HOT. DAMN HOT: 4 for 5, yo! I LOVE ECW.

That moment when Jerry Lynn smeared Corino's blood all over his chest was beyond weird. That was legitimately disturbing. I'm not a big fan of blood, I guess.

So why did Doring, Roadkill, and Kash win, anyway?

XPW's just jealous.

LINE OF THE WEEK: Konnan: "Now the guy over there without the mustache - he looks like a less expensive, better working, less problematic version of Kevin Nash... so let's get rid of Kevin Nash." (Thunder, July 19) First LotW from a WCW show, I might add.

While we're discussing Thunder, which moment did more to expose the business: Nash's interview, or the table breaking while Big Vito and The Artist were standing on it?

Raven wasn't at Heat Wave 2000, and as soon as his ECW contract situation is settled, Mr. Levy will be on his way to the WWF. If you'll remember, this had been rumored almost since he left WCW a year ago and returned to ECW. When the Raven to the WWF talk first started getting serious, I said I'd believe it when I saw it, as I didn't think there'd be any room for him.

The prevailing rumor is that he'll end up in a new heel group that Shane McMahon will lead. Feh, I say. It's Raven. He doesn't need Shane McMahon to get over.

So I've gone into Raven's past and created a spot for him on my own.

I give you... The Progeny. (A synonym for "flock" that I pulled from Roget's 21st Century. Would you have preferred I use "hatchlings"? This isn't XPW.)

It's an old idea, I know, but what made it work in the past, more than anything else, was the people in the various groups. Raven was the glue that made them all fit together, and they all played a certain role. Since we're doing this in the WWF, we'll have Raven bring a few of these people in right away and start kicking ass. There hasn't been a real ass-kicking stable in the WWF since the Ministry was at its peak.

So who's in it? Well...

Raven: The leader, naturally. Back in vintage form slouching in the corner of the ring and messing with people's heads.

Saturn: We've seen him with Raven before in WCW, where they were tag partners together for a while. Put over that Saturn tipped Raven off that there were "easy pickings" in the WWF. Have him bring Terri along, too, since this is the WWF, and every faction needs a woman in it.

Scott Vick: As Sick Boy, he was part of earlier versions of this group in other federations. He's been under a WWF developmental deal for a while and has been working dark matches. He can come in with Raven.

Joey Abs: Here's where things get interesting. Bring the Mean Street Posse back and put them in their normal comedy roles for a few weeks, but have Joey slowly become sick of it and demand to be taken seriously. (Why, yes, I am ripping off the Simon Diamond angle. Why do you ask?)

Have them start up an issue with Raven, Saturn, and Vick in the meantime, and during a blow-off six-man tag, probably on SmackDown! or something, Joey turns on his Posse mates and joins the Progeny. Raven explains afterwards that he got into Joey's head and convinced him that the Progeny will take him seriously and make him a force to be reckoned with or something. I doubt he'll use those exact words - he'll likely come up with something better.

The reason I picked Joey out of the group is that I keep hearing rumblings that he's actually a hell of a wrestler, having worked with the Hardyz and Helms & Moore of 3 Count in the indys. We'd probably have to repackage him after he turns, but this would give him a chance to show a bigger audience what he can do.

I think we need a fifth member for this to really work, and I think it should be Al Snow, because every stable needs a jobber.

I still think Raven's taking a chance by signing with Titan, but bringing him in this way, in a role he knows how to play and that fans are accustomed to seeing him in, minimizes that risk somewhat. It also gives the WWF a viable stable (sorry, but DX no longer counts) that can go face or heel.

PREDICTIONS FOR THE SCOTT HALL SHOW

Tag Team Title Match: Messrs. Photogenic vs. Just Send Beer Money

The Acolytes won a tag battle royal to earn this title shot, but after Edge & Christian took a week of beatings from the Undertaker and Kane, they've been conveniently ducking the brawling duo. I guess that Tiger Beat cover shoot's coming soon, and they don't want to get their faces bashed in. This SO smells like a screwjob.

What I'd Do: Show that E&C were right in running from the Acolytes, but some screwiness allows them to retain.

What They'll Do: Edge and Christian cheat like it's going out of style, since that's the only way they'll have a chance. They'll win when Shane McMahon interferes.

Six Person Tag Team Match: T&A and Twitch Stratus vs. The Suicide Bombers and AngeLITA

These teams have had a back-burner issue for months, but it's receiving a higher profile lately due to Trish and Lita, both of whom have become really popular as a result of all of the... um, exposure.

I don't even remember how this feud got started, but this may actually be the end of it.

What I'd Do: Hardyz bump like mad and take the win. But Lita pins Test, and begins the demise of T&A in the process. (See, T&A's not over because everyone knows that Test still owes Triple H an ass-whipping of APA proportions.)

What They'll Do: Kind of hard to say here, but I'd lean towards the Hardyz and Lita going over just because they've been getting manhandled recently.

Tazz vs. Al Snow In, I Guess, A Misery Loves Company Match

Tazz is back, yo, and he's truly pissed. But he won't tell us why, instead sticking to running in and choking faces out for sport. Commissioner Mick's had enough, and forced Tazz into a match at Fully Loaded. Al Snow came out and compared Tazz's anger to his own misery at being Steve Blackman's roommate on the road, and for some reason, Foley chose Al as Tazz's opponent.

For the record, Al, Our Gracious Host would LOVE to be Blackman's roommate on the road.

What I'd Do: Snow melts. Quickly.

What They'll Do: Tazz serves up a healthy portion of squash.

Intercontinental Title Cage Match: Val Venis vs. Rikishi

These guys were beating the unholy crap out of each other before Rikishi won the IC belt. Val took it from him with some help from Tazz and a hand-held TV camera. Now they take the feud into a steel cage (the good one, I'm guessing.)

We also found out that Val sees Rikishi as representing everything he used to stand for. Val's tired of doing things for the fans - now it's all about him.

What I'd Do: Val needs the heat, so keep the belt on him and keep the feud going.

What They'll Do: Rikishi will hit a top-of-the-cage splash, but all signs point to Val retaining.

(Begin mini-commentary here.)

Do me a favor and head over to wwf.com. Then go make yourself a pan of lasagna. The page should be loaded by the time you're ready to eat. Go to the Fully Loaded section and take note of the words on the graphic.

"WWF Fully Loaded. The crap shoot."

(By the way, while you're there, click on the History section and go to the photos from 1998. Go about two or three pictures in, and check out Jeff Jarrett. Oy.)

The next three matches of this show are being billed as a Triple Main Event, and a lot of talk on the 'net is centered on how these three matches feature three workers (Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and Chris Jericho) who weren't on WWF television at this time last year. It's the first real voyage into the top card for all three of these men, and the WWF is taking somewhat of a risk by doing this. Are the casual fans ready to see these guys take on proven main-event draws, and, in at least one case, go over?

It's a gamble, and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. It's also interesting that the WWF is going this route after the systematic removal of most of WCW's main event staples (who wouldn't have agreed to work programs like this) from TV in order to try to put the emphasis on some new faces.

Think about that last statement. The WWF has its top stars working programs designed to elevate three talented midcarders. WCW had to write/force its top stars off TV to elevate its talented midcarders.

I'm just saying, is all.

(Now, back to your regularly scheduled predictions.)

The American Olympic Villain vs. The Undead American Badass

This feud is based strictly on a series of unfortunate misunderstandings. A run-in to help his friends Edge and Christian keep the tag titles. Milk spilled all over Taker's Titan bike. An errant sledgehammer shot. Since becoming King of the Ring, Kurt Angle's had nothing but bad luck. It's the Mabel curse, I'm telling you.

However, Kurt hasn't exactly come across as sincere and forthright in his attempts to appease the Undertaker, and he went from running from him on Raw to deliberately antagonizing him on SmackDown! this week, which makes this issue a little more balanced.

What I'd Do: The King of the Ring winner is supposed to get a push. Nuff said.

What They'll Do: I've seen no evidence that they're going in this direction. I have no proof that this will happen. I have no idea how this will happen. I'm going strictly on my gut here, and my gut says that Angle will win... somehow.

Heads up, though... a Kane heel turn is POSSIBLE. I'm not going to predict it, but it's something to think about.

Last Man Standing Match: Chris Jericho vs. The 3H Club (w/The Corporate Bitch)

In a shocking turn of events, Triple H is NOT in a WWF Title match this month for the first time since last year's Fully Loaded. Is the MAIN EVENT HEEL PUSH OF DOOM finally slowing down? If so, THANK YOU, WWF. It was getting ridiculous.

The Jericho-HHH issue can be traced all the way back to the beginning of the year and the infamous "co-Intercontinental champions" decision handed down by Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. The bigger catalyst, though, was the Raw in April when Jericho saw a WWF title win over HHH reversed and struck from the record books. Since then, Jericho has hurled dozens of insults at Stephanie and cost HHH a No. 1 Contender's slot for the World title.

Jericho's been seen with taped ribs on TV, which is a worked injury because it's been talked about so much on TV. WWF.com also reports that Triple H recently suffered an injury to the sciatic nerve in his back, but will work the show anyway. I'm inclined to believe that his injury is a shoot just because they were specific and didn't refer to it as "a back injury," plus it wasn't referenced on TV this week.

What I'd Do: This is a tough call, but I'd be inclined to go with Jericho, but...

What They'll Do: It depends on what's on tap for SummerSlam. Right now, there doesn't seem to be anywhere for Jericho to go if he wins this, unless:

1. the SS title match is going to be a three- or four-way affair, or;

2. they do a double turn.

I've said it before, and I'll stand by it: It is still too soon to turn Triple H face.

That is all.

Oh, the match: HHH runs into the Walls of Jericho.

WWF World Title Match: Our Champion vs. "Da Crip" Chris Benoit

Ladies and gentlemen, in approximately three minutes, I am going to piss off 99.44% of the Internet wrestling fanbase. You may want to stop reading now.

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Still with me? All right, but don't say I didn't warn you.

A week after King of the Ring, Chris Benoit emerged as the No. 1 Contender to Rocky's newly-won WWF title with the backing of Shane McMahon. The two have engineered numerous sneak attacks on Rock in the past few weeks, with the Crippler Crossface coming into play almost every time, and the repeated assaults have successfully driven the champ nuts.

To try and keep Rock focused, Commissioner Mick Foley has added a stipulation that the title can change hands on a disqualification. I really don't like this because it doesn't help anybody: if it happens and Benoit wins, he didn't pin Rock, and both Rocky and the belt lose some credibility at the same time.

Another thing I find odd is that it hasn't been mentioned on TV recently that Benoit has already beaten Rock twice, while Rock has yet to pin Benoit in a match - his one win came by climbing out of a steel cage.

What I'd Do: Rock goes over clean. He can lose the belt at SummerSlam. But, please... let him DO SOMETHING with it first.

What They'll Do: I honestly have no clue. The DQ stip screws everything up. They might give it to Benoit if Jericho beats Triple H and Angle loses to UT (What are these, NFL playoff tiebreakers?), but I'm gonna guess that Rocky holds on, since I don't think Benoit's ready yet. And the match won't suck, either.

Also, a Saturn-Guerrero European title match may be a last-minute addition.

Small Packages: