Savio Vega: Wrestling’s Worst Mystery Partner Ever

In the spirit of No Way Out this Sunday, I’m reminded of the very first installment of this pay-per-view happening back in 1998. It was the twentieth event under the In Your House banner, and the company changed the name two weeks out to No Way Out of Texas. Jeff Jarrett defended an NWA title on WWF TV against Bradshaw, Taka Michinoku wrestled a rock band, and Brian Christopher was almost fired on the spot for calling him a “jap” on commentary.

The eight-man tag team main event was scheduled to be Stone Cold Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie against Shawn Michaels, HHH, Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. WrestleMania 14 was on the horizon and with Mike Tyson’s involvement in the Austin/Michaels title match, there was very little interest in this event. No Way Out was the first event that my friends and I didn’t care to see which is shocking if you knew how much we loved wrestling when we were in high school.

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Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 Review

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #1 | Writer: Darwyn Cooke & Len Wein | Art: Darwyn Cooke & John Higgins | Colors: Phil Noto & John Higgins | Publisher: DC Comics | Price: $3.99

Some have been waiting with bated breath, while others have cursed the existence of this prequel. No matter which side of the fence you stand on, DC Comics summer event has arrived, and everyone is treated to more Watchmen. My first impression after reading this was it’s good, but it’s not Alan Moore good. Please, don’t take this as an insult or as a sign not to read it. Moore’s original has certain je ne sais quoi that no one will ever match.

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Cow Boy: A Boy And His Horse Review- A Wild West Classic

Cow Boy: A Boy and His Horse | Writer: Nate Cosby | Art: Chris Eliopoulos
Colors: Chris Eliopoulos | Publisher: Archaia 

Cow Boy follows the story of a bounty huntin’ 10-year-old named Boyd Linney who is looking to collect by bringing a certain set of criminals to justice…his family.

Armed with his hobby horse-shaped peashooter, Boyd travels throughout the Wild West looking to right the wrongs his family has perpetrated.

Nate Cosby brilliantly captures Boyd’s innocence as he hides behind the economics of collecting bounties, but inside is a hurt child who just hates seeing bad things happening to good people.

The fact that it’s his family doing the hurting is what drives his incorruptible spirit. There is a vulnerability to this tough-as-nails child that will absolutely make you cheer for him.

Chris Eliopoulos’ art does a fantastic job of conveying a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts, and feelings the script tries to convey.

The entire creative team’s collaborative efforts have produced a heartwarmingly clever novel that people of all ages will thoroughly enjoy.

The four bonus side stories added to this extraordinary tale of the little boy Linney make this, without question, a can’t-miss book. Please, believe the hype. It’s all good!

Grade: A

Ten Greatest WWE Intercontinental Champions Of All Time

The WWE Intercontinental championship is the most revered and perhaps the most respected title belt among professional wrestling fans. For the longest time, it was this championship that produced the most anticipated and exciting matches.

More times than not, those who wore this coveted title were able to elevate their careers as a result. As a kid, I was more excited for the IC title matches than I was for the world title matches. Today I’m going to list the Top 10 Intercontinental Champions of all time. This list is based on tenure as champion and their accomplishments beyond.

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Brock Lesnar’s appearance at UFC 146???

The internet is up in arms over Brock Lesnar’s appearance at UFC 146 this past Saturday. Everyone wants to know: is he ditching the WWE, once again, for Octagon glory? The answer is yes. Well, at least until Junior Dos Santos was declared the winner.

In his retirement speech, Brock stated his plan was to win the title one more time and retire as champion. It’s been proven that if you can throw a decent punch, you can beat Brock Lesnar. Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem & Junior Dos Santos all fit this criterion. Frank Mir? Not so much. Mir can’t take a punch either, but what if he had somehow beat JDS? Brock would have been the first person in the cage to challenge him, and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why he was there.

He knows he can beat Mir, and a rubber match between the two could end up being the highest drawing pay-per-view of all time. Their first bout drew 600,000 buys and their second bout drew 1.7 million buys.

Thank goodness Mir lost because if he had won, we would be reading about Lesnar quitting WWE for the second time and all the drama that would come with it. Brock is a fickle man and can get away with what most people can’t because he draws a lot of money. The funny thing is, after all the legal rigmarole, Vince would still take him back because, in the end, money talks.

UFC 146: Dos Santos vs. Mir Predictions

From top to bottom, the all heavyweight main card at UFC 146 has undergone many changes due to a positive drug test and a plethora of injuries. The main event features Junior Dos Santos making his first heavyweight title defense against former champion Frank Mir.

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Monday Night Raw Going Permanently To Three Hours In July

If I was still an innocent wrestling fan who never discovered the IWC, read a newsletter or smartened up by my time on the independent scene, I would have been ecstatic about Raw moving to three hours on a permanent basis. My sense of occasion is non-existent because the company can barely write an entertaining two hour show, and three hours runs a great risk of watering down the product and burning out the fans. The ratings are always down during the first hour of a  three hour Raw because people forget about the earlier start time and let’s face it, the steak and potatoes are not on the plate until the beginning of the second hour. 

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Confessions of a Wrestling Superfan Chapter 3: Mom and I Attend Monday Nitro

Mother’s Day has come and gone, and one of the memories that stands out to me is the time my Mom and I saw WCW Monday Nitro at the Fleet Center in Boston.

It was my sophomore year of high school, and my best friend was grounded the Friday before the event. My Mom hinted she wanted to go, but what teenager wants to have their Mom tag along with them to a wrestling show?

I pretended not to pick up on the hints because I was sure I’d find someone to accompany me.

Yeah, not so much.

Monday arrived, and no sooner did I turn the door knob to leave for the train station did my Mom ask if I had found anyone to go with me. I shrugged it off and told her I decided to go by myself.

“Oh…well, have fun,” she replied in a disappointing tone. I immediately felt guilty. The angsty teenager in me turned to her and said: “I guess you can come if you really want to.”

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Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 Review

Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 | Writer: Steve Niles | Art: Bernie Wrightson | Letters: Robbie Robbins | Publisher: IDW | Price: $3.99

The story takes places years after he “died” on a funeral pyre, and he is at peace while working as a circus freak.

Steve Niles adds another notch on his horror belt as he weaves a tale that recalls Frankenstein striving to embrace his humanity.

It’s a struggle that traces the line between truth and treachery because there may not be humanity, to begin with. Life and death can make strange bedfellows, especially when consistent torment from your creator can make you crave one over the other.

He has found balance right now but is there something that will take it all away?

Bernie Wrightson’s art truly brought Frankenstein’s lowest points to life. What makes the story stand out is that it’s not a story about a brooding monster but a monster of a man searching for a grim finality while journeying great distances for something bigger than himself.

 

Grade: A

Thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter Ratings Decline

The Ultimate Fighter Live

The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX is currently the lowest-rated season in the history of the series. The show has been missing that WOW factor for quite some time. Season 10 back in 2009 featuring Kimbo Slice and the Rampage vs. Evans feud was the last signs of worth wild television the show has produced. Faber and Cruz are two of the best fighters in the world but they do not produce that dynamic you want from opposing coaches in order to pop a rating. Also, the show hasn’t changed its look or presentation since its debut in 2005

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