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From Parts Unknown

FPU: Smackdown Title Situation *Contains Smackdown Spoilers – 20th July 2007*

Last week I was planning on writing something about Benoit, but then the dentists came knocking and I was in too much discomfort to concentrate on writing. Truth to be told I’m still in pain (had another tooth removed this Monday) But not being able to sleep has made me decide to post an entry.

With the depressing news that my current favourite wrestler, Edge, having to drop the title due to a pectoral tear and also the confirmed spoiler that the Great Khali is your new world champion (via Battle Royal), I decided to have a look at if that’s the right choice and if others, who were beforehand rumoured candidates, would have been a better choice

Mark Henry
While with the right push, Mark Henry can be made to look dominating, and have a “well that wasn’t too bad” kind of match, there’s just too many negatives for Mark Henry to be a champion. I’m not saying he won’t ever be champ (this is WWE here), I’m saying he shouldn’t be champ.

Let’s look at the reasons why not. The crowd aren’t that into him. Granted he doesn’t get Haas heat, but he’s also not over on the level of superstars such as Kane, HHH, Undertaker, etc. Then there’s the fact that he’s injury prone and with guys like, HHH Edge and Taker – the last two who were in the middle of being champion – suffering some sort of curse, it’s just not a gamble right now that the WWE can afford to take. Lastly, Mark Henry just plain sucks in the ring. Granted, champions like Hogan were never great in the ring, but he had bucket loads of charisma, which is something else Mark Henry lacks. It seems Mark Henry’s job in WWE will be as high-profile feud fodder. Lets keep it that way

Batista
Despite being wooden in the ring most of the time, the crowd loves this guy and he’s been a successful champion. But for now, it’s not Batista’s time to have the title. It’s down to lack of main-eventing heels. If your dream match is to see Mark Henry or The Great Khali (which I feel we will be getting this Sunday anyway) go after Batista for the title, then well there’s something wrong with you and Fit Finlay, no offence to the guy but I hardly see him as main even material.

Looks like Smackdown seriously got screwed in the draft lottery when you look at it.

Matt Hardy
You heard it hear first! Next year Matt Hardy will become champ. But right now, it’s not his time. Instead I feel Matt Hardy will unseat MVP and become United Sates champ at the Great American Bash. But I digress slightly. Matt has the crowd on his side and is a accomplished wrestler in his won right. But he has a few niggles he needs to iron out. While his mic work is not terrible, it’s not electrifying either and he does need to develop his character a bit more. Everyone remember Matt hardy V1? That was a riot (when he was heel anyway) and proof it can be done, without going over the top.

Rey Mysterio
Altogether now “Who’s that jumping out the sky, R-E-Y Mysterio, here we go”…

Poor Mysterio, despite his title reign being successful, some people still wouldn’t cut him any slack and refused to look at him as a believable champ who, as an underdog always managed to beat the odds. Then again, WWE’s booking of him getting his ass kicked week in and week out didn’t help. So what would make it different this time? Besides with Rey being injured, rushing him back won’t help as, just like with Mark Henry, they can’t risk him being injured while champ. I’m guessing they will have some kind of program to ease Mysterio in and perhaps next year, have suitable opponents if they choose to have Mysterio chase after the title.

The Great Khali
While I did predict that Khali would become champ, it was for the world title that Cena is currently hogging like a redneck guarding his moonshine, not for the Heavyweight title. Regardless, Khali is your new champ for better or for worse (for me it’s the latter). Still as a heel, at least he’s got more people to feud with then if he was a face – Ric Flair, Batista, Kane Jimmy Wang Yang, okay maybe not the last one – and while his ring work is “bowling shoe-ugly” (hell he makes Mark Henry look like a technical marvel) at least he’s seemingly not injury prone. Then again, he might have a Kevin Nash syndrome (50/50 on getting injured JUST walking to the ring).

I guess they needed to have some dominating heel to fill time (my guess is that Undertaker will be the one to take the title off Khali) and so (applying WWE logic) it makes sense that Khali is champ. You may not like it, but by god you will force yourself to understand the reason!

Kane
Despite his character having taken a vicious mauling over the years (two words Katie Vick), Kane is surprisingly still over but it seems him going back to being a heel isn’t actually the best choice (again due to crappy angles, it’s now near-impossible to take him seriously as a monster heel-like character) Instead what the WWE should have done is make Kane a tweener – someone just out for himself – and put the title on him. That way his feuding potential would be huge. Also, I’m sure many will agree with me that Kane having the title is long overdue and his he’s not that susceptible to injury as most big men are. It may end up that WWE missed a big opportunity here.

King Leonidas
*An arena-full crowd is waiting for anticipation. You could cut the tension with a knife as they await their new champion. Suddenly the familiar music plays and as if in sync, the crowd rise to their feet in one swift motion and out comes their champion, in nothing but spandex (which makes the woman swoon, some even faint) and he walks to the ring, not in a cocky fashion but one full of confidence as well as sporting a stare that could kill a man.

He’s in the ring and takes a microphone; he pauses as the crowd chants his name “Leonidas, Leonidas” over and over. Once the crowd dies down a little he holds up the title which makes the crowd scream. Finally it looks like he’s about to say something. “MADNESS?! THIS IS THE NEW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!” The crowd are rabid stomping on their feet and hollering like maniacs*

Oh come on, like you wouldn’t want that to happen, Oh for some reason King Leonidas is on the Smackdown roster page, hence why I used him.

And this ends the look at Smackdown title situation. Now I must go to bed and bitch at the pain I’m in.