Ayyyy, welcome to TPWW for today's news and rumors. After a few server problems late last night and most of today, TPWW is back online and there's a TON of stuff to discuss in today's report, including news and rumors (hmmm), site related news, and my usual rants on stuff that pisses me off about the WWF. So without further delay, here are today's news and rumors.
The WWF brings us WWF Smackdown live tonight for the first time ever. The WWF is also promising a new set and UPN is hyping the show as the start of the show's "fall season", as if that makes any sense. The WWF seems to be using Rhyno's Gore on Jericho through the Smackdown set as an excuse for the new set, which I have to admit I'm pretty excited to see. Hopefully we see some big changes to the set to give the show a fresh new look. For those wondering why there weren't any taping results on the site the last few days, it's simply because the show wasn't taped on Tuesday as it normally is. It'll air tonight live at 8PM EST, as will next week's show. As of now, the plan is for the August 30th show to be taped on the preceding Tuesday. If you won't be able to catch Smackdown tonight on TV for any reason, be sure to stop by at TPWW for live match by match results by good ol' Mike E. Check back on the main page later tonight for the link and more info.
Tonight's Smackdown comes off of a pretty good Raw on Monday, which included a few entertaining in ring skits as well as a couple of good matches here and there (by the WWF's standards recently). The show included a pretty entertaining and funny segment on Stephanie's enhanced... uhh... chest size, but I'll talk more about that segment later. The show also included the end of Rob Van Dam's winning streak, having him lose the title to Jeff Hardy for whatever strange reason. The only logical reason I can think of is to set up another Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy hardcore match at SummerSlam, with RVD regaining the title... unless it's Rob Van Dam's time to get "Tazzed". Hey, speaking of which...
The Steve Austin opening angle on Raw... I really don't get it. I really, really don't understand what the purpose of that angle was. Steve Austin stood in the middle of the ring, of course making him look "big and bad". But at the same time, every other "alliance" (my, how I hate that name) member stood on the outside of the ring like they were "beneath" Austin. Yeah, OK, Austin is the WWF champion, but that still doesn't explain what happened later in the segment. Austin decided to call up the wrestlers that hadn't "cut it" in the WCW/ECW alliance, and because it's the WWF, the man who was mentioned first was "Tazz", followed by Raven and Hugh Morrus. The WWF then had Austin bash Tommy Dreamer for not wrestling a match yet. You know, I've been wondering the same thing. Then of course, we had the Tazz angle. It seems that everytime some one on our message board posts a message about how the WWF has been using Tazz, there is always a person who is "sick of hearing everyone 'bitch'". Quite frankly, and I posted this on the message board, the reason we all "bitch" is because the WWF gives us a REASON to every single time Tazz steps foot inside a WWF ring. When Austin went up to Tazz and began to "verbally abuse" him, I knew that Tazz was about to split from the alliance. My first instinct was "I bet he attacks Austin then gets jumped by everyone." But then I remembered that this was the WWF and it was Tazz in the ring. My thought then changed to "Oh man, I bet he doesn't even touch Austin and the WWF humiliates him again." Well, I was right. Instead of Tazz at least hitting Austin with a suplex or locking on a Tazmission for at least a second, he was made out to be a complete p*ssy by the WWF writing team for the 17,000th time in his WWF career. It's like the WWF is trying to get rid of any fans that Tazz still may have after all they've done to him. I wish I could be optimistic and say "this is going to lead up to a great feud between Tazz and the alliance". But if I thought that, I'd feel like slapping myself in the face and calling myself a complete moron, because this is the WWF, the wrestler we're talking about is Tazz, and it just ain't gonna happen. By the way, the whole segment was written by Vince McMahon. What a shocker.
I have rage built inside of me, but I'll try to continue normally. *deep breath* Alright, here we go.
Everyone's suspicions about Stephanie McMahon were confirmed Monday night on Raw after Jericho had a "before and after" picture of Stephanie posted on the Titantron. For those wondering, Stephanie was 100% OK with the angle and actually confirmed on a radio show that she got implants about five weeks ago. Big thanks to Matt Macoul for sending in this full report: "I was listening to the Opie and Anthony show today when they started talking about Stephanie. They talked about last night and were laughing at how obvious the implants are in the before and after pictures. They also gave her a lot of credit for losing weight and looking much better. Later in the show Steph called in. She admitted to having implants done about 5 weeks ago. Contrary to reports that they were done back around Armageddon time when HHH got injured, she had them done right before she returned as ECW owner. They look larger right now because they are still swollen. She says she's happy with them and her parents are happy for her. They also discussed how The Rock dropped the F--- bomb on Raw last night. She said she hasn't heard how it came across on TV, but it was actually her spot to cut The Rock off before he let the F word leave his mouth. The crowd was so loud however that she missed it. Opie and Anthony also talked about the lawsuit with the World Wildlife Fund, and laughed at how for 50 years there hadn't been a problem but now they suddenly have an issue with it. They laughed and joked and ended by playing an old bit of Jimmy Superfly Snuka when he was on there show. Steph said she broke her ankle and wrist imitating him and jumping off of her dresser. They plugged Summerslam and Thursday's Live Smackdown. They also asked Stephanie about ever showing the puppies, which she said probably wouldn't happen. And that was it."
Also, a lot of people are talking about how The Rock dropped the "F Bomb" on Raw. The fact is that The Rock wasn't meant to finish his line and Stephanie was supposedly supposed to cut him off, but missed her cue. Personally, I don't believe it, but ehh. If The Rock wasn't supposed to say it, he wouldn't have said it. TNN officials are said to be irate.
Raw scored a decent 5.2 rating, down from last week's 5.4 and the 5.7 the week before.
Chris Benoit is expected to return to the ring from neck surgery on Spring 2002. Jim Ross recently mentioned that Benoit may return to WWF television in a non wrestling capacity before he is able to return to the ring.
As of now, the WWF SummerSlam card is as follows. Note that a few matches may be added to the card:
- Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle - WWF Title
- Booker T vs. The Rock - WCW Title
- Undertaker & Kane vs. DDP & Kanyon - Tag Titles vs. Tag Titles
- Lance Storm vs. Edge - Intercontinental Title
- Rob Van Dam vs. Jeff Hardy - Hardcore Title
- Tajiri vs. X-Pac - WWF LHW Title
- Rhyno vs. Chris Jericho
- Dudley Boyz & Test vs. Acolytes & Spike Dudley
The Rock will be on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (the best late night show on TV) on Wednesday, September 5. Conan is the man. Also, according to JR, The Rock will be on Howard Stern and the Rosie O'Donnell show on September 6.
Rob Van Dam will play a role in the upcoming movie "Black Mask 2". Thanks to Edsel Trump for the following info: "I was checking upcomingmovies.com and saw that in the 2002 movie, Black Mask 2, Rob Van Dam will be playing a villain of sorts by the name "The Claw". Jet Li will not be returning to the sequel, but that's really good news for the Robbster and all of the fans. It's a martial arts movie, so he will be able to showcase his talents." To check it out, click HERE.
Speaking of movies, Stacy Keibler will apparently be playing a role in the upcoming movie, "Bubble Boy". Is it me, or are the commercials for the movie really, really stupid?
Thanks to Cowan4him for sending the following news bit on Triple H: "I went to the Legends of Wrestling show in Birmingham this past Saturday (8-11-01) The main event featured Michael Hayes and Ray Gordy (son of Terry Gordy) against Ron Fuller and another guy. After the match, Michael Hayes said that he had a surprise for Birmingham, Alabama. He said that he and the WWF had been waiting for this guy to return since yesterday. IT WAS TRIPLE H. He was walking and geeting around pretty good. Triple H said he was here to pay tribute to Terry Gordy, since the show was a tribute to him. He said he saw a legend continuing and the legend of the Freebirds in Ray Gordy. He told Michael Hayes that if he and the Freebirds ever walked down Bad Street, Terry Gordy wouldn't be there, but if they needed an enforcer, then he can call the Game anytime. It was cool."
The WWF recently put up an interview with Mick Foley on their web site. To check it out, click HERE.
Speaking of the WWF's web site, the WWF recently lost a court battle with the World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund - WWF) over the "WWF" letters. The World Wide Fund for Nature had been using the "WWF" letters since 1961 and when the WWF came along, they reached an agreement to give the WWF limited rights to use the letters. However, with the WWF's recent surge in popularity and the use of their web site, WWF.com, the World Wildlife Fund had apparently seen enough and went to court. Their battle was won and the WWF was ordered to shut down their web site, WWF.com and move it to another web address. The WWF has, of course, decided to appeal the ruling and their case will be heard on October 1st. Until then, the WWF web site will remain open. Personally, this news brings a smile to my face, since it's really the court giving the WWF a little taste of their own medicine. The WWF had been shutting down web sites right and left for the past couple of years simply for having the "WWF" letters in their domains, as if they actually owned those letters. These web sites had simply been WWF fan sites and were doing no harm at all to the WWF. Yet, the WWF decided it would be great to shut them down. Even a few XFL web sites were shut down. I've learned to not even question logic anymore when it comes to the WWF 'cause quite frankly, there is no logic in the company at all. To read an article on the court ruling, click HERE.
In some site related news, we're expected to bring in a few new columns soon. We're in the final stages of selecting new columnists from the over 400 or so applications we received, so that should be happening soon, hopefully.
Also, HUGE thanks to Beastdood2000 for holding up a TPWW.NET sign on Raw this past Monday. The WWF cameras zoomed in for a shot at a Tajiri sign, I guess, but the camera picked up a clear shot of the TPWW sign instead. To check out a snapshot of the sign, click HERE. Big thanks to the "infamous" Rajah from RajahWWF.com for taking the snapshot, since my VCR is posessed and "ate" my tape. As always, it's always awesome to see a TPWW sign at a live wrestling event. If you go to an event and get your sign on TV, we'll be sure to catch a snapshot of it and give you a mention here on the site. We really, really do appreciate it. To check out pics of some past TPWW signs at wrestling events, click HERE.
American Pie 2 RULED. Go see it. Thanks for checking out today's report. Until we meet again, later.
Triple A
TripleA99@aol.com
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