Editor’s note: This column marks the 10th anniversary of “Inside the Ring.”
A couple weeks ago the WWE took a look at the ratings that were coming in for Smackdown and Raw and was getting a little worried. The trend that had started was a decline that, even though not huge, has kept on happening. WWE officials brainstormed and figured out a way to try and change this trend.
At “New Year’s Revolution,” the WWE shockingly put the WWE Championship Belt around the waist of Edge. After beating five other men in the Elimination Chamber, former champ John Cena was then ambushed by Edge and beaten within minutes.
This was all done to shock the WWE viewers and get some former WWE viewers talking at the good old water cooler. To top it off, the WWE promised a “Sex Celebration” on Raw the next night involving Edge and Lita. Obviously this was not going to actually take place, but the WWE did what it set out to do.
The ratings climbed to a 4.3 – almost half a point higher than the week before, a stunning success. The WWE used to do things like this all the time, but in recent years without competition there was no need to. The ratings were steady, and so were the live crowds. Not so in the year 2006. Attendance has been down in the WWE. So to duplicate this success on Smackdown, the WWE decided to let Batista have surgery for his torn bicep muscle and put the championship belt up for grabs in a Battle Royal.
The shocking part about this was that Kurt Angle, a Raw superstar, won the belt. Once again, this was a ratings success. The Sixshooter has to give the WWE some credit here because I have been bashing them for not being creative. Well, these two storylines were creative, so kudos to the WWE writers for this. Hopefully this will be the new trend of 2006.
On the TNA side of the story, Sting returned this past weekend. Because of my press deadline, I cannot tell you how he did…because the Sixshooter has not seen it yet, but word backstage is he is in really good shape and has an even better attitude. TNA and Spike TV are going to be looking closely to see if Sting’s return helps at all in the ratings. Speaking of Spike TV, it has recently begun checking out old tapes of TNA in hopes of putting together some “best of” shows that it can plug into some prime time slots. The feeling is Spike TV would like to test a bunch of time slots without moving TNA’s Impact show around every week.
The next big step for TNA will be a February show on a Monday night. When the WWE goes black for the annual USA Dogshow, Spike and TNA intend to capitalize by going unopposed. This move could turn the tides in the wrestling world. If WWE fans get to see something else, and like it, the WWE could be in for some trouble.
Now to some happenings over the last month: Trinity, former TNA diva, has officially signed with the WWE. She was working with their developmental OVW program, but was given a shot with the main roster last week and will be sticking around. Word is she will be on Raw.
Former TNA Superstar Sonny Siaki also recently signed up with the WWE. There is no word on if he will be sent to OVW, or if he will be given a chance with the main roster. TNA has officially inked up Shannon Moore to compete in its vaunted X-Division. He will fit in well with the likes of Samoa Joe and AJ Styles.
Speaking of Samoa Joe, he is about to re-up with TNA for top money. He had a loophole in his contract to get out and he took it; TNA was called on its bluff and offered him the top salary it could afford. It will not be Sting money, but it will be better than anyone else is getting in TNA.
Congratulations to the McMahon-Helmsley era. What am I talking about? Well, Stephanie McMahon is now pregnant. There is no word on what this will do to the creative side of things in the WWE (Stephanie heads the writing team). Paul Heyman, who is supposed to re-up with the WWE, is said to be ready to step in when the time comes. If Stephanie is not there to interfere with his ideas, Heyman could really turn this ship around.
Well, that is all for this month folks. The Sixshooter can be seen on the Web everyday at http://www.expage.com/mattygsite. Remember, if something big is happening in wrestling, I do update.
As for this month’s saying, here’s one from Buff Bagwell that the Sixshooter can never forget, “Don’t adjust your television set – I am this amazing.”