KANE Chronicles

#4: Inferno Match
Playing with fire
By Andrew Rote
Written: July 22, 2007

WWE.com’s 10 Most Extreme Matches literally heats up at No. 4 with the Inferno Match. This fire fight might well have burned all the way to the top of our list, but it’s so sick a contest that there have only been four occasions to hold this type of extreme match. Even WWE’s constitutionally-strongest Superstars have little stomach for lighting an opponent on fire just to score a victory.

From the moment two Superstars step into this veritable ring of fire (apologies to Johnny Cash), flames burn, burn, burn around the apron and from every corner. By rule, either a competitor or the clothes on his body must be ignited for the match to end. Don’t expect a referee to save your bacon, since they’re not put at risk for this kind of battle; the ring only has room for WWE’s most heated rivals.

Since its inception in 1999, the Inferno Match has been synonymous with Kane, who has taken part in all four contests. Fire often ignites our fans’ thoughts of the Big Red Monster, who despite being burned alive as a child continues to surround himself with pyro every time he enters the ring. Though Kane has lost twice to his half-brother Undertaker and once to Triple H, he won his most recent Inferno Match at Armageddon 2006, during which he relished setting Montel Vontavious Porter’s back up in flames. After that contest, it’s understandable why most Superstars are somewhat lukewarm about meeting him in an Inferno Match.

When a Superstar gets burned in an Inferno Match, the pain doesn’t stop once the flames are extinguished. Whether a back or limb has fallen casualty to the stipulation, the skin remains damaged for a long time afterward – perhaps permanently – raising a red flag of caution for future opponents.

Of all the cruel things that can be inflicted on people, it’s hard to top turning them into human torches. And when Superstars play in an Inferno Match, someone is bound to get their ash burned.
[originally at http://www.wwe.com/inside/listthis/mostextremematches/mostextremematches4]

Labels: Inferno match, Kane, Undertaker

Posted by Kanenite-Central at 9:47 PM | Permalink

By Craig Tello
Written: July 13, 2007

NEW ORLEANS – Naturally, it will be a sizzling summer night in late July for The Great American Bash, but with the Big Red Monster pursuing Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship, the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., may roast in hell’s flames.
After uttering four very strong words to the Rated-R Superstar last week on SmackDown – “I don’t like you” – Kane has the opportunity to torture the disliked champion and claim the World Heavyweight Title.

“I don’t like him. I really, really, really don’t like [Edge],” Kane reiterated, his brow lowering to forge a hostile glare. “It’s not unique amongst anybody here at WWE because nobody really likes him, but I have a special loathing for Edge because over the years, our relationship has become very personal.”

The Big Red Monster certainly demonstrated his disdain for the Rated-R Superstar on Friday Night SmackDown as he crashed the champion’s Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Brazenly parading to the ring to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching in,” Edge tried to overcome the mind games of his Bash opponent with a mid-ring masquerade. The party, however, soon turned to bedlam as Kane – well disguised in an oversized king suit – laid to waste a gaggle of Edge’s costumed Cajuns. The Ultimate Opportunist escaped, but will be unable to run as he draws closer to his showdown next Sunday.

Amid the many scars tattooed on the wounded body of the Big Red Monster, within the mind of the challenger lay ill memories of past encounters with the Rated-R Superstar. In 2004, the scalded fiend finally found love in the many-times-conquered Diva, Lita, and even wed the former Women’s Champion. However, Kane’s ephemeral bond with the former Diva ended, as she turned her back on her husband and ran to the opportunistically open arms of Edge.

The sordid, tangled pasts of both competitors meet their immediate futures in just more than one week at The Great American Bash. According to the Big Red Monster, his deep abhorrence for the World Heavyweight Champion will not supersede his intent to maim Edge and achieve the SmackDown brand’s golden prize.

“The match is still going to be about the World Heavyweight Championship,” explained the charred leviathan. “But, I will take pleasure in dishing out as much pain as I can along the way to winning the match and the title.”

When pain is on the mind of Kane – a man who has battled multiple times in the Elimination Chamber, competed in the morbid, foreboding contest known as the Casket Match and walked through flames in Inferno Matches – the level of the intended torture is near immeasurable. At The Bash, Edge will need to protect his title as always, but he must also be certain to prepare to enter the depths of physical torment and hope he can survive at best.

“I have so many different ideas floating around in my mind,” said the sinister seven-footer as he contemplated his methods for dissecting the Rated-R Superstar. “Whatever twisted thing pops into my mind at that particular moment, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Could the scent of sulfur and brimstone signify doom for the Ultimate Opportunist at The Great American Bash? Has Edge merely secured an opportunity to be brutalized? Can mental chess contend with physical butchery? Find out at The Great American Bash, live and only on pay-per-view.
[originally at http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/articles/4708884/monstersball]

Check out Kane's Fire Face t-shirt...

Labels: edge

Posted by Kanenite-Central at 7:33 PM | Permalink

by James W. Harris
The Liberator Online
Volume 12, Number 13 July 12, 2007

Glen(n) Jacobs is a world-famous American professional wrestler who wrestles under the name "Kane" for the SmackDown! brand of World Wrestling Entertainment. He also played the lead in the 2006 horror movie "See No Evil."

Jacobs is also a libertarian -- in fact, as he recently told the libertarian radio talk show Free Talk Live, he's a "big-time libertarian." He's a member of New Hampshire's libertarian Free State Project and the Libertarian Party.

"Big-time" is probably a good way to describe anything Jacobs is involved in -- the guy's a nearly seven-foot-tall mountain of muscle. He was a record-setting basketball player and NCAA all-star at Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman University) in the late 1980s, before switching to football, where he was equally impressive. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English he almost had a shot at playing for the Chicago Bears, but concerns over a college knee injury ended that. Pro-football's loss became pro wrestling's gain, as Jacobs has risen to become one of the WWE's most popular figures.

The movie "See No Evil" was released by Lions Gate Films on May 19, 2006. Jacobs stars as the hulking Jacob Goodnight, a character he describes as "an extremely large, violent, sadistic sociopath." Critics generally panned the slasher / gross-out flick, but some gore-movie fans gave it a thumbs-up and there are reports of spontaneous cheering and applause in theaters. Most importantly in the movie business, it was a financial success, and Jacobs has reportedly signed a contract for a sequel.

Jacobs has wrestled under several ring names, but the Kane character (AKA "The Big Red Machine" and "The Big Red Monster") is his biggest success.

Jacobs' great passion for liberty is evident in his eloquent endorsement of Barry Hess, Libertarian Party candidate for governor of California. Jacobs speaks of "the principles of individual freedom, personal responsibility, and small government..." and praises Hess for his belief that "the government should keep its hands off your property... your money is yours to keep, not the government's to spend... you, not the government, should be in charge of your children's education... the government is not a vehicle by which other individuals can impose their values on you."

We've reported in past issues on another world-famous and solidly libertarian WWE wrestler, Sean Morley AKA Val Venis. Is a libertarian tag-team in the making?

(Sources:
Free Talk Live interview:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/ftl/FTL2007-07-07.mp3
Wikipedia bio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Jacobs
Thanks to Corey Stern)

[originally from http://www.theadvocates.org/liberator/vol-12-num-13.html]

Labels: Libertarian party, See No Evil

Posted by Kanenite-Central at 11:59 PM | Permalink

By Bryan Robinson
Written: July 6, 2007

DALLAS – Edge held his aching jaw and paced, muttering to himself and shaking his head.

The World Heavyweight Champion’s teeth were rattled by a right uppercut from Kane, his surprise guest on The Cutting Edge. Earlier that night, SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long had granted Edge’s request to have the night off from in-ring action, but told him that he would have his “biggest guest ever” on his talk show. Long refused to tell an intrigued Edge who his guest was, and the champion was stunned when Kane’s pyro erupted and the Big Red Machine lumbered down to the ring.

Edge’s fortune only went from bad to worse when Long announced that he would defend his championship against the Big Red Machine at The Great American Bash on July 22. The Rated-R Superstar could only mutter some Rated-R words to himself as he thought about his looming championship defense. Given his recent success against Batista, he doesn’t even think he should have to get in the ring with Kane.

“Obviously, somebody is out to get me – Teddy Long, maybe Vickie Guerrero, maybe Kristal, for that matter,” Edge told WWE.com. “I don’t know what else I can do. I just got through a hellacious trilogy with Batista. I defeated Undertaker for the World Heavyweight Championship, and now you’re throwing Kane at me? Kane, who I actually have a long history with, and who’s not exactly fond of me. So, from the Big Red Machine [and on], what else could you possibly do to me?”

Edge clearly hasn’t forgotten about the battles he and Kane had in 2005, and neither has the sadistic monster. He said only four words during his appearance on The Cutting Edge – “I – DON’T – LIKE – YOU” – before sending the Rated-R Superstar scurrying with a thunderous right hand.

Back in 2005, Edge and Kane waged a personal war that revolved around Lita, former Women’s Champion and one-time paramour of both men. When the red-headed Diva betrayed Kane and left him for Edge, that launched a series of Street Fights, Cage Matches, and other encounters that left a trail of blood and broken bones. Though Kane overwhelmed Edge with his power, the Rated-R Superstar seemed to always find a way to outsmart him. And Edge continued to follow that pattern after he eked past Kane, winning the WWE Championship twice and then the World Heavyweight Championship.

This time around with Kane, the stakes are higher. However, Edge believes the outcome will be the same.

“I must survive this – I will survive this,” he said. “Kane may be 7 feet tall, he may be 326 pounds. He may be this disfigured tortured monster. He may be all these things. But I am the Rated-R Superstar. You can call me the Ultimate Opportunist; I may be that, too. What that means is I will outsmart Kane.”

Edge heard our fans roar – and could envision Long doing his trademark shimmy-shimmy – when his Great American Bash match was announced. His eyes widened as the Big Red Monster laughed upon learning about his championship opportunity. He is aware that many people will enjoy seeing Kane bounce him around the ring. Edge has one message for his doubters: Get ready to eat your words.

“Everyone will doubt me. Everyone will think that Kane will eat my lunch,” Edge said, massaging his World Heavyweight Championship. “But when the match is over, I will walk out with my World Heavyweight Championship, continuing the Rated-R era, and everyone will have to eat crow.”

Edge better be careful – he could end up eating crow himself. Since his return after a brief absence, Kane has seemed more focused. When he pinned MVP in a non-title match, some insiders thought he would target the United States Champion. But the Big Red Machine has his eyes on a bigger prize. Behind his sadistic tendencies and demented laugh, it is easy to forget that Kane is one of WWE’s most decorated Superstars. In his nearly 10 years in WWE, Undertaker’s younger brother has held the WWE Championship, Intercontinental Championship and the World Tag Team Championship multiple times with several different partners.

That’s okay, says Edge. Kane’s championship résumé will only make the Rated-R Superstar’s victory at The Great American Bash that much sweeter. The World Heavyweight Champion is out to silence his naysayers and prove that he is the best. And if you don’t believe it, just ask him.

“I’ve defeated every top name there is to beat in this industry,” he said. “You can go down the list: I’ve defeated Triple H. I’ve defeated Shawn Michaels. I’ve defeated Randy Orton. I’ve defeated John Cena. I’ve defeated Undertaker. I’ve defeated Batista. I’ve defeated Ric Flair. Look at the history books. … Let me ask you this: How does one win 12 World Tag Team Championships (which is a record, by the way), five Intercontinental Championships, a U.S. Championship, [be a] two-time Money in the Bank? You don’t do that by accident. You don’t do that by just being the smartest. You do that by being the best.”
[originally at http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/articles/4375486/edgeratedirate]

Check out Kane's Fire Face t-shirt...

Labels: edge, GAB

Posted by Kanenite-Central at 7:07 PM | Permalink