The WWE wonders why their attendance is down. Here's a true story. Yesterday, too, I was trying to get tickets for King of the Ring 2002 in Columbus, OH, which I really wanted to go to, since I long to see Hulk Hogan in the ring for once live. I go to my ticketmaster agent in my area, and check on what's available. I truly wanted $50 tickets, but she said they were "full", or sold out. Huh?!? So I tried $75 tickets. Same thing, they were listed as sold out too. How about $90 tickets? Sold out too, says the computer read out. $25 tickets were sold out as well. HOWEVER, and this is the kicker, the agent told me that there were PLENTY of $200 tickets available for the King of the Ring.
*GASP* The event is lightyears away from selling out, and they've got a little over 2 weeks to sell tickets. I thought it was really prick of the WWE to push $200 on any potential buyers of tickets by shutting down all of the other sections until the expensive section was sold out. For anyone arguing that the WWE should lower ticket prices, well, this is a splendid argument. So what am I to do? Buy the $200 tickets? Yeah right. That's too much for any live event, period, and plus, I don't want crappy 6th row or more ringside tickets so that I can have signs in my face all night.
Maybe arrogant actions like this and continuous price hikes is adding to the already lost fanbase?
Anyway, on to the PDC.
Haha! I like Mick's new name for Billy and Chuck: The EX-Men. That's about right, especially as they threatened to get a new stylist if things didn't go their way in a tag match later. I prefer the Wrestlepalooza.com nickname of Chuck & Suck, because hey, it's the truth. Chuck & Suck would go for the gold again, taking on Rico and Rikishi in a tag team turmoil match, which oddly enough, made the match better than the one last week or at the Pay Per View. Still, nobody cares about this feud. Billy and Chuck would win back their stylist and their titles, much to everyone's dismay.
Hurricane's stalker is... Nidia?!? She was looking good tonight, by the way... I guess these two apparently dated back in the day, but now, instead of being the WWE bicycle (everyone gets a ride, get it?), she's dating Jaime Noble, a man whom all of the 1998 WWE fans have NO IDEA about. Hell, if you weren't in the dwindling thousands that watched WCW at the very end, you'd have no idea who Jaime Noble is. In fact, you could forget who he was, too, as his gimmick did change, several times, there at the end of WCW. Let's hope the WWE explains who the hell he is, because he's quite a talented wrestler and could help provide a much needed boost to the already lame Cruiserweight division (that's the WWE's fault).
Next, we had a King of the Ring qualifying match between Val Venis and Christian. Acceptable midcard match, better than anything tried on RAW. Val Venis won off a good reversal into a powerbomb. What else do I need to say? I really hope some storyline emphasis is headed towards Val's way to get fans more into him instead of his cheesy porn star gimmick.
Kurt Angle vs. Hardcore Holly was next. I wish that Holly would have mentioned the broken arm in the challenge. Oh well. Solid technical bout between these two, although I fear that moving from hold to hold would bore the excitement-craving 1998 fans. Don't blame them. After a somewhat long match, for television, Angle would use the ropes to pin Holly. Not bad, although the stupid announcers would hype that this feud wasn't over between Holly and Angle. Um, isn't Kurt Angle trying to feud with Hulk Hogan?
I don't know what it was, but I enjoyed the Hospital skits. Implying that Torrie Wilson gave Maven a blowjob could lead to the usual problems and annoyances from the PTC (Parents Television Council), though. I laughed at Tajiri, especially. Torrie looked great. If Playboy doesn't take notice, and they did for Chyna, then they are stupid. First, he comes into the hospital, with an EVIL look on his face and speaks choppy English to find out what room Maven is in. Then, Tajiri dressed up as a Doctor, and was eventually pulled away to the emergency room. He would then make it to Maven's room, SPRAY THE MIST in Torrie's face, and then attack Maven's broken leg. I thought it was good television. :)
Wow, a wrestler admitting to a real injury in the middle of the ring to keep a push fresh. Amazing. Edge came out and announced that he hurt his shoulder, last week, in the cage match against Angle. He would then say his next step would be the Undisputed Title, and then Chris Jericho came down and attacked Edge. This was supposed to be a King of the Ring qualifying match, but Edge had to give it up. My money is on Chris Jericho to win the King of the Ring.
Besides adding another piece of ass to the fold to sell calendars or videos, the addition of Dawn Marie to the WWE is meaningless.
Next, Billy Kidman took on Lance Storm. Corny segment beforehand about Storm lecturing Kidman on charisma and other needed elements that both of these guys need for the WWE to care about them. I wonder if Heyman is writing that on purpose for this show? Decent midcard match, although the crowd needs to learn more about both wrestlers to pop for Kidman or to boo Storm.
Funny how already prepared footage, fully edited and produced, can be shown as "highlights" for Triple H in an interview.
Triple H vs. Hulk Hogan was next. Perfectly acceptable main event, as Hogan didn't look too bad here last night and Triple H got a completely clean win against Hogan, which is a major plus. This was better than the match at Backlash. Afterward, we get Hogan and the Game respecting each other, shaking hands and doing pose downs, only to have Kurt Angle interrupt, and the Undertaker would enter and attack, and Angle would join them to beat down the faces. Good ending.
LAST WORD: I enjoyed last night's show. It had a solid midcard for a change, most of its good wrestlers were used, and it went off on a good note for a change. Could Paul Heyman actually be in charge of this show? Looks like it. I'll give this show an
AOL Instant Messenger: BookerTito - It's recommended that you send your questions or feedback as your first message so that it could be answered, instead of saying "hi", "hey", "what's up" or whatever else. Just get to the point, please, to make it easier since I get drilled with messages.
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@Week in Review should pop up sometime this weekend, even if it's late on Sunday. Until then, just chill...
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