Road to Royal Rumble 2011

Survivor Series 2010 is here.

Royal Rumble 2011 is in January, from Boston.

WWF Title: Edge v. Booker T

The road to Rumble 2K11 starts the night after Survivor Series when Bret (that’s Bret Hart, WWF Commissioner) hits the ring to open RAW, the announce telling us that he’s going to name Edge’s Rumble opponent. 

Bret announces first some good news – he has signed an extension to his agreement with WWF; he will be staying on as commissioner past WM, all the way until Survivor Series 2011, which will be held at Madison Square Garden.

Second, he says he received a phone call last night after Survivor Series; it was from a former WWF Champion who works for another promotion.  The caller said he was retiring from wrestling – but wanted one final match, and there’s no one in life Bret respects more than the fraternity of men who have held the WWF Title.  Only 30 men in all the world have ever been World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Champion; it is an elite group.  It is a brotherhood.  And Bret understands wanting one last match – he wanted one last match against Shawn Michaels, and got it at Mania.  So when a former WWF Champion says he’s willing to leave his promotion and hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table to come back to WWF for one last match, that’s a conversation Bret has to take seriously.

They then play Booker Ts highlight package, the NWA career, his WWF tag title run with Bradshaw, and his beating Lashley to become the first ever African-American World Heavyweight Champion. 

Bret says at the Rumble – Book will take on Edge; if he wins, he will vacate the belt the next night – and Mania will be a one night 8 man tournament for the WWF Title.

Book’s not around for the build – so he’ll get pushed by announce in contrast to Swagger – why did Swagger lose at Survivor Series? – inexperience, specifically, Edge’s experience advantage, and advantage he won’t have over the crafty, veteran Booker T. 

Edge will just be Edge – Rated R, will bang your girl, can’t trust him – he’s in the Harts and the Clique, not a friend or a care in the world – Edge. 

There can also be some excitement about the possibility of Wrestlemania being a tournament – that would be a fun, never before seen twist on Wrestlemania – there would be speculation on who the 8 men might be in such a tournament.

                CM Punk v. Steve Regal

Who is less interested in Booker v. Edge is Punk.  He sufficiently disapproves that at RAW’s close the night after Survivor Series, Joey tells us that Punk will appear on RAW next week – and he’s going to talk.

This is a big deal, Punk promos have been few and far between for over a year.   He had been gone since losing to Danielson at Summer Slam, but returned postmatch last night to freak Edge out – Punk’s hair and beard are uncut and unkempt – what looks like permanent tattoos of Edge’s name are all over his body.

He hits the ring and sits down Indian style. 

Punk brings the mic to his mouth as if he’ll speak – but doesn’t – he repeats that a couple of times until Bret enters.

Bret asks what he wants.

Punk points to the video wall, which plays Bret naming Booker to be Edge’s opponent at the Rumble.

Bret says Booker is a former WWF Champion and deserves that respect.

Punk stands and gets in Bret’s face and tells him he’s full of shit.  Punk says he’s a two time WWF Champion, he never got a rematch, he has been chasing Edge for a year since he killed Maria, and Bret keeps protecting him.

Punk says first he thought it was just to save Edge’s ass because they’re both Hart Foundation – but really, really it’s about that belt – Punk’s won it twice and the only men in WWF history who ever won it three times are named Hart. 

Punk says that’s what its about – its about protecting your family legacy.

Now Bret – who is slow to anger, gets in Punk’s face – at Survivor Series 4 years ago Punk threw the belt down, Punk’s girlfriend spit on the belt – Bret doesn’t give a damn what Edge did to her, she deserved it.

And what Punk deserves is nothing – maybe the fans have forgotten – but Bret hasn’t forgotten, better men than Punk have spent their whole careers chasing the WWF Title and never achieving it, Bret says Arn Anderson is in the back right now, and if Punk ever looked at Double A the wrong way he’d find out what those men think of him.

Bret says as long as he has anything to say about it – Punk will never get close to the WWF Title.

Bret says Punk will be working at the Rumble – however –

And the music for Underground hits – and out comes Regal, flanked by Empire and the Douchebags.

They get in the ring and surround Punk as Bret exists – Punk attacks some of the flanking wrestlers, but they get control and get a quick beating in. 

Regal will carry the vocal end of this program – it’s the head trainer of Underground vs. the founder of GDI as far as he’s concerned, Regal says he’s there to prove supremacy of his style of wrestling and way of life.

The next step in that program actually involves Tyler Black.

Black joins GDI after Survivor Series in Low Ki’s exit program; that was referenced in the Survivor Series post.   He’s a Punk fan, and is willing to say it despite Danielson’s blanket opposition to all matters Punk.

He’s also a fan of Fight Night – and after he ends Low Ki’s run, he rips off the number 6 on the giant sheets of paper that signify GDI matches they can request as part of the Steamboat settlement (only 5 matches left) and says he wants Fit Finlay.

Fit’s physical altercation with Young Money after they defeated Hooligans at Survivor Series apparently triggers his return to active status – Fit and his trainer Malenko were the face of Fight Night back when it first launched as the new NWA – and Black says he was glued to it every Friday.

We get one last “Fit and Regal sit alone in an empty arena and talk shop” promo as part of the build – Regal’s taking on Punk at the Rumble, Fit’s taking on this GDI kid Black – they get all grizzled and whatnot – leaving with a handshake.

Black goes over Fit on Fight Night – and as he exits he’s passed in the aisle by Punk.

Black looks back at him, a little wide eyed, as Punk gets in the ring and ends Fit’s WWF run in the same way he ended Matt Hardy’s – with a series of Go To Sleeps that only ends when he’s pulled off – here, its by Hooligans, Sheamus and Drew, they tend to their battered trainer as Punk exits.

That adds some steam to Punk/Regal, Steve’s got blood in his eye now as he talks about vengeance at the Rumble.

                   Glass Light Tube Match: John Cena v. Alex Riley

Oddly, it’s Alex Riley, enhancement talent in GDI, who pulls the number 5 off the sheets of paper (4 matches left) to challenge Cena in his hometown.

After Black’s win over Fit he is about to pull the sheet to request a match at the Rumble when he’s stopped by Riley – Riley says he respects all that Black’s done, but Riley’s been busting his ass in GDI, losing mainly, he admits, but getting better and trying real hard.  Riley says he wants one match with Black for the right to go to Rumble.

Black says of course, they do a slip on the banana peel finish and Riley gets the shocking upset.  He immediately pulls the sheet and calls out Cena.

At the number one contender battle royal, Cena slammed a light tube over Danielson’s head – Danielson told the GDI locker room to ignore it, there were bigger battles to be fought – but Riley can’t – WWF can’t think they can push around GDI – GDI is his family, even though they mainly kick his ass, and at the Rumble, he’s going to grab a light tube and crush Cena’s WWF face with it.

Who that particularly bothers is Mark Henry.

Henry’s been enhancement for years; really his only role in his career was as NOD bodyguard, if he’s had a PPV match I can’t recall it.  But seemingly out of nowhere he incapacitates both members of DMW  (note that real world Show is now wearing a WMD shirt, I keep trying to tell him that Batista/Cena were WMD, that he was DMW) and starts cutting angry promos.   He focuses his anger on Riley, some scrub who doesn’t even work at WWF getting a match at the Rumble.

Henry says he doesn’t have a match at the Rumble.  Like every year.  But that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to Boston.

                             Rey Mysterio v. Bryan Danielson

One more GDI match; it’s just for the workrate.  Danielson continues his “best wrestler in the world” gimmick – he beat Punk, he beat Low Ki – Rey also beat Low Ki and Rey has been on a roll, beating Nemeth in back to back PPVs coming out of Mania where he stayed undefeated.

Danielson rips the sheet (3 matches left for GDI) and challenged Rey.  Like the previous Danielson matches, this draws the “dream match, never before on PPV, maybe never again” talk designed to get PPV buys from people who are me.

That’s half the card; here’s one more:

                           Tag Titles: Young Money v. Defiance

That was set up at Survivor Series; a Young Money win and they will go into Mania as champs for a full year, there has not been a year long tag title run since the Steiners almost 20 years ago.  Killings is a heel, or at least heelish, where he's headed is a Ron Artest type heel, he's going to wind up changing his name to some version of Metta World Peace, but not yet. Kingston's a face and the "he takes it seriously, Killings goofs around" split gets furthered over Kingston's desire to hold the tag belts for a year - he really feels the historic importance of the Rumble match.  Killings belches in his face, thrusts his pelvis, goes out for a smoke. 

Defiance is Defiance.  

                          

         Winners go to Mania: D1 v. Hooligans v. Empire v. Rotunda/Hennig

It's been a lost year for D1, at least as a unit; Swagger won the battle royal and challenged for the WWF Title; Nemeth has been obsessed with Mysterio (he expected a third shot at the Rumble and is steamed that Danielson is getting the match; Swagger tries to get him back on track for this match, with the winners going to Mania to challenge for the straps) but now they get back together to try to win this elimination match.  Swagger's health has been an issue all year, and he noticeably sports a kneebrace.

Hooligans lost at Survivor Series, and then lose Fit as part of the build to the Rumble - what mental state will they be in for this matchup?

Empire's waving the Underground flag; with Regal's program specifically Underground based, Empire's presence in this match adds to the Underground flavor in the card.  And Rotunda and Hennig round out the elimination match.  Winners go to Mania.  

3 left:

IC: Johnny Nitro (w/Natty) v. Tyson Kidd (w/Harry)

-Bret calls the Clique to the ring, says he's tried to avoid an appearance of impropriety when taking this job; he knew all the knives would be out if he looked to harshly at the Clique.  So he bit his tongue as they undertook the kind of juvenile idiocy that the Clique has always been known for.  But when they tried to humiliate Linda McMahon the week before the Senate election. that was a step too far.

So its time for some Harts v. Clique, 2011 version.

Tyson and Harry attack - and we're on.  Tyson/Nitro is going to be a helluva match, particuarly given the backstory with Nitro's tormenting the Hart kids when they were the Flock and Natty jumping to the Clique.

Miz winds up definitively going over Harry in the build; Bret gives him what he wants - a singles match at the Rumble - his opponent:

Miz v. Mystery Clique Opponent

Bret says another member of the Clique will be taking on the Miz at the Rumble - who could it be goes the speculation?  Michaels?  Waltman?  Billy Gunn?  

And finally:

Chavo Guerrero v. Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo and Vicki Guerrero)

We welcome Vicki to the show.

She's Eddy's widow, left destitute by the Guerrero family's spending; so when Caras, whose gimmick is he is wildly wealthy because his family is the greatest wrestling dynasty ever, pulls her out of the limo in this build - it's to demonstrate to Chavo the shambles of his family legacy.

Vicki doesn't want to be with Dos Caras - but he's taking care of her.

If Chavo wins - Dos Caras pays all of the Guerrero family debt.  If Chavo wins, then Vicki will have to admit that Dos Caras is the heir to the greatest wrestling family of all time.  You get this program - Vicki is miserable, Dos Caras is smarmy, Chavo is prideful.  It's a wrestling angle.

That's the Rumble.

WWF Title: Edge v. Booker T

Rey Mysterio v. Bryan Danielson

IC: Johnny Nitro v. Tyson Kidd

Tags: Young Money v. Defiance

CM Punk v. Steve Regal

Chavo Guerrero v. Dos Caras, Jr.

Miz v. Mystery Clique Opponent

D1 v. Hooligans v. Empire v. Rotunda/Hennig

John Cena v. Alex Riley

Coming in January

2011 TNA Bound for Glory

Real World Final Resolution means Counterfactual BFG.  Slammiversary was here.

TNA Title: AJ Styles d. Samoa Joe (w/Flair)

X Title: Bobby Roode (w/Flair) d. Sting

Tags: AJ Styles/Chris Daniels d. Bubba Ray Dudley/Brian Kendrick

Austin Aries d. Kurt Angle

RVD d. Jerry Lynn

Ken Kennedy (w/Burke) d. Hernandez (w/Storm)

Matt Morgan d. Jesse Neal

Crimson/Shannon Moore d. Matt Morgan/Jesse Neal

From the bottom up, Crimson and Morgan are feuding, grabbing partners essentially at random in their big awkward battle.  Morgan's the heel; when he loses the opener he immediately destroys his partner Neal in a singles.  Future Endeavors (Kennedy/Burke) is feuding with Tex Mex (Storm/Hernandez), here the heels go over.  RVD/Lynn do an all babyface ECW match.  Angle is pure legend babyface after the Jarrett program, but now he has to face the younger Aries, and he loses what is hopefully a good match.  An emphasis of the build for this show was the possibility of two new Triple Crown winners - the first attempt comes true when Daniels wins it by taking the tag belts with AJ; the Horsemen - Joe/Roode/Williams/Flair beat AJ down postmatch in an effort to hinder his attempt to win the World Title later in the evening.  That takes us into the X Match; Sting's doing a "when I lose, I retire" gimmick - and he does, to Roode, and a Horsemen stomp out ends Sting's wrestling career.  Roode, like Daniels, also takes the Triple Crown - it looks like a big Horsemen night - but AJ becomes the first 4 time TNA World Heavyweight Champion by beating Samoa Joe; he and Daniels fight off the Horsemen and stand together triumphant.  

The build to Royal Rumble 2011 comes as soon as I have time.  Hopefully this month.  

Survivor Series 2010

The build is here.

Survivor Series 2010 is from Miami.  Almost certainly, I am there.

(Dark: Chavo d. Tatsu

           Canadian Bulldogs d. Hennig/Rotunda)

The announce is still muddled; I see how it makes sense conceptually, but on its feet, fewer voices (maybe just one voice) are better than lots of voices.  I'll kill the color men for PPV by the time we get to Mania.  

So, Joey/Striker are your leads.  Regal, as did he at Summer Slam, joins for the opening match so he can continue to bury GDI; the Low Ki/Danielson match will be called by Josh with Joey and JR both joining; almost everyone in the company should be visible watching that match.  And the main is JR and Lawler.  Lawler, note, is serious Lawler and not "puppies" Lawler.  I hate that guy, which is why I didn't use him any more than I needed to in the stretch when he was most popular.  Josh has a regular partner now on the GDI telecasts, it's Scott Stanford.  

1. Empire (Barrett/Gabriel) d. Douchebags (Ryder/Slater)

Empire goes over strong; they interrupt the Douchebag promo to jumpstart the match; they win cleanly and decisively.  Regal puts over their tactics; Underground is where young wrestlers learn their real craft of professional wrestling, and sometimes that means jumping your opponents when they're talking.  Regal spends the match putting over Empire as really being ready now for the main roster, that they are working very well together, that both guys have come very far; Regal points out how crafty Barrett is and how athletic Gabriel is.  It's really a match designed for Regal to put them over.  And put them over at the expense of GDI.  Danielson/Low Ki is the real main event of this show, it's the real draw - it should be seen as a special, perhaps never to be seen again attraction, and WWF TV has been talking about it since the match was made.     Joey and JR, as straight WWE announcers, don't like the GDI movement - but they don't minimize the wrestling ability - so Joey here talks about that even Regal has to be looking forward to GDI tonight; Regal says he's always watching GDI, he's watching everything they do.  

2. Dos Caras, Jr. (w/Ricardo) d. Cody Rhodes

Caras is doing Del Rio's real world gimmick, with the addition that his power and wealth reflects his family being the dominant wrestling legacy of all time.  No broken down old wrestlers in his family lineage - they are legends, heroes, gods.  Cody, as representative of the Rhodes family, feeds that narrative here.  The Rhodes family was broken up in the Dustin/Undertaker program - and Caras makes sport of that breakup in this build; his family is together, close, they own Mexico City - the Rhodes family doesn't speak to each other.  Caras goes over strong.

3. Defiance (Orton/DiBiase) d. DMW (PAUL/Kane)

Orton was down and out after Defiance ultimately failed in their program against Hooligans, and then, after Orton had blamed both Malenko (punting him out of the team) and young Ted for the failure, Orton lost his singles against Sheamus at Summer Slam - it was the maligned DiBiase who picked him up for this build - and when Defiance goes over strong here, it's Ted who gets the fall, the announce telling the story that maybe he had finally earned the respect of the prickly Orton.  

4. Rey Mysterio d. Nick Nemeth (w/Kelly)

You get the story, Rey's a legend; Nemeth's a young babyface with a growing obsession with proving himself (to his girlfriend, to Swagger, to Bret, to everyone) by beating him.  Their Summer Slam match was pure babyface; Nemeth took an advantage to aid the heel Caras in eliminating Rey in the big battle royal as part of this build, and you can imagine that fans would look sideways at Nemeth's seeming lack of interest in Edge's threats about Kelly.  Nemeth is pure focus, totally locked in on Mysterio, despite sexual predator
Edge making conquest of Kelly part of the build for the title match.  Nemeth displays heelish tactics early, closed fists, hitting after a break, Nemeth looking to fudge the rules and then outright break them to try to get the win.  Not a heel turn, god no - but to show the level of need, of desperation that he feels to win the match.

He doesn't win, he comes close multiple times with nearfalls, but can't get the fall - and Rey eventually beats him.  Nemeth storms away postmatch, leaving Kelly to follow.  We later see Nemeth get into a car and leave by himself before the show is over.

5. WWF Tag Titles: Young Money (Killings/Kingston) d. Hooligans (Sheamus/Drew w/Fit)

Hooligans fails in their attempt to win the straps; it's an all babyface match, save for Killings, who has been turning all year, he now finishes matches by lighting up a victory cigarette in the ring, putting it out on the canvas.  That's caused increased dissension within the champs - but they keep putting it aside to hold the belts; one of them pins Drew after whatever their finisher is.  Killings lights up the smoke and that drives Finlay nuts - he's in the ring pushing and shoving with Kingston postmatch.

6. WWF IC Title: Johnny Nitro (w/Miz and Natty) d. MVP

MVP held the IC for a year and a half, the longest run in two decades.  Nitro became Shawn's protegee; and Michaels (always quick for a perceived slight) took constant umbrage at Porter's being proclaimed as the greatest IC champ ever.  That drew Nitro and MVP together from the top of 2010 through Mania.  MVP got hurt in his and Bret's win over Shawn and Nitro, but returned during this build to go after the Clique, which is wilding in ways discussed in the build.  This wraps up MVP, so Nitro goes over strong and the Clique gets in whatever level of humiliation is needed to keep pushing the brand.  There's probably some level of 9 inch python spot that can be done to a guy leaving the territory.

7. Bryan Danielson d. Low Ki

This is why I made the drive to Miami.  

Danielson and Low Ki are the embodiment of the 21st century independent wrestling movement, a movement captured in GDI, a shadow promotion started by Punk, that now is owned by Steamboat.  This essentially is a "who is the best wrestler in the world" feud, as this friendship has been split in half.  This should be seen as an all time special match, JR and Joey don't hold back in their unabashed appreciation for the match, even from two guys who don't work for WWF.  Storyline considerations aside, on just a pure workrate basis, this has the potential to be the greatest match in WWF history.  That's what we're looking for from this match.

Danielson goes over, he asks for a postmatch "lets squash this" handshake - Low Ki flips him off and exits.

On GDI TV the following week, Low Ki attacks Danielson - save by --

Tyler Black.

It's his debut.  Black will then go over Low Ki in a program on GDI TV until Ki leaves.

That's going to lead to Black wrestling on Fight Night, but we'll talk about that in the Rumble build.

8. WWF Title: Edge d. Jack Swagger
Swagger was injured by DMW in the build for Summer Slam, whatever that injury was (I don't recall if I specified, but I'm going to start saying its a knee) is aggravated near the finish here, Swagger starts limping near the finish, kicking out of a couple of nearfalls that looked like the end.  Kelly, told to stay away, comes out to give encouragement, but its to no avail, and Swagger eventually eats a spear.

Swagger's clutching at his knee, Kelly enters the ring, Edge has her cornered (this was essentially promised in the build) Edge is going to spear Kelly much like he once speared Maria.  Swagger can't get to his feet, he struggles and struggles, but can't stand.  Nemeth, recall, left the building already.  Kelly is trapped in the corner, Kelly is trapped in the corner.

Hit Punk's music.

Punk hasn't had a haircut in a year.  He may not have shaved in nearly as long.  And his body is covered in what look like tattoos of the word "Edge" from nearly head to toe.  They aren't permanent tattoos, but we don't know that now.  Punk's been gone since Danielson incapacitated him at Summer Slam, and Punk hasn't been right - well, ever, really, but the Punk character arc is one of the stronger aspects of the Counterfactual, and currently, he's in a bad Edge caused mental space.

Punk slowly walks to the ring, Edge totally ignores Kelly, she's able to collect Swagger and they disappear in the way losing wrestlers sometimes do.  Punk makes his way to the ring - his hair, the beard, the Edge tattoos should freak Edge out.  Punk stands at midring - Edge backs up to lean against the ropes, Edge shaking his head - "you are fucking nuts" - Punk motions to Edge, doesn't speak, motions to Edge to meet him at midring, almost like they have a high noon showdown set, and Punk's shown up on time.  Edge bails out of the ring.  Edge exits the ring, shaking his head, "fucking nuts" - "you are an insane person".  Punk sickly smiles as the show ends.

In December, the build for the Rumble.

In January, Royal Rumble 2011.

Thanks for reading.

2011 TNA Slammiversary

Real world BFG means Counterfactual Slammiversary; the previous show, Lockdown, is here.

TNA Championship: Samoa Joe (w/Flair) d. Frankie Kazarian

X Title: Sting d. Doug Williams(w/Flair)

X Title: Doug Williams (w/Flair) d. Alex Shelley

TNA Tags:  Bubba Ray Dudley/Brian Kendrick d. Scott Steiner/Abyss

Cage Match: Kurt Angle d. Jeff Jarrett

Ken Kennedy (w/Burke) d. James Storm (w/Hernandez)

Blood Dragon d. Matt Morgan

Blood Dragon d. Magnus

Scott Steiner/Abyss d. Matt Morgan/Magnus

Let's start from the bottom up; the winner of the opening tag moves on to challenge for the straps later in the evening; there's a screwjob finish when the Blood Dragon runs in and interferes.  The Blood Dragon is a Liger-like masked wrestler gimmick from the WWF, where it was Jeff Hardy; it was brought to TNA when Matt debuted.  Since neither Hardy is on the card (Matt presumably gone for good and no telling when Jeff will reappear in this space again) the announce assumption is its one of them under the mask.  His appearance  is a surprise, and the matches where he then goes over Morgan and Magnus were made right after the run in.  They are designed to put him over as strong as possible.  Kennedy and Burke are Future Endeavors, they've been feuding with Tex Mex, and that feud continues here with Storm coming up injured as a result.  Angle wins the blowoff to the "you stole my family" feud.  Bubba and Kendrick are dick heels; they keep their belts.  Williams is part of the Horsemen (Flair/Joe/Roode) he took the X from Sabin, both MCMG were Horsemen victims - they stay victims here, with Williams keeping.  Sting put his career up in the last show when he went over Flair; he's full in full Terry Funk last ride babyface mode here - during the build he goes over, let's say, Jarrett - again putting up his career.  He comes out unannounced after Williams/Shelley, puts his career on the line - and then beats Doug Williams to win his first ever TNA belt, his first belt of any type since 1996.  Joe had a 2 1/2 year title run in the middle of the previous decade; his second run came to an end at the top of 2010, that led to a heel turn, Joe brutalizing both AJ and Daniels, then joining the Horsemen.  Here, he takes Kazarian's belt (which he took from Roode) and Joe and Flair stand triumphant...

...but only momentarily, as he is then confronted by the mysterious Blood Dragon....

..who turns out to be the returning AJ Styles (he and Daniels both destroyed by Joe this year; AJ's been gone for months after that beating) Styles cleans house and holds the belt aloft as Flair and Joe yell at him from the aisle.

BFG gets posted after real world Final Resolution.  Survivor Series 2010 gets posted sometime in November.

Road to Survivor Series 2010-Part 3

The battle royal was here.

Survivor Series is coming from Miami (hey, I could go!) in November.  This is part 3 of the build; here's the card:

WWF Title: Edge v. Jack Swagger

Bryan Danielson v. Low Ki

IC Title: Johnny Nitro (w/Miz and Natty Neidhart) v. MVP

Tag Titles: Young Money (Killings/Kingston) v. Hooligans (Sheamus/McIntyre w/Finlay)
Rey Mysterio v. Nick Nemeth(w/Kelly)
Cody Rhodes v. Dos Caras, Jr.
Defiance (Orton/DiBiase) v. DMW (PAUL/Kane)
Empire (Gabriel/Barrett) v. Douchebags (Ryder/Slater)

1. Swagger won the battle royal; disengage yourself from real world Swagger; here, he does less.  Some might find him boring as the WWE charisma that's injected into him is gone.  He's quiet, a little solemn, resolute.  The model is Shute from Visionquest; there's some equity built into Swagger - a year as the first star of the Underground reality show, then a long run as tag champs with D1.  Swagger's positioned as the future of the company.  The question here is does that future begin now - some say he's not ready yet; the primary voice articulating the opposite view is JR.  The combination of Swagger's real athletic bonafides and Oklahoma background make JR the perfect mouthpiece for Swagger's chances to win the title here.  There's a lot of Kurt Angle comparison - but as JR makes clear, Swagger's bigger, faster, stronger than Kurt at a comparable stage in his career.

As Swagger is amateur wrestling guy, no frills, all work - Edge is professional wrestling guy, and he full embraces the debauched Rated R champion persona.  His approach in the build is to talk about Swagger's sister Kelly (Edge's primary character trait is he's completely untrustworthy, as an element of that is he's the guy who will bang your girlfriend).  It pushes the Edge character, gives a possible story element to the match, and provides a "will Swagger get distracted, fall into Edge's mindgames" narrative.  Further, it allows Edge to talk about Punk - and that's important here.

Edge says it's not that he's going to spear Swagger's hot sister Kelly after the match at Survivor Series.

I mean, he is going to spear her.  Spear the shit out of her.

Since her speared Maria last year it's really all he can think about, it's the only thing that really gets him off.

He knows Maria feels the same way, because she calls him everytime they're in the same town "Sorry, Punk."

But it's a given he's going to spear Kelly - he's WWF Champion, he's a Triple Crown winner, he ran Chris Jericho out of the WWF - of course the only way for Survivor Series to end is him on top of Swagger's hot sister.  We all know that's going to happen.

But - Edge really wants Swagger to think about something else.  There was a man named Jeff Hardy - and Jeff Hardy had a girl named Trish.  Edge took that girl from him, and now Jeff is all gone and probably in prison somewhere.

And there was a man named Matt Hardy - and Matt Hardy had a girl named Lita, Edge took that girl from him, and now Matt's all gone and probably living at some North Carolina YMCA tweeting about me right now.

And there was a man named CM Punk - and CM Punk had a girl named Maria, and Edge speared her into an orgasmic coma and Punk stopped shaving and is now in ICU ("hey, Danielson - the check's in the mail, nice work in the battle royal by the way - super impressive") and no one will ever see him again.

So - Jack - don't think about how I'm going to spear your sister - think about what's going to happen to your career after I spear your sister.  

And that's the build - there's a pivotal element in early November on Fight Night that comes out of a big Rey/Low Ki match, but we'll get to that later.

2. You're buying the show just for Danielson/Low Ki; everything else is cream cheese.  Ideally we wouldn't have to do this now, there's precedent - Eddy and Dean had to fight really quickly in their alliance, as there was just one opportunity to do that match.  And, as you know (breaking Counterfactual kayfabe) to this date, this seems like the only chance to do this match.

Low Ki eliminated Danielson at the battle royal - and there's your conflict.

Danielson's irritated - it was Low Ki's idea for them to team together, eliminate everyone else, and then go at it.  Here Danielson is, by himself, running through the entire WWF locker room, and here Low Ki is - taking advantage of Danielson getting speared to throw him over.

Low Ki says Danielson's just hot because he got eliminated.  That's it.  Danielson's just bought into all this "best wrestler in the world" stuff and when Low Ki threw his ass over the top rope, now it's harder for him to sell his t-shirt.

They back away before it breaks - they're GDI, they're going to stay GDI.  What's important for Low Ki is using their 8th Match Wish to challenge Rey Mysterio on Fight Night.

Part of the build for Survivor Series was Bret coming to GDI and revealing that there had been a settlement in a suit over Steamboat's getting attacked by Punk; it included 10 matches for GDI, any matches they wanted - through Mania.  GDI is a low rent, indie feeling production - I see something like giant sheets of paper being torn away to reveal the new number.  10 and 9 were the two entrants in the battle royal - and Ki claims 8. When a guy claims a match maybe he literally tears the giant sheet of paper off.

What does that do - most important, it's a good match.  Low Ki/Rey is the highlight of a Fight Night in late October/early November that can be built for a month.  The work highlight of the battle royal would have been the Rey/Ki spots, and the announce would talk about how great a singles match between them would be as those spots are happening.  Additionally, it helps serve the Rey character.  He's a legend, the analogue is how they used real world HBK.   Low Ki wants the match because he wants the match - he just wants to wrestle Rey Mysterio (furthering the "best wrestler in the world" gimmick) in the way that young Nick Nemeth just wanted to prove himself against Mysterio (a program furthered in the battle royal, and a program that isn't over yet)

Now, Danielson makes clear that he and Sydal (nearly recuperated from Mania and now back with GDI as part of the Steamboat settlement) will be in attendance (also enhancement guy Alex Riley, who, sort of out of nowhere, cuts a fired up promo that gets his request to go with them acceded to).  They're going to keep an eye on Regal's crew from Underground.  Post Rumble, Regal has continued his antiGDI talk - pointing out to the trainees that it was a graduate from Underground that won - pointing out that GDI already looks to be falling apart - that's proof, Regal says, that indie wrestling is a shortcut, that if you want real, longterm success, you get trained at WWFU, you go Underground.

When the Rey/Ki match is made, Regal takes umbrage - the idea that some independent wrestler can get a main event television match against a triple crown winner is ridiculous.  And Regal's going to bring his crew to Fight Night to watch the match.

That's what Danielson is looking to counterbalance.  Both crews are in the crowd near ringside when we get to that Ki/Mysterio match.  I'll still wait a second before talking about that - but that show will end with a Danielson/Ki pull apart that will make the Survivor Series match - both of them simultaneously pulling the number 7 off the Match Sheet.

In the three weeks or so between Fight Night and Survivor Series, the build is heavily centered around that "best wrestler in the world" language - and Bret's suggestion to them pre-battle royal that there really can't be two guys saying it.  There are some strong hints that not only is this your first opportunity to see Danielson v. Low Ki on PPV, but who knows if its a match which will ever happen again.

3. The IC match should feel bigger here than in real WWF; it's a Mania main event rematch, as Nitro and especially Porter had to carry the ball in the match where both Bret and Shawn ended careers.  Porter's returning here; he's a healthy sized babyface- as occasionally happens, counterfactual WWF was first into the pool on an idea, a couple of years ago MVP starting tweeting during matches as part of a long IC run.  He turned face as part of the Michaels/Nitro/Flock angle, and now - with Nitro as the IC Champ and MVP still billed as the "greatest IC Champ of all time" - it's a pretty natural program.

Porter, for reasons you're aware, takes the lesser of the build - he really serves to let the Clique accrue some juvenile points at his expense.  Nitro, Miz and Natty hit that real world DX button hard - the one sophomoric element that specifically I want to mention is a blowjob joke - Miz starts referring to Nitro as having a "9 inch python" - and uses a laser pointer/telestrator to circle the area as they freeze frame shots of Nitro on the TitanTron.

What that leads to is a running joke - Miz takes shots of girls on the Titan Tron and theoretically measures their mouths with the Telestrator/laser pointer to see if they can handle the python.  They can include shots of famous women - and then shots of women in the arenas.  So - like a Kiss Cam, the Clique gets in the ring, and women, preferably with boyfriends, will be picked - they'll put them on the Titan Tron, freeze the shot - and Miz will theoretically "measure' their mouths to demonstrate they can accommodate the python.  If they can, say a picture of Nitro will be slapped into the shot of the girl.

Where that builds is to the same Fight Night where Rey meets Ki - the last Fight Night before the election for US Senate from Connecticut.

Linda is a special guest, she hasn't appeared on WWF TV for election law related reasons - but she's there, in the crowd, sitting next to Vince - and since her campaign has a populist message (note, her economic message, as previously referenced, involved a tax to be placed on millionaires - so the Counterfactual doesn't just prefigure wrestling angles, its suggestive of political proposals.)

And, of course, when the Clique does their Kiss Cam spot - who they pick is Linda - so there's a shot of Linda in the crowd, and Miz measuring her mouth on the TitanTron to see if it can accommodate the python.  They slap up two pictures of Nitro over the shot of Linda.

They're the Clique after all.  That's how they get down.  MVP can save the day with a run in, the Clique bails out - and wouldn't you know it -

On election day, "Bernie Sanders style independent" Linda McMahon is elected to the United States Senate.

4. The dissension between the tag champs continues here.  Killings has been moving heel post Mania, and in this stretch, he adds a new development - the victory cigarette.  When Young Money wins, in the ring, Killings lights up a cigarette, puts it out on the canvas.

Which is more unlikely?

Linda McMahon = Bernie Sanders
Truth Killings = Red Auerbach?

It irritates Kingston, which might be why Killings does it - their point of contention since winning the title is Kingston wants to be more serious - Killings wants to party more.

Hooligans are Hooligans, they're ready to brawl their way to the tag straps.

5. Nemeth is now pretty clearly obsessed with beating Mysterio.

You understand him psychologically - he was the lesser half of D1, both Underground and on the main roster, he's the guy who feels he has to overcome, to prove himself.  And he's been spurred by Bret's comparing him to Hennig - by Bret suggesting that maybe he's better than Swagger and getting a unfairly overshadowed.

We watch Nemeth slowly differentiate himself from his partner - his hair gets longer and more blond, he gets a little more demonstrative in the ring.  Rey beats him at Summer Slam, but Nemeth just grows increasingly determined; at the battle royal - Nemeth just went right at Mysterio; he wasn't looking to win the battle royal, he just wanted Rey.  He got him, helping Dos Caras eliminate Mysterio; and is now fully locked onto this rematch.  With Swagger occupied with Edge - Nemeth is fully engaged in preparing for a rematch with Rey; he says he knows he can beat him - knows what mistakes he made at Summer Slam and how to fix them.

Nemeth's not quite maniacal, but clearly single minded focus is clear on that final Fight Night before the 2010 midterm election - when he sits in the stands and scouts the match between Rey and Low Ki.

And now it's time to discuss it.

Rey v. Low Ki.  Rey goes over.  Regal, Empire, and the Douchebags sit just behind the retaining barrier at ringside.  They've been jerering at Ki during the match, leading to a spot where Ki is on the outside, and he leaps into the crowd to take a shot at one of the developmental guys.  They all attack - the GDI guys make their way over from their seats, it's more pushing and shoving than a full on brawl, it's pretty quickly broken up by Regal and Danielson - but Sydal winds up on the bottom of the group, and he'll suffer an aggravation of his injury which will return him to the shelf.  Danielson and Regal have words.

Rey takes over after that interlude and rides the momentum to the eventual pinfall.

Postmatch, GDI comes to the ring to console Ki - he seems to blame them for getting involved, that blame escalates into a pull apart.

Nemeth's been engrossed in his scouting, cutaways during the match had him intensely watching Rey, taking notes, perhaps electronically.  He doesn't appear to notice when Kelly leaves postmatch to go to ringside, perhaps to talk to one of the other girls.  Edge appears on the ramp - and before Kelly notices it's too late, she's frozen between Edge and the ring apron; Edge might spear Kelly on the outside now - Edge stalks her, the gleam evident in Edge's eye.  Nemeth is writing, fully occupied by thoughts of Mysterio and doesn't appear to notice.  Who notices is Swagger - he runs in to protect his sister, leading to a grin from Edge, who backs away as that show ends.  Following this, Swagger makes clear that Kelly will not be at ringside with him at Survivor Series.  Swagger and Nemeth have some words, quiet words, in an upcoming show - Swagger clearly saying "look, I know you're locked in - but you've got to protect my sister" - and Nemeth taking umbrage, he's told Kelly a hundred times to keep her head on a swivel.  Nemeth doesn't tell Swagger how to prepare for his title match, Swagger shouldn't tell him how to get ready for his match with a legend.

6. Dos Caras makes his PPV debut - he's got the car and the walkaround guy; he debuted cutting a promo at Summer Slam on Cody and Chavo - comparing his wrestling family to theirs.  And that continues here, Dos Caras nearly won the battle royal - Cody was eliminated quickly by Low Ki.  It's positioned as a battle between their two families - a wrestling legacy match.

7. DiBiase's back and Defiance takes on Dead Men Walking.  Orton lost to Sheamus at Summer Slam; it was positioned as a match after which he'd have no one else to blame.  And he doesn't - but who is very understanding is DiBiase; as opposed to "serves you right" - DiBiase looks to build his partners confidence as they approach the match against the giants.

8. Another Underground match.  Douchebags beat Empire at Summer Slam but were left laying postmatch.  Regal doesn't mind the "creative tension" Underground - and here we see them meet again.

And that's the show.

The next TNA chapter comes in October.  And Survivor Series is in November.

Road to Survivor Series 2010-Part 2, Battle Royal 11

Part I is here.

The 11th Number One Contenders Battle Royal is on the 900th episode of RAW, the longest running show in the history of something or other.  There are a couple of weeks of programming between Summer Slam and the big, big battle royal, all driving hard to the event, selling its importance given that recent WWF history has really been shaped by the last two Battle Royals.  It was 2 years ago that Jericho (from position #30) eliminated Edge and then went on to take the WWF Title from Punk, a title he just relinquished right now, at Summer Slam.  It was 4 years ago that Punk became the only man to win from position #1, and immediately after taking the title from Flair, he threw down the WWF Title belt, splitting the company in pieces, creating GDI, and becoming the ultimate heel in WWF history.

With recent history as a backdrop, the potential for Battle Royal 11 to be a real monument is what's pushed on the programming; you cannot possibly miss the battle royal, as it perhaps is a pivot point into a new era for the World Wrestling Federation.

Just a couple of specific moments in the couple of weeks between Summer Slam and the 900th episode of RAW.  We've already discussed the night after Summer Slam (its back in the Summer Slam post) as it includes Edge's Triple Crown ceremony, with Jericho's leaving the company.  

3 days later, Bret Hart appears on GDI.

He appears after an opening squash, Low Ki going over an enhancement guy named Alex Riley.

There's no need to notice Riley, he's been around since mid summer doing jobs for GDI; he wears a high school letterman jacket with his name on the back, which is how anyone would know his name as a guy strictly doing squash jobs.  Every couple of weeks, Alex Riley gets his ass kicked on TV.  

Just something to note.

As Riley exits, he's passed by an entering Bret Hart, who probably receives a loud and mixed reaction.

Bret asks Low Ki to hang out, asks Danielson to come to the ring.  

Bret said he wanted to thank Danielson personally for exterminating CM Punk and protecting the main event of Summer Slam, allowing Edge to become WWF Champion.

He says it as if its an actual thanks.  But its not - he's putting Danielson into the position of having done a job for him, and not just any job - but a job that involved injuring a man who, despite Danielson's intense dislike of him (despite almost everyone's intense dislike of him) is still a folk hero - CM Punk.  There should be GDI fans devoted to Punk who are hot at Danielson for having worked him over at Summer Slam, and now might look at Bryan as a sell out.

Danielson says he didn't do it for Bret, or Edge, or their belt - CM Punk put Ricky Steamboat in the hospital, so Bryan Danielson put CM Punk in the hospital.  Its not a deal.  It's justice.  

Bret says he's grateful regardless, but that's not really why he's here.  Bret says there has been a settlement in the GDI lawsuit over Steamboat's injuries on Fight Night.

GDI will receive some television considerations, promotional considerations, some future considerations to be discussed at a later date, GDI has reacquired the contract of the man who lost the Intercontinental Championship at Summer Slam, Matt Sydal, and GDI will receive 10 matches of their choice at WWF events between now and Wrestlemania 27.

Bret makes clear that's any match at all, with the only exception being the WWF Title at Survivor Series, to be decided between Edge and the winner of the Battle Royal on the 900th RAW.

Low Ki says that's fine.  They don't want a free pass to the WWF Title - in fact, what they want to do is use the first two of those 10 matches for two spots in that Battle Royal - because there's no better way to show that they are the best wrestlers in the world, than to beat 28 WWF wrestlers by themselves and then face off, one on one, to see who goes to Survivor Series to take the belt from Edge.

Fans chant best in the world.

Bret gets what seems the parting line - says he wouldn't mind seeing that, because the thing about being the best there is - is there really can't be two.  "Is it you, Low Ki?  Are you the "best"?  Or is it Bryan Danielson - are you the best wrestler in the world?"

On that line, Bret exits - but as he leaves Danielson gives what sounds to be a warning, "hey, Bret - tell Regal to watch his mouth."

Once GDI is invited, that becomes part of the conversation - as there isn't anyone, on RAW, Fight Night, and especially the Underground, as was made clear in Regal's commentary at Summer Slam, that likes GDI, either historically, because of Punk - or specifically now, with Danielson and Low Ki calling themselves the best wrestlers in the world.  In fact, we see the very end of a full locker room meeting on the 899th RAW, with  a screen shot of Danielson and Low Ki in the background and Bret saying, "you all know what you need to do"

With that as the backdrop - we hit the 900th episode of RAW.

Joey/JR/Josh are your announce team for this special edition.  Regal sits with Bret in the front row.  As always, the Champ comes to ringside.  Edge comes to the announce, doesn't put on a headset, but puts his feet up on the table, smiles broadly and waits for entrant number one...

1. Zach Ryder

-Ryder and the rest of the Douchebags come to the ring (not Slater) to cut their promo.  Sunglasses, Affliction shirts, Axe body spray.  They get more and more orange every time you see them.  The announce notes that every single #1 entrant in Battle Royal history has, at one point or another, held some type of WWF belt.  The rest of the Douchebags remain at a cluster at ringside as number two begins to come to the ring.

2. Chavo Guerrero
-The veteran Guerrero is next; he has his LWO t-shirt, as at 26 he gained control of the name over the Colons.  Chavo shakes his head at Ryder.  These kids today.

3. Drew McIntyre
-Drew (w/Fit) makes his return from injury, the announce notes that speculation is McIntyre particularly might be coming back too soon, but it shows how every man desperately wants to be in this Battle Royal.  Drew big mans both guys.  As he beats on Ryder, Finlay turns and grins at Regal - and the announce notes that Regal is head trainer of the Underground, and Ryder is one of his students, but Regal and Fit were both mentors of the Hooligans.

4. Ted DiBiase
-Also making his return is Ted, Jr.  Defiance and The Hooligans are, of course, longstanding rivals, so it isn't a surprise that Ted goes right after Drew.

5. PAUL
-DMW just lost their attempt to to regain the tag belts at Summer Slam, but both Ted and Drew have reason for anger at PAUL, given DMW's having taken both men out.  They stop fighting each other to attack him, but PAUL uses typical big man tactics to swat both away, then a big headbutt to Chavo, and then he grabs Ryder high in the air for a chokeslam...

...but that chokeslam never happens.  The music of man number six causes PAUL to put Ryder back on his feet.

It's "The Final Countdown."

6. Bryan Danielson
-As Danielson appears at the top of the ramp, each man (save Ryder) readies into an athletic stance.  Knees bent, balls of the feet - PAUL yelling "come on boy, let's go" as he scowls at the American Dragon.  Ryder is confused, he was about to get chokeslammed by the monster and did not - he's spun into position by Ted and Drew, they point to Danielson as if reminding him that there's a job to do.  There's been no one more vocally anti GDI than Regal, and post his Summer Slam announcing put down of GDI, he's continued a tirade against the idea that independent wrestling is better training than the Underground.  He takes as a personal offense that Danielson and Low Ki, neither of whom work for WWF, have anything to do with a WWF event like this.

The Douchebags who remain at ringside look like they might attack Danielson, but it's Finlay, perhaps curiously, as he has no affiliation with the Undeground, who steps in front of them and points Danielson's direction to the ring.  Bryan smiles at Fit, but takes a moment before entering to stare hard at Regal, who recall, is in the front row next to Bret.  Regal stands, yelling at Danielson to get in the sodding ring, and after surveying the scene - with 4 or 5 men at ringside yelling at him, with both Finlay and Regal snarling - and with five WWF wrestlers all in the ring awaiting to take his head off - Danielson enters.

(The clock, one notes is 2 minutes between wrestlers, but mysteriously it was turned off here).

Danielson gets roughed up.  All 5 men just pounding on him, a full on gangbang.  He just gets punched and stomped to death - and then picked up by Ted and Drew - and flung toward the ropes.

7. Heath Slater
                         (30 - Slater, by Danielson)
Danielson is flung to the ropes exactly as Heath Slater (not so much paying real close attention to the proceedings) enters the ring, Danielson smacks dead into Slater, immediately sending him back over the top for the quickest elimination in battle royal history.  Slater falls atop the Douchebags who remained at ringside.  Danielson's survival causes PAUL and Chavo to immediately grab Ryder and whip him at Danielson looking to knock the Dragon over - but Danielson backdrops Ryder over the top - right onto Slater and the rest of the Douchebags.
                           (29 - Ryder, by Danielson)
PAUL is frustrated - shaking his head and walking toward one side of the ring with his hands on his hips; Drew and Ted take advantage - throwing him over the top.
                           (28 - PAUL, by DiBiase and McIntyre)

8. Primo Colon
Chavo's rival Primo enters - and we get a demonstration in how much the locker room wants to see GDI beaten, as the two of them immediately set upon Danielson - and are joined by DiBiase and McIntyre - Danielson stays on his feet now, attempting to fight off all 4 men, a moment where he punches his way out of danger would be good.

9. Windham Rotunda
The announce says this is the first day on the job for Mike Rotunda's son Windham and his tag partner, both men are expected to be in the battle royal - and because of that Rotunda doesn't come in the ring going after Danielson, instead he double legs DiBiase.

Mike Rotunda - who comes to the ring with his son, as his manager, recall was the previous trainer at the Underground - and his tenure ended with an Orton boot the head.  So, Windham comes in and goes right after DiBiase - Fit starts yelling at Rotunda to get control over his kid, that they need to eliminate Danielson - and Rotunda starts screaming back, and now it looks like the two of them are going to go.

10. Joe Hennig
And here's Rotunda's tag partner - the announce tells us it's Curt Hennig's son Joe, and he gets in between Rotunda and Finlay - putting his hands on Fit - and that leads McIntyre to leave his team up with Chavo/Primo against Danielson, going underneath the bottom rope to the outside to grab Hennig.  DiBiase and Rotunda are fighting on the inside - McIntrye and Hennig are fighting on the outside.
                                   (27 - Primo, by Danielson)
Then it happens fast.  Danielson tosses Primo.  McIntrye and Hennig get into the ring as..
                                   (26 - Rotunda, by DiBiase)
...Ted dumps Rotunda and then,
                                   (25 - Chavo, by Danielson)
Danielson's cleared his side of the ring, followed quickly by...
                                   (24 - Hennig, by Ted/Drew)
....and then a flying crossbody leaves only one man in the ring...
                                   (23 and 22 - DiBiase and McIntyre, by Danielson)
...when Danielson's caught by DiBiase and McIntyre, but his momentum carries all 3 over the top...but Danielson's the only one who holds on.

Danielson hops to a midbuckle, yells out "Best.  Wrestler.  In the World..."

11. Harry Smith
Harry and Tyson went back to the Underground, sent by Bret, over the summer, but make their return here; he and Danielson do a full two minutes designed to show Danielson's agility.  Harry does power stuff for a minute, the announce noting that Harry has a strength advantage - but then Danielson counters with speed.  That's what Josh gets over; there's not a style, not a type of opponent that Danielson can't adapt to - so after Harry gets his power stuff over, Danielson out quicks him, and uses a highspot to send him over.
                                  (21, Harry, by Danielson)
Danielson goes back to a midbuckle.  Presumably there will be members of the crowd who join the catchphrase.

Best.  Wrestler.  In the world.

12. Yoshi Tatsu
Tatsu and his manager, Michael Cole, come down the ramp - here, Tatsu is much quicker than Danielson, and he gets a minute of spots to demonstrate that.  But Danielson slows him down, takes out a leg and then works over Tatsu on the mat - Josh again, hitting the point - you are watching an artist in the ring, he is a once in a generation athlete.  Danielson locks on cattle mutilation, Tatsu taps and taps and taps - Danielson releases the hold - and easily throws him over the top rope.
                                (20, Tatsu, by Danielson)

Back to the buckle.  This time - Danielson points right at Bret and Regal.

Best.  Wrestler.  In the World.

13. MVP
It's Porter's first match since the Mania double main event win - so it should be positioned as a reasonably big entrance.  Hopefully, MVP gets a big babyface pop as he slowly comes to the ring - he and Bret, recall, were tag partners at Mania - so Bret stands and applauds as MVP enters - and Porter acknowledges him before getting in the ring and squaring off with the Dragon.  They do the best fast two minutes they can.

14. The Miz
Miz, note, last saw Porter when he posed over his body at Mania; MVP had to carry the bulk of his side of the tag match, given Bret's physical limitation, and as it was a no DQ, wound up on the wrong side of a pretty healthy 4 on 1 beatdown.  Miz enters and quickly negotiates with MVP, Miz saying look, you and me, we have bad blood, but we have a job to do, everyone understands, it's us against him....

MVP agrees, backing away - and the second Miz takes his eyes off him - Porter takes off his head with a Yakuza kick.

MVP goes off on the Miz, letting out months of frustration, just beating him all across the ring, the Miz on his bicycle trying to escape.  Danielson, puts his arms up in a "you guys can handle this" gesture, appreciating the chance to rest.  MVP not letting up on Miz.

15. Wade Barrett
Barrett enters and Danielson's got to go back to work, they go one on one while MVP wears Miz out.

16. Johnny Nitro
The IC champ goes to save his stablemate, and now MVP is fighting off 2 men.

17. Kane
The big red monster joins Barrett, and now Danielson is fighting off 2 men.

18. Justin Gabriel
Barrett's partner hits the ring, it's only 3 on 1 momentarily, as Kane winds up on the ropes, and almost despite themselves, Empire can't help but take advantage.
                                     (19 - Kane, by Empire and Danielson)
Just a beat later, MVP is able to overcome the doubleteam and toss Miz.
                                     (18 - Miz, by Porter)

19. Truth Killings
Half of the tag champs, Killings comes in and gets in some shots at everyone - on both Nitro and MVP, who are fighting by themselves, and on Danielson and both members of Empire; it's there where he remains, Killings taking out Gabriel.
                                     (17 - Gabriel, by Killings)
Killings does a little bit too much celebrating, thrusting his pelvis at the fallen Gabriel, and Barrett takes advantage.
                                     (16 - Killings, by Barrett)
But that puts Barrett near the ropes.  And with Nitro and MVP still working it out on the other side of the ring, that leaves Barrett alone with Danielson.
                                     (15 - Barrett, by Danielson)

20. Tyson Kidd
Just as Kidd hits the ring...
                                      (14 - MVP, by Nitro)
Johnny Nitro wins his battle with MVP, but that left him totally exposed and unaware that another rival just entered the ring - and he sprints right to him
                                      (13 - Nitro, by Kidd)
 Kidd yells at his former girlfriend Natty Neidhart, at ringside for Nitro; it is intensely, intensely personal between Nitro and Kidd - and apparently now Harry and Tyson have returned from their second stint Underground, back to the main roster, Tyson Kidd slides under the bottom rope and he starts chopping away at Nitro, feverishly chopping at Nitro on the outside.

21. John Cena
Hopefully, the new garbage wrestling Cena, coming off a Summer Slam destruction of Mr. Jennifer Hudson, gets a face pop in his hometown.  Cena comes to the ring with a glass light tube - which he plants squarely over Danielson's head.

Which gets him DQ'd.
                                                     (12 - Cena, DQ)
He yells out W-W-F as he steps over the top rope and exits - I'd like a shot of Danielson, blood streaming down his face, rising from the shot, anger, fury, taking over his entire body, Tyson Kidd re-entered after Danielson went down, looking to get the elimination - but now has to face the wrath of the Dragon, who blasts him from the ring.
                                               
                                               (11 - Kidd, by Danielson)
Danielson tosses Kidd from the ring - he's alone in the ring one more time, but now in a monumental fury, that is immediately taken from him as he turns around to eat a spear from Edge.

The World Champ, looking for all the world like he has been asleep the entire match, entered as Danielson was overcome with anger and turned the opposite way, and now sends him hard to the mat.  Edge runs his hand through his hair, as long as it has ever been, smiles, yells out.  Best.  Wrestler.  In the World.

And exits.

There are only 9 men left.  Only 1 man in the ring.  And he is barely, barely staggering to his feet when the next man's music plays.  I'm betting you guess who it is.

22. Low Ki
Low Ki hits the ring, and without even as much as a beat, kicks the totally defenseless Danielson in the head and throws him over the top.
                                                  (10 - Danielson, by Low Ki)
When Danielson regains his footing, he stares hard at Low Ki from the ramp, before exiting.

23.  Cody Rhodes
Cody has to take a quick and destructive beating, designed to get over Low Ki's offense, it has to be brutal.
                                                  (9 - Cody, by Low Ki)

24. Rey Mysterio
Low Ki starts nodding, yeah, yeah, yeah, the Legendary Rey Mysterio is coming to the ring to go one on one with Low Ki.  Who will become the Number One Contender??

25. Nick Nemeth
Nemeth wants Rey; Nemeth enthusiastically wants Rey - Nemeth wants Rey to the point of ignoring Low Ki, who responds by kicking him multiple times.  And now it's a 3 way; Nemeth just desperate to compete against Mysterio, it isn't a personal thing - it's Nick Nemeth believing he is ready for that next step, and having gotten so close to beating Mysterio at Summer Slam, can't resist the opportunity to go after him now, even if it means not taking out Low Ki.

26. Ka$h Kingston
The other half of the tag champs, Kingston enters - it's every man for himself, all four men hitting high spots on the the others.  It should be a fast paced segment, with all four men fresh.

27. Randy Orton
Orton comes in slowly, deliberately, looking for an opportunity to strike - and he does, leveling Kingston with an RKO.

28. Sheamus
Orton's rival Sheamus enters just as Kingston hits the canvas - Sheamus aids Orton in grabbing the tag team champ and tossing him over.
                                                       (8- Kingston, by Orton and Sheamus)
Immediately, there's an opportunity to eliminate Nemeth, so Orton and Sheamus seize upon him, both men trying to push Nemeth out, and that leaves Mysterio to continue an actual wrestling match with Low Ki.

29. Jack Swagger
The other half of D1; Swagger's been out for months, training maniacally to return - and he comes in to save his partner, Division One, the longest reigning WWF Tag champs in over a decade, eliminating both of their tag rivals.
                                                      (7 and 6, Orton and Sheamus, by D1)

30. Dos Caras, Jr.
As promised - Dos Caras is in the Battle Royal - he gets the full entrance, with the car and Rodriguez introducing him.  The car hits the top of the aisle just as Orton and Sheamus are being eliminated.  Dos Caras hits the ring - and pretty quickly - he, Rey, Swagger, and Nemeth are all in a corner with Low Ki in the middle.

Rey takes over the ring - telling Division 1 that the priority is eliminating Low Ki.  Rey pointing at Dos Caras, saying he's either on the team or he is not. Dos Caras pauses - then attacks Low Ki.  All 4 men set upon Low Ki - and they are able to send him over the top rope.
                                                     (5 - Low Ki, by the Ring)
Caras takes advantage of the excitement of the elimination by going after Rey - and aiding him in pushing Mysterio over is Nemeth.
                                                     (4 - Rey, by Caras and Nemeth)
Nemeth celebrates - Nemeth pumps his fist and lets out a scream; Caras looks to take advantage again - but he's stopped cold by a Swagger waistlock - and a devastating high angle suplex that leaves him crumpled on the canvas.  Swagger scoops Caras up and throws him out.
                                                       (3 - Caras, by Swagger)
That leaves Division One.  Nemeth and Swagger.  Swagger and Nemeth.  Training partners in the Underground.  Tag team champions.  Kelly, Swagger's sister and Nemeth's girlfriend, puts her hands over her face at ringside.  After a moment Nemeth and Swagger slap hands.  It's time to go - one man is headed to Survivor Series to meet Edge for the WWF Title..

It's Swagger.

They go maybe a dozen minutes, have an actual wrestling match, but it's Swagger who gets the elimination.
                                                     (2 - Nemeth, by Swagger).

Nemeth puts his head in his hands at ringside, pounding at his temples.

But eventually he returns to the ring, Swagger extends his hand - they shake - they hug - Nemeth raises Swaggers hand - Jack Swagger - Jack Swagger is headed to Survivor Series!

About a month from now, the rest of the build for Survivor Series 2010.

Road to Survivor Series 2010 - A History of the Battle Royal

Summer Slam 2010 is here.

There are new readers this week.  Welcome.

Something you might note is the Royal Rumble doesn't contain the "royal rumble."  

There is, however, a "royal rumble" - a Number One Contender Battle Royal that WWF does every other year, and has for the past two decades (note, I'd call it the Royal Rumble and I'd call the Royal Rumble "Justice Sunday", but I didn't want to change the names of the "big 4" for purposes of this exercise) and as Dos Caras, Jr. revealed in the open to Summer Slam, the battle royal is just a couple of weeks after Summer Slam, on the 900th episode of RAW.

When I get to that post, sometime in early September squeezed around fantasy football drafts, there will be a little preface, discussing some of the specific build to the battle royal - but it's essentially what you think it is, 30 men, a top rope, and the winner going to Survivor Series to face Edge for the WWF Title.

It's Battle Royal 11.

Below is some collected facts and figures about the previous 10.  

Battle Royal 1

1991 – Following WM VII

First two entrants:  Hawk and Animal.

First elimination: The Barbarian, by the Road Warriors.

Most eliminations:  Undertaker – 10

Longest Performance- Shawn, 1 hour.

Final 4 Eliminated: Shawn, Bret, Taker, Sid

Winner: Davey Boy

Battle Royal 2

1993 – Following WM IX

First two entrants: Owen and Shawn

First elimination: Doink, by Owen and Shawn

Most eliminations: Luger – 7

Longest Performance: Shawn, 1 hour 10 minutes

Final 4 Eliminated: Owen, Perfect, Savage, Shawn

Winner: Razor

Battle Royal 3

1995 – Following WM XI

First two entrants: Waltman and Bob Holly

First elimination: Holly, by Hunter

Most eliminations: Davey Boy – 6

Longest Performance: Waltman – 35 minutes

Final 4 eliminated: Davey Boy, Candido, Shawn, Razor

Winner: Hakushi

Battle Royal 4

1996 – Following WM XII

First two entrants: Billy and Bart

First elimination: Marty, by Al Snow

Most eliminations: Austin – 7

Longest Performance: Owen, 45 min

Final Four eliminated: Cactus, Taker, Davey Boy, Austin

Winner: Owen

Battle Royal 5

1998 – Following WM XIV

First two entrants: Rock and HHH

First elimination: Mr Aguila, by HHH

Most eliminations: Austin – 9

Longest Performance: Rock, 52 min.

Final four eliminated: Taker, Regal, Shamrock, Austin

Winner: Cactus

Battle Royal 6

2000 – Following WM XVI

First two entrants: Angle and Bob Holly

First elimination: Crash, by Angle

Most eliminations: Angle – 8

Longest Performance – Angle, 1 hr, 6 min.

Final Four eliminated: Snow, Eddy, Angle, Jericho

Winner: Rock

Battle Royal 7

2002 – Following WM XVIII

First two entrants: Jericho and Edge

First elimination: Regal, by Jericho and Booker

Most eliminations: Diesel, 8 (many in coordination with the rest of the Clique)

Longest Performance: Shawn, 46 min

Final Four eliminated: Taker, RVD, Flair, Shawn

Winner: Rey

Battle Royal 8

2004 – Following Summer Slam 2004

First two entrants: Tajiri and Yang

First elimination: Yang, by Benjamin

Most eliminations: Leviathan, 12 (many in coordination with the rest of the Horsemen)

Longest performance: Chavo, 35 min

Final four eliminated: Leviathan, Jericho, Chavo, Christian

Winner: Eddy

Battle Royal 9

2006 – Following Summer Slam 2006

First two entrants: Punk and 2 Cold

First elimination: Kennedy, by Carlito

Most eliminations: Lashley, 5

Longest performance: Punk, 1 hr 20 min. 

Final four eliminated: Fit, Orton, Edge, Jeff

Winner: Punk

Battle Royal 10

2008: Following Summer Slam 2008

First two entrants: Nitro and Santino

First elimination: Santino, by Nitro

Most eliminations: Edge, MVP 4

Longest Performance: MVP, 42 min.

Final Four eliminated: Matt, Leviathan, Jeff, Edge

Winner: Jericho

Summer Slam 2010

You can get to the build here.

(A brief note, I currently have four jobs, which is a lot of jobs.  I’m not planning on stopping the counterfactual, but were it to become a little less fleshed out, maybe significantly so, that wouldn’t surprise. )

Summer Slam 2010 is from Los Angeles; the announce is a bit of a mess; Joey and Striker are your main team; for the Underground match, they’re joined by Regal; for the Danielson match, they’re joined by Josh; and for the main event, they’re replaced entirely by the Fight Night crew – JR and Lawler. 

(Dark – Cody d. Chavo)

The show opens as the dark match concludes, Cody and Chavo are still in the ring when a limousine emerges onto the ramp; it’s driven by Ricardo Rodriguez, who makes his debut as Dos Caras, Jr.’s driver/personal ring announcer. 

Dos Caras (whose vignette debut was featured in the build for this show) establishes that he is here in the WWF, that he has more money than all of the Mexicans in Los Angeles combined, that he is in the WWF to establish his family legacy as the greatest in wrestling history – and to that end he insults Cody and Chavo, saying he’ll make an example of both of them, he’ll humiliate them and their families.  Caras says he will make his debut – his unmasked debut – at the Number One Contender’s Battle Royal on August 30 in Boston ( this is a reveal, and the announce will refer to it throughout the night, every other year there’s a number one contender’s battle royal, either before summer slam or survivor series, as I mention constantly, I would call it the Royal Rumble and call the Royal Rumble Justice Sunday, but I wanted to not break that tether to the real world; is it really 4 years ago that Punk won the battle royal?).  That night is RAW’s 900^th episode, and it will be nothing but the battle royal.

After the promo comes the opening video package, and Joey/Striker and an entering Regal, head trainer for developmental, are the announce.

1.       Match From the Underground: Douchebags (Ryder/Slater) d. Empire (Barrett/Gabriel)

-Douchebags (not just Ryder and Slater but a handful of guys, sort of like the FBI to make an old real world ECW reference) cut their group promo to help get over the Douchebag ethos (looks like a pinata stuffed with Affliction shirts and bluetooths just burst above the ring)  The excess guys all leave before the match starts.    Empire’s essentially Barrett’s haughty real world persona.  Important here is Regal on the announce, as he’s there to put over developmental – not just current developmental prospects, but the idea of WWFU as a tremendous success, visible in graduates like D1 and Hooligans.  Regal specifically contrasts WWFU as the best way to get training with independent wrestling.  Regal dismissively refers to GDI as minor league wrestling, and when he has heard all of this talk about Danielson and Low Ki being the best wrestlers in the world, its angered him and it minimizes the work done at WWFU.

 Douchebags go over – and following the match, they’re attacked and stomped out by Empire – Joey looks for Regal, as head trainer, to stop it – but Regal says this is part of the training, you do what you have to do in the wrestling ring, the match matters – but it’s not the only way to win. 

 2.       Light Tube Match: John Cena d. David Otunga

It’s Otunga’s debut, you can read about his vignettes in the build, he views WWF as a stepping stone to a fabulous entertainment career.  Cena’s Tommy Dreamer (thought of as soft by the core fanbase, hopefully winning some over with a willingness to bleed for the company)  He’s evolved into the man who defends the WWF shield at the point of his fluorescent light tube.  That’s what this match is about, fortifying the new Cena character with a quick and bloody win over a guy who no one could possibly root for.

3.       Winner’s Team Gets Tag Title Shot: Sheamus (w/Fit) d. Randy Orton

McIntrye and DiBiase, tag partners of these two, are injured (as is Swagger) so WWF Commissioner Bret Hart made this match; Orton and Sheamus feuded as part of their tag teams for much of the past year – and that feud grew out of a much longer feud that Orton has had with Fit Finlay, the Hooligans manager. 

 Hooligans got the better of Defiance in that program – and Sheamus gets the better of Orton here.  It’s maybe an upset, given that Orton’s both a former IC and tag champ, but it signals the emergence of Sheamus as a legitimate threat.  Hooligans become number one contenders for the tag belts and will face the winners of the tag title match later on tonight at Survivor Series.  Orton looks despondent – as was set up in the build, there’s no one to blame for this; no partner, no manager, no authority figure – Orton’s lost clean in the middle to Sheamus, and its fair to wonder whats next for Defiance.

 4.       Rey Mysterio d. Nick Nemeth (w/Kelly)

The goal here is a quality loss for Nemeth, to elevate him with a loss against the  legendary Mysterio.  Nemeth was placed in this spot specifically by Bret, looking to move Nemeth above the position as the perceived lesser half of D1.  That’s the frame for the match, young Nemeth against a legend.  He loses, but gets a post match handshake – the announce selling that Nemeth has really impressed some people tonight.  Swagger, in streetclothes, enters postmatch to console his partner after the loss.

5.       WWF Tag Team Titles: Young Money (Kingston/Killings) d. DMW (Paul/Kane)

Young Money took the titles from D1 at Mania, really beginning in the build to that was a little bit of a rift between Kingston (who is increasingly taking wrestling a little more seriously) and Killings (who wants to hang out at the club and smoke.  That story continues here, Kingston dances around but is more focused than Killings who never stops clowning.  They keep – and its Killings, importantly, who gets the fall.  Postmatch, Hooligans comes to the ring – Sheamus is showered and in streetclothes, McIntyre and Fit are there too – there’s a nose to nose – Killings does something disrespectful, some type of excessive clowning that would piss Fit off – and it looks momentarily like they’re going to go. 

6.       IC Title: Johnny Nitro (w/Miz and Natty) d. Matt Sydal

The high flying babyface Sydal took from Michaels, then aligned with Nitro, at the Rumble – Nitro and Miz, junior members of the Clique, kicked the seniors to the curb the night after Mania, shelving Hunter and retiring Shawn.  The Clique has been running wild all summer, like a young real world DX, and that doesn’t end here.  Ideally, this is the match with the bumps – Sydal’s not coming back until 2011, so he can leave it all in the ring here.  Superkick.  Starship Pain.  Pinfall.  He gets worked over by the Clique postmatch.  They pose.

7.       Bryan Danielson d. CM Punk

-Danielson’s WWF PPV debut.  Punk’s been the centerpiece of the company for years; throwing down the WWF Title belt, starting his own shadowcompany, GDI, essentially a Ring of Honor-like anti-WWF alliance.  Punk heeled them, used the anti-establishment ethos for his own ends, like the revolutionary who becomes dictator.  2 WWF Titles and a Mania win over Steamboat later, Punk saw his last remaining friends in the company, Kendrick – Cabana, fired, then in a long program with Christian, Maria became a casualty of an attack by Edge.  Punk’s pursued Edge singlemindedly, wildly tearing apart Matt, Christian, and Steamboat in attempt to get to him. 

GDI has been reborn under Danielson, a combat artist, according to Josh – not driven by fame or money – but by the desire to be the greatest wrestler who ever lived.  Punk’s attack of Danielson’s father figure, Steamboat, moved Danielson to accept Bret Hart’s offer for this match – Bret needing to keep Punk away from the title match and Edge.  Additionally, Josh needs to respond to Regal - he gets to be the mouthpiece to hit Regal back for his criticism earlier in the night of GDI, saying that both of these men are GDI - Punk's a two time WWF Champion, and Danielson's the best wrestler in the world, and Regal trying to compare the Underground accomplishments to those really makes him look silly.

Most important here is it’s a chance for a great match; back before I started looking to really tell stories with the counterfactual, the essential premise was “what’s the best matches I could make” as my wrestling interest is almost entirely workrate.  Hard to say how many of these PPVS I get Danielson for, my primary interest is match quality.  This is the best brawling type match they can have, like Danielson’s real world matches with Morishima, as Punk’s not in a wrestling mindset, his hair and beard are crazy, he’s totally consumed with Edge.   He’s got to do a stretcher job here, because he isn’t coming out for the main.  Danielson ends it with the series of elbows to Punk’s neck – leading the referee to stop the match.

8.       WWF Title: Edge d. Chris Jericho (Special Guest Referee – Bret Hart)

Edge wins the WWF Title, Edge wins the Triple Crown. 

Edge and Jericho feuded years previous, when Jericho was a heel and Edge a face; they returned to WWF at the same time a couple of years ago as a tag team, Jericho even anointed Edge with the #10 Hart Foundation hockey jersey.  It was a set up, Edge was swerving Jericho to get eaten up by Hunter and Michaels.  Edge beat Jericho at Mania – but Jericho would win the number one contender’s battle royal and win the WWF Title and Triple Crown, taking from Punk almost two full years ago.  Jericho’s had a long, dominant title run – but has never defended against Edge, a match made by Bret on his first night as Commissioner.  Not only is this match for the belt, and for Edge, a chance to win the Triple Crown, but its also for a once and forever resolution of the disputed Hart Foundation membership. 

There’s one moment where Jericho questions something Bret did, and reasonable minds could differ on the call – say Lawler thinks Bret blew the call and JR thinks he got it right. 

But at the end, it’s Edge, clean with the spear and the fall.  It was 12 years ago, at Summer Slam '98, that Adam Copeland ("come on guys, call me Edge") was the first member of the Ring Boys to break out, beating Vader.  12 years later, through the ladder matches, the surgeries, the suspensions, through the wave of NWA and ECW talent that streamed ahead, through the valets, through the end of the WWF career for both Hardys, through Christian's years in TNA and now his being down with injury - there is Edge, now World Wrestling Federation Champion.  

Edge becomes the 46^th WWF World Heavyweight Champion.  The 11^th Triple Crown winner.  His career reaches its absolute pinnacle, he’s handed the WWF Title by Bret – he’s handed the #10 Hart Foundation jersey by Bret – Bret puts Edge’s arm in the air – he’s the WWF Champion – Edge stands above the wrestling world as the show ends.

The next night on RAW is the Triple Crown ceremony, every wrestler on the roster (not Punk) surrounding the ring, Edge is wearing a t-shirt with one of Maria’s Playboy pictures on it, Edge’s face covering the NSFW areas.  A stoic looking Jericho, in his suit, is called to the ring by Bret to transfer possession of the Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown, each owner’s name engraved like it were the Stanley Cup.

PEDRO MORALES

BRET HART

SHAWN MICHAELS

OWEN HART

STEVE AUSTIN

CACTUS JACK

EDDY GUERRERO

REY MYSTERIO

CHRIS BENOIT

CHRIS JERICHO

EDGE

Edge gobbles up the Triple Crown, holding it and the Hart Foundation jersey aloft – wearing the title belt around his waist.  Jericho says only one thing, and says it twice, to Edge, after he hands him the Triple Crown, “this belongs to you now.”  And then, after a pause, to Bret – Jericho pulls from his jacket his #7 Hart Foundation hockey jersey, and hands it to Bret, then nods toward the rest of the ring “this belongs to you now.”  As Jericho had fully embraced being the Champ, being the face of the company.  And now he yields.  

Jericho walks out of the ring and keeps on going. 

I’ll be back in a month with the battle royal.  Who will win? (I know the answer, it's on a piece of paper next to my desk).

Then in October, the rest of the build for Survivor Series.

In November, Survivor Series. 

Thanks for reading.