The Battle of WWE’s Institutional Racism

Article written for Gerweck.net

The accusation of racism in WWE has once again reared its ugly head. It is an issue that has been brought up over the years, but never thoroughly investigated because only a handful of wrestlers have spoken out on the matter. Also, because professional wrestling is dismissed more often than revered as an entertainment genre, the issue is often swept under the rug and never taken seriously. The Atlantic’s article on racism in professional wrestling sparked the first real conversation on the matter, and the recent firing of Alberto Del Rio has raised concern and awareness on the issue to an increasingly unprecedented degree. Continue reading “The Battle of WWE’s Institutional Racism” →

Hey Yo, I’m Not Watching Raw Tonight

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” →

UFC’s Calendar Craze

It’s funny how sometimes you can set out to do one thing, and then completely turn around and do something else. I’m of the opinion that the UFC is putting on way too many shows. The interest varies across the board due to some cards boasting big-name stars on the marquee while others simply have nameless faces posing as feature attractions.

With approximately forty-five events scheduled for 2014, the UFC runs the risk of over-saturating the market which will lead to customer fatigue. However, what if every event was must-see TV? As I was writing an article for the Camel Clutch Blog, my analysis of the situation has changed my position on the matter. There is a method to the Zuffa onslaught of shows that could pay huge dividends going forward.

Check out my newest article titled “Too Many UFC Shows Could Be a Good Thing” up now at the Camel Clutch Blog.com

Gustafsson Out, Cormier in against Jones at UFC 178

Extra, extra, read all about it. Alexander Gustafsson is out of his title fight rematch against Jon Jones, and Daniel Cormier will step in as his replacement on September 27^th in Las Vegas. It’s a shame that Gustafsson is injured and will miss out on his opportunity for the time being. However, this new match up presents a plethora of possibilities. Continue reading “Gustafsson Out, Cormier in against Jones at UFC 178” →

Stephanie McMahon Stole The Show on Raw

The corrupt authority figure is an exhausted crutch in the storytelling that is a part of professional wrestling. While many have assumed the position, few have flourished in the role. Vince McMahon was the best in this situation because not only does he really own WWE, but more importantly, he is not afraid to show his ass…sometimes literally. I have to give props to Stephanie McMahon for her performance as of late. Triple H never shows weakness or vulnerability, so his character is easy to tune out. Stephanie, on the other hand, is doing things differently. Continue reading “Stephanie McMahon Stole The Show on Raw” →

The Body Slam Podcast Ep 23: How should WWE use KENTA, Racism in Wrestling, Lashley, and more

The Bodyslam Podcast is back in the saddle with an all new episode. This week, Atlee Greene goes solo with some of the biggest topics in professional wrestling as he discuss

– Dion Beary’s article in The Atlantic on Racism in wrestling

– KENTA and how the WWE should use him

– TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley fighting for Bellator MMA. Should he fight as champion?

Follow The Bodyslam Podcast on Twitter @BodySlamPodcast

Follow Atlee Greene on Twitter @MidnightLogicGo

Follow Gerweck.net on Twitter @gerweck

E-mail us at bodyslampodcast@gmail.com

Click here and feel the SLAM!

It’s Showtime Folks: Thought’s on Sting’s Return

It took 13 years, but Sting finally appeared on WWE television in an official capacity. Albeit it was in a commercial for the company’s 2K15 video game, but it was still cool to see something after months of speculation. Gamers will be happy to have the WCW icon as a full-fledged character in the game as opposed to taking tedious amounts of time to create him. I really enjoyed this commercial. The violinists playing Sting’s original crow theme as he emerged from the shadows was very well done. I can’t get that song out of my head as I’ve been humming it since Monday. The next logical step in this promotion’s progression should culminate with an in-ring appearance. Then again, that might be just a pipe dream. Continue reading “It’s Showtime Folks: Thought’s on Sting’s Return” →

Saturday Night’s Main Event Comes To The WWE Network

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” →

Money in the Bank: Cashing in on Old Faithful

The WWE Network era produced another solid pay-per-view offering with Money in the Bank that gave us a firm direction of where we are heading this summer. There were some hits and misses throughout the evening, but John Cena winning his 15^th world title left some fans disillusioned citing, “Same old #&$@*.”.

Continue reading “Money in the Bank: Cashing in on Old Faithful” →

Spoiler Alert: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Summer Slam!?!?

The main event ladder match at this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view will crown a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion and Amazon.com may have spoiled the ending. If you go to their website and pre order the Summer Slam Blu-ray, scheduled for a September 14^th release, the cover reveals that John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar will headline the biggest party of the summer. Did WWE make a promotional blunder or is this advanced promotion for what could be a big return at the box office? Continue reading “Spoiler Alert: John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Summer Slam!?!?” →