SvR 2009 Roster Leaked

Fans of IGN's annual Smackdown countdown may have been disappointed this year when it was announced that rather than announcing the whole roster and ticking them off the list, the countdown would proceed without the roster, with no indication as to how many superstars would be in the game. With a new Legends of WrestleMania title to launch early next year, there was speculation as whether Legends would even be in the game, as many seem to be willing to give them up in exchange for a more complete current roster.

Well, as should be a shocker to no one, the rendered images that show up on the match-up screen have leaked onto the Internet, and they seem to reveal the game's 63-man roster. The images match those that have already appeared on IGN's countdown, so the whole thing looks legit, and rather than a denial, THQ issued a statement reminding that nothing's for sure until it is revealed on IGN. So take that as you will.

Anyway, the revealed roster is thus (spoilers, of course):
RAW SUPERSTARS
Batista
Chris Jericho
Chuck Palumbo
CM Punk
Cody Rhodes
Hardcore Holly
JBL
John Cena
JTG
Kane
Kofi Kingston
Lance Cade
Paul London
Randy Orton
Rey Mysterio
Santino Marella
Shad Gaspard
Shawn Michaels
Snitsky
William Regal

SMACKDOWN SUPERSTARS
Big Show
Brian Kendrick
Carlito
Curt Hawkins
Edge
Festus
Jeff Hardy
Jesse
Jimmy Wang Yang
Mr. Kennedy
MVP
Shelton Benjamin
The Great Khali
Triple H
Umaga
Undertaker
Zack Ryder

ECW SUPERSTARS
Boogeyman
Chavo Guerrero
Elijah Burke
Finlay
Hornswoggle
John Morrison
Mark Henry
Matt Hardy
The Miz
Tommy Dreamer

RAW DIVAS
Beth Phoenix
Candice Michelle
Jillian Hall
Kelly Kelly
Layla
Melina
Mickie James

SMACKDOWN DIVAS
Maria
Michelle McCool
Victoria

NON-ACTIVE SUPERSTARS
Tazz
Vince McMahon

NO LONGER EMPLOYED SUPERSTARS
Ashley
Big Daddy V
Ric Flair
Trevor Murdoch

Will there be more? Downloadable, perhaps? THQ's not telling. Next entry, I'll be crunching some numbers with the Smackdown video game series.

TNA hawking for WWE

Did you know that some guys in TNA used to work for the WWE? Well, if you didn't, they'll sure let you know. When DX made its high-profile return, former members BG and Kip James, formerly Road Dogg and Billy Gunn, went ape-shit over the whole thing and changed their tag team name from the James Gang (which fit) to the Voodoo Kin Mafia (VKM - Vincent Kennedy McMahon - get it?). Mick Foley made his debut and talked about how awesome the people Kurt Angle used to wrestle against are. It's always WWE this, WWE that.

TNA, after all this time, is still lacking its own identity. I know I can't get through a TNA post without mentioning WCW, but this is why. Once the nWo storyline was milked to death (three times) - WCW has absolutely nothing, so it tried to emulate the WWF. ECW mentioned both companies quite often, but that WAS its identity. It was the one company that didn't want to be like either of the other two.

TNA is not doing that. It's quite obvious that TNA badly wants to be the WWE. They need to focus on refining TNA and worry a whole lot less about whatever they're trying to accomplish here.

What if Smackdown moved back to Thursday? I'm just saying.