The gold standard of WWE DVD releases are The Ultimate Ric Flair collection and The Rise and Fall of ECW. After spending 3 hours with my Blu-ray player, CM Punk: Best in the World can be added to that list and may be the crown jewel of their catalog. I am of the opinion that CM Punk is currently the best worker in the business today. This is coming from someone who is not his biggest fan.
Continue reading “CM Punk: The Best DVD In The World”
Talon #1 | Writer: James Tynion IV & Scott Snyder | Art: Guillem March | Colors: Tomeu Morey |Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $2.99
Last month’s Zero issue introduced the world to Calvin Rose, a former Talon of the Court of Owls who escaped their ranks.
Continue reading “Talon #1 Review”
This week, combat sports lost two of its most influential and beloved members in Jeff Blatnick and Emanuel Steward.
Blatnick won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympics in Greco Roman wrestling and was a color commentator for UFC 4-32. He was instrumental in drafting the unified rules that govern the sport today and coined the term Mixed Martial Arts.
Stewart won the national golden gloves tournament in 1963. He transitioned to training professional fighters and became one of the most accomplished and sought after trainers in the sport. The founder of Detroit’s legendary Kronk Gym not only produced a plethora of championship fighters such as Thomas Hearns but helped get troubled youths off the streets.
Todd Martin of the Wrestling Observer wrote an insightful piece on Jeff Blatnick, and ESPN posted a wonderful article on Emanuel Steward. I highly recommend you check them out.
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
Ryback vs. CM Punk headlines the Hell in a Cell Pay-Per-View event this Sunday. The WWE has booked themselves into a tight little corner because they played the Ryback card way too soon. In contemporary wrestling where wins and losses don’t matter, Ryback’s undefeated streak is everything. If he loses under any circumstance, the gimmick is dead and he is just another superstar on the roster.
In my opinion, let him win the title. He is over and as long as you don’t mess with his formula of destroying people, he will continue to be over for quite some time. While the common wisdom suggests Ryback must win, there has to be a creative way for him to be pinned without losing his momentum. I’m going to have a little fun with this and put on my booking hat and throw out an idea that could work.
Continue reading “I Know How To Beat Ryback”
What happens when only 624,000 viewers watch last week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter? Dana White works his magic, and Jon Jones changes his tune from not fighting Chael Sonnen to coaching the next season of TUF against Sonnen and fighting him on April 27, 2013.
Continue reading “Is Jon Jones vs Chael Sonnen A Bad Thing?”
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
There is no other encounter in professional wrestling that signifies the pinnacle of a feud more than the steel cage match. Its confines are unforgiving and blood shed is a virtual guarantee. Villains of bravado and champions of heroic destiny square off in this last resort encounter where the referee’s three count is not enough. Finish your opponent or escape the cage is often your only option for victory. In two weeks, CM Punk will defend the WWE title against Ryback. This match has everyone talking for a variety of reasons but none of them include the Hell in a Cell itself. This makes me wonder; are Steel Cage matches dead?
Continue reading “Are Steel Cage Matches Dead?”
WWE Television is currently a stale product. Professional wrestling always has its down time before another boom period arrives. In order for the boom to take place, however, a new star needs to emerge. This person needs to be a bonafide superstar the caliber of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock. Simply being a wrestling star such as John Cena, CM Punk, and Randy Orton will not move the needle in the required direction. When this boom period finally occurs, it’s usually a wrestler who was waiting in the wings for their big break. These days, Dolph Ziggler is the usual suspect. He is a good worker but can he be the box office smash that brings the business to Attitude Era heights?
On October 1, 2012, Monday Night Raw drew its lowest rating in 15 years. The company improved its rating by having its 67-year-old chairman wrestle the WWE champion. While it was certainly an attention grabber, it was only a short-term solution since Vince can’t wrestle every week. While Raw moving back to two hours would be a move in the right direction, it doesn’t address the larger problem at hand. The process of booking by committee dilutes what storylines ultimately end up on television. If the big three can’t do any more than they already have and there is no legitimate heir apparent on the horizon; what else can be done?
Continue reading “Is it time to Reboot the WWE?”
Daredevil: End of Days #1 | Writer: Brian Michael Bendis & David Mack | Art: Klaus Janson, Bill Sienkiewicz | Colors: Matt Hollingsworth | Publisher: Marvel Comics | Price: $3.99
Extra, extra, read all about it! Daredevil is dead and no one cares. The Man Without Fear’s untimely passing is the backdrop to a much larger picture.
Continue reading “Daredevil: End of Days #1 Review”
The Target Center in Minneapolis will play host to the fifth installment of the UFC on FX. Fans will be treated to quality fights with important ramifications depending on the result. Will we witness the birth of the next thing in the heavyweight division? Can a grizzled veteran make an indelible impression in his return to the UFC and which Flyweight will emerge as the inaugural number one contender for Demetrious Johnson’s crown? These questions and more will be answered and the best part, we get to see it for free.
-Josh Neer vs. Justin Edwards
Josh Neer always comes to fight and seeing his name on a fight card guarantees action. Edwards needs to take “The Dentist” to the ground if he wants to avoid a second straight loss. Edwards’ wrestling is not good enough to control the tempo of the fight over a long period of time. Neer carries a wealth of experience and thrives in a firefight.
The Pick: Josh Neer by 1st Round KO
-John Dodson vs. Jussier Formiga
The winner of this fight will officially become the number one contender for the Flyweight title. Dodson is very well rounded in all aspects of the fight game, but he needs to avoid scrambles on the ground at all costs. Formiga is dangerous and can snatch a limb in bear trap fashion. Dodson is a smart fighter and he can avoid rushing into things, so he should control the majority of the 15 minute affair.
The Pick: John Dodson by decision
Continue reading “Calling The Shots of UFC on FX 5: Browne vs. Bigfoot”
(Blog I wrote for gerweck.net)
In part one of my blog; we established that putting on a wrestling show is an expensive and time consuming hobby. Sure, it’s fun to play arm chair booker and believe that you have that one breakthrough idea that is going to draw a lot of money. However, there are a lot of working components that need to come together in order for your show to go off without a hitch. So far we touched on seeking advice, obtaining insurance and securing a building for your event. Here are the next steps:
Ring:
Some promotions own their own ring while others rent one. If you decide to rent a wrestling ring, rental fees can range anywhere from $500 – $1,000 a night and should come with a ring crew to set up and tear down the ring. Some renters will provide extras such as ring side barricades and steel steps at no additional cost while others will charge extra. Make sure you properly communicate to the person in charge what time you need the ring at the building by. If $500 – $1,000 seems a little high, then ask the owner of the ring if they have any trainees looking for work. If so, offering to give them a match on the show usually drives the price down and is a good way of building a strong professional relationship.
Owning a wrestling ring is a large and immediate expense. Also, storing and transporting the ring is another issue. If you don’t have access to a big enough basement or garage, renting a locker from a storage facility is practical and efficient. Most times this requires renting a moving truck. Most rental companies require some advance notice. Make the reservation as soon as you can, because most shows are on the weekend and that is a popular time for people to move. This all may seem like some unnecessary headaches just to own a ring, but trust me, it is worth it in the long run and should eventually end up paying for itself.
Continue reading “So, you wanna be an Independent Wrestling Promoter? Part 2”
RingsideLogic.com 