WWE Backlash 2008 Results

# World Heavyweight Championship: The Undertaker (c) def. Edge
# ECW Championship: Kane (c) def. Chavo Guerrero
# Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. John “Bradshaw” Layfield vs. Triple H vs. John Cena Winner: New Champion Triple H
# Shawn Michaels def. Batista (w/Chris Jericho as Special Guest Referee)
# The Big Show def. The Great Khali
# WWE United States Championship: Matt Hardy def Montel Vontavious Porter (c)
# 12-Diva Tag Team match: Beth Phoenix, Melina, Jillian Hall, Layla, Victoria & Natalya Neidhart def Mickie James, Maria, Ashley, Michelle McCool, Cherry & Kelly Kelly

WWE Backlash One Year Ago

* Dark match: Carlito defeated Johnny Nitro (6:21)
o Carlito pinned Nitro after a Backcracker.

* The Hardys (Matt and Jeff) defeated Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch to retain the World Tag Team Championship (15:18)
o Matt pinned Murdoch after a Twist of Fate from Matt followed by a Swanton Bomb from Jeff.

* Melina defeated Mickie James to retain the WWE Women’s Championship (9:02)
o Melina pinned Mickie after a Reverse DDT.

* Chris Benoit defeated Montel Vontavious Porter to retain the WWE United States Championship (13:10)
o Benoit pinned MVP with a Inside Cradle.

* Umaga, Shane McMahon and Mr. McMahon defeated Bobby Lashley in a Handicap match to win the ECW World Championship (15:45)
o Mr. McMahon pinned Lashley after Shane hit Lashley with the title belt followed by two Samoan Splashes from Umaga. As a result, Mr. McMahon was crowned as the new champion.

* World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker fought Batista to a draw in a Last Man Standing match (20:23)
o The match ended after both men were unable to answer the referee’s ten count following a Spear from Batista off the entrance stage. As a result, The Undertaker retained the title.

* John Cena defeated Edge, Randy Orton and Shawn Michaels in a Fatal Four-Way match to retain the WWE Championship (19:21)
o Cena pinned Orton after a Spear from Edge.

Interview with 2008 King of The Ring William Regal

William Regal recently did an interview with the U.K. Sun where he expresses his desire to have more of an opportunity to wrestle and to be a World Champion.

“Of course I want to be involved more in a wrestling capacity, that’s why I’m in the shape I’m in,” Regal told the UK Sun. “Next I want to be world champion, I really do.

“Being general manager is a great spot—as it means I’m on the show—but I’m not ready to take a back seat. I wrestle on house shows all the time, and on TV I’ve had some decent outings, but now I’ve got the chance I’m going to be all over it… I’m always jumping all over Vince McMahon to let me wrestle more. He can’t stand the sight of me!”

Interview with TNA Superstar Kevin Nash

TNA Superstar Kevin Nash recently did an interview with the “Daytona Beach Journal” In the interview Kevin Nash commented on internet journalists of how he likes to press their buttons. “We know how to push their buttons,” Nash said. “They’ll go haywire. It makes them insane. It’s my own form of self-entertainment. I’ll read Wade Keller. There are some guys that actually loathe me. They just hate me. They’re internet guys. Why wouldn’t they hate me. I’m having a good time. They’re not.”

Nash also spoke at length on his steroid use earlier in his career: It’s always been a larger-than-life industry, and in that environment, I was the largest human being we had,” he said. “When I was young, to break into the business, you had to be gigantic. I was gigantic. Everybody took steroids. They weren’t even a felony conviction back then.”

Rob Van Dam announces his wife “Sonya” has Colon Cancer

Rob Van Dam recently announced by his my space page that his 32 year-old wife Sonya is battling colon cancer. “Months of testing showed nothing of this nature,” Van Dam writes. “The blood tests and everything else they did could not detect the cancer until the dreaded colonoscopy.

“Sonya wants everyone to know that you have to get checked. We found a huge research center where we are getting this taken care of. They have a lot of information about the subject, in case you might be searching CityofHope.org.

Keep in mind, this is curable and Sonya has surgery scheduled for the end of the week to get this thing taken out. We’re totally kicking its ass. We got this.”

The State of ECW And How To Fix ECW

What is wrong with ECW? I’m sure like myself many of you are asking this same question and I believe the only answer is that this isnt ECW in the days of Paul Heyman this is a WWE brand now, a developmental league a place where storylines for featured stars of Raw and Smackdown can be developed. The show has became more developmental in recent weeks with the removal pf Joey Styles and he insertion of Mike Adamle who has no clue about pro wrestling, whose last announcing gig was the XFL and that only lasted a year. How do you fix ECW? First step rename the show cause the only thing extreme about it is the fact that it’s extremely bad. Second you need to promote the fact that this is a developmental territory and that the future stars of tomoorow will come through here. Hire a solid staff of writers who understands the strengths and abilities of the young talent. Focus more on wrestling for this show instead of storylines to establish how good the talent is. Then gradually introduce more advanced storylines. Promote the brand more frequently with more commercial spots during Raw abd Smackdown also show more highlights. The above is just a few ideals on how to fix ECW

News amd Notes for 04/23/08

Afternoon Update

–WWE has added a 12 diva tag team even to this Sunday’s PPV Card WWE Women’s champion Mickie James will team with Maria, Ashley Massaro, Michelle McCool, Cherry and Kelly Kelly against Beth Phoenix, Melina, Jillian Hall, Layla El, Victoria and Natalya Neidhart.

– This past Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown did a 2.2 broadcast rating, according to data compiled by Nielson Media Research.

Morning Update

Credit: Wade Keller and PWTorch.com

Merinews.com in India is reporting that Great Khali will be taking a break from WWE at the end of the month to return to India. “He is planning to take a break from WWE and open a wrestling training school for children in Mumbai,” they wrote. Khali’s brother told merinews that Khali will be in India for at least one month.

– Jim Ross posted a new blog on jrsbarbq.com discussing this week’s hot topics. He said about the presidential nominees appearing on Raw: “None of them should quit their day jobs and look for work in ‘rasslin, but they all seemed to be good sports in their recorded, cliché laden spiels.” Ross said the publicity for WWE was good, as national media that usually only covers WWE during tragedy or scandal were quick to talk about this WWE-related story.

- In last week’s prime time cable ratings, USA Network won yet again on the strength of Raw’s 4.5 million viewers for the April 14 Raw. It was a weak week for cable TV, as Raw finished first and second in overall viewership despite its low ratings. TNA took second place for the week with its NBA playoffs coverage. USA won for the 16th consecutive week with four of the Top-10 cable programs.

WWE Suspends Smackdown Writer

According to Jason Powell of Prowrestling.net the WWE has suspended Smackdown writer Michael Hayes for 60 days for using a racial slur during Wrestlemania weekend. The slur apperently happend while Hayes was talking to Mark Henry who took offense to the slur and reported it to the McMahon Family.

Hayes had been warned in the past bout using the word, however Hayes and MVP had been using the word while joking around together earlier in the night. It was a party setting and Hayes had been drinking when he approached Henry. A pair of sources confirmed that Hayes told Henry, “I’m more of a n—– that you are.”

News and Notes for 04/22/08

–According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com the WWE has released the following from their developmental contracts. Ryan Bishop, Tommy Taylor, and Chris Gray.

–According to WWE.com link here C.M. Punk required stiches after last night’s show

News Media on Clinton, Obama, and McCain appearing on RAW

The Boston Globe wrote:

“And in trying to attract voters who happen to be wrasslin fans, the candidates come off tonight looking a little, well, silly.”

The New York Times wrote:

“None of the presidential candidates want to be seen as snooty or overeducated, which must be why on Monday, all three provided taped greetings to wrestling fans watching ‘WWE Raw’ on the USA network.”

The USA Today wrote:
“

Wonder what kinds of voters the Democratic candidates are trying to attract tonight, on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary, with appearances on WWE’s Monday Night RAW on USA Network. Never mind, we’ll skip the demographics and sociology.”

The Associated Press sent out the following:

WASHINGTON — They’ve talked a lot of smack. Now the presidential candidates are taking it to the ring.

Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have accepted an invitation to try to settle their long-running nomination fight primary on the World Wrestling Entertainment’s popular Monday Night Raw program.

Unfortunately for wrestling fans, they won’t be trading any blows. Physically, at least.

Neither would agree to appear against each other in person, so they taped messages to air on the eve of the Pennsylvania primary. Republican John McCain added his message as well.

Clinton tells fans to call her “Hill-Rod,” recites her agenda and promises to be “a president who will go to the mat for you.”

“This election is starting to feel a lot like King of the Ring,” she says in a little trash talk. “The only difference? The last man standing may just be a woman.”

Obama borrowed the signature line from former WWE champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a warning to the special interests in Washington. “Do you smell what Barack is cooking?” Obama asks with a grin.

McCain cautions both candidates to look out for him in the general election. “Whatcha gonna do when John McCain and all his McCainiacs run wild on ya?” he asks.

It’s the first time presidential candidates have appeared on WWE programing, another example of how they are using unconventional programing — from appearances on The Tyra Banks Show to American Idol — to reach voters.

For fans curious about how an Obama-Clinton fight might look, WWE has a dramatization on its Web site.

An animated Obama, in signature suit with no tie, bounces into the ring to the sound of heavy metal. He’s followed by Clinton, in a red pants suit, who climbs onto the ropes with her hands in the air. The video fades before any blows are traded.

Raw is one of cable television’s top-rated shows with more than 5 million weekly viewers. WWE has been encouraging voter registration through its “Smackdown Your Vote!” program.