Ah yes, the return of the Saturday column after taking last Saturday off. Yes, I've seen ECW on TNN, and I do have the full review in this very column. I also will *start* a new thing on Saturday columns. I will now declare one show "Wrestling Show of the Week", after watching a good week of wrestling. This will run from Sundays to Fridays, excluding Saturdays because I don't watch the CRAP that USA or TBS tries to show me. Plus, actual wrestling shows, and NOT recap shows will be the only ones involved, ok? Fine, on to the PDC.

WWF

Good old Smackdown only had a 4.2 this week in the ratings. Go ahead and blame it on some viewers losing it to baseball, as Smackdown has lost viewers over other sports games before. 4.2 is a WEAK rating for a WWF show, especially one heading into a Pay Per View. Both shows, even though the NBA playoffs were affecting RAW, were weak. So what does that mean? Well duh, the assumptions about the stale and repetitive storylines might be starting to really hurt the WWF....

However, in yesterday's Ross report, good ol' JR said that the WWF will have new storylines starting Monday night. Oh my God, what a sigh of relief! Oh wait...there's more. Ross also said that new and interesting twists will be added to current storylines. Oh no. Of course, we have the upcoming feud with Kurt Angle for Triple H. I'm thinking that after this match, the Rock and the Undertaker will feud for the next match. Why? What else will Rock do? Fight Triple H one more time?

I reported stuff earlier about Stone Cold which was mainly to combat rumors of a Stone Cold appearance at tomorrow's Pay Per View. Some of the close watchers are suggestioning that some strange symbols or whatever provide info that Steve Austin would be at the King of the Ring. Well, I'd think the WWF would do something to "hype" this show for super buyrates. Then again, his appearance would spark buys from the replay...hmmm, nah! Many are also suggesting that Stone Cold will return at Fully Loaded, near his home in Dallas, Texas. He COULD show up there, but he CANNOT wrestle just yet. If he does show up for that show, I'd think the WWF would hype it somehow. He's coming for Summerslam..and that's ABOUT guaranteed.

WCW

WCW Chunder Thunder, which was an alright show in my opinion, received a rating around a 2.4. This is down, I think, 0.1, so if this is a significant decrease, I don't know. HOWEVER, it comes off what many considered the *best* Nitro ever...since Vinnie Roo wasn't there. Well, I obviously thought less of it, and this show shows nothing was carrying over. But I'd say nothing was up here because of a new episode of South Park, which had me in tears from laughing.

The talent that WCW has signed is apparently the Great Muta. If you watched early WCW, which was the classic days, the Great Muta was a force in the Television title division. He drove Sting to some very nice matches, and he was well known for spitting the green(sometimes red or orange) mist back then. Then he went back to Japan and made a bigger name for himself down there, and returned to WCW as a skilled veteran, and then joined the nWo. He wasn't the lightning fast Muta of days old, as he didn't make much of an impact in America like it was thought he would. He returned to Japan again, and was then the top man there.

However, with the Great Muta, WCW should take a look at this man. Muta was a man who DID NOT need to have mic skills or to speak English to get his character over. Many Mexican wrestlers are now SCREWED because WCW doesn't realize that wrestlers can get over by NOT having English mic skills. WCW should also look at Tajiri in ECW, as another excellent example. And no, this isn't a plea to re-hire La Parka, as it's for many of the other WCW wrestlers who got the shaft for this fact...although I really miss the Skull Captain!

ECW on TNN

The show started out with Rob Van Dam doing his repetitive catch phrases. You know, he reminds me so much of the Rock in the WWF. RVD is the most over wrestler in ECW, but he can never get the World title. Of course, the catch phrases. Just a thought.

They show New Jack before the show, doing a jump from a balcony. When you see it like 20 times, it gets old for a while. Sure he's crazy, but once you see it that much, it isn't that exciting. He cut a good promo about the LA though, since that is where the next ECW Pay Per View is.

Our opening segment was with Cyrus bitching to Joey Styles. Sometimes he gets annoying, but I love when he says the following: ROLLLLLLLLLER JAM!!! Ahem. It was funny seeing Joel Gertner run into the ring..or at least try, and to be a threat to Cyrus. Cyrus, a former wrestler you know, needs Franchine to take care of his business. God. Joel Gertner says "I don't hit women..but I know someone who does", and Tommy Dreamer comes down..and he's hit plenty of women! Call him the Innovator of Domestic Violence! Then Jazz comes down to beat Francine's ass, thus stopping TNN from censoring it.

Our first match was between Tony Mamaluke and Chilly Willy or something like that? Crap, I don't know. He reminded me of a leaner Ahmed Johnson. I will say this....WCW made a big mistake on letting Tony go. This man can sell anybody's moves and take LOTS of punishment! Willy or whatever he's called, won the match after pounding Mamaluke.

Simon Diamond segment, as he's putting up with his flunkies. Those flunkies are the dumbest flunkies I've ever seen, and I've spent a lot of time watching Raven's Flock. Him, and I think Johnny Swinger confronted that evil Dangerous Alliance. I don't know what it is, but C.W. Anderson reminds me a hell of a lot like a young Arn Anderson. I guess that's the point here.

Punishment for exposing yourself and being drunk during an ECW Event for the Sandman: A World Title shot. Nuff said!

Our final event, after many many commercials, was Tajiri vs. Steve Corino. After Cyrus ran his mouth forever, the match started. Man, Corino takes so much punishment. Once again, he was bleeding. He took a mean drop kick to the face, while in the tree of woe with a chair in his face, as well. That man is going to get seriously hurt one day. Good overall match, as it ended with one of my favorite moves in the business: The Octopus submission! *MARKS OUT* There is NO better looking submission other than that move. Of course, the special guest referee, Jerry Lynn had some wonderful green mist in his eyes, thus he couldn't see Corino screaming in pain! Argh! Screwjob ending, but a good match with Corino getting the win from a Superkick. Confused Jerry Lynn counted.

The show, by the way, ended on a stupid note, with ECW trying to get a word with the maniac, Rhino. Oh, he's such a badass. (sarcasm)

ECW on TNN Phat Stats

Matches: 2
Clean wins: 1
Screwjobs: 1
Disqualifications: 0
No Contests: 0

Last Word: This show was hurting in one area which makes this show good: lack of wrestling. Wrestlers cutting promos here and there, and backstage angles. Blah. ECW's at its best when they shut up and wrestle, therefore, they weren't at their best this week. Good final match helps this show get a

B-

in my gradebook. I'd say the usual 0.8 rating for this show. CAN WE GET PAST THIS...hehe, kidding. Enjoy this show, because it COULD BE one of the last ECW on TNN shows EVER!

Show of the Week: WWF Sunday Night Heat. The WWF really stacked the deck for this show, in attempt to "spike" the ratings for this show. Well, it only increased 0.2 for a 2.6 rating, but the wrestling action in this event was solid. When you get a good match out of Hardcore Holly with Triple H, you know it's a good show!

@That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with my King of the Ring predictions to see how good my crystal ball works. Just chill....

Phat Pharm: IT'S FANTASTIC

Take Care, and Thanks a Million for Reading.

Mr. Tito © 2000 Exclusive to LordsofPain.net