The Road to the Rumble 2006

Survivor Series is here.

And we’re back.

Counterfactual WWF takes the turn and heads for 2006 with the RAW after Survivor Series – which begins with our new heel stable – The 51% Solution.

That’s HHH-M, who just beat Shawn, ending the Clique, the night before. That’s Flair and Arn, who turned heel on Leviathan and beat down Steamboat in the back.

They explain how it was a plan all along – Flair’s not retiring, he’ll wrestle forever, no man’s enough to stop him. They have taken their 51% of creative power to end the Clique and to keep Matt Hardy out of the WWF. Steamboat’s in the hospital – and the 51% Solution is completely in control.

Not only that – but if you count the number of men in the ring (1, 2, 3) is seems short somehow – for some reason, HHH-M says, he always thinks that a wrestling group – a stable, if you will, should have four members.

HHH-M: And we do.

Hit Angle’s music.

Angle’s coming off the loss to Benoit for the vacant Worldwide Titles, losing a chance at the Triple Crown. Angle’s pissed, Benjamin, as S$, is carrying his bags, walking 3 steps behind. Benjamin’s even more pissed.

The crowd, obviously, is supposed to presume that Angle is the fourth man. He’s not, as they explain.

Angle: Stop your booing – I’m not the damn 4th guy. I couldn’t care less about your 4th guy, Helmsley.

Angle, recall, is doing a crazed, steroid fueled, Vic Mackey gimmick. He’s not in his gear, he’s got the mirrored sunglasses, a t-shirt, a jacket – Angle’s always raging – and since he won’t let Benjamin wrestle on PPVs, he’s always fuming behind him.

Angle says he lost to Benoit last night (pop) lost his chance to be Worldwide Champion (pop) lost his chance at the Triple Crown (pop)

Flair: What the hell do you want us to do about it, Angle?

Angle says that since the 51% Solution is running this place now – he asks for – he demands – that at the Royal Rumble – he gets the only thing that will make him feel better – one more time to kick Shawn Michaels’s ass.

Pop. Angle is unbeaten in his career against Michaels, one notes.

Flair and Hunter are fine with that – they’ve ended the Clique – if Angle wants to take care of the rest, that’s fine.

But Hunter wants something in return.

See, Hunter swore, at Summer Slam, when he returned as HHH-M, as the Princess’s husband, that he’d be walking out of XXII with gold.

So, at the Rumble, he needs an easy win, a “guaranteed” win. If Angle knows what he means. But he needs to beat someone athletic, someone talented, someone who has held WWF gold himself.

Hunter gets in Benjamin’s face.

HHH-M: I’m gonna beat you, Money.

Angle says Benjamin’s not ready yet – he still can’t work PPV – he’s not good enough.

Benjamin looks like he wants to kill everyone.

Angle says and because he’s not ready – that Hunter’s got a deal.

The 51% Solution laughs. Angle smirks. Benjamin fumes. Angle tells S$ to shake Hunter’s hand – Benjamin, despite the reaction of the crowd, does.

So, that sets up 2 matches (there’s gonna be nine).

Coming off Survivor Series, we’re gonna rematch MNM with Dead Men Walking. That’s 3 matches.

As mentioned in the Summer Slam build – we’re gonna do the Sunshine Boys gimmick with Fit, Dean, and now Regal.

Fit returns to the ring, with Dean as his manager. On this RAW the night after Survivor Series, he loses to Benoit – and we’re supposed to recognize how rusty Fit is.

But every week, with Dean in his corner – Fit gets a little better – starts to win, starts to win convincingly – he adds Regal as his training partner after beating him in a singles. It’s a chance to tell Fit’s story as the Euro vet trying for WWF gold – his longtime friend and rival Regal – and Dean, the NWA Champ who came over as part of the Alliance with Benoit, Saturn, and the late Eddy – Dean retired due to injury – but here he is, with Fit and Regal – gunning hard for Benoit.

It’s just veterans working hard. We can get some Dean/Benoit stuff – a promo that gets kind of heated where they walk down memory lane. If they want to talk Eddy they can, however it works is fine.

But it’s just a veteran tough guys angle.

The week before the Rumble, Benoit gets another pinfall over Fit – this time in a tag match where it’s Benoit/Rey against Fit/Regal. Rey winds up attacked by his opponents (yeah there will be two) for the title match at the Rumble – but Benoit holds on, Fit taps to the crossface – Benoit doesn’t break the hold as quickly as Dean would like – Dean’s in the ring to stomp on Benoit – and they throw down – with Regal and Fit having to act as peacemakers, Benoit and Malenko exchanging blows the week before the Rumble.

So, that’s 4 matches.

5 more.

Kendrick returned in the hot angle at Survivor Series, superkicking London cold as Paul tried to save Shawn.

Kendrick cuts promos that when he broke his arm 2 years ago (one may recall that they were the Michaels protégées, a jealous HHH turned heel by breaking Spanky’s arm with the sledgehammer) he went up to the Ring of Honor promotion – and he
waited for the call to come that he had his job back.

And it never came. And he wondered why – but he met a wrestler up in Ring of Honor who told him the truth – that the reason that WWF didn’t bring him back was because his old partner, Paul London, put the bad mouth on him.

London says that’s nuts.

Kendrick doesn’t believe him – he knows, he heard – he was told.

And we tell that story, two young guys, trained by Michaels in Texas, a young WWF tag – London got ahead, beating Jericho, beating HHH, getting an IC shot on PPV (the Rumble, I think) and Spanky, now known as Brian Kendrick, got brushed aside.

He keeps referring to this mystery wrestler from ROH who told him about how London screwed him, London buried him, London’s trying to ruin his career.

Kendrick can’t take it anymore.

And we build that – until one Raw they’re both attacked by the returning Jamie Noble.

Noble cuts the same promo on Kendrick that he’s been cutting on London.

Noble had it all coming together in WWF – he beat Chris Freaking Benoit on PPV – and he broke his ankle (Benoit broke it) went up to Ring of Honor – and he and Kendrick became a tag team.

Noble: We was friends, Brian. We was brothers – and when you got the call to come back here – did you take me? Hell, no. You left me up there, Brian. You left me.

Kendrick says he didn’t have a choice – but Noble says he got a phone call from a certain wrestler – and that wrestler said that Kendrick did have a choice, that he got offered a deal as a single or as a tag team – and he decided to leave his partner behind.

Kendrick says that’s not true. Noble says he heard it was.

And that’s your 5th match, a 3 way at the Rumble.

4 more.

Booker and Bradshaw won the straps over Orton and Cena at Survivor Series, as mentioned, on a RAW thereafter, Bradshaw re-turns, becoming GHB once again, with the flags and bringing out his toadie Conway as Anal Cysts, and the rabid jingoistic pro war rants.

But Book’s stuck with him, and we have heel/face tag champions.

They’re gonna meet the winners of, what will be a big RAW – we’re gonna do a gauntlet tag match, with 15 teams made entirely of men who have held tag belts before, either in WWF, NWA, or ECW.

Sometimes we’ll reunite actual tag teams – sometimes we’ll mix and match – but it will be a happening – as 29 (in a minute) former tag team champions will appear on RAW in a 15 team gauntlet – the team that survives goes to the Rumble to meet the champs.

The only man who will appear in the match never to have held a tag title is a former Worldwide Champ – and a longtime tag wrestler – making his return to WWF TV – Chavo Guerrero.

And the fans can do with that as they will. It should be a pretty big babyface return.

Not only will the tag title match be set up in that match, but also a big angle will move forward to set up an undercard match. We’ll also use that match to jumpstart Rey’s title defense at the Rumble. And, of course, once again, we have Matt and Edge.

Edge won at Summer Slam. Matt crucified him with a nail gun on RAW. Edge returned at Survivor Series to spear Shawn, allowing HHH-M the win. Matt ran in with twists of fate on both of them.

And they’ll meet again at the Rumble.

Matt v. Edge – in an Empty Arena Match.

How we get there, we’ll start talking about in the next installment.

So, next time will be the 15 team gauntlet, and we’ll set up the final 4 matches for Rumble ’06.

So far, here’s where we are:

Undisputed Titles: Rey v. ?
Worldwide Titles: Benoit v. Fit
Tags: Booker/Bradshaw v. ?

Angle v. HBK
London v. Noble v. Kendrick
Benjamin v. HHH-M
Dead Men Walking v. MNM
? v. ?

Empty Arena Match: Matt v. Edge

It’ll be a happening the build continues

Survivor Series 2005

The build is here.


Survivor Series 2005 – Detroit
(dark – Chavo d. Helms)
(Benjamin d. Regal)

Joey and Taz on the announce.

Vince is in the ring at the top of the broadcast, explaining the set up for the evening, with the preliminary matches being what you would expect from a WWF PPV – and the final two title matches being a tribute to Eddy Guerrero. Vince says thanks for coming.

1. MNM d. Dead Men Walking
-MNM get the clean fall over the newly babyfaced Show and Kane – they work some postmatch chairshots that lead to the Dead Man’s entrance – he officially rejoins Show and Kane as the 3 of them chokeslam Nitro and Mercury, with Melina escaping. (Note - this is error, MNM didn't work this show, they were in Melina's corner for her match).

2. Executioner Lashley d. Masters
Much anticipated debut of Lashley, he’s got the black X on both chest and back – black gloves – he rips off the cowl while on the top buckle and lets out a primal scream. Heyman, in the role of manager scouting Lashley, as are all the managers everywhere, is in the aisle. Lashley’s not gonna sell at all right now – they use him just to tear guys up. He blows Masters apart here. Dominator finish. Taz and Joey sell him as a monster, wonder again who will wind up with him. Heyman extends a hand to Lashley as he goes back up the aisle, Lashley blows him off – Heyman is then attacked by Stevie. Stevie pounces on Paul E – save by Nova and Guido.

Nova and Guido, who have been a low level tag for years, beat Stevie back – and then Carlito runs in to fight Nova to the ring, which gets us to the next match.

3. Carlito Colon d. Nova
Carlito’s a heel, doing his Razor Ramon-lite shtick, he gets the tights pulling fall on Nova – and then Lashley makes the slow, deliberate, Goldberg-walk back to the ring. Lashley press slams Nova to the outside – perhaps into the crowd. Screams. Carlito is saved by the LWO. That’s gonna lead to his taking over as the LWO mouthpiece and de facto leader at Juvie gets pushed out before the Rumble.

Lashley screams again, face pop. Look at the Executioner! He’s a monster!

4. Flair d. Leviathan (w/AA)
And here we go.

It’s ostensibly Flair’s last match, he’s been a babyface since serving as a judge at XXI and then joining Steamboat (note, Meltzer says Steamboat’s ex has the intellectual property rights to his name – fuck that – throw her 40 grand and she bites) as the figureheads in charge of WWF.

With Hunter asserting his 2% power, Steamboat and Flair decide that the only way to keep him from power is to say that active wrestlers get no votes – and the only way to do that is for Ric to retire.

So, lots of “goodbye, Ric” stuff – including a tribute video that debuts as Flair gets to the ring. Tears – should be tears, Flair, his protégée, handpicked for his farewell match, Leviathan – the two of them former tag champs – and then Arn, Leviathan’s manager.

So, Flair hits all the trademark spots – Arn has him well scouted – it’s as emotional as a wrestling match under these circumstances can be given that Eddy’s death overwhelms the entire night – and then Flair turns.

He goes low when Arn’s distracted the official – Arn, while seemingly trying to get the referee to look at Flair actually ties him up as Flair chairshots Leviathan – and then with the referee now occupied with Flair – Arn enters and spinebusters Leviathan onto the chair.

Flair then gets the fall.

Flair and Arn stomp Leviathan out, showing no mercy – Steamboat, obviously recognizing Flair’s turned, walks down the aisle, pulling off his jacket as he walks, pulling off his tie – the announce yells that Steamboat has a bad back – that Steamboat can’t get physical – that Steamboat risks permanent paralysis, etc…

Security stops Steamboat before he gets to the ring, holding him back as he yells at the laughing, taunting Flair and Anderson. They exit, Steamboat still held back.

5. Weapons Match: HHH-M d. HBK
And that ends the Clique.

Lot of angle here.

You know the backstory, HHH joined the Clique – he wound up running, over the years, everyone out – Razor, Diesel, Michaels, Waltman – when Michaels came back, Hunter was a face – they became tag champs – but Hunter couldn’t accept the kids, London and Spanky, breaking Spanky’s arm with the sledgehammer.

Hunter jobbed out then, to Shawn and to Edge, in 2004 – leaving TV as the Clique became ascendant. Hunter returned at Summer Slam, saying he married the Princess and now had 2% of the power in the company, with Flair and Steamboat each holding 49%.

Hunter demands this match, where if he wins, the Clique is dead. And with Christian gone, Edge turned, Michaels is alone here in the garbage match.

Which he loses, when Edge, gone since being crucified on RAW with a nailgun by Matt Hardy, but promised to make his return here – does, spearing his former stablemate and allowing Hunter to get the fall and end the Clique.

Edge and Hunter aren’t friendly. One, because they are all backstory, with the split between the E/C and the HHH/Waltman factions of the Clique. Two, because Edge’s affair with Lita is portrayed as outside the bounds of heelishness – so he is totally ostracized in the back.

Edge and Hunter have words – but then decide to put them aside to tear Michaels apart.

London begins to sprint down the aisle – but is waylaid midway by a superkick from a returning Spanky.

Spanky stands over London, cursing him out. Hey, fun surprise.

The beating in the ring continues.

Once again, we see Steamboat, now in the back – push his way past security to run to the ring – but he’s stopped by Flair and Arn – they beat him down – Arn holding Steamboat while Flair punches, drawing color.

The beating in the ring continues.

And from the crowd comes Matt Hardy.

Matt lost the unsanctioned match to Edge at Summer Slam, appearing once since to crucify Edge (who wears white tape on his wrists now)

Matt hits the twist of fate on Hunter – laying him out – then hits the twist of fate on Edge – laying him out.

Big face pop.

Michaels rises – note, again, Matt broke in as a Clique ring boy. But Michaels just cut an anti-Matt promo on TV, recall, as Matt’s not a regular babyface – Matt crucified Edge – Matt’s Pillman.

Michaels extends his hand to Matt – and Matt hits him with the twist of fate.

Matt smiles – does his V1 hand signal – and exits through the crowd.

6. Unified Tags: Booker/Bradshaw d. Orton/Cena
The tyranny of Orton/Cena ends, Bradshaw gets the lariat, Booker hits the Harlem hangover – and they get the fall on Cena.

Bradshaw and Book have dropped their gimmicks for the sake of winning the title – and if it were any other night – after the hug and the crowd pop as two longtime vets win their first WWF straps – Bradshaw would lariat Book and pull out the Karl Rove flag.

He’ll do that on RAW the following night after a title defense, setting up Bradshaw and Book as tag champs who hate each other. Book a face, Bradshaw the heel.

But not tonight – tonight we let the people cheer.

7. Worldwide Titles: Benoit d. Angle
So, prior to this match, the lighting cues change, all the Survivor Series stage dress is replaced with Eddy stuff – the graphics are Eddy Guerrero Tribute graphics. Dean joins Taz and Joey on the announce.

Both matches have handshakes before and after; no angle in either matchup, just portrayed as athletic contests.

Benoit goes over here – winning the vacant IC and taking the Triple Crown, the ceremony will be after the main.

8. Unified Titles: Rey d. Juvie
Same drill as before – no heel Juvie, like no heel Angle – they do a lucha match, Rey getting the fall.

Postmatch, the back empties, the required people get into the ring – other than Matt, who just can’t be there for storyline purposes – everyone’s around the ring or in the ring. The Triple Crown engraving is done by then – and as Rey gives it to Benoit, we see and hear from whomever wants to tell us that the trophy, once renamed for Owen – has been renamed again: The Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown.

And now the names are thus:

PEDRO MORALES
BRET HART
SHAWN MICHAELS
OWEN HART
STEVE AUSTIN
CACTUS JACK
EDDY GUERRERO
REY MYSTERIO
CHRIS BENOIT

Benoit accepts the trophy from Rey – Benoit, Eddy, Booker, and Bradshaw all give away their WWF title belts (keeping the NWA, ECW belts – we’ll make new WWF belts) to Eddy’s family.

Show ends with the ten bell salute and a freeze on Eddy on the TitanTron.

See you in a couple weeks as we start the run to Rumble ’06. The build.