The artists over at DeviantArt.com have produced some cool wrestling art work but their depictions cover all genres. If you think it, someone on this site has probably drawn it. Check out some of their images on this post and head on over to check out their catalog.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of TNA Impact (Blog I wrote for gerweck.net)
The Good: The opening segment with Austin Aries delivered on all accounts, mainly because of Austin Aries. Yes, I know Vince cut him from Tough Enough before it began and some critics feel he is too small to be in a main event world title match on pay-per-view, but his in-ring work and charisma makes you forget about those things. He is one of the best workers on TNA’s roster and I expect him to take full advantage of his opportunity at Destination X which will be the most important match of his career.
Continue reading “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of TNA Impact”
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.
Continue reading “Ten Greatest WWE Intercontinental Champions Of All Time”
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.
Continue reading “Monday Night Raw Going Permanently To Three Hours In July”
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.
Continue reading “Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart: A Look Inside The Pink & Black Attack”
Like many wrestling fans in Massachusetts, I discovered ECW while stumbling onto the Spanish channel at 1:00 a.m. I salivated over the brutality on my TV screen set as wrestlers hit each other with steel chairs and putting one another through tables as if it were going out style. Fans threw weapons into the ring, cussing illustrated the diversity of sentence structure, wrestlers mentioned other promotions by name and rabid fans who wanted blood were as common as a headlock.
Continue reading “Taz: A Look Into The Path of Rage”
The build for Wrestlemania is heating up with six big matches announced.
The Rock vs. John Cena
Hell in a Cell: HHH vs. The Undertaker
WWE Title: CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho
World Heavyweight Title: Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
Intercontinental Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show
Randy Orton vs. Kane
Those matches are enough for any wrestling fan to throw down their $54.95. With such a stacked line up already would any other match just be a let down? There will be a Divas’ match added to the card and the drama between Teddy Long and John Laurinaitis will probably culminate with a five man tag to determine one General Manager. Look at the current roster of wrestlers to see who doesn’t have a match yet.
Continue reading “Wrestlemania is taking Shape, Is The Rock a Heel and More.”
The newest member of the WWE Hall of Fame was announced on Raw last night and the man who will get the honor is none other than the first black World Heavyweight Champion: Ron Simmons
Continue reading “Newest Member of the WWE Hall of Fame Announced”
(Column I wrote for gerweck.net)
On Raw, HHH told the world why he rejected the Undertaker’s challenge to a rematch at Wrestlemania 28. HHH said there was always a chill that went up his spine when he was in his presence. Last week, he didn’t feel the same way as he looked into his eyes and instead felt sad for him. He knows what type of beating he gave the Undertaker last year and now he knows the dead man’s limit. HHH said he would take him out once and for all and suggested that this may be what Taker wants but he won’t be the guy to do it. As HHH leaves, his music stops and the lights go out. A video message form the Undertaker airs stating his victory over HHH means nothing as he stares at images on a wall of him being carried out ala Ray Finkle style. He offers him one more chance at immortality and vows this is not over.
Continue reading ““My Victory Over You Means Nothing” A Look into The Undertaker vs. HHH”
The bright lights of FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, shined down on WWE as the Royal Rumble brought mayhem, action, and excitement to a worldwide audience. I attended this event with some good friends, and it was quite the show, even though it was obvious to me that Brock Lesnar would win the Rumble to set up his match with Kurt Angle at Wrestlemania 19.
In my youthful years, I would wait outside the security gates on Causeway St. to catch a glimpse of the wrestlers entering the building on the off chance that one of them would hand out an autograph. I never obtained an autograph in all my years of attending events. However, I did witness Booker T and Rob Van Dam trade backstage passes for a bag of weed with a fan a few hours before the show.
I remember little about the Spike Dudley vs. Steven Richards on Sunday Night Heat, except for fans chanting “ECW, ECW” throughout the match. The opening match for the pay-per-view pitted The Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar, where the winner gained entry into the Royal Rumble match. Both men traded power moves back and forth until Lesnar landed the F5 for the victory. Big Show jumped Lesnar from behind in a jealous rage after the bell and injured his ribs, thus casting doubt over Lesnar’s participation later on.
The Dudley Boyz wrestle Lance Storm & William Regal in a match, with the usual bad guys getting the upper hand for most of the match until D-Von makes the hot tag to Bubba Ray. He cleans house and sets up Regal for D-Von’s dreaded “WAZZZZZ UUUUUP” headbutt from the top rope. They nailed Storm with the Dudley Death Drop and captured their 8th WWE Tag Team Championship. Torrie Wilson beat Dawn Marie in a forgettable match, and fans were disillusioned with the entire angle due to the storyline involving the fake death of Torrie’s father, which was done in a dull and shameless manner.
Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner, who was making his in-ring return to WWE. This was a WWE vs. WCW dream match that became a nightmare. Steiner got winded five minutes into the match and looked completely lost. Most wrestlers kick, punch, or clothesline, but Steiner threw suplex after suplex until Triple H got himself disqualified to end the match. The fans loved Steiner when he walked in and hated him when he left. This is why you never saw him near the main event again: if Hunter can’t pull a good match out of you, then Fuhgeddaboudit.
The WWE title match was next as Kurt Angle defended against Chris Benoit. This was the single greatest wrestling match I have ever seen in person. The fans inside the FleetCenter witnessed 20 minutes of wrestling poetry. Boston is usually funny regarding technical wrestling since we have been treated to many of the greatest moments in history. The fans were on the edge of their seats as these two gave it everything they had. What made this match unique is that it was a different style than WWE was used to producing.
Angle and Benoit had no restrictions on what they were allowed to do. At the 12-minute mark of the match, Benoit hit a release German suplex that turned Angle inside out and jacked the crowd out of their seats. Benoit applied his fifth Crippler Crossface, but Angle reversed it and secured the Ankle Lock for the fourth time in the match. Benoit used his legs to kick him away several times, but Angle held on like a pit bull. Angle pulled Benoit to the center and sat down on the leg, and with nowhere to go, Benoit had no choice but to tap out.
This match represented the difference between Raw and Smackdown at the time. Raw was the show for big angles, while Smackdown was a wrestler’s wrestling show. The standing ovation Chris Benoit received after the match was a moment I would never forget, as he was the guy who was my professional influence as a wrestler. I also believe that ovation made Vince McMahon realize Benoit could be a world champion.
It is now time for the Royal Rumble!
15 Raw superstars and 15 Smackdown superstars duked it out, with the winner getting a title shot against their brand’s champion in the main event at WrestleMania 19. Even though it was one of the least memorable Rumbles in history, it did have its moments, including Chris Jericho’s MVP performance, eliminating Shawn Michaels almost immediately. Rey Mysterio and Edge came out early and delivered some action-packed moves.
Tommy Dreamer came in at #10 and turned it into a hardcore rumble with a trash can full of weapons, ala New Jack. The innovator of violence cleaned house with an arsenal of household items and hit Jericho with the mother of kendo stick shots. The sound reverberated like a gunshot as Jericho Nestea plunged to the canvas. Y2J got the last laugh as he made Dreamer his 6th elimination of the night.
Rikishi came in at #20 and super kicked the hell out of everyone but was eventually eliminated by Batista. Shawn Michaels came back out to try and failed to illegally eliminate Chris Jericho but provided enough distraction for Test to big boot the Winnipeg native over the top rope and out of the Rumble. The heavy hitters started coming in with Lesnar at #29 and The Undertaker at #30.
The final four came down to Lesnar, Taker, Batista and Kane. Undertaker eliminated Batista and then battled Kane before eliminating him. Batista was angered at his elimination, so he distracted Undertaker by attempting to hit him with a chair, but Undertaker avoided it and nailed Batista with a chair. Lesnar took advantage of the situation and eliminated a distracted Undertaker to win the Royal Rumble.
Overall, the 2003 installment of the Royal Rumble was a thumbs-in-the-middle affair. Raw was exposed while Smackdown reigned supreme. The Rumble sold the show, but the WWE Title Match stole the show with a performance that will be forgotten due to the scandal that scarred Benoit’s reputation forever. However, he wasn’t the only one in that match because it takes two to tango. I remember 1/19/03 as a great time with my best friends, and the night Kurt Angle proved that he was the best wrestler on the planet with a once-in-a-lifetime performance that will never be duplicated.
