Sunday, October 10, 2010

Wrestling: Kayfabe Countdown - 10/10

#1 The Big Show [--]
(29-13-2) (WWE)

After suffering a handicap defeat against the combined might of The Nexus during Smackdown's live return to SyFy; Big Show has now been announced as the leader of Team Smackdown going in to the inter-brand competitive Pay-Per-View, Bragging Rights.
The Nexus typically reside on RAW, but have operated as a rogue element, happy to decimate superstars from both brands at any given opportunity. How they will factor into the show, or the fourteen-man tag match Big Show will captain in, remains to be seen. Also remaining to be seen is the new WWE produced film, Knucklehead. Starring Big Show, it hits theatres in limited release on the 23rd and 24th, and can be ordered on Blu-Ray and DVD. Big Show stars alongside Denis Farina and others as a gentle giant who burns down his orphanage, in what looks to be a formulaic comedy that takes advantage of the growing MMA scene. Fair enough.

#2 [--] Kofi Kingston (28-20-2) (WWE)
#3 [+1] Rey Mysterio (24-11-3) (WWE)
#4 [-1] Randy Orton (24-14-5) (WWE) [WWE Champion]
#5 [--] R-Truth (23-17-4) (WWE)
#6 [+2] Drew McIntyre (23-23-3) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#7 [-1] The Miz (23-24-4) (WWE) [Money in the Bank]
#8 [+2] Cody Rhodes (22-12-2) (WWE) [Tag Team Champion]
#9 [-2] Kane (22-13-4) (WWE) [World Heayweight Champion]
#10 [-1] AJ Styles (21-11-5) (TNA) [Television Champion]

#1 [--] Tyson Kidd & DH Smith (16-4-0) (WWE)
#2 [--] Robert Roode & James Storm (12-14-2) (TNA)
#3 [+1] Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin (10-8-2) (TNA) [Tag Team Champions]
#4 [-1] Layla & Michelle McCool (10-9-0) (WWE)
#5 [+1] Drew McIntyre & Cody Rhodes (7-1-0) (WWE) [Tag Team Champions]
#6 [-1] Big Show & The Miz (7-4-1) (WWE)
#7 [+2] Brie Bella & Nikki Bella (7-3-0) (WWE)
#8 [-1] Velvet Sky & Madison Rayne (6-1-0) (TNA)
#9 [-1] Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov (6-2-0) (WWE)
#10 [--] Curt Hawkins & Vance Archer (6-4-0) (WWE)

Superstar Spotlight:
#23 Kurt Angle
(16-7-3) (TNA)

Despite only debuting for WWF in 1999, Kurt Angle is one of the most storied and acclaimed superstars professional wrestling has ever seen. His Grecco-Roman grappling style complimented a pro wrestling adaptation without impediment, culminating in a rise of intensity throughout 2002 that made him, I believe, the prototype for the ultimate wrestler. Alongside the likes of Brock Lesnar, Eddie Guerrero, and Chris Benoit, he was at the forefront of a changing design in mainstream professional wrestling that has not been rivalled since. In 2006; Angle's departure from WWE and subsequent signing with TNA was a massive shock, and boosted TNA's in-ring credentials while WWE veered away from the match quality that had made Kurt Angle the highest paid asset in the business.

Kurt Angle is now following in the footsteps of various other wrestling contemporaries, hoping to emulate the success of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson by entering the world of film. He has just renewed his contract with TNA, but is expected to appear in a slate of six films in 2011, including Warrior, in which he plays an MMA champion. On that note, it was on this week's episode of the Right After Wrestling radio show that Angle revealed he took and passed the UFC entrance test. Despite having accomplished so much, it seems Kurt Angle still has plenty of ambition left, with the vague potential for an MMA transition in the future. He was unlucky in the Bound for Glory triple threat championship match, where Jeff Hardy broke the deadlock of their first two epic encounters by joining up with the sinister forces of upper management. Angle promised he'd retire if he lost the match, but under the circumstances, which included Ken Anderson being pinned, I'd think Kurt will fight on!

Special Note: This week's Countdown includes results from the TNA: Bound for Glory Pay-Per-View where Tara (#56) and Jeff Hardy (#24) captured the Knockouts and World Heavyweight Championship belts. WWE: NXT no longer contributes.

The Kayfabe Countdown is based on the cumulative tally of wrestler win/loss records, based on televised matches from WWE and TNA 2010 broadcasts. At present, they includes TNA: Impact!, WWE: RAW, WWE: Superstars, WWE: Smackdown, and monthly Pay-Per-View events. Dedicated to the memory of T. Haseloff (1991-2009): the best there is, best there was, and best there ever will be.

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