Dragon's Lair Vol. 4

September 15, 2003

As we come out of the wrestling highlight of the summer, the joint RAW and PrimeTime PPV, Meltdown, I will be casting an eye as to the happenings that went down at this event and seeing what the repercussions will be on the TWF as we head into the autumn months.

La Resistance interruption of the anthem

Now, I was surprised as seeing Meltdown be opened this way but in retrospect, it was an excellent way of focusing attention on a feud that has been secondary to others. Personally, I have yet to be convinced by Grenier and Dupree as La Resistance although I adore the gimmick. Dupree is still young and may need time to grow but I wonder if Grenier truly has what it takes to perform at this level. Their tag team titles match against Steiner and Gunn should provide some answers.

Lightheavyweight Title Match: Carney vs. Rey Mysterio

Two of the Four Elements faced off in a match that could be a Match of the Year Contender. I was glad to see Carney retain as I believe he has really come into his own recently. Before this title reign, there always seemed to be a LHW overshadowing him by a fraction. Since he defeated Hayabusa, he has shown to all in the TWF that he deserves this belt although one must wonder whether to pay any attention to the rumours that Dylan Jansens may be considering challenging his protégé to a match. The 4L have been on form as of late with Benoit and Jansens capturing the Tag Team belts but it is true that the two halves of this stable need to work more together. An opposing stable to create a turf war on PrimeTime would be the right way to go. Plus what’s all this we are hearing about the Fifth Element?

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Ron Killings

I must admit that since Benjamin’s departure from the group, Killings is the only Civil Rights member I truly enjoy seeing. Dating from his days as K-Dog and K-Kwik, he has shown an exciting, ruthless style in the ring. Although his experience was not quite sufficient to top the Rattlesnake this time round, I am sure that with the right guidance Killings is a sure-fire future TWF Champion. As for Civil Rights as a whole, I cannot see it lasting. Malice is gone, Benjamin is gone, Killings is getting too big for this stable and it’s not D’Lo and Jazz alone who are gonna keep it going. I do think unless they can be given a whole new impetus (an alliance with Anarchy Inc. to truly create a disturbance on RAW?), the sun is setting in Brother Long’s fight against the man. For SCSA, my reaction will not surprise anyone but I am sorry to see him step away from the ring. No superstar could match him in getting crowd reactions and though some called him boring and a mere brawler, I can’t think of anyone else who could tell a good story in the ring like he could. However, I sincerely hope he will stick around as a backstage presence and make the occasional appearance in the ring. Dalby 3:16 says you’ll be sorely missed.

King of Cable Match: John Cena vs. Austin Pyromania

What a match! Not because of its technical skill or high-intensity spots but throughout Cena and Pyromania did a magnificent job of telling a good story. Cena’s sheer rage and Pyromania’s natural ring talent. Although A-Train handed Cena the title, I think Cena needs this more than Pyromania does. The two are now elevated to the upper mid-card faster than anyone could have predicted. In the future, I see Cena feuding with A-Train soon as no alliances that the big man has formed have lasted. For Pyromania, I wonder who could hold him back on RAW. Shame they are both faces because a feud with High Octane would be brilliant. Austin has proved his worth but now he needs to be elevated by a more established superstar to show the world his full potential. However, he may need to look over his shoulder in the future as it seems Terri’s undeserved revenge will be terrible. In the long term, my only concern about Pyromania is that on RAW, he is filling in precisely the same role as Dylan Jansens did on PrimeTime, that of the fresh-faced, innocent face. This may not be in Austin’s plans but I think a heel turn could may be the thing to propel him to the next level.

Six-Man Tag Match: Jordan Rockwell, Rhyno, Ultimo Dragon vs. FBI

Recently on PrimeTime, my respect for one man has tripled. He is simply The Ego himself, Jordan Rockwell. I did fear at one point beginning with the fall of the New Breed that Rockwell would be too personal in his pursuit of supreme recognition. Now that he has achieved this, I am glad to see Rockwell going for the tag belts but even more so, that he is now engaging in more mid-card feuds like with Rick Martel and now the FBI, particularly Frankie Kazarian. I don’t think anyone could have predicted such attitude from this man. In Evolution, he and Nova were regarded as the next Hardy Boys but now with Nova injured, Kazarian has really shown a bastard streak that has really stood him in good stead. But with Rockwell, one wonders if he has not bitten off far more than he can chew. Especially after causing Rockwell to lose to Thompson but even more so interfering with Lita, in their inevitable one-on-one clash, Rockwell is not only going to be out for Kazarian’s blood, he is gonna try and probably succeed in wiping Kazarian off the face of the earth.

Christopher Daniels vs. Travis Wakeman

Unsurprisingly, Daniels has fit right into the TWF. Down in SMW, Daniels has been showing his ruthless personality for years and now, he is sowing a seed of discord around PrimeTime with clinical precision. Gathering many stars around him such as Mortis, Daniels has targeted Wakeman and King T may find himself merely the first of such victims. Wakeman, in singles action, was too much for Daniels but with a growing number of supporters, the Fallen Angel looks to be becoming one of the biggest threats Travis has ever had to face. I do not know if Daniels will succeed in taking Trish away from Travis but if he does, I believe he should do so permanently. We have already witnessed too many battles over Trish and though she does deserve a better plight, another would simply be mind-numbing.

High Octane vs. Shawn Michaels

Ah, my favourite superstar the TFT faces his master. The similarities between the two are uncanny, down to their finishing manuvers, but I am very glad that HO is asserting his independence as from now on, staying in the shadow of HBK would only be hurtful in the long term. He has overcome obstacles that no-one would ever have thought possible but one thing has been lacking for HBK recently and that is title gold. I think the new King of Cable belt would be ideal for him unless he succeeds in astonishing us all once more and takes his focus straight to the daddy of all prizes. Okay, maybe not that many but it was still a very complicated match. I, for one, enjoyed it thoroughly and though devastated by the result, would enjoy seeing more feuds like this one, implicating many superstars. First off, may I give my props to Tirpak and Bradshaw on giving us all one of the most entertaining tag team title reigns ever seen in the TWF. They had to be beaten one day and I think they would not be unhappy as to their eventual victors. Jansens and Benoit have been one of the most consistently excellent partnerships for a while now and though their reign was very short-lived, I do believe they can recapture them against Lesnar and Batista at Eruption. Jansens must be starting to wonder what the hell is happening. He has lost both the LHW and Tag Team titles now without being pinned. If he can gain a shot at Batista’s IC title, I cannot guarantee a win for him but it could certainly be a big step up for him and the 4L as a whole. As for Brock Lesnar and Batista, may I just say that instead of a threat with them holding all 4 titles, I am already bored by this so-called dark alliance. Brock did the same thing with Wakeman Enterprises. Tell the writers WE’VE ALREADY SEEN THIS! However, keeping with both Brock and the 4L, I think that the way to go would be to combine Lesnar’s clan with either Aries, Orton and Flair or Daniels’ cronies to oppose the 4L, particularly if the fan favorite stable could recruit a fifth member which would help give them a new purpose.

World Title: Strife vs. Undertaker

Although the ending of this real slobberknocker was not surprising, I was both happy and frustrated by it. Happy because it finally gives Nemesis his deserved place at the upper card and a feud with the Undertaker but frustrated because personally, I do not believe Strife has really been given the chance of showing why he was World Champion. Whatever JR says, A-Train and Nowinski were not challenges for the Locomotive while since their tag team broke up, Bahamut has been consistently inferior to Strife. In the end, he was defeated by the Deadman or the only really impressive victory he ever scored. I believe it is imperative for the World Title to be contested between more regular superstars. After all, Bahamut is gone to PrimeTime and A-Train and Nowinski have returned to mid-card obscurity. Now with the arrival of Kurt Angle, Val Venis, there are more upper-carders on RAW but also too many faces. Strife, Taker, HO, Angle, Pyromania and Venis against Nemesis, Cena, Eddie Guerrero as viable heels. I think Venis should turn as well as Pyromania to give a balanced upper-card and a much more entertaining World title scene.

In its globality, Meltdown was a very strong and well-scheduled event with some great performances but in general, the TWF needs a shake-up, particularly now that the GWF is gone. A war with the ultra-strong Pelican Federation could be a way to go while a stable war on PT would also be necessary. There you have it, they may be controversial, they may be annoying but they are the Dragon’s views. Until next time, keep a sharp eye and beware….. BEWARE AS THE DRAGON ENFLAMES YOU!!!!!