Corkscrewed
04-02-2007, 03:18 AM
That is... gain some press exposure via the Hair vs Hair match. There's an article about it on ESPN (it's an AP article, so it's more than likely on other news sources too).
Ford Field hosts 23rd installment of Wrestlemania
DETROIT -- One of the world's most famous 'do's -- considered by many to be a fashion don't -- remains intact after its owner, Donald Trump, prevailed in Sunday night's "hair match" at Wrestlemania.
Trump trumped World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon in the "Battle of the Billionaires" at the WWE's largest annual pay-per-view event. After the real estate mogul and reality TV star triumphed, he gleefully took the shears to Mr. McMahon's head.
Trump and McMahon didn't actually battle it out in the ring, but instead had WWE wrestlers representing them grapple to see who would go bald. The winner, Trump's guy Bobby Lashley, bested McMahon's chosen wrestler, Umaga.
Trump wasn't just a cheerleader during the match, however -- he leaped off his feet at one point and drove McMahon into the ground, then pummeled him with some closed-fisted punches.
The "sports entertainment" event was held fittingly on April Fool's Day and was filled with loud music, pyrotechnics and screeching, flashbulb-snapping fans.
Lashley's pinfall victory over the 300-plus-pound "Samoan Bulldozer" meant that McMahon had to yield to Trump's razor and the locks fell. Wrestling legend and action film actor "Stone Cold" Steve Austin served as the special guest referee for the match at Ford Field, home of the NFL's Detroit Lions.
It wasn't all laughs for Trump, though.
After celebrating in the ring with a cold beer -- Austin's preferred post-victory beverage -- an unsuspecting Trump was given a "Stunner" by Austin -- he had his head driven into Austin's shoulder. Lashley tended to Trump while Austin jogged toward the dressing room to the roaring approval of the crowd.
The Trump-McMahon showdown was one of the featured matches at the 23rd edition of the professional wrestling extravaganza. It drew 80,103 fans, a new Ford Field record, breaking the previous record of 78,129 set during the December 2003 college BasketBowl between Michigan State and Kentucky.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
SOURCE: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2821823
I feel like this PPV really lacked any real specialty. As far as PPV's go, it was a very solid show, and although the production values were absolutely insane, the content just didn't have that Wrestlemania feel to it. No real closure, no shocking twists. Just another ho-hum show with the same old general stuff.
Makes me suspect that Vince was really just banking on the hair vs hair match to garner the mainstream press, and screw the rest, so to speak.
I think it's a shame that the WWE has gotten to this level, where the effort really isn't there. It's not fair to us as the fans, but we can't really do much about it, besides not watch (and that seems to be even harder than abstaining from complaining). But I really did wish they'd go back to the days when twists and swerves happened. I mean, you had a perfect setup for Cena to either turn heel, or to have something unexpected close out the show (i.e. Kennedy cashing in). Yet they did neither. You had a four hour show that featured only eight matches (so how does the brand split get more exposure for wrestlers again?). You had a couple of backstage skits.
Okay, that sounds a lot like a regular PPV five years ago. This is Wrestlemania. Where're the stops? Somewhere along the line, it turned into pure style and zero quality. And of course, they're going to tout this year's show as the greatest ever, as well they should, since it's standard business practice. But I wonder if they'll ever draw a line on the unabashed overhype they do to their own shoddy product, touting each recent happening like it's the most amazing thing that ever happened when in reality, even some of Russo's WCW was providing more intrigue and interest than most of the angles that happen today.
Ford Field hosts 23rd installment of Wrestlemania
DETROIT -- One of the world's most famous 'do's -- considered by many to be a fashion don't -- remains intact after its owner, Donald Trump, prevailed in Sunday night's "hair match" at Wrestlemania.
Trump trumped World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon in the "Battle of the Billionaires" at the WWE's largest annual pay-per-view event. After the real estate mogul and reality TV star triumphed, he gleefully took the shears to Mr. McMahon's head.
Trump and McMahon didn't actually battle it out in the ring, but instead had WWE wrestlers representing them grapple to see who would go bald. The winner, Trump's guy Bobby Lashley, bested McMahon's chosen wrestler, Umaga.
Trump wasn't just a cheerleader during the match, however -- he leaped off his feet at one point and drove McMahon into the ground, then pummeled him with some closed-fisted punches.
The "sports entertainment" event was held fittingly on April Fool's Day and was filled with loud music, pyrotechnics and screeching, flashbulb-snapping fans.
Lashley's pinfall victory over the 300-plus-pound "Samoan Bulldozer" meant that McMahon had to yield to Trump's razor and the locks fell. Wrestling legend and action film actor "Stone Cold" Steve Austin served as the special guest referee for the match at Ford Field, home of the NFL's Detroit Lions.
It wasn't all laughs for Trump, though.
After celebrating in the ring with a cold beer -- Austin's preferred post-victory beverage -- an unsuspecting Trump was given a "Stunner" by Austin -- he had his head driven into Austin's shoulder. Lashley tended to Trump while Austin jogged toward the dressing room to the roaring approval of the crowd.
The Trump-McMahon showdown was one of the featured matches at the 23rd edition of the professional wrestling extravaganza. It drew 80,103 fans, a new Ford Field record, breaking the previous record of 78,129 set during the December 2003 college BasketBowl between Michigan State and Kentucky.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
SOURCE: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2821823
I feel like this PPV really lacked any real specialty. As far as PPV's go, it was a very solid show, and although the production values were absolutely insane, the content just didn't have that Wrestlemania feel to it. No real closure, no shocking twists. Just another ho-hum show with the same old general stuff.
Makes me suspect that Vince was really just banking on the hair vs hair match to garner the mainstream press, and screw the rest, so to speak.
I think it's a shame that the WWE has gotten to this level, where the effort really isn't there. It's not fair to us as the fans, but we can't really do much about it, besides not watch (and that seems to be even harder than abstaining from complaining). But I really did wish they'd go back to the days when twists and swerves happened. I mean, you had a perfect setup for Cena to either turn heel, or to have something unexpected close out the show (i.e. Kennedy cashing in). Yet they did neither. You had a four hour show that featured only eight matches (so how does the brand split get more exposure for wrestlers again?). You had a couple of backstage skits.
Okay, that sounds a lot like a regular PPV five years ago. This is Wrestlemania. Where're the stops? Somewhere along the line, it turned into pure style and zero quality. And of course, they're going to tout this year's show as the greatest ever, as well they should, since it's standard business practice. But I wonder if they'll ever draw a line on the unabashed overhype they do to their own shoddy product, touting each recent happening like it's the most amazing thing that ever happened when in reality, even some of Russo's WCW was providing more intrigue and interest than most of the angles that happen today.