SmackDown as well as Random Thoughts
Due to an overwhelming amount of work I was unable to get up some thoughts on the SmackDown show from Friday night, but will do a quick tidbit on that as well as some other thing taking place as we head into RAW on Monday night.
* SmackDown was an average show on Friday, with the highlight being the interaction between Batista and Cena, and the main event tag between them and Booker and Show. It sort of makes me think they are at some point leaning on putting Batista back in the heel role, with a possible program with Cena, which would be fantastic. That would be a WrestleMania main event that would draw interest among fans and factions of the two. The rest of the show was mostly filler, with the return of the Boogeyman attacking Miz and Krystal, and a program being set up between Chavo and Chris Benoit for the US Title. This week we'll see Taker and Kane together for the first time in years, vs Ken Kennedy and MVP.
* ECW house shows are done - for now. The 3rd brand was getting nowhere fast with trying to fill 500-1000 seat arenas, and this is a good decision for the company. The word is that ECW wrestlers will team up with the SmackDown brand for their house shows, which in the long run is good move. It makes the lame SmackDown house shows better, but gives ECW the momentum to not have to carry shows on its own. Give the ECW brand some time to build, and before too long they will be back to being able to carry house shows on its own.
* Speaking of which, one of the first combined shows for SmackDown/ECW may be here in Cleveland. There is a date of December 27th set for a house show at Quicken Loans Arena, with the SmackDown brand being advertised. The main event is Lashley vs Booker in a cage for the title. Chavo vs Benoit is also booked, along with London and Kendrick vs Idol and Stevens for the tag belts. I would not be shocked to see some ECW stars added to this card to spice it up.
* WWE.com is stating that Rey Mysterio will make a speech on the show this week to possibly announce his "retirement" from wrestling. This is of course a work since Mystero is going to be taking time off to recover from knee surgery. The site reads: "Sources tell WWE.com that Rey Mysterio will be at Friday Night SmackDown in Milwaukee next week to say goodbye. Friends of Mysterio say the former World Champion may actually announce his retirement. Those close to Rey say he is emotionally stressed following the months of struggle with former friends Vickie and Chavo Guerrero."
* The planned main event for the ECW PPV in December has been scrapped, as now instead of it just being RVD vs Big Show, it will now be a six-man elimination chamber match with Show, RVD and four other wrestlers. Without blinking an eye, here are the other four guys - Sabu, Sandman, Test and Bob Holly. I would say CM Punk and Mike Knox would be in the mix, but I think they will have their own match on the card. This change just shows they don't think that Show and RVD can carry the card.
* I think considering the heat and the ongoing interaction between the two, we'll see more of Kevin Federline before its all said and done. Federline is enjoying what he is doing on the show, and walking away each week with $15,000. If the WWE can convince him to do a match and end up with his wife Brittany there for it to be on PPV, the $15,000 they give him each time he's on would be like chump change.
