Column written for gerweck.net
I thought that Undertaker vs. Undertaker was going to be the greatest match of all time. To say I was wrong is a huge understatement. The forgettable encounter at Summer Slam 1994 is remembered as one of the most horrendous main events in wrestling history. As a kid, I ate up anything and everything that wrestling had to offer, but this was a match that can’t be defended.
Continue reading “Undertaker vs. Undertaker: The Gravest Match In Summer Slam History”
Money in the Bank was an excellent event that pulled out all the stops and produced a great moment when Paul Heyman blindsided CM Punk with a ladder and cost him the MITB briefcase. These moments are normally reserved for Monday Night Raw. It’s not hard to understand why, considering that more people will always watch free Raw than a pay-per-view. Still, I would have bet any amount of money that the turn would have happened on Raw and build to a Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk match at Summer Slam.
Continue reading “Heyman Hustle Shines on Pay-Per-View”
Column I wrote for Gerweck.net
Chris Benoit was my professional idol. There, I said it. It’s something that no one except my close friends know. In a way, I’m ashamed of this even though no one could have predicted the horrific events that occurred six years ago this very day. I remember where I was when I heard the news about the murders. I had just gotten out of class and my friend Reid call me and said: “I have something to tell you and you should sit down.”
Continue reading “Remembrance of Chris Benoit”
In the Summer of 1996, Professional Wrestling’s Monday Night Wars were heating up. The nWo became an instant ratings bonanza for World Championship Wrestling while the World Wrestling Federation was struggling for their piece of the pie. In August of that year, Jim Ross announced that Diesel and Razor Ramon were heading back to WWF. This created a tidal wave of controversy as the men who performed as Razor and Diesel, were under contract to WCW.
Continue reading “What if the Fake Diesel and Razor Ramon Actually Worked?”
Dolph Ziggler cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase and defeated Alberto Del Rio to become the World Heavyweight Champion. It was a moment many wrestling fans have been clamoring for and it occurred the night after WrestleMania 29. That’s the problem, it happened after, and not at WrestleMania.
Continue reading “The New WWE – for better or for worse?”
With WrestleMania 29 upon us, I got the sudden urge last week to dig into my DVD collection and watch WrestleMania 2. It’s not the most popular Mania of all time, but it was a big deal back in 1986.
The first time I watched this event was in the early 90’s when I rented it from a mom and pop video store that had a massive wrestling collection. I believe this was the first time I had watched it since and boy, did I forget a lot about this event! In fact, I forgot so much of what happened that I almost turned in my wrestling fan card.
Continue reading “Things I forgot about WrestleMania 2”
I got to see The Rock’s new movie, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and I have got to say it was pretty decent. If you grew up screaming “Yo Joe,” you will have your likes and dislikes about the film.
We pick up where the 2009 movie left off as the Joes, under the command of Duke, are ambushed and all but wiped out by order of the Zartan under the guise of the President of the United States. Roadblock, Lady Jaye, and Flint are the only survivors, and they put a plan in action to stop Cobra’s sinister plot as the fate of mankind hangs in the balance.
The movie was scheduled to be released in June 2012, but the studio pushed the date back to convert it to 3-D. It was also reported that the film tested poorly and that the main source of criticism stemmed from the fact that Duke, played by Channing Tatum, was killed off so quickly.
The majority of the original cast was not brought back for this film, which was designed to give the franchise a fresh coat of paint instead of going into reboot mode. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Several subplots were embedded throughout the film. Some work, but some don’t, as more time should have been spent on character development.
Adrianne Palicki was sensational as Lady Jaye, D.J. Controna was useless as Flint and Ray Stevenson was picture-perfect as Firefly, Cobra’s deadly saboteur. Enough about these jabronies. What you really want to know is, did the WWE Champion bring it? The answer is absolutely yes. Rock and Palicki were the only ones who felt comfortable and natural in their roles as Joes.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a fun enough movie that sometimes gets in its own way. While Retaliation scores higher marks than its silver screen predecessor, it lacks the gravitas that made the cartoon a pop culture staple.
Don’t go into the movie expecting a carefully crafted story. It’s an action flick that just so happens to have the name G.I Joe plastered on it. Expecting absolute greatness out of any film will never live up to such an elevated expectation. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the explosive ride.
Guess what folks? John Cena can wrestle, and he proved it last Monday when he and CM Punk tore the house down, and arguably had the best match in the history of Monday Night Raw.
Is Cena the world’s greatest wrestler? No. Are his promos gods awful and infuriating at times? Absolutely. The fact of the matter is you can’t suck and have the kind of match that he had. CM Punk does bring the best out of him, but Cena wasn’t carried in any way, shape, or form.
“I’m serving humble pie and I hope all of my critics are hungry” were the first verbal shots fired by John Cena in his pre-match promo. He was determined to have the kind of match that fans will be talking about for years to come.
Cena is a lousy mechanic, which is what he gets such a bad rap for. However, he can tell a great story and knows how to work in the right situations. Don’t believe me? Let’s take trip down memory lane and look at the best John Cena matches.
Click here to read the rest of my column at Gerweck.net: Pro Wrestling News Since 1997
This past Monday on Raw, The Rock unveiled the new WWE championship belt. Some like it, but most seem to hate it. Truth be told, I will take anything over that awful spinner belt. Sure, the diamond encrusted center plate looks a little bedazzled and is a far cry from a traditional design. It will take some getting used to but I think people will grow to like it.
As a kid, I hated the Winged Eagle belt that Randy Savage won at WrestleMania 4. I was at WrestleMania 14 where Steve Austin beat Shawn Michaels in the last match contested for the title. The next night on Raw, Vince McMahon presented Austin with what became known as the Attitude Era belt which is my favorite version of the championship. Today, I’m fond of the Winged Eagle belt as I’m ushered back to my childhood whenever I see it
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as some belts look better than others and carry more prestige. Here are some thoughts the belt designs I’ve always enjoyed:
Continue reading “New WWE Title and a Rundown of My Favorite Championship Hardware”
Dutch Mantel’s second trip into World Wrestling Entertainment has caused quite a stir with his new managerial role. Jack Swagger is a talented in-ring performer but he doesn’t have the chops on the microphone. Mantel, now Zeb Colter, might be just what the Division I All-American needs.
Mantel’s previous run in the WWE was in 1995-1996 under the name, Uncle Zebekiah. He managed Jacob and Eli, The Blu Brothers, and Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw who went on to become main event star, JBL.
My newest gerweck.net column titled The Colter Conundrum, explores the use of racist story arcs in the WWE in regards to this new character. Click here to check it out!
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