The Shoot #34
October 6, 2009
By: Joshua Piedra of WrestleView.com
-The First Shot-
Hello everyone and WELCOME to your 34th edition of The Shoot. No Quick Shots this week as I do like to round out the lengths of my columns, but this is the big one. The final moment you?ve all been waiting for has arrived. This week, we find out who the 2009 King of the Ring is! In addition to that, I also have the WWE Hell in a Cell predictions in the One Extra Round segment. So short on segments this week, but rich in content! Let’s dive in!
-The Big Shot: Armchair Booker: King of the Ring 2009 Part V-
Well? this is it! About five weeks ago, I wrote a column about the importance of tournaments in pro-wrestling. In there, I mentioned the King of the Ring tournament and it sparked an idea in my head to hold my own King of the Ring tournament using today’s WWE Superstars and have you, the readers, pick the winner. After five weeks of voting by readers and Wrestleview staff? we have finally picked a winner of the 2009 King of the Ring Tournament. Without further hesitation, ladies and gentlemen? here is your winner!
Participants
Readers: Luke Bartlett, Brandon, Rocky Jr.
Wrestleview Staff: Anthony Valvo
(01)Mark Henry
(03)Christian
WINNER: CHRISTIAN
Luke Bartlett writes: it’s gotta be christain for me via killswitch. Mark catches him in mid air after a cross body attempt then as mark raises him up christain rolls over the top of his head(landing behind him) n then BOOM! killswtch engaged
Brandon writes: At first I was thinking, (Gonna need your help here) didn’t this match take place before for the ECW Title. I could be wrong though. Either way, I don’t see Mark Henry losing here. I see Christian trying to hit the Killswitch only to get pushes into the turnbuckle & fall victim to an inverted Worlds Strongest Slam & then another one for good measure. Mark Henry puts on a dominant performance here isolating Christians mid-section throughout the match via splashes, bear hugs, body slams, power slams, etc. Christian mounts a good offense, but there’s too much brute strength here.
EDIT: To Brandon, 5/5/2009 Henry and Christian wrestled to a no contest, with Christian as ECW Champion, when Jack Swagger interfered and it became a tag match. They wrestled again on 5/14/2009 on WWE Superstars. Christian beat Henry there.
Rocky Jr writes: I’m kind of surprised that the people put Henry in the finals, OK he’s over now and a good guy monster but the finals ? So, it’s an easy pick for me here, like I wanted Christian vs. Swagger with Swagger as the winner, I’ll pick CHRISTIAN for KOTR 2009 Crown. He deserves it more than Henry.
Thank you to everyone who has participated over the past five weeks for your contributions to help make this a success. The odd thing here is last week, I booked my entire tournament and fantasy booked the winner. My winner turned out to be Christian as well, but he was kind of cast aside in favor for a story I developed during the tournament involving Ted Dibiase Jr. This week, I am going to fantasy book Christian as the winner of the tournament as promised? so here we go!
For this we will use the same time setting as my previous booking where the tournament ended two weeks into December, giving me two weeks to do something with Christian before WWE Armageddon.
Week 3 December: ECW: Christian as the ECW Champion walks out to the ring and delivers a promo stating that he is the new 2009 King of the Ring, and as a reward, he is the top contender to any championship in the company. Christian says while that is tempting, he is already on top of the WWE by being the ECW Champion. As Christian says this, William Regal’s music hits and he walks out stating that he may have fought hard in the tournament, but he deserved to win more than anyone. He said if he did win, he would get the rematch he had been looking for against Christian and he would do it under his terms. Christian says that despite not winning the King of the Ring and thinking he has no chance in hell against him, Christian is a fighting champion and agrees to put the title on the line any time any place under any circumstances. Regal then states that next week on ECW, he wants the shot in an Extreme Rules match. Christian agrees.
Week 4 December: ECW: Christian vs William Regal takes place. Christian looks to have the upper hand during the match when Regal pulls out the brass knucks, however, Christian realizes what is about to happen and ducks the punch. Christian low blows Regal and takes the knucks from him. The crowd cheers for Christian to give Regal a dose of his own medicine when Jackson and Kozlov hit the ring and take down Christian, by each hitting their finishers on him. Regal smiles and covers Christian for the three to become your new ECW Champion.
WWE Armageddon: CM Punk is defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Matt Hardy to close out their own personal endeavors with each other. CM Punk ends up finishing Matt Hardy with the Anaconda vice and is celebrating in the ring. All of a sudden a man in a mask shows up and nails CM Punk from behind. The crowd cheers at the masked vigilante. People wonder who is behind the mask until he pulls Punk up and hits the Killswitch. He pulls the mask off and, indeed, it’s Christian. Christian grabs the microphone and says ?losing the ECW Championship may have been a blessing because now I am choosing which champion to face as your 2009 King of the Ring. Let’s just say?my peeps on Smackdown will be happy? Christian’s music hits and he leaves.
Week 1 January: Smackdown: CM Punk opens the show by walking out, obviously angered by what just happened. He states that using sneak attacks shows that Christian is nothing but a coward? someone who has to live with personal demons because he can?t muster any courage to look at someone face to face like a man. This prompts Christian to come out and come out and state that he isn?t a coward? all he did was send a message and it looks like Punk got the message loud and clear. Christian says I?m not behind your back now? he’s here and he’s in front of him. If he?d like, he can come down there and attack him again face to face. CM Punk says that isn?t necessary? he doesn?t believe in getting in skirmishes with cowards. He should have stayed on ECW where people hardly tuned in to watch him in the first place. This prompts Christian to head down toward the ring, but Teddy Long interjects. Long makes the match official for tonight, but it will be non-title.
Later that night, CM Punk and Christian wrestle. During the match, CM Punk pulls out a mask from under the ring and places it on Christian’s head. Blinded, Punk hoists Christian up onto his shoulders and hits Go 2 Sleep for the win. After the match, Punk takes the microphone and simply says ?An eye for an eye.?
Week 2 January: Smackdown: Christian comes out and admits that Punk did give him a dose of his own medicine. He said he tried to do the same to William Regal and that’s how he lost the ECW Championship. CM Punk reversed the tables on me and he still lost the match. He said that he recognizes CM Punk is craftier than William Regal, but he has something in mind that might make Punk see things a little differently. Christian says that despite what happened last week, he is still owed a title match for winning the King of the Ring tournament so while CM Punk thinks that this ended last week, he’s dead wrong. This is only the beginning of Christian being a thorn in CM Punk’s side and he won?t rest until he becomes the World Heavyweight Champion. Teddy Long comes out and says that Christian is right? he is owed a World Title shot, but he is the GM and he will decide when and where that title shot will be. He said until he thinks it over, he’s got a match for him tonight as per request by CM Punk. He wants to know if you can handle yourself in the ring well enough to be a legitimate contender to his title. Your match? starts now.
Jericho and Big Show come out from the back. It’s a 2 on 1 handicap match against the Unified Tag Team Champions. Christian doesn?t look happy about this, but the match begins anyway. Jericho and Christian start off the match and Christian is able to hold his own as it’s back and forth. Christian begins to get the upper hand, but Jericho finds a way to escape and tags in the largest athlete in the world. Show comes in and simply just manhandles Christian as Jericho smiles. During the beat down, CM Punk makes his way down from the back and just stands at ringside to enjoy the carnage. During the beat down, Christian sees Punk grinning and gets fired up. He tries to mount a comeback, but Jericho joins in and double teams Christian. The referee loses control of the match quickly, but Jericho ends up hitting a Code B reaker on a weary Christian. Show picks Christian up and Choke Slams him. Punk says it’s enough and enters the ring. Punk just stands over Christian smiling and holding the world heavyweight championship high in the air as if he did all of the work. The match ends via No Contest.
Week 3 January: Christian bursts into Teddy Long’s office and says that he sees that CM Punk has you in his pocket and that it’s clear that he wouldn?t be getting the title match he earned. Teddy Long says that’s not the case? it’s just that it is in his best interest to protect CM Punk since he is Smackdown’s world champion. He has a show to run and protecting your champion should be the number one priority. Christian then asked who would protect Teddy Long if he didn?t give him his title shot? Christian said that he saw what the Undertaker did to him and knows that he can protect CM Punk all he wants, but there is nothing anyone can do to protect him. Teddy Long cringes at the memories of being abducted by The Undertaker and says ?Fine? you can have your title match.? Christian smiles, but Teddy continues. ??. If you can win the Royal Rumble? Christian looks confused. Teddy says ‘since you won King of the Ring, you should be accustomed to beating wrestlers from the entire WWE Universe so I figured this wouldn?t be a problem for you. If you can do it again, I?ll grant you your title shot at CM Punk? at Wrestlemania? Christian protests as he feels he is being screwed over by Teddy Long. ?This is your only chance, playa. Take it or leave it.? Christian says he?ll take it.
Week 4 January: Vince McMahon himself shows up on Smackdown with a major announcement concerning the Royal Rumble. He has reviewed the situation with Christian and believe that is unfair for Christian to compete in the Royal Rumble when he already earned a title shot, but Vince also respects the decisions made by his general managers. This prompts Christian to come out from the back. He steps into the ring to have a discussion with Vince McMahon. Vince tells Christian that he felt that he would come out when he heard that so he offered Christian a compromise. He said that in the interest of fairness he would allow Christian to cash in his King of the Ring win for the number 30 slot in the Royal Rumble. Christian smiles and agrees to do so. Christian is now locked in as the #30 entrant into the Royal Rumble.
WWE Royal Rumble: The Rumble Match takes place and it comes down to four men: Christian, Big Show, Chris Jericho, and John Morrison. Jericho and Big Show look toward Christian to have some fun, but while distracted, John Morrison ends up eliminating Chris Jericho. This infuriates Big Show and he goes after Morrison. Morrison lures Show around, but Show eventually catches up to him and beats down the Intercontinental Champion. Show picks up Morrison in a military press, but Christian chop blocks Show from behind. Morrison falls over the top rope, but lands on the ring apron and grabs Show by the head as he attempts to pull him over. Christian scoops up Show’s legs and the two of them heave Show over the top rope, but the size of Show causes Morrison to lose his balance? the two of them are eliminated and Christian wins the 2010 Royal Rumble! Christian will now go on to Wrestlemania to face CM Punk for the World Championship.
Week 1 February: Christian opens the show up and talks about not only winning King of the Ring, but winning the Royal Rumble. He said there isn?t anything else he has to prove. He said at Wrestlemania, he has CM Punk one on one and he will finally get what is rightfully his.. the world title. ?Welllll.. it’s the Big Show? hits the speakers and out comes Big Show and Chris Jericho. Jericho says that what was done at the Royal Rumble on Sunday was an injustice. Jericho said that he demands that retribution be paid and tonight he wants Christian and John Morrison in a tag team match. Christian says if Morrison agrees, then he agrees. The match will end up taking place.
Later on in the night it is shown that CM Punk has attacked John Morrison in the back, eliminating him from this match, making it, once again, a 2 on 1 handicap match. Christian comes out first, then CM Punk. Punk makes his way around ringside and sits down at the commentary booth. He says that he wants to enjoy seeing Christian get destroyed, yet, again because he knows that Christian is no match for him. His Royal Rumble win was a fluke and he still hadn?t proved to him why he is deserving of a world title shot. Jericho and Show make their way out. The two of them enter the ring and corner Christian. The match is about to start when? ?You Think You Know Me? hits the speakers and the people erupt! Edge has returned to Smackdown!
Edge barrels toward the ring as Jericho and Show look shocked. Edge hits the ring and delivers a massive spear to Jericho! Show goes to attack Edge, but Christian hits a Chop Block from behind to bring Show to a knee. Edge then knees Show in the face and nails an Edgecution DDT. CM Punk is infuriated and stands up from the announce position. Edge and Christian embrace in the middle of the ring as the tag team is officially re-united! Edge grabs the mic and states that after everything they went through to win the Unified Tag Team Titles, he couldn?t believe that he was expendable. He said that Jericho choosing a new partner was a sign of betrayal to him. He said that he only had one partner that he could trust in his career here in the WWE and at No Way Out, he aims to take back what is rightfully his.. the tag team titles with Christian as his partner?. CM Punk looks confused? perhaps this is something he could use to his advantage.
Week 2 February: CM Punk comes out and states that he just spoke with Teddy Long in the back and they agreed that Christian chasing two championships is unfair to the other people on Smackdown who have worked hard and deserved their shots. He said tonight, Christian would have to make a choice? either he goes have the Unified Tag Team Titles at No Way Out, or the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania? he cannot have both. He said that greed was one of the seven deadly sins, but being straight edge, he doesn?t have to worry about his mind being corrupted. He is going to enjoy watching Christian writhe in agony as he is forced to choose between his partner, who returned just for him, or his own self-glory, which is the reason Jericho ditched Edge in the first place.
Week 3 February: Christian is pacing back and forth in his locker room when Edge comes in. Christian says that he doesn?t know what to do. He wants to do both. He wants to become Tag Team Champions with Edge once again, but he also wants to be the world champion. They both mean a lot to him and he is unsure of what he wants. Edge says he understands and thinks he there actually is a way out at No Way Out. Edge smiles and leaves the room.
Week 4 February: Teddy Long makes his way out to the ring and says that time for Christian to make his choice has come. Edge’s music hits and he comes out. Teddy Long says that this doesn?t concern Edge, but Edge says otherwise. He says that tonight was about Christian making a choice, but it is also about Teddy Long making a choice. He says that if he remembers correctly, the last time CM Punk defended the World Heavyweight Championship was at Armageddon? which means that CM Punk has not defended his title within the required 30 days. Either CM Punk defends his title at No Way Out, or Teddy Long needs to strip CM Punk of the World Title. CM Punk’s music hits and Punk rushes to the ring to beg and plead with Teddy Long. Long says that, regretfully, Edge is correct so therefore? but before Long can finish, Edge interrupts and states that he is willing to make a deal. If he allows Christian to compete in both the Tag Title match at No Way Out AND the World Title Match at Wrestlemania, he won?t go running to Vince McMahon to have CM Punk stripped of the title. Teddy Long says that’s Black Mail! Punk gets on the mic and says ?fine? and then leaves the ring, holding the world title close to his body as Edge smiles and Long looks pissed.
WWE No Way Out: Edge and Christian vs Jerishow for the Unified Tag Titles take place. CM Punk interferes in the match while the referee had his back turned and smacks Edge in the back of the head with the world title as Edge was getting ready to deliver a spear on Jericho. Jericho then locks in a half boston crab on Edge’s leg that he had his surgery on and forces him to tap quickly.
Week 1 March: Edge comes out from the back and demands that CM Punk face him one on one tonight for costing him the Tag Team Titles. Christian shows up and says that those titles were robbed from him, too. He said that we should turn the tables and make this a 2 on 1 handicap match. Edge and Christian against CM Punk. The audience loves the idea, but Teddy Long comes out and agrees? that this should be a handicap match.. and it will be? it?ll be Edge and Chrsitian? against CM Punk?. And after a brief pause? Chris Jericho and The Big Show.
As the match starts, John Morrison makes his way out from the back stating that he was gone due to a concussion he suffered at the hands of CM Punk. He said tonight, he evens the sides and makes this a six man tag! The match is pretty straight forward 6 man tag with heel and face tactics. The hot tag is made to Christian and he cleans out Punk and Jericho, but has trouble with Show. Morrison and Edge enter and triple team Show out of the ring. After a Moonlight Drive to Jericho, Edge nails a spear on CM Punk. Christian picks Punk up and hits the Killswitch to get the pinfall over the world champion.
Week 2 March: CM Punk comes out and says that John Morrison wasn?t supposed to be there. It was supposed to be a 3 on 2 handicap match. Morrison comes out and says that the two of them have something in common. Due to his injury and due to him being a coward, neither of them have defended their championships. He said let’s recreate a Wrestlemania 6 moment and have a title versus title match here tonight. CM Punk says that’s cute, but he has championship defense protection until Wrestlemania. Punk says there is no way he will fight him with any titles on the line. Morrison then says fine.. he?ll just beat him down one on one in a non-title match tonight. Teddy Long comes out and says that this match will happen, but it will be for the title? the Intercontinental Title.
Morrison vs Punk goes down and like his match against Rey Misterio, Morrison absorbs a ton of punishment from CM Punk and will not stay down. Morrison is about to mount a comeback when Punk delivers a low blow signaling for a DQ. Punk then rolls out of the ring and grabs a steel chair, aiming to finish off Morrison once and for all. Christian runs down to make the save and CM Punk high tails it out of the ring and to the back.
Week 3 March: Morrison thanks Christian for coming out and saving him another concussion. They agree to watch each other’s back. CM Punk on the other hand is complaining to Teddy Long that Edge, Christian, and Morrison are all thorns in his side. He says that the road to Wrestlemania is challenging to him and it shouldn?t be that way when you?re the champion. Punk says until Wrestlemania, he demands that Edge, Christian, and Morrison have to stay at least 30 feet away from him at all times. Teddy Long agrees and places the restraining order into effect.
Week 4 March: CM Punk comes out to gloat that Wrestlemania is one week away and he cannot be touched. Christian’s music hits and he comes out. Punk flips out and says that he cannot come near him. Christian said that this is true.. he cannot come near him, but he found an old friend of his that can? and he has him in a match?. Right now. The lights grow dark and the gong sounds.. the place goes nuts. When the lights come back on, The Undertaker is in the ring with CM Punk. The bell rings? Chokeslam? it’s over. Christian smiles and heads to the back.
WWE Wrestlemania: Having getting a one up on CM Punk, Punk went to Teddy Long and stated that if anyone besides Christian came near the ring, Christian would not only forfeit the match, but would lose any chance of having any world title shot ever again as long as he was on the Smackdown brand. Long agrees and the stipulation is placed on the match. The match takes place? Punk and Christian put on a thirty minute classic? in the end, Christian outlasts Punk and becomes the NEW World Heavyweight Champion.
Yeah…. I?m a sucker for happy endings. This one was quite the challenge as Christian wasn?t as ?personally demonized? like a Jeff Hardy? so I had CM Punk play the puppeteer type heel? pulling the strings behind the scenes. I was able to work in an Edge and Christian reunion and some plot twists. I think Punk in this kind of a manipulative villain role suited the story perfectly and it enabled for a lot of twists and turns.
That wraps up the King of the Ring fantasy booking. I hope you all had fun and enjoyed it! Next week we will return you to your regularly scheduled rambling! But don?t go anywhere just yet.. it’s time to see how I fared in the WWE Hell in a Cell predictions!
-One Extra Round: WWE Hell in a Cell Predictions-
**Hell in a Cell Match**
Degeneration X (HBK/HHH) vs. Legacy (Cody/Ted Jr.)
WINNER: DX
PICK: DX
1-0
Thoughts: This was just payback for letting Priceless pin defeat them last month and nothing more.
Drew McIntyre vs. R-Truth
WINNER: Drew McIntyre
PICK: R-Truth
1-1
Thoughts: This was kind of a throw away match that I didn?t really pay attention to or cared too much about. I simply threw a dart at this one and it landed on R-Truth. Oh well? match wasn?t that great anyway.
For the WWE Diva’s Championship
Mickie James (c) vs. Alicia Fox
WINNER: Mickie James
PICK: Mickie James
2-1
Thoughts: Wow? the match was horrid, but how sick was that DDT on Fox!? I could have sworn she had a broken neck after that.
For the WWE Unified Tag Team Championship
Chris Jericho and Big Show (c’s) vs. Batista and Rey Mysterio
WINNER: Jerishow
PICK: Jerishow
3-1
Thoughts: This was a decent tag match, but as soon as it came down to Show and Mysterio, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before Show clobbered him? and he did in mid air with a sick punch.
For the United States Championship
**Triple Threat Match**
Kofi Kingston (c) vs. The Miz vs. Jack Swagger
WINNER: Kofi Kingston
PICK: Kofi Kingston
4-1
Thoughts: This was the classic ?egos implode? style match where they worked together, broke down, and Kofi picked up the pieces. Fun little match for filler.
For the Intercontinental Championship
John Morrison (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler
WINNER: John Morrison
PICK: John Morrison
5-1
Thoughts: Poor Mr. Ziggles.. won?t catch a break, but John Morrison has been on a roll as IC Champion and to take the title off of him at this point would have been a bad decision?. But speaking of bad decisions??
For the World Heavyweight Championship
**Hell in a Cell Match**
CM Punk (c) vs. The Undertaker
WINNER: The Undertaker
PICK: CM Punk
5-2
Thoughts: So not only does this match kick off the PPV, but it also takes the title off of one of the hottest heels to ever come down the WWE pike and puts the belt around the waist of an injury prone wrestler who has taken more time off in the past five years than the rest of the roster combined. I know The Undertaker is a legend and whatnot, but was that move really the right move business-wise!? It seems each time Punk gets a head of steam, the WWE de-rails him.
For the WWE World Championship
**Hell in a Cell Match**
John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
WINNER: Randy Orton
PICK: John Cena
5-3
Thougths: While I love Orton as champion and was happy to see him get the title back, I would have thought that the WWE would have drawn this out just a little bit longer, but I guess I was mistaken in thinking that!
-The Final Shot-
This will do it for me this week? again.. I can?t thank you guys enough for participating in the King of the Ring 2009 tournament. Thank you all for making this a success. Perhaps the next time the Armchair Booker series returns, I?ll do a TNA King of the Mountain fantasy style tournament or an ROH Survival of the Fittest fantasy tournament. We?ll see. As always, if you have any comments, suggestions, feedback, or just want to chat about how I?ve lost more brain cells to alcohol than Kanye West has in his entire head (and that joke should be funny to those who know me? consider it a fan service). You can use any of the following to get in contact with me:
E-Mail: syscrash2002@hotmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/itoshinojjp
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joshuapiedra
Until next week?
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