WWE releases four wrestlers, another quits

The big news of the day is the WWE released four superstars while another quits the company.

Melina: She was in the dog house for her Twitter comments about Trish Stratus “taking her spot” at Wrestlemania 27. Guess what? It’s not your spot. Wrestlemania pay days do not come with time well served unless your name is Undertaker or HBK. 90 days form now we will see her on Impact. She will be lost in the shuffle like everyone.

Continue reading “WWE releases four wrestlers, another quits”

Wrestling Flashback: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin

Survivor Series 11/17/96
Madison Square Garden
New York, New York

“If you liked Tyson vs. Holyfield, your gonna love this” Jim Ross

The quote by Jim Ross helped set the tone for the Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin encounter as they engaged in an intense stare down, followed by a pair of middle fingers by Austin before the opening bell. Everyone remembers their match at Wrestlemania 13. The Survivor Series bout gets lost in the shuffle when talking about the great matches of this business. The story leading up to and during the match was simple and effective.

Continue reading “Wrestling Flashback: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin”

Can Averno help Sin Cara save face?

Hell is coming to the WWE in the form of the Luchador named Averno. He is being brought in to work with Sin Cara because he is not getting over. The two have had lots of great matches together in Mexico and Averno is considered to be Sin Cara’s best opponent. Averno is going to finish up with CMLL in June in a mask vs. mask match with La Mascara. It nice to see the company work with someone instead of giving up on them, however, I question if this is the best idea.

Continue reading “Can Averno help Sin Cara save face?”

Macho Man Randy Savage 1952 – 2011

“In our culture, when a pro wrestler dies, it’s the equivalent as a superhero dying.” Unknown

Sunday, August 28, 1988, was the first time Randy Savage entered my life. I was 7 years old, channel surfing, looking for something to watch on TV. I landed on channel WLVI 56, and these two larger than life individuals who called themselves the “Mega Powers” told me about the dastardly deeds perpetrated by the Million Dollar Man and Andre the Giant. Continue reading “Macho Man Randy Savage 1952 – 2011”

A Detailed Look at New Japan’s New York Show

New Japan Pro Wrestling invaded New York City for the second night of their tour this past Saturday. The evening’s battle ground is known as Basketball City and is really just a large abandoned warehouse. The attendance was announced at approximately 1,200 people. These shows might have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for fans to see their favorite NJPW stars live in person. Hopefully, the shows were perceived as being good enough so they will come back in the future.

Continue reading “A Detailed Look at New Japan’s New York Show”

Changing Names won’t IMPACT TNA’s Product

by Ryan Andrews

As of May 12th, TNA will become Impact Wrestling. Apparently, the higher-ups think that a rebranding will breathe new life into their product and attract wrestling fans that feel WWE is moving away from its core product by shortening their name (and in doing so, dropping the word “Wrestling”). Unfortunately for TNA, I feel that their product will remain the same thanks to their writers (specifically Vince Russo), their ignorant-to-the-business-owner (Dixie Carter), and of course their over-the-hill your-prime-ENDED-over-a-decade-ago talents (starting with Hulk Hogan, and of course the list could go on forever).

Continue reading “Changing Names won’t IMPACT TNA’s Product”

In Hulk Hogan we Trust !?

I talk to a lot of casual wrestling fans. They watch TNA and get excited when they see the Hulkster on their screen. Once they listen and realize he is a heel who is trying to run the company for his personal gain, they change the channel. Hulk Hogan as a heel is not entertaining television in 2011.

The NWO days of 1996 are long gone. Hulk Hogan is way into the twilight of his career. At 57 years old, he can barely move and wears a back brace. If you saw him on American Idol, he could barely throw a punch. The majority of TNA’s fans are “smart” fans. They know all of this and will have zero faith in a Hogan vs. Sting program, which seems to be the direction they are going in.

Continue reading “In Hulk Hogan we Trust !?”

NXT Invasion is the talk of the Town!

On Monday night May 17, 1993, at the age of 12, I was marking out like a kid on Christmas because Marty Jannetty had just returned from a four month sabbatical. He got in the ring and challenged Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental title.

When Raw came back form commercial Razor Ramon made his way to the ring to wrestle someone Howard Finkel called “The Kid”. Having no interest in seeing Razor destroy a jobber, I went into the kitchen to make a sandwich. When I got back into my room I saw the fans in the Manhattan Center jumping for joy as they saw that jobber beat Razor Ramon.

The next day at school everyone was talking about the wrestler now called the 1-2-3 Kid coming out of no where to pin “The Bad Guy”. At that point I said to myself I will never miss a big time moment like that again.

Continue reading “NXT Invasion is the talk of the Town!”

Thoughts on Batista vs. John Cena @ Wrestlemania 26

This year’s WrestleMania has been set the main event: Dave Batista will defend the WWE Championship against John Cena. Despite receiving a boatload of criticism for their work in the ring, they are two of the business’s most prominent stars today. While the internet fans may prefer Edge vs. Jericho or Undertaker vs. Michaels to receive the honors, fans of the WWE universe will clamor to this match-up as it will be up to Cena and Batista to bring home the goods. Continue reading “Thoughts on Batista vs. John Cena @ Wrestlemania 26”