WWE Superstars #10 Review

WWE Superstars #10 | Writer: Mick Foley, Shane Riches | Artist: Paris Cullins | Colorist: Laurie E. Smith | Publisher: Super Genius | Price $3.99 | From my column at Forces of Geek.com

The second installment of “Legends” rolls on as this twisted, nightmarish, game show of combat seems to know no bounds. The Undertaker enters the fray and finds himself in a battle royal against virtually every giant that has ever competed in a WWE ring. Continue reading “WWE Superstars #10 Review”

It’s Time For The IC Title To Rise

wwe.com

Most people that dream of a career in athletics or entertainment aspire to be a world champion or recognized by an academy of their peers as the best. I, on the other hand, had childhood ambitions of becoming the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Sounds kind of odd, right? Someone dreaming of being second best instead of number one is not normal. The thing is, I didn’t look at it that way.

Those who watch professional wrestling enjoy it for one or all of its different facets. I enjoy it for the matches more than anything and to me, the WWE title meant you were the biggest star while the IC title states that you were the best wrestler. That’s what I wanted to be, the best wrestler and tell great stories in the ring like Don Muraco, Ricky Steamboat, and Randy Savage.

Intercontinental title matches were one of, if not, the hottest match on the card. Summer Slam 1991 was a significant moment for me as a wrestling fan. Bret Hart upended Hulk Hogan as my favorite wrestler when he defeated Mr. Perfect for the title. Their match spoke to me in a way that I can barely put into words. It was epic, dramatic on its own accord, and was simply about being the best wrestler.

The IC title was highly regarded and held such prestige. Today, not so much. It’s an afterthought at best. So, I wrote about how WWE could fix that problem for my debut article at What Culture.com where I was invited to join them as a featured columnist. I’m very appreciative of this opportunity and can’t wait to get into the thick of things. Check out 5 Ways WWE Can Make The Intercontinental  Title Relevant Again.

Hey Yo, I’m Not Watching Raw Tonight

scotthallwcw

Millions of wrestling fans across the nation will be watching Monday Night Raw this evening. However, I won’t be one of them. It should be a fun episode considering it’s not only the go home show for Summer Slam, but it’s Hulk Hogan’s Birthday and a big celebration is planned with surprise guests including an nWo reunion. I’m a huge mark for the black and white clad stable, but I just don’t have it in me to watch a classless buffoon receive a thunderous applause from an arena full of people while getting a payday to boot. The jackass I’m referring to is Scott Hall. Continue reading “Hey Yo, I’m Not Watching Raw Tonight”

Saturday Night’s Main Event Comes To The WWE Network

SatNightMainEvent

The entire library of Saturday Night’s Main Events will be available on the WWE Network starting on Monday and it will give me a chance to relive some classic moments from my childhood. The show was primarily on NBC, with a two episodes airing on Fox in 1992. As a kid, I had to watch SNME on Sunday mornings because they were on past my bedtime. Sometimes, I would sneak out of bed, hide behind the door and listen to the matches since it was hard to fall asleep knowing wrestling was on. I’ve gone back and watched them all over the years, but the shows I saw during my initial fandom are the ones that I remember most.

Continue reading “Saturday Night’s Main Event Comes To The WWE Network”

WWE’s Forgotten Gem: The Grand Finale Match of Survival

20110907_past_ss_1990_r

Traditionally, Survivor Series is one of WWE’s big four pay-per-view events. Debuting in 1987, the show featured primarily team elimination matches. Sadly, the fall classic has lost its luster over the last several years.

The longtime fan in me will always have a soft spot for the event, especially when it aired on Thanksgiving night. 1990 is my favorite installment not only because it marks the debut of The Undertaker but also because of the main event, The Ultimate Match of Survival.

Continue reading “WWE’s Forgotten Gem: The Grand Finale Match of Survival”

Wrestling’s Mount Rushmore

wrestlemore

Mount Rushmore is a national memorial in South Dakota featuring the four most iconic U.S. presidents. So, who should be on wrestling’s version of this historic landmark? There are only four spots that make almost any exclusion controversial. Personal preference, athletic skill, unforgettable moments, and overall impact on the industry are reasonable criteria for such a subjective topic.
Continue reading “Wrestling’s Mount Rushmore”

Andre the Giant: Life and Legend (Review)

ATG

 Andre the Giant: Life and Legend| Writer & Artist: Box Brown | Publisher: First Second Books

It doesn’t matter if you are an avid professional wrestling fan or if you’ve never witnessed a single body slam because Andre the Giant is known the world over.

He is one of the elite few that transcended his industry and made an indelible impression on pop culture. Continue reading “Andre the Giant: Life and Legend (Review)”

Remembering the Ultimate Warrior

The-Ultimate-Warrior

Once again, the hand of death keeps chipping away at my childhood and makes me question my own mortality. Last night, the Ultimate Warrior suddenly passed away at the age of 54 years old. Three days of traveling, celebrating a legendary career and happiness with his family, and now he’s gone. The timing of this is so eerie and sad on a multitude of levels. Continue reading “Remembering the Ultimate Warrior”

WrestleMania 30: “The Greatest WrestleMania of All Time”

hogan-wmxxx-poster

Written for Forces of Geek.com

WrestleMania 30 was a celebration of wrestling’s past and present that has plotted the course to an exciting and prosperous future. With new blood rising, the fall of a legend, and a hero’s conquest, this years “showcase of the immortals” is something we won’t soon forget.

The show kicked off with the familiar sound of Rick Derringer’s “Real American” as Hulk Hogan, this year’s host, welcomed everyone to the Silverdome and was quickly corrected by over 75,000 fans inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Hulkster took it in stride and talked about some of his greatest moments until he was cut off by the ominous breaking of glass and Stone Cold Steve Austin making his way to the ring. Austin and Hogan stare each other down in a surreal moment. This will always be considered the wrestling dream match that got away. Plus, their personal problems with each other are well documented. It was nice to see them be able to work together in such a capacity.

Austin pumped up the crowd with his verbal “Hell Yeah” hijinks until The Rock made his way to the ring. This was a true WrestleMania moment unfolding before our eyes as the three biggest names in the history of the business were in the same ring at the same time. Rock hugged both of them and gave them props for their contributions to the industry. He also put over John Cena, which unleashed some boo birds from the crowd, and quickly mentioned Daniel Bryan, which turned the jeers to cheers. Hogan closed it out with “Whatcha gonna do when Hogan, Austin, Rock, and the Super Dome run wild on you?” Hogan’s music hits, and the three icons share a beer in the ring Continue reading “WrestleMania 30: “The Greatest WrestleMania of All Time””

WrestleMania 30 Roundtable

wm30

The Bodyslam crew presents the second annual WrestleMania Roundtable where they break down everything WrestleMania 30 and the 2014 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. Plus, we will announce the winner of our WWE DVD giveaway!

Click here to get ready for the showcase of the immortals

Follow the Bodyslam podcast on Twitter @BodySlamPodcast