At the Royal Rumble, Matt Hardy cracked his brother Jeff over the head with a steel chair, giving Edge the WWE Championship. On ECW this past Tuesday, we found out that Matt is no longer with the brand and is now officially a member of the SmackDown roster. What will the elder Hardy have to say about his actions? We’ll find out tonight on SmackDown!
Full review after the jump! (more…)
By now, we all know that Matt Hardy turned on his brother Jeff this past Sunday at the Royal Rumble, blasting him with a chair and costing him the WWE Championship. From that point, several fans of the Hardys came out of the woodwork to condemn Matt’s actions on his MySpace, many of whom seem to believe that because Matt turned on Jeff, it automatically means that Matt was behind everything that’s happened to Jeff since Survivor Series in November. I’m here to tell you why it wasn’t Matt Hardy behind the attacks.
First, there was the attack the night before Survivor Series. Jeff is out of action, he can’t compete in the WWE Championship match, and Edge swoops in to win the title. The following Friday on SmackDown, Jeff competed in a “Beat the Clock Challenge.” Jeff’s match was first, where he set the pace. Matt was the opponent of Vladimir Kozlov in the challenge, and he did everything in his power to prevent Kozlov from beating Jeff’s time. This shows Matt as being supportive of his brother, rather than trying to harm him. Ultimately, Jeff tied with Triple H in the challenge and went on to a Triple Threat match at Armageddon.
Triple H had the WWE Championship won at Armageddon when Vladimir Kozlov interfered and prevented him from getting the pinfall on Edge. Matt came out and attacked Kozlov. Matt’s attack on Kozlov would make no sense if he were working with Edge, because Edge was the one Kozlov saved. Jeff went on to win the match and the WWE Championship.
In the weeks that followed, the Hardys worked together, competing in tag team matches and supporting each other as a part of the “Hardy Party,” which saw both men as World Champions. A few weeks later, mysterious things started to happen to Jeff.
First, there was the hit-and-run accident. If you watch the “police video,” the policeman asked Jeff if he know the person who hit him. Jeff said that he’d never seen him before in his life. I’m pretty sure that Jeff would have recognized his own brother, even if he didn’t know the vehicle.
Over the course of the next week, Matt loses the ECW Championship to Jack Swagger, and Jeff returns to SmackDown, only to be blown up when the pyrotechnics were tampered with. This is the only thing that’s happened to Jeff that the storyline will allow me to believe could have been done by Matt. Matt was in the building, Matt was upset because he lost his title, and perhaps he was jealous because Jeff still had his. Not to mention that Matt was the last person to come out and check on his little brother as he was being rolled away on a stretcher.
The attack at the Royal Rumble shouldn’t have been that surprising, and maybe things look suspicious, but if you look at the facts presented here, it’s clearly not Matt who did all those crazy things to Jeff…
Well, normally around here I do long, detailed reviews of the WWE shows (and Drowgoddess hooks you up with TNA Wrestling event coverage), but I’ve been too busy to get around to a proper review of the Royal Rumble and last night’s RAW. Since I watched both shows, and I’ve done it too many times over the course of the last 7 months, I’m not going to subject you to another “here are the results from whatever-wrestling-website.com” post. Instead, I’m going to give you the results of the shows, and my thoughts on the matches and other segments.
Ready? Draw yourself number 27 and follow me to the other side of the jump! (more…)
Ah, my second favorite PPV of the year, only behind WrestleMania. This is the 22nd Annual Royal Rumble, a Pay Per View that I grew up watching. Thirty men enter, twenty-nine leave over the top rope, and since 1993, the man left standing would go on to challenge for a World Championship at WrestleMania.
On top of that, there’s a few matches going on – all of which could also have major implications on the WrestleMania 25 card, seeing as how they’re title matches.
One thing that bugged me about last year’s Royal Rumble match was that then-ECW Champion Chavo Guerrero was competing in the match. The ECW Championship is the top championship (not to mention the only one) on the ECW brand, which means that the winner of the Royal Rumble could theoretically challenge for the ECW Championship in lieu of the World Heavyweight or WWE Championships. We won’t have to worry about that this year, however, as the ECW Championship is on the line when former champion Matt Hardy gets his rematch with the man who took his title, Jack Swagger. Hardy took quite a beating this past Friday night on SmackDown at the hands of Swagger, The World’s Strongest Man Mark Henry, and The Rated R Superstar, Edge. Given Hardy’s history, that could really motivate him going into tonight’s match. I, however, feel as though there’s going to be bigger things coming up for Matt Hardy than the ECW Championship, so by hook or by crook, I’m expecting Swagger to retain.
Recently on the RAW side of things, Melina has been a thorn in Beth Phoenix’s side. The WWE Women’s Champion is fed up with Melina’s antics, and looking to punish her. What role, if any, will Rosa Mendez or Santino Marella play in thier WWE Women’s Championship match? I look for Rosa to somehow cost The Glamazon the match, but likely by DQ. I don’t see Melina getting the title just quite yet.
Speaking of RAW, World Heavyweight Champion John Cena will be bringing his title with him to the Motor City. While the self-proclaimed “Hockeytown” is no stranger to championships, neither is Cena’s opponent, John “Bradshaw” Layfield. In recent weeks, JBL has had his employee, Shawn Michaels, at his side and doing his bidding. With the Heart Break Kid in his corner, can JBL defeat the man who ended his only WWE Championship reign, taking his title in the process? Doubtful. While it would be great for JBL to win the Championship here, only to somehow wind up defending it against Shawn Michaels in Houston at WrestleMania, I don’t think the WWE is comfortable enough with JBL at this particular moment to give him a two month title reign. John Cena wins this one, with a potential rematch at No Way Out in February.
A black cloud has been hanging over the head of WWE Champion Jeff Hardy since last year. He missed Survivor Series because of it, and after winning the WWE Championship at Armageddon, he’s been involved in a hit and run accident and had somebody try to blow him up by tampering with the pyrotechnics. This hasn’t stopped Jeff Hardy though, he’s determined to show up at the Joe Louis Arena and defend his WWE Championship against the man he took it from, Edge. Will Jeff Hardy’s emotions get the best of him? Or will Edge’s overconfidence cost him the belt that he lives and breathes for? Will we finally find out who is behind the bizarre things that have happened to Jeff Hardy over the past few months? So many questions to be answered. My prediction is that Edge will win the WWE Championship back, and this will eventually lead to a huge match at WrestleMania. I won’t say what I think that match will be, but I will say that it won’t be a one on one contest.
Finally, the Royal Rumble match itself. 70% of the winners since 1993 have gone on to win a major championship at that year’s WrestleMania. This year, it could be anybody, as the men I’d predict to win it at this point are all in singles competition earlier in the night. After giving it a lot of thought, the only man who we know for sure to be in the Rumble that I can say I’d expect to win it all is… Randy Orton. I see Orton having a rough next couple of months though, instead of smooth sailing into the main event at WrestleMania. His punt to Mr. McMahon’s head this past Monday pretty much ensures that.
Guys, I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. I want to know, who do you think is going to win the Royal Rumble? Leave a comment and let me know!
BONUS! One of my favorite promos of all time, courtesy of The Rock!
What’s up, folks? An inexplicably tired ThinkSoJoE here with you after a short nap to review the blue brand’s go home show before the Royal Rumble. Triple H has been ordered by SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero to face the Moscow Mauler Vladimir Kozlov tonight, and WWE Champion Jeff Hardy, who was burned in a pyrotechnics accident at the close of last week’s broadcast, giving us an update on his condition just two days before his title defense against the Rated R Superstar, Edge!
SmackDown results, after the jump! (more…)
On a historic Inauguration Day, ECW on SciFi eminates from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. Tonight, it’s a fatal four way match featuring The Miz, John Morrison, Finlay, and Mark Henry. Also, will we hear anything new about Tommy Dreamer’s potential retirement? All this, and ECW Champion Jack Swagger, tonight on SciFi!
Review after the jump! (more…)
Hey everybody, Ive got an early edition of Random Randomness this week because I have a busy weekend, so lets’ get it started: (more…)
Tonight, Jack Swagger finally gets his shot at the ECW Champion, Matt Hardy. Will the rookie from the New Superstar Initiative be successful in his first attempt at WWE gold? There’s only one way to find out! Ok, there’s a bunch of different ways to find out, but if you’re not watching the show, I’ve got a good way for you…
ECW on SciFi Review, after the jump! (more…)
I figured since I just got done watching that I’d give a quick review. Sounds good? Yes, well here we go: (more…)
We’re ready for the last professional wrestling television broadcast of 2008 – ECW on SciFi for December 30th! The only thing I know that’s going on tonight is a match between ECW Champion Matt Hardy, and the former champion Mark Henry. Will Matt Hardy make it to his tag team match this Friday on SmackDown? We’ll find out, tonight!
Full results, after the jump! (more…)