The Real Deal 01/18/01
by Ryan Allen

Hello once again to all of you NWF'ers. I hope everyone had a great holiday season. Now, onto the important stuff: Y2K1, Royal Rumble, Sin, Bischoff the answer? and more...

Well, first and foremost, let's go over the card for our upcoming NWF free-per-view - Y2K1! - Live, Saturday Jan. 20 at 8pm in the White building!

Draven McKnight vs. Bax

These two light heavyweights are both newcomers to the NWF with impressive resumes and experience from a number of other Indy federations. It should be a great match, as both have alot to prove to the NWF officials, and the fans who have come to expect so much from all of the competitors. This should be an exciting, fast-paced match, but since I'm only going on what I've heard, no predictions out of the Real Deal for this match.

Tommy Idol vs. "Simply Astonishing" Kevin KanEvil

Tommy Idol had an impressive NWF debut and is looking to move up the NWF ranks by defeating Kevin KanEvil. KanEvil is already established as one of the top superstars in the NWF, but there are alot of questions about KanEvil coming into this match... Can KanEvil win without the assistance of Million Dollar Wendall? (who was forced out of the NWF at State Penn) Can KanEvil control that arrogance which has already cost him a number of matches in his NWF career? Has KanEvil even been preparing for Idol as a serious competitor? When he's serious, KanEvil is one of the best in the NWF, but sometimes his mind just isn't in it. Either way, he has already wrestled for the NWF heavyweight title, and he has proven his talent on a number of occaisions, so my pick in this one has got to be
- "Simply Astonishing" Kevin KanEvil.

"Mind & Matter" (Dr. Heresy and Don Juan DeSanto) vs. a mystery team

"Mind and Matter" have done just about everything in the NWF tag team division, including winning the belts, losing the belts, stealing the belts, and an inflatable sheep (last show anyone?). Though neither Heresy or DeSanto seems to be playing with a full deck, they have enjoyed great success in the NWF, and they are VERY upset after losing the tag titles to the Damned. Will we see a more serious M&M? Noone knows for sure. M&M's opponents are fresh off a tour in Japan and are highly decorated in Indy feds there and here in the US, but do they have any idea what they are up against in M&M? M&M have proven their abilities in the NWF already, and I think they're going to catch this mystery team off-guard.
My pick - "Mind and Matter"

University Park Title: Fumar (c) vs. Shawn Storm

This is an undercard match that I would compare to the Jaricho/Benoit match coming up at the Royal Rumble. Fumar and Shawn Storm are two of the most capable wrestlers in the NWF, and with the UP title on the line, ANYTHING can happen. Fumar has got to be the favorite. His reputation and destructive run through the competition in the NWF have made him a nightmare for almost every wrestler (and table) ever to end up in an NWF ring. Shawn Storm is still young, but has all the talent in the world. Storm is coming off a heated feud with Kevin KanEvil, and I think he might be ready. This should be one incredible match.
My pick - in an upset, Shawn Storm

Dream Partner Tag Team Match: "Too Phat" Yutzak Arafat & partner vs. Tommy Golden & partner

The Main Event of the night promises to deliver. Noone in the NWF or in ANY federation has a more heated relationship than Arafat and Golden. After beating each other half-to-death in their last confrontation, (a match which saw Golden win the NWF title with help from the referee Fumar) Golden no-showed at State Penn, and Arafat won the title back by defeating Fumar, who was instructed to defend the title in Golden's place. So much has happened in the past between Arafat and Golden, that I don't even have room to get into it, so check it out yourself here on the NWF website. The opportunity for Arafat and Golden to each choose a partner throws an interesting twist into this matchup. Arafat has made many friends in the NWF, but Golden has stepped on EVERYONES' toes, even his supposed allies of the past. But who wouldn't want to main event a card like this? What about some of the NWF stars who haven't been around lately? What about those who are already booked? There are so many possibilities in this match. Being a main event, and including the top two contenders for the NWF heavyweight title, there are alot of incentives for everyone on the NWF roster to consider. I don't know who their partners will be, but my pick has got to be Arafat, he's still got a score to settle with Tommy Golden.
My Pick - "Too Phat" Yutzak Arafat w/ partner

It is shaping up to be a great card, and a great start to the new year. Remember, THIS SATURDAY, Jan. 20 at 8 pm at the White building! AND IT'S FREE! Don't miss it!

There's alot going on in the wrestling world outside of the NWF as well, so here's the Real Deal with the WWF, WCW and ECW.

ECW

ECW looks to be in major trouble. From what I've been hearing, their next live event will be in March, and IF that show happens, it may very well be the company's last. IF ECW does go under, what will that mean for the rest of the wrestling world? Certainly there is alot of talent in ECW to be had by WWF and WCW, and probably a number of Indy feds... I hate to see it happen though, because ECW really pushed the envelope for wrestling and helped develop a number of great wrestlers. Hopefully Heyman will find some way to save ECW, but I'm not holding my breath.

WCW

Well, Bischoff is back in control (again) and although WCW certainly won't get any worse, I don't think Bischoff is a guarantee to make it any better. The WCW Sin ppv was actually a pretty good show, marred as usual by poor planning and horrific announcing. Goldberg loses a career ending match? Come on, how many times have we seen this angle played out? The top face loses a career ending match yadda yadda yadda.... And then, they try to follow that match with a main event including Jarret, Sid, Scott Steiner and the mystery man who ended up being Road Warrior Animal? Animal was great...as a Road Warrior, with Hawk. Not solo, and especially, not now. WCW does have alot of talent though, and the matches themselves were better than I've seen out of WCW in a long time. WWF has been kinda lazy lately in their writing since they haven't had any serious competition, so hopefully WCW will get on the ball and atleast push the WWF a little. In all fairness to WCW too, the mute button makes their show twice as good (no terrible interviews/angles and NO TONY SCHIAVANI or however the hell you spell his name).

WWF

It's Royal Rumble time... Look for Jericho and Benoit to steal the show in the ladder match. Everyone knows what these two can do, I think they're gonna tear the house down. Edge & Christian vs. the Dudleys could also end up being the match of the night. Triple H is the best anywhere, and (in my opinion) one of the all time greats. In the Triple H/Angle match there will be a turn, I called (on Monday night Mayhem) for a Triple H face turn to help turn Angle into a mega-heel. Steph turns on Triple H and Vince goes with her to help Angle, it's that simple. It could also work the other way, and have Trish go with Vince and help Triple H take out Angle, which would push Angle into more of a face role. Either way I'd look for a turn. As for the Rumble itself... Words can't even convey how much I don't want to see the Rock or Stone Cold win this thing. And for that matter Rikishi or Kane, because either of them will just lose their #1 contendership to SCSA or the Rock. Unfortunately, it will be one of those four. My guess is the Rock, but he and Stone Cold could definitely start a feud here which would lead to the Wrestlemania match which everyone and their mother expects to happen. I hope Test wins, or Billy Gunn, or Crash Holly for that matter...I just want to be surprised, it's been way too long since the WWF has surprised me. Also, I'd expect a return of The Big Show at the Rumble, and I hope to see X-Pac, but those are just my thoughts, nothing concrete. Finally, I'm expecting WM main event to involve The Rock, Stone Cold, and Triple H at very least. I don't think the WWF would dare put Stone Cold and the Rock alone because turning either heel would cost them merchandising $, they probably wouldn't want to have either do a clean job to the other, and I think that even though noone in the WWF camp would ever admit it, Stone Cold is NOT on the same level as the Rock in terms of fan support anymore.

No matter what, it should be a great weekend of wrestling, and once again, don't forget to check out our upcoming NWF free-per-view - Y2K1! - Live, Saturday Jan. 20 at 8pm in the White building!

Comments, questions, criticism - email me at raw208@....

And remember, I'm the Real Deal, and that's the way it is...

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