have lost interest in it since Angle appeared. I also will be investigating the Indy circuit in upcoming articles.

It's been a few weeks, but the last edition of The Chop Shop focused on The Survivor Series

This week's volume? Let's talk about current happenings in the world of Monday Night RAW ...>

Lately, I have been loving the WWE, specifically RAW. Of course, they can do without all those WWE Divas; well except for that hoochie Melina. I think she is HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

Forget the Rosie-Donald fiasco, though.

The Shawn Michaels-Team RKO feud is well on its way to reaching all-time great status. These guys are hell bent on just beating the bag out of each other. We know what we get with Shawn. We know what we get with Edge.

Randy Orton is shocking the sh%t out of me. He may be the most viscious grappler in the game. Technically, he has no peers. Outside of Dean Malenko, he could be as sound of a wrestler as I have seen in about 20 years. Yes, that does include the Excellance of Execution.

With his skills and the mean streak we have been blessed to see lately, this kid can be one of the biggest stars this sports has ever seen. I am looking forward to watching him for the next 20 years.

Another thing that has me stoked about RAW is the Grat Khali/Umaga/Cena Saga. Not sure who John peed off to get stuck fighting these beasts night after night, but it is fun to watch it. Without Triple H, they need something to keep the ship afloat. For my money, they're doing just that right now.

As happy as I am with the current product, they still need to do some work. The roster needs to be trimmed big time. Kids are getting pushed too young. They need ONE product, as opposed to RAW, Smackdown and ECW. Vince's monopoly on the game has watered it down a tad.

It would be great to see Batista fighting Umaga or Taker and Khali still going at it. Cena against Lashley would be a goodie.

Just too many products at the moment.

While The Chop Shop focused specifically on Edge and Randy Orton last week, it's expanded its view to include other participants in this year's Survivor Series.

Is the author looking forward to the event this year? Let's find out ...

Survivor Series for me is usually a boring time. I haven't watched it since its 1993 debacle at the Boston Garden. Yet for some estranged reason, I am looking forward to watching it Sunday.

There are some different reasons for me wanting to watch. The Big Show's team is pretty impressive. Cena's team is kind of stacked. Team DX is looking good. The thing I am looking forward to the most, however, is the possible return of Ron Simmons.

He may be taking Piper's spot on the Flair entry. Simmons, as JR will tell you 150+ times during a match, is a three-time All-America from FSU ... blah blah. He is just simply a great wrestler and one tough SOB, thanks JR.

I also will be watching with hope of a VKN invasion. If there is ever a time to wage a war on DX or Vinnie Mac, there's no better platform to do it on than Survivor Series. Show up with a bunch of guys, TNA, and try to handle business.

On a serious note: we here at The Chop Shop would like to wish the staff and the readers of The Wrestling Post a happy Thanksgiving.

Last week, The Chop Shop went off about the lack of solid tag teams currently in the WWE.

With the belts changing waists last night on RAW, what a perfect time for this fan to talk more about the current champions ...

Edge and Randy Orton could be a great tag team. Longivity will help that cause. But with today's game, they won't be together that long. Edge obviously is a great tag teamer. Orton is the wild card.

He is technically sound, has a great lineage, and is an intense wrestler. What will kill them is Orton's ego. Sharing the spot light with Edge may hurt the teams bottom line. Look for an Edge/Orton feud with in the next 2 months.

Does anyone think that Cryme Tyme has a shot at doing anything other than making jack asses out of themselves night after night?

The current state of the WWE is not looking too good in my opinion. The guys they spit out have ZERO personality. The two best interviewers of all-time are Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. It would make smart sense that ole Vinnie Mac has the two greats sit down with the lads and work on there act.

Where have Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo gone?

Last week, The Chop Shop debuted with memories of the glory days of the WWE and other wrestling federations.

What does our columnist have to say this week? Let's just say that Cryme Tyme won't be too pleased about it ...

Ric Martel and Tony Garea, where have you gone? Gone are the days of feuding with Mr. Fuji and Mr.Saito, or the Moondogs, and the Wild Samoans.

Hell, I would settle for Harlem Heat and the Steiners (pictured) all over again. Gone are the TAG TEAMS. You know, guys who stunk as individual wrestlers, but were champions with a partner. It is true that great singles wrestlers have made good tag wrestlers, but the day of it being specialized are long gone.

Rock-n-Roll Express, Midnight Express, Freebirds. Those guys have been replaced by the Dudleys, The New Age Outlaws (BJ James Gang in TNA wrestling), and the Spirit Squad. I ask you: What would Ole and Arn do with those stiffs?

Is there a great tag team out there today?

Sure, wrestlers curretly make a ton of money and do movies. Hell, they become champions after a six-week push (e.g. Brock Lesnar) What happened to paying your dues?

I use the late, GREAT Curt Henning as a reference. He used to get his fanny kicked; even Greg the Hammer broke his leg before he made it to greatness. He paid his dues. He wrestled for years as a mid-carder. Then, he became one of the games' greats. Guys paid their dues.

That doesn't happen all that often anymore. Yes, there are indies who make it kind of big, but those guys are in the minority. If you've got a look, or a schtick, Vince McMahon will put you on TV. Hell, you can be a fifth stringer on your high school football team and you can be put on.

We pride ourselves on giving any fan with a view on WWE, ECW or even TNA wrestling a voice.

With that in mind, we often bring readers The Wrestling Matt. Now, it's time for The Chop Shop. In its first-ever edition, the columnist harkens back to his initial days as a wrestling fan. Let's go with him ...

I remember my first experience with wrestling. I was about 12 years old and I had just watched Pedro Morales and Greg Valentine go at it. I was hooked on the boston crab, the figure four leg lock. Pat patterson announced and Vince McMahon was a host. Hulk Hogan was in the AWA (pictured) and the NWA was the place to be.

I was hooked. I used to go the the old Boston Garden (thanks, Uncle Joe ) to see the greats. Kevin Cunnigham, BPD's, Dan Maroney, my mom, and big Pat Dillon were just a few of the people who I shared good times with at the Garden. I remember aiting outside the Fleet Center for Nitro tickets; or being at worcester at 5 a.m. fortickets, getting thrown out after a beef with Hardcore Holly in cohasset.

I spent every dime on wrestling books as a kid. I played ping pong with Captain Lou Albano. I had some great times as a kid and I owe it all to wrestling.

I have seen some great matches, witnessed some great feuds, some blood and gore. I just want to hear the rest of the world's opinion about this sport.

Let me start by asking the masses who was the greatest tag team in the last 25 years?