|
The Wrestler, March 2003
Welcome to the future. Once again it's time for the writers and editors of The Wrestler to put on our thinking caps and attempt to predict what's going to happen to wrestling's biggest stars in the coming year. Its not an easy task, but as professionals, we tackled it with enthusiasm. Besides, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon at London Publishing (compiling independent show results for "Arena Reports"" in Pro Wrestling Illustratedimmediately comes to mind.
And, hey, let's face it, making predictions can be a whole lot of fun. everybody likes to read them and come up with his or her own. You're taking what you know about the past and what you think you know about the present and rubbing it together into one big ball of clay. The end result is something that isn't always aesthetically pleasing, but it is an educated guess on what you think is going to happen sometime in the not-too-distant future. Sometimes you're correct, sometimes you're incorrect, but you're always entertained in the end.
So despite the fact that predictions are hardly ever 100 percent accurate, the staff of The Wrestler decided to give this section a go yet again. We have something to prove, because last year's predictions didn't fare as well as we had hoped. We were correct when we said that Kurt Angle would return to being a heel, the Rock would miss ample time while meeting Holly wood commitments and Chris Jericho would hook up with Stephanie McMahon, but we also predicted that Scott Steiner would join the Alliance, Kane's mask would come off, Rhyno would start teaming with Christian, Tazz would wrestle Paul Heyman on pay-per-view, and Stacy Keibler would manage Chuck Palumbo. (That last one was way off!)
But a few misses here and there weren't going to stop us from trying our hand at prognostication again this year. We have more guts than brains sometimes. Forecasts are offered for stars ranging from Triple-H and The Rock to A.J. Styles and Low-Ki, and if you read all the predictions closely, you'll gain insight into where we think WWE, NWA-TNA and even the sport in general are headed.
So take your time and read this special section carefully. After you've finished it, store it in a safe place somewhere. This time next year, make sure to bring it back out and dust it off. Then take another gander at the predictions and see how we fared. We know we'll be doing the same thing. How else are we gong to know whether or not we've embarrassed ourselves?
Edge
Projected "PWI 500" Finish: 21
If Edge was on the RAW roster, he'd be a lock for the brand's top tier, provided he wasn't their already. Over on Smackdown, however, a glut of ultra-talented in-ring performers has slowed Edge's ascension. Despite a great showing in his feud with Kurt Angle and a "get-some-rub" partnership with Hulk Hogan, Edge is still atop the mid-card ladder. He's still just "that far" away from the main event.
In 2003, Edge should (it feels like we've been predicting this for a while) finally take that last step. He has a lot to offer WWE, and Smackdown matchmakers will have done their company a great disservice if Edge isn't a permanent fixture in the top tier by December 31, 2003.
We aren't predicting a Smackdown championship for Edge, however. For the moment, that seems beyond his reach. The Rock (when he's around), Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker and maybe Chris Benoit will hold the keys to that kingdom in the coming year, and it's hard to imagine Edge leapfrogging any of them to the title.
Top Feud for 2003: Hulk Hogan. Where was Edge, Hogan's good buddy when Lesnar ran Hogan out of WWE? It's an intriguing question. The answer could help turn Edge into a powerful heel. Wouldn't that be fun?
|
