TNA Slammiversary 2009 Review & Thoughts

You can read my full review of TNA's seventh Slammiversary PPV on the sun online's wrestling website. www.the-sun.co.uk/wrestling

My thoughts on the show as whole are good, the matches were all of an ok standard, but the Shane Douglas V Daniels scrap was a waste of time, the British Invasion run-in ruined a great tag team title match and the Samoa Joe jump to the Main Event Mafia seems bizarre after his months of pulverising the MEM members. Hopefully the appearance of Taz (as Joe's mentor) may help sort this storyline mess out.
Will Kurt's new title reign help him stick with TNA, because from what I hear the WWE will be calling him soon with a nice offer to do a Shawn Michaels style PPV/TV taping contract. Will Kurt jump back or stay with the company that has revitalised his career?

Former WWE Diva Lucha-goes on Tour!

Written by Phil Allely

Known to wrestling fans as Lita in the WWE or as Miss Congeniality in ECW, Amy Dumas had a remarkable career in the industry during the period between 1999-2007. Her alignment with popular The Hardy Boyz saw her emerge as a role model for teenage girls across the globe. Her tattoo’s, attitude, ability and funky attire appealed to millions and made Lita a superstar and positive Women‘s champion for the company, she had many memorable feuds and matches during this time.

Her subsequent fall from grace and eventual leaving of the WWE was less favourable however, after a real-life affair between her and upper mid-carder Edge spoiled her relationship with Matt Hady and spilled over onto WWE TV, Amy saw her onscreen character become a much hated sexed-up hanger on, simply there as trimming for Edge’s meteoric rise as the Rated R Superstar we know today.

Like the recently departed Vickie Guererro Dumas saw her farewell from the company as a huge letdown, going out with a similar embarrassing incident as poor Vickie, hers courtesy of tag team Cryme Time. Although the four time women’s champ has returned on occasion to WWE screens, she is now retired from the ring.

Guererro should however take notice of how Amy used her departure to her advantage and has fared well in her ‘future endeavour’s’ (copyright WWE). Pursuing her interests in music and singing, Amy and her boyfriend Shane Morton formed Punk-rock band The Luchagors in 2006, independently releasing their debut album in 2007 and have found themselves an in-demand act, playing around the US, Mexico and now they are about to embark on a debut UK/Ireland tour this July & August.

Fans can catch Amy and her four-piece band live by checking out www.mypspace.com/theluchagors13 for dates, venues and more information.

Hulk Hogan's New Auto Biography Preview

I have just seen the press release for the new autobiography of Hulk Hogan. Entitled My Life Outside The Ring, the book is due for release on October 27th in the US and probably the new year or so here in the UK.
According to the blurb, the book will look at The Hulkster's more recent non-wrestling adventures, his son Nick's near fatal car crash, Nick's imprisonment, lawsuits, the infamous Hogan divorce, the fall and in his own words rise of the new Hulk Hogan and much more.
Should make for some very interesting reading eh!

Phil Allely

The Wrestler On DVD

So after a few months of hype, Oscar nods and misses, festival success and a couple of new awards on Mickey Rourke's mantelpiece, I thought I might revisit the movie which I raved about when viewed in the cinema back then.

We all know the documentary style film tells the story of one-time grappling superstar Randy ' The Ram' Robinson and his fall from grace to a weekend warrior earning a pittance in front of a few fans.

Well watching it now, on reflection I may have over hyped the film, whilst it still packs a punch and makes for excellent viewing for us wrestling fans and diehards, the more casual viewer will indeed switch off. I really do now see why the hype ever saw the Oscar wins that seemed inevitable. The story is decent and absorbing, but it does lack something.

Perhaps its my inner cynic here, but the sections showing Marisa Tomei and Randy interacting at the strip club are really not needed. The unrequited love story idea is good, but the inclusion of more wrestling and less of Tomei's bod, may have helped attract non-fans more.

I still admit the movie is superb, the writing, acting, direction, style and tone are perfect, but it does on reflection lack something to make it a classic.

My revised score is 6.5 out of 10 (maybe it needs the big screen to hit home more)

Phil Allely

It's Good To Be The King Sometimes: Jerry Lawler Book Review

OK today he is a parody of himself and best-known as the colour commentator on WWE broadcasts with a penchant for 'puppies', but Jerry 'The King' Lawler is far more than that.
This autobiography is a nice little homage to the man who we all know and love in the WWE. With a career of over 30 years in the business Lawler has done it all in the ring. He co-owned his own operation the USWA, had feuds with nearly all of the wrestling world's big names and lamost always played the face.
Jerry is a remnant of the hard knocks school of wrestling, he often bled for his cause, took serious beatings and sold-out most venues he performed in.
This book looks back at his matches with Terry Funk, Ric Flair, Jackie Fargo, Lou Thesz, Jeff Jarrett, Jesse Ventura, Andre The Giant and more modern performers such as The Undertaker, Bret Hart and The Rock.
Lawler has done it all and yet somehow his legend has laid low, did you he has never took part in a wrestlemania match!.
There are some nice bits of trivia included here, its nice to see 'The King' treated with the respect he deserves too.

7 out of 10

Phil Allely

Hollywood Hulk Hogan - Book Review

I know we laugh about him these days, his family melt-down, Brooke's breakdown and Linda dating a toyboy. But Hulk Hogan is one of the most famous and well known men in sports entertainment. His presence is unbelievable and just having him on an event guarantees main stream publicity.
I decided that it was time to give his WWE made autobiography a quick review, looking back at happier times for the legend.
Clocking in at over 450 pages (inc colour and B&W pics) this is a nice look back at the carer of the man who helped make the WWE what it is today and helped the flagging WCW almost break Vince McMahon.
Hogan started off his career as your average big muscle man, playing the heel and learning his craft where he could. He even worked for the WWF (before being let go to hone his skills in Japan etc). Hulk's big break came again when he was lined up to take the WWE title form the Iron Sheik and subsequently kick-start the Wrestlemania era for the company and new owner Vince McMahon Jr.
This book is candid at times in its storytelling, however as we all know Hogan's version of the truth can be somewhat hyped up. That's not to say this is an unworthy read, the opposite in fact, it's a pleasant and interesting one. The road tales and build-ups to feuds etc are all well presented and Hogan's ego really shines through (as it should I guess). We even get to read about his jump to WCW, heel turn and the formation of the NWO. His triumphant return to the WWE and the swansong of a Mania moment he had with The Rock.

I'd not want to ruin this book, but let's just say it will open your eyes a bit to the world Hogan lives in and at the same time it will give you a far better insight into how the federation of old worked.

7 out of 10

Phil Allely

Batista Gives Up His Belt

So it's happened again,Dave Batista has had to give up a title not long after he has won it. This week's Raw saw him leave for at least three months (to have his bicep repaired) and the belt will be up for grabs in a four-way match next week. Big Dave has stated that he will retire in 2010 and this latest set-back will no doubt hit that retirement plan home for him. Will we see him and Shawn Michaels both use Wrestlemania as a farewell show?

Only time will tell.

CM Punk Champ again

So he has done it again and cashed in his money in the bank briefcase for a shot at the world title and for the second time his capitalisation on a weakened champion has payed off. CM Punk is a huge crowd favourite and no matter how the WWE book him, he remains that. Having him as a smaller guy and fan fave as champ can only do good things for the company. But lets hope this time he holds the title for a bit longer and gets some credible opponents too. Just pray they don't try to make him a heel and ruin the idea totally.

In a side-note taking the title off Jeff Hardy like that only goes to show he must be leaving the company again or at least still undecided as to what to do.

Timeline The History of the WWE 1987 DVD Review

This is the latest in the timeline series form Kayfabe Commentaries, each one telling the true story of what happened in the then WWF during the chosen year. Our personality from that era this time is the one and only Honky Tonk Man.

Honky has a superb comedy style to his road stories and gives a wonderfully comic picture of the behind the scenes tales form his time in the federation.

some of the characters and storylines touched upon include: Roddy Piper retiring, Howard Finkel's influence on the company, Jake Roberts going into rehab, The Warrior, Jim Duggan, the Hogan and Andre feud, Alice Cooper appearing at wrestlemania, Dynamite Kid's injury and much more in a almost two hour nostalgia fest.

I'd highly recommend this to any veteran fans of the WWE and of the era.

9 out of 10

Phil Allely

Shimmer DVD Volume 5 Review

Shimmer is one of the US's most popular and well known women's wrestling company's. It not only puts on some superb matches and has a die hard following, but they also have been the place that many of today's more popular female grapplers have made their names before hitting the big time.

Volume 5 sees some familiar faces amongst the Shimmer regulars, they are Nikki Roxx (formerly TNA's Roxxi), Amazing Kong (now of course TNA's Awesome Kong), NIkita (WWE's Katie Lee Burchill) and of course a few others.

The matches are at times quick, but they are action packed and what Shimmer lacks in production values and live audience figures, they more than make up for in quality and action.

There are ten matches here and all have their selling points too, if you wonder what the women's leagues are like then this is the perfect introduction for you.

Find this release at all good Big Vision Entertainment stockists.

7 out of 10

Kennedy Gone From WWE

So as we all already know by now, Mr Kennedy has been let go by the WWE, not long after he returned form his latest injury. Of course Kennedy has had some problmes with management recently due to his dodgy comments during inerviews. Perhaps these and his rash of injuries have led to his leaving the WWE.
TNA may show an interest in him, but he like Taz will have a 90 day no-compete clause to work out first.