WrestleMania Officially takes Shape

Raw and SmackDown this week began to bring about some clarity to WrestleMania 33, which emanates from Orlando, Florida on Sunday, April 2nd. While several of the key matches, including the main event, were officially announced, there were no shocking revelations considering that the card was leaked online a month ago.

Vince McMahon deserves credit for sticking to his guns this time around where in years past he would change booking plans if he got the slightest whiff of a leak. So far, the storylines leading up to the matches have been good, thus making the journey as important as the destination. Continue reading “WrestleMania Officially takes Shape” →

WWE 2017 Fastlane Review

Atlee Greene is here with a review of WWE Fastlane, which emanated from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The main event saw Kevin Owens defend the WWE Universal Title against Goldberg. We also saw Roman Reigns take on Bruan Strowman and Bayley defended the Women’s Title against Charlotte.

Wrestling Soapbox: SmackDown Review and Fastlane Predictions

Randy Orton burns down the Wyatt Family compound, AJ Styles is going to WrestleMania, Kevin Owens defends the Universal Title against Goldberg and so much more!

This week on the Wrestling Soapbox, Atlee Greene and Adam Kohn review all of the goodness that was SmackDown and gives their preview and predictions for WWE Fastlane.

Is Shinsuke Nakamura Ready for WWE’s Main Roster?

If you’re an NXT fan, there is one question that comes up in every conversation: “when will Shinsuke Nakamura make his WWE main roster debut?” Those who appreciate the work of this ultra-charismatic and super talented superstar want to see him on either Raw or SmackDown, sooner rather than later.

Conventional wisdom says that Nakamura should be on the main roster by now. He’s a great worker who, unlike most Japanese wrestlers. is tailor made for WWE and the showmanship it requires to be one of their performers. I mean, come on…anyone who can dress as a hybrid of Michael Jackson and the Statue of Liberty, and make it work, is a performer through and through. Continue reading “Is Shinsuke Nakamura Ready for WWE’s Main Roster?” →

Braun Strowman Passed the Test

Braun Strowman took a test on Raw last Monday when he worked the Big Show in the main event. It happens to every wrestler who’s been groomed for a featured role. Yes, he can bump, he can sell, he is a towering colossus but can he tell a story in the ring that is worth the price of admission? Continue reading “Braun Strowman Passed the Test” →

Thoughts on DDP Joining the WWE Hall of Fame

The master of the Diamond Cutter will enter the WWE Hall of Fame as Diamond Dallas Page joins Kurt Angle, the Rock & Roll Express, and Teddy Long as a part of the 2017 class. There are those who question and completely dismiss the legitimacy of WWE’s HOF. Regardless of one’s position on the matter, it’s good to see these great performers getting a celebrated recognition with a payday to boot.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer brought up an interesting point regarding DDP’s pending induction into the Hall of Fame. Page’s one year run in WWE was a far cry from the heights he reached in WCW. In fact, backstage gossip made the rounds with rumors that Page couldn’t work (wrestle) and was made to look less than stellar on television as a result. Continue reading “Thoughts on DDP Joining the WWE Hall of Fame” →

How I (Not So Much) Defended the Honor of Pro Wrestling

Growing up, I absolutely hated it when people said that wrestling is fake. Now, I knew damn well that what happened in the ring wasn’t actual combat. However, the word “fake” belittles the talent and dismisses the hard work that it takes for wrestlers to perform in the ring. So, I categorically denied wrestling’s predetermined nature. I didn’t know how else to defend the business as a kid but eventually came up with a ridiculous way do to so… Street Fighter. Continue reading “How I (Not So Much) Defended the Honor of Pro Wrestling” →

2017 WWE Elimination Chamber Review

WWE Elimination Chamber brought about some crazy results as the event emanated from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Pheonix, AZ. Atlee Greene and Adam Kohn review all of the action as a new WWE World Champion was crowned.

2017 WWE Elimination Chamber Preview & Predictions

Atlee Greene and Adam Kohn give their preview and predictions for 2017 WWE Elimination Chamber, which emanates from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Pheonix, AZ.

The main event features a chamber match where John Cena will defend his WWE Championship against AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose, and The Miz.

American Alpha will also defend the SmackDown Tag Team Champion against five different teams in a tag team turmoil match and Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton will take on Luke Harper.

WWE only had two weeks to promote and build this SmackDown Live branded pay-per-view. With WrestleMania on the horizon, will that be enough time to deliver a stellar event?

Kevin Owens Needs to Win at WWE Fastlane

It’s official, Goldberg will not only be facing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33 on April 2, but he will also square off with Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship at Fastlane on March 5.

Both matches were made on Raw last night after Goldberg interrupted Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho in the ring. Goldberg accepted Lesnar’s challenge and then challenged Owens, which Chris Jericho accepted on behalf of his “best friend.”

If Goldberg beats Kevin Owens for the title, that means Brock Lesnar was essentially gifted a title match because he had the unprecedented luck in making the right challenge at the right time.

Under normal circumstances, if this was a shoot, Lesnar has no business getting a title shot after losing his last match to Goldberg in under two minutes. WWE creative, however, might ignore this aspect of the story and make it a title match anyways. Continue reading “Kevin Owens Needs to Win at WWE Fastlane” →