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PWINSIDER Q&A: EVAN BOURNE VS. AJ STYLES, WWE RATINGS, HULK HOGAN ON CMT AND MORE

With the recent WWE ratings showing an alarming slump and as bad as the WWE 1997 period do you think any of it is attributed to WWE's look? Raw around 1998 with the Attitude era looked really edgy, cool and had great theme music that got you pumped up as the show began. Now it just seems lame and the music is too bland making the show feel cartoony. What do you guys think?

While I think the look and theme music for a show can add to the "vibe" of the program, at the end of the day, it is the content of the show, not how it is dressed, that keeps viewers tuned in. 

I'm not too crazy about the whole "celebrity book" deal where a ghostwriter writes a book for someone and then the celebrity slaps his/her name on it. However, I've heard good things about Y2J's book and I really enjoyed all of the wrestling stories Foley had to say in his books (I know they weren't ghostwritten). My question for you therefore is...is Jericho's book worth it in your opinion, and how much input did Jericho actually have as far as you know? Also for what it's worth...any input on Bret Hart's new book?

I think Jericho's book is well worth checking out, but be warned that there is no WWE content in it.  It's strictly about Jericho's career before going to WWE.

Given the abysmal ratings Hulk Hogan's CCW has been getting on the CMT network, do you see the series lasting an entire season? I can't see how the programmers at CMT can consider this show a success can you?

I wouldn't call the ratings "abysmal" at all.  Compared to most of CMT's programming, it is a success, and that is what CMT cares about.  They're not trying to get Raw or Spongebob Squarepants ratings. 

With the ratings dropping on Raw, what do you think is the only solution that WWE can do right now to get things going and up again?

I don't think there is a single solution to getting the ratings back up.  There is no magic formula to change things overnight.  WWE needs to create a compelling program and take advantage of their vast resources.  Of course, as I mentioned on my hotline yesterday in the Elite section, offering Rob Van Dam a ton of money to come back wouldn't hurt. 

After watching Evan Bourne and AJ Styles wrestle, it seems like they were brothers separated at birth. Do you know if they trained at the same wrestling school? Also my dream watch would be to see AJ have either a match against Evan or see AJ and Evan team against the MCMG. Too bad you can't have wreslters mix in games. There are dream matches galore.

They didn't train together, but Bourne and Styles have both wrestled each other and teamed up on the independent scene and in Ring Of Honor, back when Bourne was known as Matt Sydal. 

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