Live Show Tonight and Rumble Thoughts
Tonight is the final WWE show of the year here in Cleveland, and its a combined "Supershow" with the SmackDown and ECW brand. As of a few weeks back, the card was supposed to be Booker vs Batista in a cage, (which is still a go), Chavo vs Benoit, Kane and Taker vs MVP and Kennedy, and a four-way ECW match with Sabu, Test, Lashley and RVD. Now, with the card tonight, the only two booked matches are Booker vs Batista, and Test vs Lashley. What they are doing from there is anyones guess. 
These cards have been lukewarm from the reports on the internet. Of course I still think that they are testing the waters for a full-time deal with the SmackDown and ECW guys together. They have been doing the TV tapings as one from the word go with ECW, but now with these house shows I'll be able to get an up close and personal look at what type of reaction the crowd gives tonight. Of course there are plenty of tickets still available, as I tried for best available yesterday and could come up with section 110 row 5, which is very good for where the seats are. By comparison, the last time the WWE was here was back in July with a live RAW, which had Hogan appear with Randy Orton to build up SummerSlam, and it will be remembered as the night that HHH and the McMahons were gone due to the delivery of Steph's and HHH's baby.
I recall a really hot crowd that night, and tickets were not easy to come by. I was four rows from the ring, and tickets were sold out all the way into the upper bowl. I think you could snag upper level seats, but again, good duckets were on the street and through brokers, but nowhere on ticketmaster.
Now that the year end shows are wrapping up, we are set to get things rolling again with the RAW PPV on 1/7 and the Royal Rumble on 1/28. After reading the latest rumor of a fatal four way at Maina with Cena, Batista, HHH and Undertaker, I am starting to think that it would be Takers turn to win the Rumble. Think about it - he's never won it, and it would be an easy way for him to get himself into the WM main event. Of course I could also see a lame finish with HHH and Taker hitting the floor at the same time and then the two having to do some wacky thing and both ending up declared the winners, like they have done in the past.
None of that is 100 percent for sure though about Mania, but in thinking about the Taker and his career, and the fact that it is truly winding down, it may be time for him to get one more shot, and for him to win the Rumble and then have his winning streak at Mania snapped. All a wild guess, but we'll see. I'll have more tomorrow on tonights show at Quicken Loans Arena with the SmackDown and ECW crew.
These cards have been lukewarm from the reports on the internet. Of course I still think that they are testing the waters for a full-time deal with the SmackDown and ECW guys together. They have been doing the TV tapings as one from the word go with ECW, but now with these house shows I'll be able to get an up close and personal look at what type of reaction the crowd gives tonight. Of course there are plenty of tickets still available, as I tried for best available yesterday and could come up with section 110 row 5, which is very good for where the seats are. By comparison, the last time the WWE was here was back in July with a live RAW, which had Hogan appear with Randy Orton to build up SummerSlam, and it will be remembered as the night that HHH and the McMahons were gone due to the delivery of Steph's and HHH's baby.
I recall a really hot crowd that night, and tickets were not easy to come by. I was four rows from the ring, and tickets were sold out all the way into the upper bowl. I think you could snag upper level seats, but again, good duckets were on the street and through brokers, but nowhere on ticketmaster.
Now that the year end shows are wrapping up, we are set to get things rolling again with the RAW PPV on 1/7 and the Royal Rumble on 1/28. After reading the latest rumor of a fatal four way at Maina with Cena, Batista, HHH and Undertaker, I am starting to think that it would be Takers turn to win the Rumble. Think about it - he's never won it, and it would be an easy way for him to get himself into the WM main event. Of course I could also see a lame finish with HHH and Taker hitting the floor at the same time and then the two having to do some wacky thing and both ending up declared the winners, like they have done in the past.
None of that is 100 percent for sure though about Mania, but in thinking about the Taker and his career, and the fact that it is truly winding down, it may be time for him to get one more shot, and for him to win the Rumble and then have his winning streak at Mania snapped. All a wild guess, but we'll see. I'll have more tomorrow on tonights show at Quicken Loans Arena with the SmackDown and ECW crew.
