The Elimination Chamber Survivor Series 2002

Let's start with the WWE's booking of the Elimination Chamber match for the World title at Summerslam. First the reason for this being booked instead of the original main event of Goldberg vs HHH are obvious since HHH has that injury. HHH's groin injury must be worse than we all expect since WWE never makes mention of something like that when it happens off camera. Usually they would have taken him out with a suspension angle or some sort of other angle to explain the injury. Obviously HHH wants to work a match and with that injury it would make him vs Goldberg even more of a stinker than it would have been. So what do we get instead? The Elimination Chamber! YAY! A giant caged clusterf**k with 6 guys. Let's look at the contestants and their chances of winning.

1) HHH- Since HHH is the king of burials he is the obvious choice to win and leave with the belt. But even HHH can't keep the belt forever so if he does leave Summerslam with it he'll be dumping it soon. We hope. If HHH's injury is as serious as I think it is he'll do an injury angle during the Elimination Chamber and drop the belt. I pray.

2)Goldberg- It has been public knowledge that the WWE is not happy with Goldberg and the results he's been bringing in. Add that with the fact that he is working with a limited appearance contract (which is disaster if your champ is on one since you won't get the house show $$$ out of it) and the whole issue of Vince being pissed off that Goldberg wouldn't bend on his contract and replace HHH on the Australian tour and you get Goldberg won't get that belt. If for some reason he does he won't keep it for long.

3)Shawn Michaels- Shawn is also on a limited appearance deal read the Goldberg part above on why that is a bad idea. Giving Shawn the belt last time didn't work they won't do it again. Shawn's appearance in this is to build on his program with Randy Orton. No belt for Shawn. Besides at this point does Shawn need it to get over?

4) Randy Orton- Orton has been pushed too much too soon as it is. Don't get me wrong I like this guy but his push is coming WAY too early. He should be contending for the IC title not the World title. But as mentioned above his appearance is only to build on his program with Shawn Michaels.

5) Kevin Nash- Nash is an amazingly shitty wrestler and moves with the speed of a snail on downers. Putting the belt on him for any length of time would be a disaster for business. He's a completely illogical choice to win this title. Or is he? I'll elaborate in a min.

6) Chris Jericho- Jericho is flat out the single best performer on the RAW roster. He's got great mic skills. He can get 15 good mins out of anyone in the ring. Jericho's run with the Undisputed title really didn't work too well but my opinion was that he was set up to fail with bad booking. He never got a fair chance in my opinion. So having Jericho walk out with the belt would be the best decision in my opinion. It's obvious Kane will get the title within the next few months and you couldn't pick a better transitional champ than Jericho. There's two scenarios I can picture at Summerslam. Either Jericho wins it there or Kevin Nash takes the title and drops it to Jericho on RAW the next night in the Hair vs. Hair match. I never thought in my life I would ever say this but I like the idea of Nash winning the belt. Having that title match the next night Hair vs Hair would give RAW a much needed boost. And Jericho would come out looking great. Sure he'll dump the belt to Kane eventually but Jericho will be much bigger in the mark's eyes after this.

Ok i've babbled enough about Summerslam now I'm really just going to kick out some random thoughts and opinions: - Gail Kim needs to be put back in OVW immediately. She looks great, has talent but she blows way too many spots and almost kills herself. Look at last night. After this program with Trish is done send her back before someone gets hurt.

Nick Mondo: - I know a lot of people have been coming to the sight and noticed that this month's featured wrestler is a guy named "Sick" Nick Mondo. I'm sure most of you are asking "Who?" and "Why?". "Sick" Nick Mondo is a worker in CZW who this month showed he is guts and determination personified taking hardcore wrestling to a new level. This guy is the next Sabu. Nick Mondo worked CZW's Tournament of Death 2 with a broken wrist in 3 places, took a HUGE bump that I can't describe with words and still won the tournament. Mondo is now out for a few months needing a few surgeries and has injuries including possible nerve damage. Me and i'm sure the rest of us at OWW wish Mondo a speedy and successful recovery. If you want to give Mondo a message post on his message board at www.nickmondo.com he reads and responds to messages when he can.

- Jim Cornette recently blasted IWA Mid South publicly and called their violent style "Not pro wrestling". Jim Cornette needs to take his head out of his ass and realize that he is not God and his opinions don't speak for the entire wrestling world. First of all hardcore and violent wrestling has been around for years and I'm sure it was fine for Cornette when it was just The Sheik, Abdullah the Butcher, Mick Foley, Terry Funk etc doing it but now that others are working this style and bringing it to a whole new level I guess this isn't acceptable. Some fans including myself enjoy some of this stuff and for him to call it not pro wrestling is an insult. IWA Mid South's wrestlers bust their asses each and every week to entertain their fans and Ian Rotten is a promoter that actually gives a shit about his fans. He gives them what they want to see. Maybe WWE should try that unique concept and business wouldn't be in the shitter. And if Cornette had actually taken the time to watch some IWA Mid South, which i'm sure he hasn't, he would see that IWA is NOT all about violence. IWA Mid South also has very talented performers that don't do hardcore wrestling or are capable of working both styles. Someone needs to send Cornette a copy of last year's Ted Petty Invitational and he'll see it was one of the best shows anywhere last year. Chris Hero, Spyder Nate Webb, Danny Daniels, Jimmy Jacobs, Alex Shelley, Colt Cabana and many others are booked by IWA and are some of the most talented wrestlers working the indies today. Is the violent product in IWA the stuff in focus? For the most part yes because that is what their fans want and enjoy. Is that the only thing in IWA? Absolutely not. If you don't enjoy this style Cornette that's fine not everybody does. But don't DARE call it not pro wrestling. That is an insult that IWA Mid South and its workers do not deserve.

Thanks for taking the time to read my babblings.

by Mark Rose..