E-C-W! E-C-W! E-C-W!

The chants can still be heard today. In fact, WWE still capitalizes on those three letters to this very day.

For example, last Monday night after RAW, WWE premiered “ECW Exposed” on the WWE Network as part of a full “ECW Week” theme for their digital subscription service.

Next Tuesday night, a second edition of “ECW Exposed” is scheduled to air on the WWE Network.

Hell, this weekend, Tommy Dreamer will be presenting the seventh “House Of Hardcore” event, which is considered by many to be a show with the old “ECW feel” to it.

My question is this, why do we see so many ECW reunion shows, but no WCW reunion shows? I’m assuming it has a lot to do with dollars and cents.

For an ECW reunion show to be held, you need at least some of the following guys: Paul Heyman, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer, Taz, Bully Ray, Devon, Terry Funk, The Sandman, Rob Van Dam, Raven and Shane Douglas. Sure, there are many other names you can go with, but you need at least a few of those guys on the event for it to feel like a legitimate ECW reunion show.

For a WCW reunion show to be held, you need at least some of the following guys: Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, Sting, Hulk Hogan, Goldberg, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Diamond Dallas Page, Lex Luger, Sid Vicious, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner and Rick Steiner. Again, many names are missing, but the fact remains, the price tags of the key guys needed for an ECW reunion show versus the price tags for a WCW reunion show are world’s apart.

WWE has at different points in time had enough of the aforementioned WCW names under contract, and certainly has enough money to secure the stars they didn’t have at a particular point in time, to put together a legitimate WCW reunion show.

Outside of the financial side of putting together a reunion show for the former two biggest rival promotions to WWE, there is the financial side of how much these shows would generate.

When you compare the amount of DVDs sold between “The Rise & Fall Of ECW” and “The Rise & Fall Of WCW,” again you will notice that they are world’s apart.

When ECW went out of business in 2001 they were still a beloved promotion that just didn’t have the financial backing or television exposure to stay afloat. When WCW went out of business in 2001 they barely had a pulse.

The fan-base for ECW was a rabid, cult-like fan-base that loved their home-promotion dearly. The fan-base for WCW by the time the company folded in 2001 was practically nonexistent.

Still, it feels like there is enough WCW nostalgia for a reunion show to work. Anytime rumors circulate that claim WWE is in negotiations with Goldberg, Sting, or any of the other major names wrestling fans associate with WCW, there is a huge buzz. Fans are excited at the prospect of these guys coming into the current fold and squaring off against today’s crop of WWE Superstars.

Currently, there is a lot of interest in a Sting vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania. There has been buzz in the recent past about a possible showdown between Goldberg and his modern-day carbon-copy Ryback. There’s even been a lot of interest in “The Hulkster” lacing up his red and yellow boots once more.

If WWE were to sign all of these guys, or ever considered the idea at any point in time, why is it out of the realm of possibility that a WCW reunion show would be a success? Personally, I think it would work, however, I think WWE wants the WCW legacy buried and forgotten, and wants the fans of today to only remember history the way Vince McMahon and company choose to portray it.

Ever watched the “Monday Night War” documentary series on the WWE Network? Right there is a perfect example of the WWE-version of history being told.

The fact is, ECW was never a close second to WWE. They definitely provided a template on how to change the wrestling product into something more modern that fans of that generation soaked up in droves. The fact remains, however, that WCW was kicking WWE’s ass for a lengthy period of time.

Prior to that, when WWE was the top dog, WCW was always nipping at their heels. NWA before WCW was at times a close-second to WWE, and for a long period of time was considered to have the better talent roster. Additionally, NWA would beat WWE in television ratings on a somewhat regular basis before fans really paid attention to TV ratings or considered them any legitimate measure of success, as was the case when the ratings became the focal point of the WWE vs. WCW “Monday Night Wars.”

Outside of WrestleMania once a year, WWE puts on pay-per-views that for the most part feel the same. Nothing seems special or different about them anymore, and the entire idea behind a pay-per-view is to put on an event that feels bigger and more unique than a typical weekly wrestling television program.

Unfortunately, current WWE pay-per-views just feel like a slightly better version of a solid edition of WWE RAW and/or WWE SmackDown, when the company should be striving to put on pay-per-views that feel like “must see” or “can’t miss” programming.

Something tells me if WWE were to book a WCW reunion pay-per-view, if they booked the right guys, it would generate a ton of interest and likely draw a solid buyrate. It would garner interest from fans who escaped the wrestling bubble and moved on with their lives back in 2001 when the only alternative to the WWE-style of wrestling went out of business.

Picture it guys — WCW One Night Stand!

I’d fork out $44.95 and spend three hours of a Sunday evening to watch it.

And something tells me many others would as well.

How about you? Would you be interested in buying a “WCW Reunion” pay-per-view event? Let us know by posting your feedback in the “Comments” section below. You can also connect with me directly on Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBooneWZR and/or on Twitter @MBoone420.

– While there isn’t a lot of details at this point, it has been reported that WWE legend Kamala (James Harris) was hospitalized over the weekend.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair took part in a Q&A with the folks at MassLive.com to promote an upcoming appearance for Big Time Wrestling. When asked about his daughter, current NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte, he offered the following comment:

“She’s more than up-and-coming. She’s going to be the best female wrestler they’ve ever had. Along with being a beautiful girl–and I’m obviously prejudiced because I’m her father–she’s got athletic gift second to none. She’s already surpassed me.”

– There is no new “Monday Night War” episode scheduled to air on the WWE Network this week.

– The new edition of “WWE Rivalries” drops on the WWE Network on Tuesday and will feature the Ric Flair vs. Dusty Rhodes feud. The official description for that show reads as follows:

“Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair each possessed a unique pairing of charisma and bravado, fueling their competitive fire in and out of the ring.”

– WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is scheduled to appear on the December 29th edition of WWE RAW in Washington, D.C. That will be one of the first shows that builds to the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view on January 25th, so it’s believed that his match for the Rumble will be made official on that RAW show.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair has a small role in the new film, “Magic Mike XXL,” which also features former WWE Superstar Kevin Nash.

This past week, Flair also finished filming a fitness video with Dennis Rodman that we reported about a while back.

– A new article on the News Observer notes that WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair was among the write-in names for the Martin County Soil & Water Board of Supervisors on Election Day. Martin County is in North Carolina, where Flair is a local legend.

– Below is a preview video for WWE’s new “Macho Man” Randy Savage DVD and Blu-ray set, which will be available starting November 18th.

http://youtu.be/kGWrABRsf8k

– Much like this week with Ric Flair and Jake Roberts backstage at RAW, but not used on television, there’s no guarantee that Hulk Hogan will appear on television next week. He is definitely going to be at the show, however whether or not he is used on television remains to be seen.

– Speaking of Flair and Roberts at RAW last night in Atlanta, Georgia, while neither man appeared on the show, Flair did record some stuff for WWE.com that will be up later this week.

WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Jake “The Snake” Roberts were both backstage at Monday’s RAW from Atlanta, Georgia. Flair was telling people backstage that he feels great following his recent surgeries. He’s been pulled from WWE’s upcoming tour of Mexico while he continues his recovery.

Jake spoke to Eden backstage about his own ongoing health issues in an exclusive interview at WWE.com.

“I’ve got some issues I’m dealing with, but I’m so grateful for the prayers and for the help that I’ve gotten from WWE and the fanbase is incredible – the outpouring of good wishes that comes out when you need them. We’re still fighting the fight. You know, I’ve beaten cancer once now. I’m ready if it comes back.

“I’m dealing with a brain bleed. I’m just glad they found a brain. (laughs) No, It’s all good. I’m happy. And if you’ve got happiness growing right here (his heart), then whatcha got for me?”

As noted earlier today, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair is scheduled to appear on tonight’s edition of WWE RAW. Another Hall Of Famer is expected as well, as Jake “The Snake” Roberts will be appearing on the show.

Next week, as we reported earlier today, Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart are scheduled for RAW.

The following are highlights of a new Daily Mirror interview with TNA star Bram:

On TNA’s TV situation: “TNA management and Dixie [Carter] keep us in the loop as much as they can. I’m confident in the company. I don’t worry about it. Whatever they choose to do I know it’s going to work out.”

On being married to NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte: “I’m doing my own thing in TNA and she’s doing her own thing there. We have a bond in wrestling and in most relationships, wrestling can get in the way. We both understand when we’re away for a long time or we’re hurt or you’ve got to do things some people wouldn’t be too happy with. There’s a nice understanding there which makes our relationship a lot easier.”

On being Ric Flair’s son-in-law: “It’s not something you think about. If you had told me all of the things I would have done, people that I would have met when I was 13, I would have been like ‘wow’. But as the years pass, everything kind of seems normal. From an outside point of view it might seem cool or bizarre, but to me it’s normal. It’s a great relationship, it has been from day one, he’s a hell of a guy. As long as Ashley’s happy, he’s happy.”

You can check out the complete interview at Mirror.co.uk.

As noted, Ric Flair spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital for a number of medical issues that he was dealing with.

Flair was hospitalized in Gwinnett County from September 8th to September 18th, when he was finally released.

He went in for surgery for a hernia on the first day, however while there, doctors discovered a second hernia, so he needed an additional operation.

It was said that Flair started having significant intestinal problems from the medications that he was taking, as well as from the surgeries and as a result, was unable to keep any food down. Because of this, the entire time he was in the hospital, he was only getting nutrients through an IV bag.

Flair ended up having intestinal surgery on September 16th, which was said to be the most serious of the three operations.

According to those close to the situation, Flair has lost a considerable amount of weight due to the lack of eating solid food. Additionally, he will be unable to do any training for approximately five weeks.

On the positive side of things, Flair was released from the hospital two days ahead of schedule and it is believed that he recovered well after the intestinal operation.

The following are highlights of a new Jim Ross blog:

On Ric Flair’s condition: “I’m told that Ric Flair is doing well and is upbeat that he will hopefully leave the hospital soon after surgery to address an appendix issue and to repair a hernia.”

On TNA Impact Wrestling: “Solid @ImpactWrestling show Wednesday night highlighted by the Ladder match and the title bout between Lashley and Roode. Funny what happens when a show isn’t overwritten and is booked to play to a talent’s strengths which, for TNA, is the bell to bell physicality. They also increased their rating on @SpikeTV which is good only a few weeks after moving somewhat abruptly to Wednesday nights.”

On Funaki: “Was told yesterday in an interview that i did for @tailgateradio that Sho Funaki’s middle school son is a helluva, football running back and Sho’s wrestling school in San Antonio is doing well, too. You can follow Sho on Twitter @shofufu824. Hard to believe but Sho had a 14 year run in WWE. Never a problem and a classy, skilled pro.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

As noted, Ric Flair was scheduled to return to WWE television this past week, as he was originally supposed to appear at the NXT Takeover 2 special, as well as this Sunday’s WWE Night Of Champions pay-per-view, however surgeries kept him from doing so.

While details have been kept under wraps, it has been revealed that he underwent at least two surgeries. He had appendicitis, leading to surgery for both that and a hernia, according to friends close to him.

Flair was also scheduled for the SmackDown television taping last night, however WWE wrote on their website that due to his surgeries, he would be missing his advertised appearance.

The current belief within WWE is that he is scheduled to return to television imminently.

The following are highlights from the latest blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

On TNA’s future: “Heard the past few days that Impact Wrestling has more suitors to become TNA’s new Cable TV home in early 2015. That’s the good news but none of the cable networks are powerhouses but at least Impact has renewed interest from the cable world which is a good thing. I hope that for the Nashville based company’s sake that something positive works out for them. It’s obvious that major infrastructure changes will be in store for TNA but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as companies do that all the time. It actually might make the company more efficient and productive over the long haul.”

On Ric Flair’s surgeries: “Now sources are saying Ric Flair had an appendicitis attack and then the doctors found a hernia which both are considered minor surgeries but my take on that is that no surgery is ‘minor’ when a guy is 65 years old. Details are still unconfirmed but we hope that Flair heals quickly.”

On Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins: “Rollins vs. Reigns but the outcome was a head scratcher considering that the same two men will meet again this Sunday. To think that Reigns can’t ever lose, no matter the circumstances, to continue his build is dubious logic. In a nutshell I did not understand the outcome of Rollins vs. Reigns Monday night.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

The following are highlights of a new blog from WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

On this week’s Ross Report podcast: “This week’s Ross Report podcast is a special one for me as it features my mentor Cowboy Bill Watts in a no holds barred conversation about the wrestling biz and many other topics. No one I ever worked for had more in ring psychology and booking acumen than did the Big Cowboy. He was a disciplinarian who treated his wrestlers like athletes and not like they were show biz performers. He had structure in his company, a fine system and also one of the most profitable territories in America. Bill headlined MSG in his third year in the business much like @TheRock and @BrockLesnar.”

On NXT stars on RAW: “I think it would be interesting for some of the NXT talents to have a re-occurring role on RAW as it would help promote the future of the WWE which is the @WWENetwork. If fans can see what they are missing by not watching NXT on the Network they may be more inclined to invest the $9.99 month subscription fee.”

“NXT was the best WWE produced TV of the week last week in my opinion.”

On Ric Flair’s health: “Heard Ric Flair was in the hospital for some minor surgeries IE not considered life threatening. I’ve been told that Ric’s issues were kidney related but that is merely a ‘source says’ matter and speculation but which might indicate a kidney stone issue or something of that nature. Nonetheless, I hope Ric gets better soon. I haven’t talked to him in months but still have great memories of our time on the road together.”

“Speaking of Flair, his daughter Charlotte in NXT is special and is the best new, female in ring talent the WWE has trained in years. She’s the type of talent that a serious, women’s division, if that was desired, can be built around.”

On WWE scouting NFL players as future talent: “Nice to read where HHH is endorsing WWE finding star level NFL players to integrate into the WWE. I’ve been suggesting that for years and I hope that HHH can make it happen but it won’t be easy based on entry level, WWE pay. Same goes for major college football players who are younger and more affordable than NFL vets and whose backgrounds can be vetted thoroughly as well. Obviously, one wants to find athletes from this world who are fans and have the aptitude for the business.”

“With all these various abuse issues occurring in the NFL I’d assume WWE will further tighten up their background checks, etc on new hires. All companies should but some companies can’t afford to do so or won’t see it as a priority because it’s just “wrestling.” Big mistake.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

As noted earlier, it was believed that Ric Flair missed last week’s advertised NXT Takeover 2 appearance due to Flair undergoing surgery.

WWE has since confirmed the story, posting the following update on the company website:

WWE Legend Ric Flair is recovering from successful surgery and will miss tomorrow’s scheduled guest referee appearance at SmackDown. Ric is doing well and we look forward to him returning to WWE in the near future.

Flair had also been advertised for Sunday’s Night of Champions pay-per-view, but his status for that show is unknown at this time.

As previously reported, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair has been hospitalized in Georgia for several days due to a series of health issues which resulted in some minor surgeries.

Flair is currently still hospitalized and despite being advertised for this week’s SmackDown taping, he is no longer scheduled to appear. He was also scheduled to appear at Sunday’s Night Of Champions pay-per-view, however that seems to be off as well.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair was hospitalized last week, according to a report at OvertimeNation.com.

Flair had been scheduled to appear at NXT Takeover 2, where he was set to introduce Hideo Itami (Kenta), but was pulled from the show due to “personal reasons.”

According to the report, Flair was hospitalized at the Gwinneth Medical Center in Lawrenceville, Georgia last Tuesday (September 9th).

While there is still no confirmation regarding the nature of Flair’s medical issue, there is some speculation that he might have had stomach surgery. Flair is said to have visited Gwinneth Medical Center at least twice since early September.

Flair is still being advertised for Tuesday night’s SmackDown tapings, where he is supposed to be the special guest referee for the Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton dark match.

Hopefully it’s nothing serious, check back here for updates on Flair’s condition.

WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair is being advertised to appear at the WWE SmackDown television taping on Tuesday night in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Flair is in the local advertisements for the event as a special referee for a Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton match, which if it takes place, since advertising of special matches has been hit and miss lately, it will likely be a dark match.

Expectations are that WWE will be featuring KENTA in a prominent role upon his debut. As noted earlier today, KENTA will not be wrestling at the NXT Takeover 2 special on Thursday, although he will be appearing. The belief is that he will make his official in-ring debut for WWE at the NXT tapings on Friday.

There is talk that Ric Flair, who is also scheduled to appear at the Takeover 2 special, will be linked with KENTA in some form or fashion during the show.

WWE is reportedly hoping that KENTA will help with merchandise sales and WWE Network subscriptions in the Japanese market.

The following are highlights of a new Shining Wizards podcast interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Ricky Steamboat:

On becoming Ricky Steamboat: “The late Eddie Graham gave me the Steamboat name. In 1976 I walked into the Tampa office and there sat Eddie Graham, and Verne Gagne had sent him pictures of me wrestling as “Rick Blood,” and Eddie said what a great wrestling name- but for a heel. He then said we had a guy here in Florida named Sammy Steamboat and he was from Hawaii. What I would like to do is call you Ricky Steamboat, but I will not bill you as his son. How about you be his nephew? I told Eddie, “you can call me anything you like. I’m just happy to have a job.” The very next night in West Palm Beach- and this is a story that not too many people know… I don’t know if I’ve ever told this story live like this, I told it to a couple friends and some wrestlers- but the story goes that the next night in West Palm Beach, I’m the first match. I’m standing in the ring and the ring announcer goes “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a substitute this evening. Rick Blood is unable to make it.” And I’m standing there and I completely freak out and forget that I’m Ricky Steamboat. So I make my way up to the announcer in the middle of the ring and I’m saying, “I’m here! Hey, hey, look, I’m right here!” And the announcer puts the microphone behind his back and off the side of his mouth says, “Stand in the corner, kid. Get over there and stand in the corner.” So I go back to the corner, and he says “Give it up, Ladies and Gentlemen, for the nephew of Sam Steamboat, Ricky Steamboat!” And the crowd jumped out of their seats, and I’m looking around with my mouth open. The first thought that comes to my mind is, “Oh, this is what they do when they know you or when you get over.”

On never working heel & wanting to: “I never had a match where I worked as a heel. When I started in 1974, I was always a face, and the reason for that was that the heel would always lead the match. Now for me to graduate to be a heel, most times you started out as a face, and then when you got good, you would transfer over to a heel and you were the guy in charge. So I never had an opportunity to work as a heel, although in and around 1991, I expressed my desire to work as a heel and the response that I got back was it would never work. Pat Patterson said that I was the consummate babyface and it would probably hurt my career. I tried to push it to them hard and said, “Let me go under a mask and let me go under a full suit and cover up my body. I won’t throw any chops and I’ll just kick and punch and I’ll be a heel. Then the big surprise, if we can carry this thing through, after about a year or so, have somebody finally takes the mask off, hopefully the response we get from the fans will be ‘Oh my God, all this time it’s been Ricky Steamboat,’” but they wouldn’t buy it.
On being legit knocked out by a Jake Robert’s DDT: Well you know, I’ve talked about this on other radio stations and in public. They always bring that up, and I want to make this clear that I wasn’t knocked out. I know people watching that, you could hear the splat of my head hitting the cement floor. I know how to take a DDT, and he knows how to give it. You know he was the best in the business, but I just got caught off guard and my forehead hit the cement. I had all my faculties. I was working. My body language was dictating what would happen to a guy if that happened. Jake Roberts was trying to pick up a dead body and I was limp and everybody was thinking that I was knocked out, but I wasn’t. I mean, it sounded like a hand grenade went off in my brain and it wasn’t too long afterwards I had such a lump appear on my head. I mean I looked like Elephant Man. It was huge and there was water and fluids built up underneath. It was huge, but I wasn’t knocked out.”

His last run as a performer in WWE: “A lot of the guys say that, but during the match there were moments where I knew I was a step off, and that’s just Mother Nature. I like to go 100 miles per hour when I hit the ropes, and I knew I was a step off. I wasn’t as flexible as I once was. One of my biggest things before the match was having a lot of the guys ask me what I do before a match. Some guys like to run in place, some would do push-ups, some do warm-ups. I really focused on stretching. I really think that helped me throughout my career. Getting back to the match: God, it was such a great feeling. I had a lot of déjà vu coming back over me in that match with (Chris) Jericho. I was so happy he took care of me.”

On the superstar he’s most proud of: “I was not coaching at the time, but a guy that I’m really, really proud of when I was a producer/agent, with Arn Anderson & Dean Malenko, is Dolph Ziggler. You could talk to him and see it in his eyes that he would get it. He knew what you were talking about. It wasn’t like you just go out there and do something for the sake of doing it. I always told him to have a rhyme and reason. I give this example: You’re having a match and you’ve been working on this guy’s arm and the guy’s gotten away from you a few times but somehow you’ve been able to get back to that arm. The story that you’re telling is that you’re trying to wear the guy’s arm down. Then you have a moment to which he gets away and you end up in the turnbuckle and he charges with a high knee, and you move. He hits the top turnbuckle with his knee and goes down and grabs his knee. I look at Zig and I said, “Dolph, what do you do?” And he said, “Well, I grab the arm.” I said, “You got it, kid.” Most times, the answer I get is “I grab his leg.”

His favorite match with his favorite opponent, Ric Flair: “This was a match where George Scott was the booker. And I’m going back, say 1979-80. Back then they had time limits and most of the main events had 60 minutes. And we wrestled to a draw. Back then we called them Broadways… George (Scott) said I don’t’ want to beat Ricky & I don’t want to beat Flair, so we wrestled 60 minutes to a draw. I’ve never wrestled anybody as many times as Ric Flair to one hour draws. So we are in Charlotte and this night Flair is going to go over and he was going to cheat, and George said you don’t have to go out there and go 40 or 50 minutes. Just give me a good solid 20. So we’re out there and the flow is going so good after 20-25 minutes that we go 45-50 minutes. The crowd has seen us wrestle so many times to the draw that they’re already calling it. Fifty-five minutes in and the announcer announces: 5 minutes left… 4 minutes left… 3 minutes left… 2 minutes left… 1 minute left in this contest. Then 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and as he starts the countdown 10… Flair hooks my legs and I go down on my back and he puts his feet up on the corner and the ref counts 1-2-3 with 3 seconds left on the clock… I laid there and Flair was laying there, because normally in a Broadway the last couple of minutes you’re really kicking into fifth gear. And I’m painting a picture that I’m trying to pin him all over the place. It’s false finish after false finish because the people understand time’s gonna run out for Ricky. And all of a sudden, he yanks my feet out as he’s begging off in the corner, and throws his feet up on the second rope, and the ref jumps down and counts 1-2-3. There was a hush over the Coliseum, and then all of a sudden it erupted… and they were throwing so much crap at Flair as he was trying to make his way back to the locker room. Coke cans, popcorn, cups… and I just stood there watching him cover up his head and try to make his way to the back… and then I looked up at the people and said, “We got ya.”

Check out the complete interview at ShiningWizards.com.

– WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair will appear at next week’s NXT Takeover 2 live special on the Network. Flair will be there to welcome Japanese star KENTA as he makes his official NXT TV debut.

– Polygon.com is doing a 3-part video series looking at the new WWE 2K15 video game. In the first installment, game developers talk about the motion capture process, which included traveling with WWE to live shows in order to scan various Superstars for the game.

– In a recent Journal Star interview with R-Truth, which we posted highlights from last week where he noted that he’s dealing with a shoulder injury, the WWE Superstar mentioned that he and his wife are expecting a child soon. You can check out the complete interview at JournalStar.com.

– While WWE has allowed several of their talents to appear on Steve Austin and Chris Jericho’s podcasts, they apparently don’t do the same for Jim Ross. A fan recently asked JR on Twitter about Ric Flair appearinng on his show, to which he replied with the following tweet:

“@JuanMariscal345: @JRsBBQ @RicFlairNatrBoy is a possibility, right?” No. Flair's a wwe guy. WWE hasn't approved any podcast guests for me.

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 31, 2014

– WWE and Rogers Communications in Canada decided to include a small archive of content on the WWE Network due to the fact that the launch was rushed so that the company could improve their subscription numbers between now and the end of the year.

– There is talk of having Bayley defeat Charlotte for the NXT Women’s Championship at the upcoming NXT Takeover 2 special. The idea behind this is to get the belt off of Charlotte so that she can be called up to the main roster, which would also give Ric Flair a regular role on WWE television.

The Monday, August 25th edition of WWE RAW averaged 3.973 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. That marks a decrease from the average of 4.194 million viewers who tuned in the previous week.

While RAW did have the returns of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels and John Cena on Monday night, the show faced off against the Emmy Awards for the first time ever.

The houly breakdown for Monday’s show is as follows:

Hour One: 3.859 million viewers
Hour Two: 4.057 million viewers
Hour Three: 4.005 million viewers

We should have the final rating up on the site shortly.

Campuses around the country are infested with returning college students this week. In honor of all the alcohol that will be consumed and the knowledge that will hopefully be absorbed, it’s time to take the WWE to school, and I’ll be the one doling out the grades.

Welcome to the first ever WWE Raw Report Card. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, move variety, crowd reaction, and overall impact on the storyline. Important in-ring promos will also be graded based on factors such as originality, believability, and importance. Without further ado, here are this week’s grades.

Hall of Fame Forum

This week’s Raw started with a roundtable discussion regarding the upcoming rematch between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. First off, I never thought I’d see the day where Shawn Michaels was the worst dressed man in the ring, but his combination of cowboy hat, jacket, and Remington t-shirt didn’t do him any favors.

Overall, it was nice seeing the legends together, even if it did feel a bit scripted at times and offered little insight. One hilarious moment was when Michaels said everyone loves Cena, eliciting massive boos from the audience. Speaking of Cena, his promo was surprisingly compelling, and it was nice to see him own up to the beating he took at SummerSlam.

Grade: B-

Rusev vs. Jack Swagger

This was likely the last contest between Rusev and Swagger, and all I can say is, “Good riddance.” This match featured a lot of downtime that resulted in a poor workrate, and a lot of the match was spent outside of the ring with nothing going on.

The in-ring psychology was pretty good (Swagger sold the rib injury well) and the crowd was into it, so that raised the grade a bit, but it was ultimately a fitting ending to a rather pointless program that saw Swagger dominated at nearly every stage of the feud.

Grade: C

Rob Van Dam vs. Cesaro

This was a rather short match, but both superstars worked well together during the time they were given. One criticism is that the ending felt a bit rushed. One moment Cesaro was rolling outside of the ring to avoid the Five Star Frog Splash and only a few seconds later he was hitting the Neutralizer for the win in a sequence that felt a bit off.

The match also served its purpose by building a championship match between Cesaro and Sheamus – a program that looks like it could be entertaining with two of the company’s better workers.

Grade: C+