The newest member of the WWE Hall of Fame was announced on Raw last night and the man who will get the honor is none other than the first black World Heavyweight Champion: Ron Simmons
Continue reading “Newest Member of the WWE Hall of Fame Announced”
“The following athletes were tested: Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Koscheck, Renan Barao, Ed Herman, Dustin Poirier, Max Hollaway, Matt Riddle, Henry Martinez, Edwin Figueroa, Alex Caceres, Matt Brown, Chris Cope, Rafael Natal, Michael Kuiper, Stephen Thompson and Dan Stittgen. All results received thus far have been negative, except Mr. Diaz tested positive for marijuana metabolites. A complaint for disciplinary action against Mr. Diaz has been filed.“
This is the second time Nick Diaz has tested positive for Marijuana in the state of Nevada. The first time was on 2/24/07 when Diaz defeated Takanori Gomi via submission. The victory was changed to a no contest when Diaz’s drug test came back positive for Marijuana. Diaz is currently not licensed to fight in the state of California due to skipping out on a pre-licensing drug test thus, canceling a Strikeforce title fight against Jay Herion. Diaz was quoted in a 2009 edition of the Los Angeles Times saying “I can pass a drug test in eight days with herbal cleansers,” “I drink 10 pound of water and sweat out 10 pounds of water every day.”
He no-showed several press conferences leading up his October title fight against GSP. The UFC removed him from the bout as punishment for not fulfilling his contractual obligations to promote the fight. This drug test renders Nick Diaz a liability to the sport. Millions all over the world want to see Diaz fight. He should be a millionaire by now and fans all over the world will never get to see him in he mega bouts because he can’t put the blunt down. This is his second offense and that usually carries a 12 month suspension. In my opinion, he is unreliable as a professional fighter and the UFC should just release him.
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
On Raw, HHH told the world why he rejected the Undertaker’s challenge to a rematch at Wrestlemania 28. HHH said there was always a chill that went up his spine when he was in his presence. Last week, he didn’t feel the same way as he looked into his eyes and instead felt sad for him. He knows what type of beating he gave the Undertaker last year and now he knows the dead man’s limit. HHH said he would take him out once and for all and suggested that this may be what Taker wants but he won’t be the guy to do it. As HHH leaves, his music stops and the lights go out. A video message form the Undertaker airs stating his victory over HHH means nothing as he stares at images on a wall of him being carried out ala Ray Finkle style. He offers him one more chance at immortality and vows this is not over.
Continue reading ““My Victory Over You Means Nothing” A Look into The Undertaker vs. HHH”
Red Lanterns #6 | Writer: Peter Milligan | Art: Ed Benes, Diego Bernard & Rebecca Buchmann | Colors: Nathan Eyring | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
British professor Jack Moore has dealt with a lifetime of torment and ridicule. He buried his anger, thinking he could keep his feelings in line. Things change for Mr. Moore as the instrument of rage selects him and begins a harrowing transformation of the mind, body, and perhaps, soul. Moore tries his best to fight it as a tidal wave of awful memories floods his mind.
Reminders of the past begin to chip away at his consciousness until Jack realizes he can no longer control himself as he’s encountered the one thing that can make him the monster he hid from everyone: A Red Lantern ring.
Meanwhile, Atrocitus and Bleez fight each other for leadership of the Red Lanterns as many of the Lanterns watch on, rooting for one over the other.
The crux of the story is Moore’s emotional struggle as the power ring plays the devil’s role on the shoulder, telling him to embrace the hate.
There was nothing special or bad about the artwork as it did a great job orchestrating Milligan’s script. It is detrimental to our mental health to keep things bottled inside because eventually, you will snap.
The red ring was drawn to Moore like a moth to a flame, and the end result produces the first human Red Lantern.
Grade: A-
Prelims
Stephen Thompson defeated Dan Stittgen via switch kick KO at 4:13 of Round 1
Rafael Natal defeated Michael Kuiper via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Matt Riddle over Henry Martinez via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Matt Brown beat Chris Cope via knockout at 1:19 of the 2nd Round
Edwin Figueroa defeated Alex Caceres via split decision (28-27, 27-28, 28-27) Caceres lost 2 points due to two low blows he landed.
Dustin Poirier defeated Max Holloway via submission in the 1st Round
Main Card
Ed Herman defeated Clifford Starks by submission via rear-naked choke at 1:43 of Round 2
Renan Barao defeated Scott Jorgensen via unanimous decision 30-27 across the board
Josh Koscheck defeated Mike Pierce via split decision 28-29, 29-28, 29-28
Fabricio Werdum def. Roy Nelson via unanimous decision 30-27 across the board. (Werdum displayed improved striking that kept Nelson at bay)
Carlos Condit defeated Nick Diaz via unanimous decision 48-47, 49-46, 49-46 to become the UFC Interim welterweight title.
After the bout Nick Diaz said about the loss
“I’ve not going to accept the fact that this is a loss,” Diaz said. “I pushed him back the whole fight, I walked him down, and I was the guy on top.
“You guys pay me a ton, but I don’t think I’m getting enough to keep going on. … I don’t need this shit. I pushed this guy back the whole fight. … I don’t want to play this game anymore.”
Fight Bonuses $65,000 each.
Fight of the Night: Nelson vs. Werdum
Submission of the Night: Dustin Poirier
KO of the Night: Stephen Thompson
My thoughts:
I was a close decision that will be disputed by some. I scored the fight 48-47 for Nick Diaz with him winning rounds 1,2 and 5 and Carlos Condit winning rounds 3 and 4. Condit usually fights for the finish but after the the second round he realized the only chance to win is to become a point fighter. He also looked shocked when his name was announced which tells the story. Judge Junichiro Kamijo gave Carlos Rounds 1,3 & 4 while judges Patricia Morse-Jarman & Cecil Peoples gave Condit Rounds 1,2,4 & 5. Another Greg Jackson play it safe fencing match gets the win but fans lose as it wasn’t the war we hoped for. It will be interesting to see who Gregg Jackson chooses to corner when Condit fights GSP in November.
Fight-Metric stats:
Condit out-struck Diaz in the fight by a 159-117 count overall, and a 151-105 number in “significant strikes.
In strikes to the head and body, Diaz landed 111 to Condit’s 91.
In strikes to the legs, it was Condit 68, Diaz 6.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship continues their Superbowl weekend tradition to provide MMA fans with a memorable encounter. Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz will unquestionably set the Mandalay Bay Event Center on fire with action and excitement as the sport’s top welterweight fighters will go to war at UFC 143. It’s a tale of two fighters who couldn’t be more different outside the cage and harness the same killer instinct inside the cage. Nick Diaz perfectly put this fight into perspective when he stated “You’re more in danger of losing a decision to St-Pierre; you’re more in danger of losing your teeth to Condit”
Continue reading “Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit Preview & Predictions”
– John Cena is getting closer and closer to embracing the hate as he and Kane will wrestle in a “Last Man Standing Match” at the Elimination Chamber Pay-Per-View on 2/19. The male audience has been disillusioned with Cena for years. This story line has made him more aggressive which is essential in order to engage fans going into his feud with The Rock at Wrestlemania. The WWE has done a fantastic job with getting people to start caring about Cena vs. Rock instead of just caring about a Rock match at Mania.
Continue reading “The Undertaker Returns, Mike Tyson, John Cena and TNA Impact”
-Daniel Bryan defeated Big Show and Mark Henry in a Triple Threat Steel Cage Match to retain the World Heavyweight Title.
The Finish: Bryan and Show battled on top of the cage and Show held on to Bryan with one arm as he dangled above the floor until Show could no longer hold him and Bryan dropped to the floor for the win.
-Beth Phoenix, Natalya & The Bellas defeated Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox, Eve & Tamina in an eight-person tag team match.
The Finish: Beth Phoenix pinned Kelly Kelly with the Glam slam.
Backstage, Zack Ryder being rolled up in a wheelchair and a back brace. John Laurinaitis walks up welcoming Ryder to a special room he has setup for him. Laurinaitis says whatever Ryder wants he will provide adding, “Woo Woo Woo…You know it!” Eve walks up and tells Laurinaitis she hopes he gets fired tomorrow on Raw.
-John Cena vs. Kane went to a double countout
After the bell rings, the fight continues with Cena hitting Kane with what looks to be a trash bin. They brawl to the backstage area as Kane slams Cena down face first over a production box. Cena tosses Kane into a few trash bins. Kane grabs a chair and drives it into the gut of Cena. Kane cracks it over his back and then gets in one more shot to the head. Kane sees Zack Ryder’s room and kicks down the door. Kane uses his hand to suffocate Ryder and then rolls him out of the room in his wheelchair. Kane wheels Ryder back inside the arena and dumps him near the ring. Kane tosses Ryder inside the ring and Eve runs in trying to get Kane to stop. Kane picks up Ryder and connects with a Tombstone Piledriver as Eve drops to her knees in shock. Cena hits the ring and starts throwing rights at Kane. Cena attempts an AA, but his back gives. Kane with a chokeslam on Cena. Kane leaves the ring smiling as Eve attends to Ryder. WWE officials hit the ring to check on Cena and Ryder. Ryder is put on a stretcher as Cena sits up looking on upset.
A video package runs hyping The Rock and John Cena’s preparation for their match at Wrestlemania 28. Both videos were really well done
– Brodus Clay defeated Drew McIntyre in another squash match.
The Finish: The referee is down as Punk gets the Anaconda Vice locked on. On the outside, Laurinaitis is checking on the knocked out referee. Ziggler was tapping out and the referee was still down. Punk yells at Laurinaitis. Ziggler attempts a rollup, but Punk rolls through and has Ziggler beat for a second time as the crowd counts the pinfall out loud. Laurinaitis puts the referee back in the ring. Punk and Laurinaitis argue. Punk gets Ziggler up for the GTS and hits Laurinaitis out of the ring in the process. Punk with the GTS on Ziggler, hooks the leg and the referee is still trying to recover. Punk yells at Laurinaitis saying “the next GTS is for you clown shoes!” Punk has Ziggler up for another GTS, but Ziggler counters in mid-air with a Fameasser. Ziggler covers and gets a close two. A frustrated Ziggler starts kicking and punching away at Punk. Punk catapults Ziggler into the corner and connects with the GTS. Punk covers Ziggler, Laurinaitis jumps in the ring and counts the pinfall along with the referee.
The Royal Rumble Match
The final two were Chris Jericho and Sheamus. Sheamus yells, “Come on fella!” Lock up and Sheamus drops Jericho. Sheamus tosses Jericho to the corner attempting to toss him over. Jericho is holding on to the bottom rope. Jericho kicks Sheamus away. Jericho with a missile dropkick. Sheamus with a backbreaker over his knee on Jericho. Jericho counters a powerbomb attempt and clotheslines Sheamus over. Sheamus holds on. Jericho with a dropkick to Sheamus. Sheamus is clutching to the bottom rope. Sheamus with a springboard shoulder block taking out Jericho. Sheamus tries tossing Jericho over. Jericho hangs on and elbows Sheamus. Sheamus catches Jericho with a high elbow. Jericho drops Sheamus and gets the Walls of Jericho locked in. Jericho breaks the hold. Sheamus gets to his feet. Sheamus tosses Jericho over. Jericho holds on with his feet nearly touching the floor. Jericho sends Sheamus into the corner. Jericho is getting up on the top turnbuckle. Sheamus is attempting a superplex. Sheamus falls off crotching himself on the top rope. Sheamus nearly eliminates himself, but holds on. Jericho rolls in. Jericho with the Codebreaker on Sheamus. Jericho with right hands to Sheamus against the ropes. Jericho has Sheamus hanging over the top rope. Jericho slaps Sheamus repeatedly. Sheamus pushes Jericho away. Sheamus catches Jericho, tosses him over and Jericho again nearly gets eliminated hanging on. Jericho stands up and Sheamus catches him with the Brogue Kick to eliminate Jericho.
Winner of the 2012 Royal Rumble: Sheamus
My Thoughts: While it was surprisingly refreshing to see Sheamus win the Rumble, the overall event left a lot to be desired. It was a good event but not a good pay per view. Cena and Kane was pretty good and I feel Dolph Ziggler shut up a lot of people in his match against CM Punk. The only good things about the Rumble match were Cobra vs. Mr. Socko, Kofi Kingston’s walking hand stand to avoid elimination and the back and forth between Jericho and Sheamus to end the show. There was not enough seriousness and way too much of that Vince McMahon entertainment/comedy crap. Too many entrants that no one cared about to even get you exited especially when it was hyped up that “Every WWE Superstar could be eligible for the Royal Rumble” Man, the selection committee must have been high.
Look at this list of several Rumble participants and tell me if you thought any of them were going to headline Wrestlemania?
The bright lights of FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, shined down on WWE as the Royal Rumble brought mayhem, action, and excitement to a worldwide audience. I attended this event with some good friends, and it was quite the show, even though it was obvious to me that Brock Lesnar would win the Rumble to set up his match with Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 19.
In my youthful years, I would wait outside the security gates on Causeway St. to catch a glimpse of the wrestlers entering the building on the off chance that one of them would hand out an autograph. I never obtained an autograph in all my years of attending events. However, I did witness Booker T and Rob Van Dam trade backstage passes for a bag of weed with a fan a few hours before the show.
I remember little about the Spike Dudley vs. Steven Richards on Sunday Night Heat, except for fans chanting “ECW, ECW” throughout the match. The opening match for the pay-per-view pitted The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar, where the winner gained entry into the Royal Rumble match. Both men traded power moves back and forth until Lesnar landed the F5 for the victory. Big Show jumped Lesnar from behind in a jealous rage after the bell and injured his ribs, thus casting doubt over Lesnar’s participation later on.
The Dudley Boyz wrestle Lance Storm & William Regal in a match, with the usual bad guys getting the upper hand for most of the match until D-Von makes the hot tag to Bubba Ray. He cleans house and sets up Regal for D-Von’s dreaded “WAZZZZZ UUUUUP” headbutt from the top rope. They nailed Storm with the Dudley Death Drop and captured their 8th WWE Tag Team Championship. Torrie Wilson beat Dawn Marie in a forgettable match, and fans were disillusioned with the entire angle due to the storyline involving the fake death of Torrie’s father, which was done in a dull and shameless manner.
Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner, who was making his in-ring return to WWE. This was a WWE vs. WCW dream match that became a nightmare. Steiner got winded five minutes into the match and looked completely lost. Most wrestlers kick, punch, or clothesline, but Steiner threw suplex after suplex until Triple H got himself disqualified to end the match. The fans loved Steiner when he walked in and hated him when he left. This is why you never saw him near the main event again: if Hunter can’t pull a good match out of you, then Fuhgeddaboudit.
The WWE title match was next as Kurt Angle defended against Chris Benoit. This was the single greatest wrestling match I have ever seen in person. The fans inside the FleetCenter witnessed 20 minutes of wrestling poetry. Boston is usually funny regarding technical wrestling since we have been treated to many of the greatest moments in history. The fans were on the edge of their seats as these two gave it everything they had. What made this match unique is that it was a different style than WWE was used to producing.
Angle and Benoit had no restrictions on what they were allowed to do. At the 12-minute mark of the match, Benoit hit a release German suplex that turned Angle inside out and jacked the crowd out of their seats. Benoit applied his fifth Crippler Crossface, but Angle reversed it and secured the Ankle Lock for the fourth time in the match. Benoit used his legs to kick him away several times, but Angle held on like a pit bull. Angle pulled Benoit to the center and sat down on the leg, and with nowhere to go, Benoit had no choice but to tap out.
This match represented the difference between Raw and Smackdown at the time. Raw was the show for big angles, while Smackdown was a wrestler’s wrestling show. The standing ovation Chris Benoit received after the match was a moment I would never forget, as he was the guy who was my professional influence as a wrestler. I also believe that ovation made Vince McMahon realize Benoit could be a world champion.
It is now time for the Royal Rumble!
15 Raw superstars and 15 Smackdown superstars duked it out, with the winner getting a title shot against their brand’s champion in the main event at WrestleMania 19. Even though it was one of the least memorable Rumbles in history, it did have its moments, including Chris Jericho’s MVP performance, eliminating Shawn Michaels almost immediately. Rey Mysterio and Edge came out early and delivered some action-packed moves.
Tommy Dreamer came in at #10 and turned it into a hardcore rumble with a trash can full of weapons, ala New Jack. The innovator of violence cleaned house with an arsenal of household items and hit Jericho with the mother of kendo stick shots. The sound reverberated like a gunshot as Jericho Nestea plunged to the canvas. Y2J got the last laugh as he made Dreamer his 6th elimination of the night.
Rikishi came in at #20 and super kicked the hell out of everyone but was eventually eliminated by Batista. Shawn Michaels came back out to try and failed to illegally eliminate Chris Jericho but provided enough distraction for Test to big boot the Winnipeg native over the top rope and out of the Rumble. The heavy hitters started coming in with Lesnar at #29 and The Undertaker at #30.
The final four came down to Lesnar, Taker, Batista and Kane. Undertaker eliminated Batista and then battled Kane before eliminating him. Batista was angered at his elimination, so he distracted Undertaker by attempting to hit him with a chair, but Undertaker avoided it and nailed Batista with a chair. Lesnar took advantage of the situation and eliminated a distracted Undertaker to win the Royal Rumble.
Overall, the 2003 installment of the Royal Rumble was a thumbs-in-the-middle affair. Raw was exposed while Smackdown reigned supreme. The Rumble sold the show, but the WWE Title Match stole the show with a performance that will be forgotten due to the scandal that scarred Benoit’s reputation forever. However, he wasn’t the only one in that match because it takes two to tango. I remember 1/19/03 as a great time with my best friends, and the night Kurt Angle proved that he was the best wrestler on the planet with a once-in-a-lifetime performance that will never be duplicated.
Batman #5 | Writer: Scott Snyder | Art: Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion | Colors: FCO | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
One of the great things about being a comic book fan is when you find the perfect book that completely captivates your attention from beginning to end.
Comic book nirvana has arrived as Scott Snyder puts Batman through the wringer in a story with the Dark Knight battling his own sanity. Bats has been trapped in a dark labyrinth by the Court of Owls for eight days without food, water, or rest. He hasn’t bathed or shaved, his costume is torn up, and the white left eyepiece is missing from his mask.
The missing eyepiece is excellent because it allows us to see Batman’s true emotions as he faces unspeakable peril. Over the years, I always wondered if a punch or a kick hurt more than he let on or how horrified he was, if at all, when he examined a crime scene.
At one point, the lights inside the labyrinth are turned on, and a stylish Owl-shaped water fountain is revealed. Knowing it’s drugged, Batman drinks the water without hesitation. The mind games begin to take shape as secrets are revealed, and the horror is unleashed.
As you read the book, you come to a page layout where you have to turn the book left-side up to make sense of it all. When you turn from that layout, the next page is upside down, which looks like a mistake.
You naturally turn it right-side up to examine the page, thinking you are correctly holding the book again. As you continue to read, it takes you a minute to realize that you’re reading the previous pages repeatedly, thus experiencing and sharing Batman’s mental madness.
The ingenuity of it all was simple and brilliant. The artwork is almost in sync with the story, more than any other comic book I have read in quite some time. Even this early in the year, Snyder’s number 5 has all the makings to be the single best issue of the year.
Grade: A+
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