CBS won a weak summer Friday with 6.23 million viewers [over NBC with 5.23 million], but soon to depart Friday Night Smackdown lifted the CW to a win in the adults 18-49 demo with a 1.6 rating / 6 share [over CBS and ABC with 1.3/5]
source: tvbythenumbers.com
July 19, 2008
SmackDown Ratings News
Vintage Promotional Ads Featuring Triple H
Mayhem in Manchester 1998 & No Way Out 2000
source: thehistoryofwwe.com
Decade of Mr. McMahon
We have marked a full decade of the “Mr. McMahon” character. While the seeds were being planted in late 1997, the spring and summer of 1998 would be when this character was fully realized. McMahon’s feud with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin helped to launch the Attitude era and allow Monday Night Raw to overcome WCW Monday Nitro in the Monday Night Wars. One of the most reviled and entertaining wrestling heels was born...More?
source: wrestlezone.com
Worst in-ring performers in the WWE
JBL. I could tolerate his run as a main event guy on Smackdown a few years back, and even though you can easily argue he should never have been elevated to the position, he did a decent job with it. From there, he was great alongside Michael Cole calling Smackdown on a Friday night. But when he returned to the ring and moved over to Raw, his whole act just sucked. Yes we know he can talk on the mic, but ol’ Jumbo Bitchtits Layfield has been awful in the ring.
Chavo Guerrero. Just so dull, so boring, to the point where you have to change the channel when he’s on screen. There’s no charisma, no spectacular moves, no interesting character work to keep you interested, yet unlike a Khali where he’s pushed as a freakshow element where you don’t really expect great matches, Chavo is put in positions on the card where you expect traditionally great workers to be put in there and he just sucks all the air out of the room.
Mike Knox. Trust me, The Great Khali ran him close. However, at least Khali has a selling point (albeit a chokeslam and a headbutt) and although both Khali and Knox are poor, Knox wins it for me. Knox doesn’t have one move worth even remembering. Kelly Kelly’s old boyfriend? He wishes. Get to the indies, or a wrestling school. Now.
Snitsky. He manages to drag anyone - and I mean anyone - down to his quality of working…which isn’t any good.
The Great Khali. Khali remains consistently poor, but during 2008 he has been further dogged by injuries, and has not had the surprisingly entertaining series with John Cena to redeem him somewhat that he had last year.
source: wwepreview.com
"Rampage" Hospitalized
TMZ.com reports that Quinton "Rampage" Jackson has been picked up by police again. Around 4:30pm on July 16th, friends who were hanging out with Rampage, waved down a police car after they became worried about his behavior. This, of course, following the insane chase the day before in which the UFC fighter hit several cars in his monster truck and was arrested at gunpoint. The police saw Rampage, deemed him a danger to himself and others, and took him to a hospital for observation. He was very coopertive with police. Police officers would not officially confirm if it's a psychiatric hold.
July 18, 2008
Kaliqo's Great American Bash Picks
Triple H v. Edge
I'm expecting this match to be worth the price of admission alone. Hunter is so over as a face, I think either way they book this will be a winner. What I would like to see is Edge win the title with Hunter chasing him through SummerSlam.
CM Punk v. Bastista
CM Punk with the World Heavyweights title makes me want to puke. I can't imagine him going over Batista, but stranger things has happened. I think they will give Punk more time so I'm expecting him to win.
Mark Henry v. Tommy Dreamer
Not interested in this match. I don't like either one of these wrestlers.
John Cena v. JBL
Why is JBL wrestling? He is brutally stiff and out of shape. JBL was good when he was with Ron Simmons as the APA. Now he sucks. Cena must win this one. I'm expecting some interference from Cryme Tyme.
Shawn Michaels v. Chris Jericho
Really looking forward to this one. Chris Jericho is doing well in his heel turn so I'm expecting him to win over Michaels, the fan favorite.
Michelle McCool s. Natalya
I'm only interested in this one because of the new title and because I think I am the only one that likes the Diva Championship belt. Michelle McCool annoys me; although I like her taste in men. I'm going to go with Natalya for the win.
Matt Hardy v. Shelton Benjamin
I would love to see Matt keep the title, but Shelton has a new show on wwe.com so a title change might help promote it. Matt was traded to that God awful ECW, so he should get to keep the title as a consolation prize.
WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way -
John Morrison & The Miz v. Finlay & Hornswoggle, Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder, and Jesse & Festus
I think Morrison and The Miz will loose theit titles. It is time to split them up. John Morrison is better as a singles wrestler - not sure what they will do with The Miz. They should put the title on Hawkins & Ryder. If Edge wins the title from Triple H, it will make a nice "trifecta".
FCW Report and Pics
The facilities themselves are freaking BEAUTIFUL. When you walk in, there is a giant sized Wrestlemania 24 poster on the wall and on the left there are consession stands selling soft drinks, nachos, and whatnot. Straight ahead there is a short hallway that takes you to the ring. Right before you hit the door to the soundstage, on your left, are FULLY WORKING restrooms. There are WWE PPV Posters EVERYWHERE dating back to some of the 2003 shows (only ones with current stars obviously, like Triple H), and there are even posters IN THE RESTROOMS. It really feels nice. Next to the ticket booth there are vintage pictures from the original Championship Wrestling from Florida of Dusty Rhodes, Gordon Solie, and others. It's really nice. The outside has a giant yellow FCW logo on the front of the building. Very well done...More?
Pics
sources: wrestlingfigs.com & flrankings.proboards80.com
TNA Heading to Canada
Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling announced today that “No Surrender 2008” will be held live at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, on Sunday, September 14, starting at 8 p.m. ET, and will air worldwide exclusively on pay-per-view...More?
source: tnawrestling.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Verne Gagne defeated Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA Heavyweight title
July 18, 1980
Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard defeated Demolition for the WWF Tag Team title
July 18, 1989
Ric Flair defeated Barry Windham for the NWA Heavyweight Wrestling title
July 18, 1993
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
