From WorldWrestlingInsanity.com
Canadian Bulldog's Breaking News: WWE Releases "Special Edition" 2004 Rumble DVD
By Canadian Bulldog
Sep 18, 2007 - 1:43 PM
Breaking News: WWE Releases 'Special Edition' 2004 Rumble DVD

Above: Bobby Lashley wins the 2004 WWE Royal Rumble before, technically, starting with the company.
By Canadian Bulldog, World Wrestling Insanity News
(Stamford, CT) - To help fans replace memories of World Wrestling Entertainment superstars who have left the company, moved on to rival promotions, or participated in shocking double murder-suicides, WWE has released a "Special Edition" DVD version of the 2004 Royal Rumble.
"We want our fans to focus on the exciting new generation of WWE superstars," Chief Executive Officer Linda McMahon said. "Who wants to see ex-superstars that are no longer worthy of being in our company, or people who generated massive amounts of bad publicity for us in their aftermath?"
To keep the focus on "Today's WWE", the company has replaced all footage of former employees, thanks to the miracle of video editing, with images of current wrestlers that fans "will no doubt be much more familiar with."
Some concessions had to be made to accommodate the changes, WWE admitted. For example, the thrilling finale of the Royal Rumble now features
Chris Benoit Bobby Lashley eliminating The
Big Show Great Khali for the victory.
"Lashley has won the Royal Rumble, and earned himself a title match at WrestleMania XX!" cheered dubbed-in commentator John Bradshaw Layfield, which was awkward mainly because he is also seen competing in said Rumble.
WWE has made other small changes to the program, which originally eminated from The Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, and now comes to you from Rio De Janiero.
In a tables match, Batista and Ric Flair defeated The
Dudley Boyz Major Brothers for the tag team titles. Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio still retains his belt against Jamie Noble, only Noble's manager is now
Nidia Melina. And the bout between Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero has been replaced with an extended-length version of a Triple H rehab video.
Yet the best example of "editing magic" may be how then-WWE champion Brock Lesnar now loses his championship to Hardcore Holly and then dies in the ring.
"
Can anyone stop Hardcore Holly has destroyed Brock Lesnar?" announcer Michael Cole
asks proclaims.
One match -- a streetfight between Triple H and Shawn Michaels is left perfectly intact.
Above: The new DVD cover.
There are also minor modifications made to the Royal Rumble participants:
|
Original Version |
Special Edition |
|
Chris Benoit |
Bobby Lashley |
|
Tajiri |
Jimmy Wang Yang |
|
Rhyno |
Chuck Palumbo |
|
Scott Steiner |
Chris Masters |
|
Matt Morgan |
Matt Striker |
|
Spike Dudley |
C.M. Punk |
|
Rikishi |
Umaga |
|
Rene Dupree |
Big Dick Johnson |
|
A-Train |
Shane O' Mac |
|
Ernest Miller |
Elijah Burke |
|
Kurt Angle |
Hornswaggle |
|
Rico |
The Miz |
|
Christian |
Daivari |
|
Big Show |
Great Khali |
|
Chris Jericho |
Cody Rhodes |
|
Billy Gunn |
Beth Phoenix |
|
Rob Van Dam |
Balls Mahoney |
|
Bill Goldberg |
Coach |
If the DVD is successful, WWE plans to release Special Editions of other discs, including "Hard Knocks: The Jeff Hardy Story"; "The Undertaker: One Of A Kind"; and "Snitsky Still Rules".
-30-
Canadian Bulldog is a borderline journalist who writes weekly for
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