Quick Rant on Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena

It’s official folks. Brock Lesnar will wrestle John Cena at Extreme Rules on April 29th in Chicago, Illinois. This will be Lesnar’s first WWE match in eight years and his first professional wrestling match in 4 ½ years. The WWE’s ineptitude to book talent the right way is staggering. You can’t book Lesnar like he is everybody else. The ratings have already suffered as they were down 3 points from last week . He has a presence unlike anyone on the roster and the legitimacy to boot. The company’s booking formula of everyone sounding and looking the same is bordering on obsolete.

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Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart: A Look Inside The Pink & Black Attack

bret_hart_by_ns_designer-d51dh9j — Artwork by NS-Designer

Bret “Hitman” Hart is one of the best technical wrestlers of all time. I don’t even know how anyone could make a list of Bret Hart matches because he never had a bad match. Everyone has their opinion on what matches make a list like this. My list is based on match caliber as compared to career importance. Let’s take a look at the five greatest matches of the excellence of execution.

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Quick Rant on CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho WrestleMania Match.

Message board vultures are crapping all over the Punk vs. Jericho match from WrestleMania because it wasn’t the Steamboat/Savage encounter they were expecting. It’s an awful hard position to be in when you are expected to surpass what is arguably the greatest match of all time. It’s not as if Jericho and Punk said “Hey, let’s not try our hardest and see what happens”. They wrestled for 30 minutes and the crowd didn’t get into it until the 16 minute mark. Sometimes, when you put a wrestling match together, it sounds really good in your head but doesn’t translate as well when it’s time to execute the plan. They were hindered by a lack of crowd response, poor placement on the card and that stupid no disqualification stipulation. The last 10 minutes were fantastic to watch but it fell short of being one of those classic Mania matches you will remember forever.

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Daredevil #10 Review

A friend of mine who reads this column called me a Mark Waid fanboy. I just might be because I don’t think I could say anything bad about his writing if you paid me. His work on Daredevil is just that good and never ceases to amaze me. The same can be said for Paolo Rivera, who will be at Boston Comic Con this month!

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Confessions of a Wrestling Superfan: Chapter 2: WrestleMania 14

I was a junior in High School when Wrestlemania 14 invaded the Fleet Center in Boston. I marked out like a schoolgirl at a Justin Bieber concert when it as announced a year earlier during the Wrestlemania 13 broadcast. Fast forward one year later, and I’m wondering how I’m going to skip school without my parents finding out to see the WrestleMania Public Workout at City Hall Plaza.

It was a well-timed endeavor that required me to leave my house and walk all the way around my neighborhood and double back to hideout at a friend’s house, who was also skipping school. My father is one of those folks who loves to look out the window and take in the sights. The only way to avoid him was to stand on the back porch banister and jump over a large un-climbable fence. I flew over the fence with the grace of a bear and hit the ground running on my way to the train station.

I arrived at City Hall Plaza three hours early, and there must have been 5,000 people already there. In-ring action saw Taka Michinoku pin Scott Taylor to retain Light Heavyweight title and the Headbangers defeated Los Boricuas to retain the NWA Tag Team Titles. The show ended with an in-ring confrontation between Steve Austin and DX, with Mike Tyson, in which Austin was jumped by Los Boricuas and tied in the ring ropes, allowing Tyson, HBK, and HHH to kiss Austin’s head.

Shawn Michaels received no love from the Boston faithful as some fan nailed him in the head with a battery. He left the ring in a heated frenzy, and HHH was left to pick up the pieces with a confused Mike Tyson. Shawn and Vince McMahon got into a heated argument in the entranceway and Vince had the angriest look I have ever seen on a human being as he yelled and pointed at the ring. Of course, HBK listened to the boss and went back to the ring.

Later that evening, my father summoned me to the living room. I had no idea what was coming as he calmly asked me to sit down and watch something he had recorded. He popped a tape into the VCR and I was treated to the six o’clock news courtesy of WCBV Channel 5 Boston. News anchor Natalie Jacobs provided a lovely voice-over saying, “You are watching a truant officer’s worst nightmare” as the camera panned by yours truly flipping the bird and yelling obscenities while proudly wearing my Austin 3:16 shirt.

My jaw hit the floor in sheer terror as he rewound the tape and asked me if I recognized the individual on the screen. I couldn’t believe it. He asked me what I was thinking, but my mouth could not produce an answer. He told me I was grounded for a week, and I could forget about Wrestlemania.

Around 2:00 pm on Wrestlemania Sunday, a sudden rush of courage came out of nowhere, and I knew I was catching that 2:49 pm train into Boston. As I left the house, my Mom asked me where I was going. I didn’t say anything, I just looked at her. She knew where I was going and gave me her blessing with a simple smile.

My friends and I arrived in Boston and the front door of the Fleetcenter was turned in a mini block party courtesy of the W.W.F. Every local radio station was giving out free food and swag. We bought stolen Wrestlemania t-shirts from some guy in an alley. I also bumped into Vlad the superfan that can be spotted in the front row of every W.W.F. pay-per-view in the ’80s to ’90s. I wanted to ask him how he always got such good seats but I was too scared to ask.

We secured our last row balcony seats and get ready for the grand-daddy of them all. The show opens with the worst rendition of the national anthem ever sang courtesy of Chris Warren’s D-Generation X band. I believe it was dubbed the “new wave alternative version.” They were booed out of the building, and if you heard it, you would have booed them too. Jim Ross tried to cover it up on commentary by saying, “That is what the W.W.F. is all about. The freedom of expression.”

The opening match was a Tag Team Battle Royal to determine the #1 contenders for the tag titles. Animal & Hawk won by eliminating The New Midnight Express (Bombastic Bob Holly & Bodacious Bart Gunn). They came in with a new look calling themselves L.O.D. 2000 and a new manager in Sunny. L.O.D. got a big pop when their music hit because they were in the midst of a break up the last time they were seen on T.V. There were a lot of makeshift teams, and the one that got the biggest reaction was Flash Funk & Steve Blackman. Taka Michinoku pinned Aguila with the Michinoku Driver to retain the Light Heavyweight title. Both wrestlers worked hard but their match equated to a firework show.

Triple H pinned Owen Hart to retain the European Championship after a low blow from Chyna. The main attraction of this match was whether or not Chyna could interfere in the match since she was handcuffed to Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter. Chyna threw powder in Slaughter’s face during the closing moments of the match, giving her the opening to cost Hart the match.

Marc Mero & Sable defeated Goldust & Luna Vachon in a mixed tag team match. Sable was unquestionably the star of this match as her Powerbomb on Luna got one of the biggest pops of the night. Ken Shamrock defeated the Rock via ankle lock submission to win the Intercontinental Championship…but the decision was reversed when Shamrock wouldn’t let go of the ankle lock and belly to belly suplexed the officials who tried to make him release the hold. At the time, I was extremely disappointed about this because I was a big Shamrock fan.

The best match of the night was the Dumpster Match, where Cactus Jack & Terry Funk defeated the New Age Outlaws to win the tag team titles. The finish came when Funk used a forklift to drop the champions in a dumpster backstage. The titles were declared vacant the next night on Raw since it was determined the Outlaws were dumped in the wrong dumpster…lol, you got to love this business.

The Undertaker and Kane wrestled each other for the very first time. Before the match, Pete Rose came out and called Boston the city of losers and made references to the 1986 World Series. Kane came out and hit Rose with the Tombstone for his trouble.

Undertaker won the match after hitting Kane with three tombstone piledrivers. Afterward, Kane recovered and tombstoned the Undertaker onto a steel chair. This was the match I was most excited about, and it didn’t deliver. It was slow-paced, and the fans were chanting “Holyfield, Holyfield” throughout the match

The main event featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels w/ Mike Tyson as the special guest enforcer was a great match, but it is known more for its historical significance. Austin winning the WWF Title in this setting solidified him as the biggest superstar in the industry.

Everything was executed to perfection. The finish came when Austin caught the superkick, and hit the Stunner. Tyson revealed he was wearing an Austin 3:16 shirt underneath his DX attire, and K.O.’d Michaels for his trouble. Watching this at the time felt like you were a part of something special. It is one of the most important WrestleMania moments of all time because it ushered in the Attitude Era.

My friends and I were on cloud nine as we walked down to the commuter rail platform, only to discover the 11:49 pm train was going to be delayed until 2:00 am. Great, I already was going to catch an ass whooping from my Dad, and now I won’t be home until almost 3:00 am. I should have called my folks to let them know, but I was too scared.

Outside it was pandemonium. Yelling, screaming, and people getting arrested were the sights of the evening. Fans jumped on the hood of any wrestler’s car that left through the front gate of the arena. A white limo pulled up to the gate, and security doubled in an instant.

The limo took a right-hand turn out of the gate and stopped in the middle of the street. A muscular bald guy in jeans and a black t-shirt emerged from the sunroof. He was looking in the opposite direction so no one could see his face. Fans rushed to see if it was him. I snuck by the police and made it to the limo. He turned to look at me and it was him! Stone Cold Steve Austin.

Like the biggest mark, I yelled: “IT’S HIM, IT’S REALLY HIM.” The police blockade became a wall of jello as fans ran towards the limo. Austin started slapping hands with everyone as the police pulled people off the limo. I hung on to the limo with my knees on the bumper and hands gripped tightly to the boomerang-shaped T.V. antenna until one of Boston’s finest knocked me down with a forearm shiver to the jaw.

Definitely not my proudest moment.

I got home a little before 3:00 am, and lucky for me, my Dad was asleep. It felt like I had only slept for two minutes, and it was already time to get ready for school. I told my Mom about the train delay and asked her if I could stay home, and of course, she said no.

I came home after going through school like a zombie, expecting my father’s wrath. He was at work, and I asked my Mom if he had said anything. She replied, “He didn’t say anything. Nothing at all”. I said, “How could that be?” and she said, “He should have known better than to think he could prevent you from going to WrestleMania of all things…You’re still grounded, though.”

WTF Is Wrong With You TNA???

I try not to be one of those people who constantly bash TNA but their booking is at the height of idicoracy. Last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling was built around Sting trying to convince Dixie Carter to hire Hulk Hogan back to run the company. Sting must be suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dixie Carter must have the worst case of short term memory in human history. Why would remotely you consider having Hulk Hogan run your company after the year he just put you through? Oh, you don’t remember? Let’s take a stroll down memory lane, shall we?

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My Wrestling Dream Matches

What is your wrestling dream match? Anytime, anywhere and any era. There is no right or wrong answer because it is what you want to see. Whether it’s a match that never happened or a contest that happened at the wrong time, fantasy booking or create a wrestler made on your favorite video game can makes dreams a virtual reality. Here are my seven dream matches and please, share your dream matches in the comment section as well.

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Saga #1 Review

Eisner Award winner Brian K. Vaughn has produced an exquisite piece of writing that will undoubtedly raise the bar.

The story follows Marko and Alana, who are from opposing sides of an interplanetary war. The saga is narrated by the couple’s newborn child, which is an interesting twist that adds depth to the plot. Fiona Staples’ artwork is without question the best of the week and does a magnificent job of expressing the emotion of moments throughout the book.

The protagonists aren’t a super mushy couple, which is refreshing, but they still love each other, providing readers with some entertaining dialog.

The book is double-sized for only $2.99, and I would have gladly paid more.

I can’t believe I just typed that. I can’t believe I typed any of this. I’m simply at a loss for words at how much this book reeks of awesomeness.

Grade: A

Confessions of a Wrestling Superfan: Chapter 1: The Beginning at the Garden

To say I was a wrestling fan growing up would be an understatement. I’m that superfan who can answer any piece of wrestling trivia you can throw at me. I was hooked from the moment I saw my first episode of WWF Superstars on WLVI 56 Boston. Every wrestling figure of any kind was safely tucked away in my toy chest, and wrestling t-shirts were a normal part of my wardrobe.

Almost all of my friends were closet wrestling fans since it was taboo at the time. The slightest hint of being a wrestling fan came with public ridicule with the most popular remarks consisting of “I can’t believe you watch that stuff” and, of course, the dreaded “Don’t you know wrestling is fake?”.

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Detailed Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Live on FX

– The show opens in the UFC training center with host Jon Anik and Dana White talking about the history of the show and what will happen this season. The fights are live this season. 32 fighters will battle for the chance to get into the house which means we will be treated to 16 fights tonight.

Dana White announces the qualifying matches will consist of only one five minute round. “Make if the best &^$#@& five minutes of your life” White says. He also announces that fan voting will determine the Knockout, Submission and Fight of the season. The prize carries a $25,000 bonus for the winning fighter.

It is also announced that the season winner and coach will receive a Harley Davidson motorcycle and that anyone fighter who finishes their opponent through the season and including tonight’s qualifying bouts will receive a $5,000 bonus. The first fight of the evening is

1.) Joey Proctor (7-1) vs. Jordan Rinaldi (5-0)

Both fighters are trying to find their range but missing several shots. Proctor catches a leg kick by Rinaldi and sends him to the floor. He sinks the guillotine and keeps squeezing tighter and tighter until Rinaldi taps.

Winner Joey Proctor: from Pembroke, Massachusetts.

– No color commentary but we do get to listen to coaches Dominick Cruz (Whose team colors are red) and Urijah Faber (Who will be sporting blue) as they evaluate the fighters along with Dana White. When the winners are announced their Twitter handle is shown.

2.) Christiano Marcello vs. Jared Carlson

Marcello is a PRIDE veteran and a Rickson Gracie black belt in BJJ while Carlson is a Eddie Bravo black belt in BJJ. Both start trading low kicks and Carlson connects with a nice knee to the chin. Marcello hits an inside trip and lands in full mount. Marcello lands a few punches and elbows which causes Carlson to give up his back to only be met with a finishing rear-naked choke.

Winner: Christiano Marcello

3.) Sam Sicilla (10-0) vs. Erin Beach (3-1)

It is over almost as soon as it started as Sicilla lands a right hook and knocks Beach silly and the ref jumps in right away to call it off.

Winner: Sam Sicilla: Spokane Washington

4.) Austin Lyons (9-1) vs. Chris Tickle (7-4)

Tickle’s last two wins were over UFC veterans according to Jon Anik. Lots of windmill punches from both fighters until Tickle hits Lyons with a over hand right and a left to Lyons jaw on the way down and the ref calls a halt to the bout. 24 seconds is all it took.

Winner: Chris Tickle: Bloomington, Illinois

– Dana White asks the coaches who they are impressed with so far Dominick Cruz felt all the guys who lost came out slow while Urijah Faber said he is impressed with Christiano Marcello because he is well rounded.

5.) Brendan Weafer (6-3) vs. Andy Ogle (8-1)

Ogle takes Weafer down but lands in his guard. Weafer attempts a triangle choke and holds him in position while hammering away with punches. The choke is not working at all as Ogle maintains a solid base and pins Weafer against the fence while landing body shots. The fight is stood up with 23 seconds left and Ogle drops Weafer with a right hand and sinks on a guillotine but Weafer survives to end the round and we go to the judges for a decision.

Winner: Andy Ogle: Newcastle UK

– Chris Tickle’s is interviewed and he says he wants to be on Faber’s team because it will help him with his wrestling.

6.) Cody Pfister (7-3) vs. Vinc Pichel (7-0)

Pichel attempts an omoplata but fails and both fighters scramble back and fourth on the ground until Pichel lands some hard elbows that cut open Pfister and lands a few more punches to the jaw before he sinks a rear-naked choke at 3:39 of the round.

Winner: Vinc Pichel: Simi Valley, California

7.) Mark Glover (5-1-1) vs. John Cofer (7-1)

After a feeling out process on the feet they clinch against the cage. Glover has good range but he is not good in the clinch according to Dana White. Cofer lands several takedowns while absorbing or avoiding strikes to earn a decision.

Winner: John Cofer: Hull, Georgia

8.) Chase Hackett (5-1) vs. Chris Saunders (9-1)

Hackett has the better promo of the two stating he will win because he is the more handsome fighter. Saunders proves he is the better fighter as throws some leg kicks and attempts a guillotine choke. Hackett survives and they get back to their feet but he doesn’t throw any punches. Saunders takes him down again and attempts another guillotine but Hackett survives as we go to the judges.

Winner: Chris Saunders: Long Beach, California

: Which Coach Will Leave the Octagon as Champion in July?

9.) James Vick (4-0) vs. Dakota Cochrane (11-2)

Vick has a huge reach advantage at 6-4 compared to Cochrane’s 5’7. Cochrane closes the distance and clinches against the fence. They keep switching positions but they are at a stalemate as no damage or advantage to fighter. The ref breaks them up to restart at the center and Cochrane immediately shoots for another takedown and Vick attempts a choke but Cochrane escapes with seconds left in the fight. Not sure how the judges will score this one.

Winner: James Vick via split decision: Fort Worth, TX

10.) Mike Chiesa (7-0) vs. Johnavan Vistante (4-1)

Chiesa shoots in quickly and for the takedown and secures a quillotine. Vistante escapes but gives up his back and receives a few punches for his troubles before Chiesa sinks in the rear-naked choke for the submission.

Winner: Mike Chiesa: Spokane, WA

11.) Mike Rio (8-1) vs. Ali Maclean (9-5-1)

Maclean lands several stiff jabs before Rio lands the takedown and works him over in side control before getting his back and traps him with a body triangle and finishes him with a rear naked choke.

Winner: Mike Rio: Miami, Flordia

12.) James Krause (14-4) vs. Justin Lawrence (3-0)

It’s the battle of Missouri as both fighters desperately want to get into the house. Lawrence connects with a fast high kick to the head. They circle for a few more seconds until Lawrence lands a vicious left hook that sends Lawrence crumbling down and unleashed a ground and pound assault to finish the job

Winner: Justin Lawrence: Villa Ridge, Missouri

13.) Drew Dober: (8-3) vs. Daron Cruickshank (10-2)

Both of Cruickshank’s parents are black belts in Karate and Dober is a former Baker who is fighting to get his mom out of the bad part of Omaha. Cruickshank comes out very aggressive and lands several shots and misses a spinning back kick before taking Dober down. Dober is working very hard for the takedown after taking several shots but he just can’t take him down.

They fight against the fence and Dober hits Cruickshank low with a knee. Dana White says both corners suck because neither are telling their fighters how much time if left. Dober controls Cruickshank in the last couple of seconds but it wasn’t enough to earn the decision.

Winner: Daron Cruickshank: Wayne, MI

14.) Jeremy Larson (8-2) vs. Jeff Smith (9-1)

Its “Handsome” in Larson vs. “The Submission Technician” in Smith. Smith takes Larson down right away and sinks in a tight guillotine but Larson escapes. Larson takes Smith down and almost gets caught in an armbar. Smith traps in a tow hold-hold and switches a kneebar but Larsen escapes and winds up in side control and pounds on him but Smith attempts one last heel hook to close the round.

Winner: Jeremy Larson: Phoenix, AZ

15.) Al Iaquinta (5-1-1) vs. Jon Tuck (6-0)

Iaquinta was supposed to be on season 12 but had to bail due to a broken hand. Iaquinta catches a body kick from Tuck brings him down to the mat where he ends up in an armbar by Tuck. Iaquinta powers out but Tuck takes his back in a beautiful transition but Iaquinta escapes. Tuck keeps looking down for some reason. Damn, Tuck has a severely messed up toe on his right foot. Iaquinta secures another takedown and finishes the round on top while landing strikes.

Winner: Al Iaquinta: Wantagh, NY

16.) Akbarh Arreola (19-6-1) vs. Myles Jury (9-0)

Myles Jury was supposed to be on Brock Lesnar’s team for season 13. Jury takes him down at the speed of light an controls the entire fight with his wrestling against the cage. The ref stood the fight up and Jury takes Arreola down again. Arreola had no answer as Jury felt no threat in his guard which is where the rest of the fight took place. It is revealed during the fight that Jury trains with Dominick Cruz on the regular.

Winner via decision: Myles Jury: San Diego, CA

: The Ultimate Fighter 15 Cast

Dana White brings all of the winners together and reminds them about how much they sacrificed to be in the position they are in. “This is just the beginning” says White. ” Congratulations, but this is where the hard work begins. Get ready for the hardest 13 weeks of your life.” White says as the show comes to an end.