Hailey's Newsies - Issue 81 - April 18th 2010

Randy Orton to Smackdown

It's time to send Randy Orton back to Smackdown.

Randy Orton to Smackdown

In two weeks, WWE is going to be holding their annual Draft Lottery, where wrestlers switch rosters in an attempt by management to freshen things up. The hope is to create fresh feuds for the writers to work with for the next 12 months.

Over the years, we've seen some big name wrestlers being switched in the Draft Lottery. Triple H, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, and Batista have been some of the more recent swaps that have surprised the audience.

The big name that needs to be switched this year is Randy Orton.

The former WWE Heavyweight Champion needs to be switched over to the Smackdown brand.

Developmental League

Think of Randy Orton being sent to Smackdown like him being sent to a developmental league.

We all know that Raw is the main brand in the company. That's the show where Vince McMahon takes the most interest in. Despite being sometimes superior to Raw, Smackdown is always going to be the secondary show. Most wrestling fans think of it as a demotion to be sent there.

For Randy Orton, it is a demotion.

However, that's not always a bad thing. He needs to be demoted right now so that he can develop himself as a babyface on Smackdown. If he does well, then the company can elevate him back to Raw next year as the company's top babyface, a spot currently held by John Cena.

Smackdown is a much better platform for WWE to test things out.

The brand has a unique spot at the top.

Undertaker will forever be the top babyface on Smackdown as long as he is on the roster. However, he's a part time wrestler for much of the year. That leaves room for another babyface to occupy the spot without really having the burden of being the top guy. Right now, Edge is in that spot, but he's growing a bit stale on Smackdown. It might be time to move him back to Raw and open up the spot for someone else on Smackdown.

That someone is Randy Orton.

Storyline Path

There's some potentially good storylines for Randy Orton as a babyface on Smackdown.

James Mitchell Comments on Chris Kanyon's Death

Chris Kanyon's best friend comments more on his suicide.

Thanks to Jim Mitchell and sinisterministerjm.blogspot.com:

For 18 years I had the privilege of experiencing Chris Kanyon’s friendship. Though we initially met through our mutual love of and involvement in professional wrestling, our roots would go on to be grounded far deeper than that. Kanyon was the one person I knew I could always count on, regardless of the miles between us or how difficult and inconvenient the situation at hand may have been.

I told Chris early on, as many people did, that he was too nice of a guy to be in the wrestling business. He was honest, generous to fault, loyal, and had an incredible degree of personal integrity. He stood up for deserving underdogs, regardless of what it may have cost him, because he innately felt it was the right thing to do.

Kanyon was directly responsible for making my childhood dream of being involved in wrestling on a national stage materialize, in addition to my professional success outside of wrestling. I once told him I felt guilty that I couldn't possibly return the favor in kind on the same grand scale. He told me, "I don't expect you to. You're my best friend. I did what I did because that's what friends are supposed to do."

It's impossible to fully articulate my gratitude for the positive impact his friendship and selflessness made on my life.

At times we fought and argued like wild animals, often to hilarious extremes. Despite that, our bond remained unbreakable.

Many of the.personal difficulties Kanyon revealed to the public in recent years had been shared with me long ago. I was honored that, out of his many friends, he chose to initially confide in me. Chris dealt with a level of internal torment most people will never be able to grasp. To see someone I cared for experiencing that kind of ongoing anguish was painful beyond description at times, yet insignificant compared to what he endured.

The last time I saw Kanyon in person he told me that he planned to leave us. It was a matter of "when", not "if”. He wasn't sad. He wasn't angry. If nothing else, he seemed to be at peace with himself. As I had done countless times before over the years, I tried to convince him that he had plenty to live for and listed all of the people who loved him and would be devastated by his passing. He told me that I was being selfish because I was more worried about my own pain than his. He said that he had no control over wrestling politics or his mental health, but the one thing he could control was his own existence. He felt no one had the right to insist that he go on living when he found doing so to be unbearable.

I knew I was seeing Chris for the final time when he summed up his feelings by quoting part of Morgan Freeman's closing monologue from one of his favorite movies, 'The Shawshank Redmption'.

“ . . . Some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice." Now that he’s gone, those words have a profound and surprisingly comforting resonance.

All I could do was to give Kanyon a tearful hug and thank him for being such a truly wonderful friend. Kanyon left Freeman’s final two lines off of the quote he shared with me that night. I can think of no better way to describe the void his absence has left in my life than to close with them.

"But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friend."

Smackdown To SyFy

As of this fall, Smackdown will no longer be shown on MyNetworkTV.

Smackdown to SyFy

On April 29, 1999, Smackdown made its debut on UPN.

Thanks to the amazing drawing power of the Rock, Smackdown was able to draw in approximately 7 million viewers a week. Suffice it to say, UPN was quite happy with WWE and the relationship lasted for another 7 seasons. When UPN became the CW network, the relationship continued for another two years.

The wrestling landscape had changed throughout those years. Wrestling was no longer as popular as it used to be.

With that in mind, executives at the CW network decided that Smackdown was no longer an asset. The network informed WWE that they would not be renewing the contract when it expired. That caused WWE to desperately scramble to find another home for Smackdown.

Enter MyNetworkTV.

WWE was able to secure a deal with MyNetworkTV to keep Smackdown on the air. The network was obviously not Vince McMahon's choice, but he did what he had to do to ensure that his secondary television show would remain in the eyes of millions of his fans.

Now that WWE has established themselves with MyNetworkTV, there was some leverage to be had. Vince McMahon met with executives from the SyFy Channel, which was already broadcasting his NXT show, and worked out a deal so he can leave MyNetworkTV.

Starting in late September or early October, Smackdown will officially move over to the SyFy Channel.

Upset Fans

The initial reaction from the internet wrestling community has not been a positive one.

Whenever change takes place, there's going to be a ton of complaints. It's human nature for people to be opposed to changes. This has happened in just about every instance a major change takes place in wrestling. Just like in the past, though, fans are going to adapt and get over it.

The more logical fans have complained about the show switching over from a free channel to one that is on cable. Since not every household in America has cable television, this argument is a bit more tolerable than those from people who simply are resisting change.

Smart Business Decision

While the fans might not like the move, it does appear to be a pretty good business decision by WWE to switch over to the SyFy Channel.

Reports have surfaced that WWE will be getting an increase in pay from the switch. MyNetworkTV was reportedly paying approximately $20 million a year for Smackdown. Rumors floating around right now is that the SyFy Channel is going to be paying $30 million a year for the show.

You don't have to be a math whiz to know that an additional $10 million is a good thing.

Another reason why this appears to be a good business move is that WWE has just strengthened their relationship with NBC Universal, which owns the SyFy Channel.

Vince McMahon and WWE have had a very long term relationship with NBC Universal. The company owns the USA Network, which has been home to Monday Night Raw for several years (with the exception of a couple of years on Spike TV).

With WWE now having three weekly programs (Monday Night Raw, NXT, Friday Night Smackdown) on various NBC Universal stations, there is a little more leverage for Vince McMahon.

There is also talks that WWE and NBC Universal could be pairing up to work on that much rumored WWE Network project together.

Four Horsemen in TNA

Is TNA starting a brand new Four Horsemen stable?

Four Horsemen in TNA

For years, TNA and WWE have been criticized for recycling old storylines and gimmicks in an attempt to get a boost in the ratings.

We've seen Shawn Michaels and Triple H reform DeGeneration X. We've seen Hulk Hogan headlining a Wrestlemania in the last decade. The ECW brand was brought back to life by Vince McMahon. Bret Hart finally made amends and came back to WWE. Hard to believe, but the Nasty Boys actually worked a pay per view match in the year 2010.

Well, if they're going to bring back something, they might as well bring back one of the best things from the 1980s.

Bring back the Four Horsemen.

The legendary stable is home to some of the best performers that this business has ever seen. Guys like Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Lex Luger, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Brian Pillman, and others all symbolized what it means to throw up the "symbol of excellence" with their four fingers.

WWE tried bringing the stable back once. Rather than calling them the Four Horsemen, WWE used the name "Evolution" instead. The group wasn't nearly as legendary, but they did create two brand new main event wrestlers from it.

Now, it's time for TNA to try to bring back the Four Horsemen.

Potential Members

One of the inevitable things to do when trying to recreate a stable is to compare the new members to original members of the past. Most of the time, the comparisons are ridiculous, but this time, it feels like the comparisons fits to a tee.

Jim Ross to TNA
With his contract ending in a few weeks, is Jim Ross headed to TNA?

Jim Ross to TNA

Throughout the past decade or so, Jim Ross has been considered the best commentator in professional wrestling.

It was his voice that told the stories during the highly entertaining Attitude Era. He played a huge part in making legendary moments by Steve Austin, Undertaker, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and the Rock even more memorable. As soothing as Morgan Freeman's narrative was for the Shawshank Redemption, Jim Ross was equally exciting for professional wrestling.

Times have changed, though.

Jim Ross no longer has a presence on either Raw or Smackdown. He was recently replaced at the commentating table by Todd Grisham when he took time off for medical reasons. Even before his health forced him to take a break, WWE was reportedly trying to replace him with someone new.

The Oklahoma native has recently stated on his official blog that his contract was coming to an end. Jim Ross is currently negotiating with WWE on a new contract. However, the new contract probably has him filling other roles in the company; not as a commentator.

With that in mind, it might be time for Jim Ross to find greener pastures elsewhere.

Hard to Imagine

Once word spreads through the internet wrestling community that there's a possibility that Jim Ross could be headed to TNA, there's going to be a wave of denial flying towards everyone.

WWE fans have spent years praising Jim Ross as the best commentator in the history of professional wrestling. They know it's going to be hard for them to start bashing him like they do with every former WWE star that ends up in TNA or another rival promotion.

People are going to say that it's hard to imagine Jim Ross being anywhere but WWE.

Then again, old school WCW and NWA fans would be the first to tell you that it was hard to imagine Jim Ross ever going to WWE. Back during the late 1980s, Jim Ross stood for everything that was the NWA. He was working his way up the charts, chasing a Hall of Fame spot next to his idol Gordon Solie, who is still regarded by many as the best commentator of all time.

For years, Jim Ross praised the more realistic approach that the NWA was taking as opposed to the cartoon like approach that WWE utilized at the time. It's the main reason why NWA fans didn't believe that Jim Ross would ever jump ship.

Jim Ross himself also plays a part in why the internet wrestling community doesn't believe that he's going to be leaving WWE. For quite some time now, he's been writing through his blog that he has no intentions of joining the rival promotion. Many take his words as gospel, but there are a lot of people that realize that it's the smart political stance to take.

Three Man Crew

If TNA can somehow pull off the coup, then they should seriously consider Jim Ross as an addition and not a replacement.

When Taz left WWE for TNA, the company switched out Don West for him. Don West is an underrated commentator, but it wasn't a bad decision to remove him. There isn't a need for two color commentator. Plus, Don West is doing a tremendous job in his new role as the lead merchandise guy.

Mike Tenay is a tremendous play by play commentator. In many ways, he's actually superior to Jim Ross. He's more technical in his style, and he knows a lot more about the moves that Jim Ross does.

However, Jim Ross surpasses him in the excitement category. Jim Ross just has a way of making matches seem that much more exciting.

A three man crew of Taz, Jim Ross, and Mike Tenay would be a far better choice than simply going with two guys. Mike Tenay would remain the play by play commentator. Taz provides the color commentary. Jim Ross would play a hybrid of both roles.

Vince Russo Quitting

Is Vince Russo on the verge of leaving his spot as the writer for TNA?

Vince Russo Quitting

When wrestling fans get together online, they spend a couple of hours here and there coming up with storylines for their favorite wrestlers. Some come up with ideas on how to turn John Cena into a heel. Others try to figure out how to make Jack Swagger a credible champion.

The conversations usually steer towards bashing the writers after a good idea is thrown out.

Of course, it's not as easy as we think it is.

We're not the ones that has an owner looking over our shoulders to make sure that everything is going well. We're not the ones that has wrestlers coming into our offices to complain about storylines and request changes. We're not the ones with our jobs and livelihood on the line.

Vince Russo is the one that has to worry about that.

Despite being one of the better writers in the business, Vince Russo receives a lot of heat from fans. He even gets blamed on storylines that he didn't come up with. That's what happens when you walk away from Vince McMahon and go write for a rival promotion (WCW).

It's a stressful job, and it can be thankless at times.

That's why Vince Russo is seriously thinking about quitting his job as a writer for TNA.

Different Role

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to be walking away completely from TNA.

Vince Russo will more than likely accept another position with the company. He's currently in the process of moving his family from Colorado to Tennessee to be closer to the TNA corporate offices. That's a sign that he's going to be accepting another position.

As far as the new position is concerned, there's only speculations right now as to what that may be.

The New York native has been a writer for much of his career, but he's also capable of producing content. Back when he first signed up with WWE in the early 1990s, Vince Russo was writing articles for the official magazine under the pen name of "Vic Venom".

TNA could have Vince Russo branching out into other ventures for them.

Possible Replacements

The most interesting part of Vince Russo's departure from the creative team is that it does open the door for the arrival of Paul Heyman.

Wrestling fans alike have credited Paul Heyman with being one of the best writers that this business has ever seen. His work in ECW was legendary. He was able to take any wrestler and turn them into someone that connected with the audience.

The internet wrestling community believes that for TNA to have a chance to compete with WWE, they're going to have to bring in someone like Paul Heyman to take over the books (creative, not financial).

If Paul Heyman can make use of guys like the Blue Meanie, then imagine what he can do with the TNA roster that is currently loaded with highly talented guys. Keep in mind that Paul Heyman was the one that brought the cruiserweight division to prominence in North America. Those X division guys have to be salivating over his possible arrival.

Paul Heyman to TNA? It's a lot more likely now.

Lockdown 2010 Preview

Here's the official Wrestling Revealed predictions for this weekend's Lockdown pay per view.








Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin vs Homicide & Brian Kendrick

TNA announced this last minute addition as a bonus match. That's basically all it's going to be. There's no storyline involved. It's just going to be four X division stars putting on a show inside of a cage. Since they're a legitimate tag team, I'll give the edge to Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin.

PREDICTION: Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin






James Storm vs Rob Van Dam

Winner of the match gets the advantage in the main event for their team. History shows us that it's usually the heels that get the advantage in matches like these so that the audience can rally behind the babyfaces. That means that James Storm is basically guaranteed to win the match. The only question is how he will win the match. It's obvious that you can't have Rob Van Dam jobbing cleanly in this one.

PREDICTION: James Storm






Madison Rayne, Lacey Von Erich, and Velvet Sky vs Angelina Love & Tara

I personally can't stand these types of matches because they're hard to predict and hard to keep up with it. Both the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship and the TNA Knockouts Championship are on the line here. TNA might be looking to go with the "odd couple" storyline by having the bickering Angelina Love & Tara capturing the tag titles and being forced to work together until their eventual feud.

PREDICTION: Angelina Love & Tara






Team 3D vs Sean Waltman & Scott Hall

With no titles on the line, this could go either way. Expect to see a lot of brawling involved in this match. We could also see some major blood loss here as well. The Band needs the momentum more here, so I'll go with them cheating to beat Brother Ray and Brother Devon.

PREDICTION: Sean Waltman & Scott Hall






Kevin Nash vs Eric Young

Eric Young has done a terrific job of building up this program. He's really showing that he belongs in the upper midcard scene. The match isn't going to be pretty. Expect to see Eric Young doing much of the selling throughout the match. Since he needs the win more than Kevin Nash does, we'll go with him as our prediction.

PREDICTION: Eric Young






Doug Williams vs Kazarian vs Shannon Moore

This feud hasn't really drawn all that much interest. However, the match is still expected to be entertaining since all three guys can really work in the ring. Hard to tell who is going to walk away with the belt here. It will either be Doug Williams or Shannon Moore, who has the slight edge because he's the new guy that management might want to push.

PREDICTION: Shannon Moore






Kurt Angle vs Mr Anderson

Both guys did a good job of building up the storyline. Mr Anderson continues to show that he can work the mic. He just needs to show that he can show the same in the ring. What better opportunity to show that than to be in a pay per view match with Kurt Angle? Mr Anderson should pick up the win here after he "injures" Kurt Angle, who is taking some time off to relax.

PREDICTION: Mr Anderson






Abyss, Jeff Hardy, Jeff Jarrett, and Rob Van Dam vs Sting, Robert Roode, James Storm, and Desmond Wolfe

Lethal Lockdown matches are generally fun ones to watch. The heels are going to have the advantage here. You can expect James Storm and Rob Van Dam to enter the match late because this will be their second match of the night. If I had to guess, it will be a combination of Desmond Wolfe, Jeff Jarret, and/or Robert Roode starting the match. The match could go either way, but with the babyfaces playing the roles of underdogs in this one, I'm guessing that Jeff Jarrett, Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, and Abyss are victorious at the end.

PREDICTION: Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, Jeff Hardy, and Rob Van Dam






AJ Styles vs D'Angelo Dinero

It's great seeing D'Angelo Dinero in the main event of a pay per view. The guy deserves it. He's done a tremendous job over the last few weeks of selling himself and selling the match. AJ Styles is a great in-ring performer, so D'Angelo Dinero has a great chance at putting on a memorable match here.

As far as the finish is concerned, this could be the moment where TNA launches something that will create a huge buzz with the internet wrestling community.

The ending of this match could be the vehicle in which the new Four Horsemen stable is launched. Desmond Wolfe, Robert Roode, James Storm, and Ric Flair can all interfere in this match to keep the belt around AJ Styles' waist. That would be a carbon copy of the way that the original Four Horsemen made sure that the belt stayed around the champion's waist. It would also keep D'Angelo Dinero strong since it took several wrestlers to bring him down.

Do that, and watch more viewers tune in on the following Monday night to see what happens next.

PREDICTION: AJ Styles

Credit: WrestlingRevealed

Power 25 Divas - April 17th 2010

24 - Beth Phoenix
Though she came to Mickie James' rescue against Women's Champion Michelle McCool, Layla and Vickie Guerrero, The Glamazon couldn't get her hands on Michelle.

20 - Eve
Congratulations to the NEW Divas Champion Eve who breaks onto the list at No. 20. She had Maryse's number in recent weeks and continued on that roll when it mattered, winning her first singles title in WWE.

19 - Michelle McCool
Thanks to a little bit of assistance from her friend Layla, the Women's Champion picked up a big win over Mickie James. Thankfully, McCool and her cohorts were run off after the match by Beth Phoenix.

18 - The Hart Dynasty: Kidd, Smith and Natalya
Although David Hart Smith lost to The Miz on Raw, their collaboration with Rey Mysterio on SmackDown led them to victory over The Straight Edge Society.

16 - Straight Edge Society: CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Serena
The Straight Edge Society can't be feeling too happy after the loss they were dealt against Rey Mysterio and The Hart Dynasty Friday night.

Falling Off The List
Maryse - With Eve defeating her for the Divas Championship on Raw, the French-Canadian Diva loses her spot on the P25.

Credit: WWE.com