WWE PPV Review – Vengeance 2011
By Phil Allely
To many WWE’s Vengeance pay-per-view this year was one event too many in a few short months and really only there to keep us hanging on until Survivor Series came round. To others and your truly (if I am honest) it actually did make for very good honest viewing fun.
Kicking things off Air Boom (Kofi Kingston and Evan Bourne) successfully defended their Tag Team belts in a feisty opener, against the eager duo of Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler.
Following on directly Ziggler then redeemed himself a little by defeating young upstart Zack Ryder to hang on to his United States Championship. Swagger did of course help his friend out with a bit of outside interference.
Next up Eve Torres and Beth Phoenix offered up a very reasonable Divas Title match-up. With Kelly Kelly and Natalya barred from ringside this left it up to the in-ring duo to give it their best shot, which they both did, Phoenix nailing a good Glam Slam after Torres missed a moonsault.
Sheaumus versus Christian was a tidy looking back and forth affair, both men trading near falls and trademark moves. The mighty Irishman once again pulled off the win though by blocking a spear attempt to nail a Brogue Kick for the pin.
Miz and R Truth against Triple H and CM Punk was an ok outing for all concerned, but should have been a lot more special considering who was involved and the storylines that had led to this. The end came as Kevin Nash distracted Triple H, to allow Miz and Truth to put Punk down for the three count. Post match Nash hit a both beautifully executed and nasty looking Jackknife Powerbomb on Trips to build up their inevitable PPV meeting at Survivor Series.
Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes fell to Randy Orton in a non-title match next. Rhodes is certainly improving as a performer and his character is working well, Orton proved to be the perfect in-ring partner as well. Rhodes ended up setting up his own downfall as one of his ‘baggers’ got in his way and Orton hit an RKO for the popular pinfall.
World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry took on Big Show in a semi-main event that certainly left its mark on the fans at ringside and those watching from. Apart from the decent big man battling and power moves on display it was a well planned superplex that literally brought the house down. As both men fell to the mat the ring collapsed (much like a few years ago) and like before it looked spectacular and very dangerous for all concerned.
With both big men down (and crew attempting to move them) and no ring to wrestle in the decision was made to go ahead with the Last Man Standing main event between WWE Champion alberto Del Rio and challenger John Cena. Hard-hitting and highly watchable the pair put forth an enthusiastic and enjoyable bout. The WWE writers/producers and Cena/Del Rio all deserve praise for working so fluidly around the wrecked ring. The finish came as R Truth, The Miz and a Del Rio belt shot all took their toll on Cena to leave him un-capable of making the ten count.
Vengeance may not have broken PPV records, but it was nowhere near as bad as many thought. It built Survivor Series up nicely and has now left Cena an opening to concentrate on his upcoming feud with The Rock. Triple H and Nash now seem set to meet and big men Show and Henry must surely be set to cross paths once again too.
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
James Storm wins TNA Title
James Strom dethrones TNA Champ
By Phil Allely
Beer swigging ‘Cowboy’ James Storm is the new TNA World Champion after defeating Kurt Angle in the main event of this weeks Impact! Wrestling show.
Angle retained his cherished TNA World Heavyweight title at Bound for Glory in controversial fashion, many thinking he would drop the belt at the big show to heavily hyped challenger Robert Roode. This weeks Impact Wrestling episode shocked the wrestling world, as Beer Money member James Storm did what his tag partner couldn’t and defeated Angle to raise his first heavyweight crown.
After a lengthy promo from Hulk Hogan, Dixie Carter and new TNA decision maker Sting, an uber cocky Angle got the wind taken out of his sails by learning that he would be defending his gold against Storm in the shows main event.
The show also saw the return to TNA of former Knockouts Champion Gail Kim, who attacked new champ Velvet Sky.
Storm’s win is a big one for him and one that will take many fans by surprise, his short match with Angle was monumental for the grappler and sees him take the mantle of company figurehead , giving the company some new blood at the top. Sunsport eagerly anticipate the inevitable Roode/Storm battle for the gold. Kim’s return may be the very thing the struggling Knockouts Division need as well.
By Phil Allely
Beer swigging ‘Cowboy’ James Storm is the new TNA World Champion after defeating Kurt Angle in the main event of this weeks Impact! Wrestling show.
Angle retained his cherished TNA World Heavyweight title at Bound for Glory in controversial fashion, many thinking he would drop the belt at the big show to heavily hyped challenger Robert Roode. This weeks Impact Wrestling episode shocked the wrestling world, as Beer Money member James Storm did what his tag partner couldn’t and defeated Angle to raise his first heavyweight crown.
After a lengthy promo from Hulk Hogan, Dixie Carter and new TNA decision maker Sting, an uber cocky Angle got the wind taken out of his sails by learning that he would be defending his gold against Storm in the shows main event.
The show also saw the return to TNA of former Knockouts Champion Gail Kim, who attacked new champ Velvet Sky.
Storm’s win is a big one for him and one that will take many fans by surprise, his short match with Angle was monumental for the grappler and sees him take the mantle of company figurehead , giving the company some new blood at the top. Sunsport eagerly anticipate the inevitable Roode/Storm battle for the gold. Kim’s return may be the very thing the struggling Knockouts Division need as well.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Monday, 24 October 2011
WWE DVD Review: Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century
WWE DVD Review: The Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century
By Phil Allely
In reality we are only just over ten years into the century, but here the WWE have decided that we should look at the 20 greatest superstars of this new generation of wrestlers. The Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century is a pretty decent triple DVD set, the great thing being that even though the short vignettes/profiles pieces simply do their job in showcasing the individual, it is the match quality that makes this set a worthy addition to your collection.
Disc one houses the run-down of the top 20 WWE grapplers and what’s nice is that a handful are men that now work for other companies or are retired. There is also a relatively short but fun look at the Diva division and its rise to prominence with such female wrestlers such as Trish Stratus and Lita swelling its ranks in what was a boom period for the ladies roster.
Discs two and three are where things really pick up from a fan point of view, some of the bouts on offer are real belters too. As stated before the best ones here are those that have not appeared on many (if any) previous DVD releases or compilation discs. Of note are the Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar 60 Minute Iron Man Match from Smackdown, Triple H and Edge’s World Heavyweight Title scrap from Raw and a nice bout between Rey Mysterio and the late Eddie Guerrero form Smackdown. The rest of the matches may be from Pay-Per-Views, but they do still warrant a re-view, particularly the Batista/Undertaker World Heavyweight Championship encounter at WrestleMania 23, the Lita/Trish scrap form Unforgiven 2006 and the entertaining four-way brawl featuring JBL, Undertaker, Eddie Guerrero and Booker T.
The Greatest Superstars of the 2st Century is a very reasonable account of ten-eleven years of WWE high points and certainly highlights the big names of the decade. This could be a great introduction to the WWE for new fans of its product. Older ones may have many of the PPV bouts on disc two and three, but the inclusion of the Raw and Smackdown classics may just swing it for them to make the purchase, all in all we recommend this one.
Available now form www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers this is available as a triple disc DVD set (£29.99) and on double disc Blu-ray (£29.99).
By Phil Allely
In reality we are only just over ten years into the century, but here the WWE have decided that we should look at the 20 greatest superstars of this new generation of wrestlers. The Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century is a pretty decent triple DVD set, the great thing being that even though the short vignettes/profiles pieces simply do their job in showcasing the individual, it is the match quality that makes this set a worthy addition to your collection.
Disc one houses the run-down of the top 20 WWE grapplers and what’s nice is that a handful are men that now work for other companies or are retired. There is also a relatively short but fun look at the Diva division and its rise to prominence with such female wrestlers such as Trish Stratus and Lita swelling its ranks in what was a boom period for the ladies roster.
Discs two and three are where things really pick up from a fan point of view, some of the bouts on offer are real belters too. As stated before the best ones here are those that have not appeared on many (if any) previous DVD releases or compilation discs. Of note are the Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar 60 Minute Iron Man Match from Smackdown, Triple H and Edge’s World Heavyweight Title scrap from Raw and a nice bout between Rey Mysterio and the late Eddie Guerrero form Smackdown. The rest of the matches may be from Pay-Per-Views, but they do still warrant a re-view, particularly the Batista/Undertaker World Heavyweight Championship encounter at WrestleMania 23, the Lita/Trish scrap form Unforgiven 2006 and the entertaining four-way brawl featuring JBL, Undertaker, Eddie Guerrero and Booker T.
The Greatest Superstars of the 2st Century is a very reasonable account of ten-eleven years of WWE high points and certainly highlights the big names of the decade. This could be a great introduction to the WWE for new fans of its product. Older ones may have many of the PPV bouts on disc two and three, but the inclusion of the Raw and Smackdown classics may just swing it for them to make the purchase, all in all we recommend this one.
Available now form www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers this is available as a triple disc DVD set (£29.99) and on double disc Blu-ray (£29.99).
Friday, 21 October 2011
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Bruce Pritchard joins TNA, press release
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
TNA ENTERTAINMENT, HOME OF TNA¹S IMPACT WRESTLING
APPOINTS BRUCE PRICHARD TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
PROGRAMMING AND TALENT RELATIONS
Prichard¹s mark on pro wrestling continues with TNA
NASHVILLE, TN
(October 18, 2011) TNA Entertainment, home of TNA IMPACT WRESLTING, one of the top-rated
programs on Spike TV announces the appointment of Bruce Prichard as Senior Vice President
Programming and Talent Relations. Prichard is one of the most storied professionals in the world of prowrestling.
His 30+ years in the business includes an extensive list of achievements.
“TNA is gaining such a wealth of knowledge and insight as we continue to grow our business with the
addition of Bruce to our senior management staff,” states TNA President Dixie Carter. “This appointment
is another indication to the community that TNA¹s IMPACT WRESLTING is gaining ground across all
platforms; we are thrilled that Bruce is bringing his knowledge in television production, writing and talent
relations to TNA.”
Prior to joining TNA Entertainment, Prichard managed production of live domestic and international
television programming for WWE Inc./Titan Sports where he also served as a writer and on air talent for
the wrestling organization. Based in Houston, Texas, Prichard will oversee talent relations, talent
scouting and development, as well as, overseeing the creative direction of the company.
“I am looking forward to working with the exemplary talent both in front of the camera and behind the
scenes at TNA. There are some exciting new ventures in progress as we speak involving the tremendous
roster of current TNA superstars, as well as, development for the TNA superstars of the future,” says
Prichard. “We are expanding our roster and looking for new and adventurous additions to our television
product. I welcome the challenge and am invigorated by the endless opportunities this company provides.
Our fan base for our brand continues to grow and I am proud to be a part of it.”
RELEASE:
TNA ENTERTAINMENT, HOME OF TNA¹S IMPACT WRESTLING
APPOINTS BRUCE PRICHARD TO SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
PROGRAMMING AND TALENT RELATIONS
Prichard¹s mark on pro wrestling continues with TNA
NASHVILLE, TN
(October 18, 2011) TNA Entertainment, home of TNA IMPACT WRESLTING, one of the top-rated
programs on Spike TV announces the appointment of Bruce Prichard as Senior Vice President
Programming and Talent Relations. Prichard is one of the most storied professionals in the world of prowrestling.
His 30+ years in the business includes an extensive list of achievements.
“TNA is gaining such a wealth of knowledge and insight as we continue to grow our business with the
addition of Bruce to our senior management staff,” states TNA President Dixie Carter. “This appointment
is another indication to the community that TNA¹s IMPACT WRESLTING is gaining ground across all
platforms; we are thrilled that Bruce is bringing his knowledge in television production, writing and talent
relations to TNA.”
Prior to joining TNA Entertainment, Prichard managed production of live domestic and international
television programming for WWE Inc./Titan Sports where he also served as a writer and on air talent for
the wrestling organization. Based in Houston, Texas, Prichard will oversee talent relations, talent
scouting and development, as well as, overseeing the creative direction of the company.
“I am looking forward to working with the exemplary talent both in front of the camera and behind the
scenes at TNA. There are some exciting new ventures in progress as we speak involving the tremendous
roster of current TNA superstars, as well as, development for the TNA superstars of the future,” says
Prichard. “We are expanding our roster and looking for new and adventurous additions to our television
product. I welcome the challenge and am invigorated by the endless opportunities this company provides.
Our fan base for our brand continues to grow and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Monday, 17 October 2011
Kurt Angle Inetrveiw Highlights
“Sports Axxess” on PW 24/7
Hosts: Jerry Sorrentino, James Jefferson, and Joey Image
Full episode available at http://www.pw247radio.com/
Kurt Angle on his return to collegiate Olympic wrestling:
“I’ve been training for the last six months. The training has gone phenomenally well. I didn’t realize I was going catch on this quickly, but you know it’s like getting on a bicycle and riding again. That’s not to say it didn’t go without any injuries here and there. I’ve hurt my Achilles tendon and my hamstring but I’ve been hanging on tightly and training very hard. I’m on schedule so thank God, I have a very good chance of making the team. A lot of it has to do with me beating a guy named Jake Barter, who is a world silver and bronze medalist. He hasn’t had quite the success I have had when I was there but when I was there I was very young. I was in my mid-twenties and I didn’t have a game plan. Now I’m a lot older and wiser; I look at my training, I look at my game plan, I look at the way I’m going to wrestle. I know I’ll make a lot less mistakes and I know I’ll train more properly. The thing was that I had over-trained in the past. I was training nine or ten hours a day, and at some point it became counterproductive. I think I could have been a much better wrestler if I had done things the right way.”
On his line of food products:
“You know, a lot of people have been counting calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, but never count fiber. I’m going to say this now: fiber is the best kept secret in the world. It can really make or break your body. Fiber can help you lose fat, body weight, lower cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar. Basically it is the healthiest product on the market. There are a lot of fiber products that are one or two layer fibers. UltraFiber DX from Angle Foods is and eight layer fiber developed by a doctor in Germany. It was intended to help obese and diabetic patients to get off medication and help improve quality and longevity of life. You can purchase it at anglefoods.com. This is what you should be feeding your kids. The powder works as a cooking agent. You can make it into pancakes, pizza and bread dough, and so many other things.”
On the current direction of Impact Wrestling and “passing the torch”:
“God willing, we have more wrestling and less talk. I’ve been pushing for that. Sometimes we have people there on the show that don’t wrestle. They take up a lot of the show with only promos. The young guys need to step up and be the guys cutting the promos. It’s kind of a catch 22. We need to realize who we are and we need to fix the problem. The young talent needs the opportunity to shine. I’m one of the top guys in the company and I don’t want to remain there. I don’t know who it will be but I am more than willing to find somebody in the company to hand to torch over to and say ‘hey, you take the lead and I’ll follow you.’
"I’m near the end of my career. I’ve got three more years left with TNA Wrestling and then I’m done. I signed that deal with TNA so I can help the company. I want them to compete with WWE. It will take some time, but it will happen.”
In the remainder of this 20 minute interview, Kurt Angle also discusses his thoughts on Bobby Roode and why he considers Randy Orton to be one of the top guys in all of professional wrestling. This interview, along with many others, can be heard in its entirety exclusively on PW 24/7 Radio.
Hosts: Jerry Sorrentino, James Jefferson, and Joey Image
Full episode available at http://www.pw247radio.com/
Kurt Angle on his return to collegiate Olympic wrestling:
“I’ve been training for the last six months. The training has gone phenomenally well. I didn’t realize I was going catch on this quickly, but you know it’s like getting on a bicycle and riding again. That’s not to say it didn’t go without any injuries here and there. I’ve hurt my Achilles tendon and my hamstring but I’ve been hanging on tightly and training very hard. I’m on schedule so thank God, I have a very good chance of making the team. A lot of it has to do with me beating a guy named Jake Barter, who is a world silver and bronze medalist. He hasn’t had quite the success I have had when I was there but when I was there I was very young. I was in my mid-twenties and I didn’t have a game plan. Now I’m a lot older and wiser; I look at my training, I look at my game plan, I look at the way I’m going to wrestle. I know I’ll make a lot less mistakes and I know I’ll train more properly. The thing was that I had over-trained in the past. I was training nine or ten hours a day, and at some point it became counterproductive. I think I could have been a much better wrestler if I had done things the right way.”
On his line of food products:
“You know, a lot of people have been counting calories, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, but never count fiber. I’m going to say this now: fiber is the best kept secret in the world. It can really make or break your body. Fiber can help you lose fat, body weight, lower cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar. Basically it is the healthiest product on the market. There are a lot of fiber products that are one or two layer fibers. UltraFiber DX from Angle Foods is and eight layer fiber developed by a doctor in Germany. It was intended to help obese and diabetic patients to get off medication and help improve quality and longevity of life. You can purchase it at anglefoods.com. This is what you should be feeding your kids. The powder works as a cooking agent. You can make it into pancakes, pizza and bread dough, and so many other things.”
On the current direction of Impact Wrestling and “passing the torch”:
“God willing, we have more wrestling and less talk. I’ve been pushing for that. Sometimes we have people there on the show that don’t wrestle. They take up a lot of the show with only promos. The young guys need to step up and be the guys cutting the promos. It’s kind of a catch 22. We need to realize who we are and we need to fix the problem. The young talent needs the opportunity to shine. I’m one of the top guys in the company and I don’t want to remain there. I don’t know who it will be but I am more than willing to find somebody in the company to hand to torch over to and say ‘hey, you take the lead and I’ll follow you.’
"I’m near the end of my career. I’ve got three more years left with TNA Wrestling and then I’m done. I signed that deal with TNA so I can help the company. I want them to compete with WWE. It will take some time, but it will happen.”
In the remainder of this 20 minute interview, Kurt Angle also discusses his thoughts on Bobby Roode and why he considers Randy Orton to be one of the top guys in all of professional wrestling. This interview, along with many others, can be heard in its entirety exclusively on PW 24/7 Radio.
Sunday, 16 October 2011
Mickie James Interview Highlights
Mickie James participated in an interview with Female First while she was in the UK promoting TNA Wrestling’s upcoming Maximum Impact Tour and recalled her reaction to being released from her WWE contract last year. She admitted it was as big a shock for her, and did upset her.
“I think it angered a lot of people,” she says, continuing: “It would be one thing if I was doing a poor job, and I didn’t capture the fans every time I went out there, or if I wasn’t so good at what I did.”
As it was, it drained her of her passion for wrestling, until one show in a high school gym.
“I looked around the locker room, looking in these peoples’ eyes. There were people who had never been anywhere, never wrestled anywhere except here. You could see that fire in their eyes, that desire and that wanting to make it. I thought…s***, what happened to that?”
She adds: “It was one of those wonderful eye-opening things. I do this because I love it, I love entertaining the fans. I love what I do out there, and I’m amazing at it.”
This led her to TNA, with the organization acquiring another wrestler who gained notoriety in WWE. Whilst TNA sometimes comes under fire for pushing homegrown talent aside in favour of former WWE talent, she thinks it’s important to keep it fresh.
“You can’t do the same things over and over again. We have so much talent, there are ways to keep it fresh,” she explains, before pointing out that AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are still featured regularly on television.
She then adds that if people wanted to watch the same thing over and over again, they would tune into WWE.
“TNA really started to make a name for themselves with the X Division, stuff like that, because it was different, nobody else was doing it,” she says.
According to the article, the industry has it’s detractors, both in the wrestling press and with sceptics. James has a less-than-favorable opinion on the subject of “the poor end of the wrestling press” (referred to as “dirt sheets”):
She points out that “nobody reads those things”, adding: “I feel like, nine times out of ten, it’s somebody who thinks they know, but really they don’t.”
The industry also faces criticism from those who disregard what the wrestlers do as fake. James says, “We’ll never try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes and say there’s not a certain artwork to it. I guarantee you, 9 out of 10 people in the world wouldn’t step in the ring and do what I do, nor could they. I think we have one of the hardest jobs in the world.”
“I think it angered a lot of people,” she says, continuing: “It would be one thing if I was doing a poor job, and I didn’t capture the fans every time I went out there, or if I wasn’t so good at what I did.”
As it was, it drained her of her passion for wrestling, until one show in a high school gym.
“I looked around the locker room, looking in these peoples’ eyes. There were people who had never been anywhere, never wrestled anywhere except here. You could see that fire in their eyes, that desire and that wanting to make it. I thought…s***, what happened to that?”
She adds: “It was one of those wonderful eye-opening things. I do this because I love it, I love entertaining the fans. I love what I do out there, and I’m amazing at it.”
This led her to TNA, with the organization acquiring another wrestler who gained notoriety in WWE. Whilst TNA sometimes comes under fire for pushing homegrown talent aside in favour of former WWE talent, she thinks it’s important to keep it fresh.
“You can’t do the same things over and over again. We have so much talent, there are ways to keep it fresh,” she explains, before pointing out that AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are still featured regularly on television.
She then adds that if people wanted to watch the same thing over and over again, they would tune into WWE.
“TNA really started to make a name for themselves with the X Division, stuff like that, because it was different, nobody else was doing it,” she says.
According to the article, the industry has it’s detractors, both in the wrestling press and with sceptics. James has a less-than-favorable opinion on the subject of “the poor end of the wrestling press” (referred to as “dirt sheets”):
She points out that “nobody reads those things”, adding: “I feel like, nine times out of ten, it’s somebody who thinks they know, but really they don’t.”
The industry also faces criticism from those who disregard what the wrestlers do as fake. James says, “We’ll never try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes and say there’s not a certain artwork to it. I guarantee you, 9 out of 10 people in the world wouldn’t step in the ring and do what I do, nor could they. I think we have one of the hardest jobs in the world.”
Friday, 14 October 2011
Hulk Hogan Interview Highlights
Hulk Hogan taped an appearance with The Busted Open show yesterday that will air today at 3pm on Sirius Radio. Here are some interesting quotes:
Robert Roode: “Nah, he’s not ready. He’s not the next guy. Ya’ know, they might think he is. Dixie Carter might think he is. The whole world might think he is. He’s not the next guy. If I had to bet money on anybody and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy is the next guy if he keeps his act together. Um, that’s what you gotta to have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler, this is crossing barriers, medias, ya’ know media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. Getting your character down verbally has 90% to do with getting over. I just have a very strong feeling Kurt Angle’s going to clean his clock performance wise, and carry the match, and basically remains the champion. He’s training for the Olympics. He’s had some up and down moments, and I think this is not gonna be a down moment for Kurt Angle, so I’m betting that farm on him."
Wrestling Sting at Bound for Glory: "The main event is Kurt Angle, thank god! And uh, Bobby Roode stepped up, and he’s definitely become a presence, so I’m betting the farm on Kurt Angle, and uh, I guess I’m kind of like the icing on the cake, Sting and I have a crazy track record with Pay-Per-View buy numbers, and it just made sense to give everybody a little extra, and let everybody know, and, that it’s not a performance orientated match. Of course none of em’ were for me, anyway. But it’s a situation where I think there’s gonna’ be some interest to see what happens out there with Sting and I, and if I can roll my walker down the ramp, I’ll be good to go. I don’t even want to think about it. It’s just going to happen like everything else. I’m not into talking about diving off something or falling off something. I never have really talked about a match. There’s really nothing to talk about. You gotta’ go out there and listen to what the people want. They want a car crash, they’ll get one. I’m not looking for back surgery #9 or anything like that. I mean I’m not out of my mind, and crazy. I don’t think Sting’s ever really had anything broken on his face. My nose and teeth are, have been so beat up, it doesn’t matter, but Sting? I don’t know if he can take one straight in. Even as of last week, it was there. I just stood in the ring with him, and it’s electric. I mean it’s there. You just follow that energy man, and we could end up in the middle of the ring, we could end up at the top of the building, I mean you just don’t know. It could go 5 seconds, it could go 50 minutes, I don’t know. I mean, if it’s there, it’s there, and right now, standing in the ring with him, it’s there. I’ve stood in the ring with a lot of people that it hasn’t been there. But I’m not worried about this one because it’s there. The feeling and the energy’s there from the people. They want to see something crazy happen. Well, I had my last match a long time ago, so we definitely didn’t attempt to build this as a match. It’s kind of like, almost a grey area again. The crazier Sting gets, the more over his character gets, but then the down side should have been me getting booed more, but it’s kind of like the N.W.O. feel all of a sudden. The more aggressive I get, the more people cheer me out of loyalty, out of love, out of compassion, whatever it is. I think the people might’ve farted at me turning good guy, shaking hands, and going you know what? One last fight, and I’m gonna’ fade off into the sunset. I don’t think they would’ve bought that. The timing doesn’t feel right for that."
James Storm: "I’d go with James Storm all day long. Mainstream brotha’! Cowboy hat, beer drinking, middle America, Nascar, Walmart, Country Western. I mean all day long, it’s a no brainer. That’s me. That’s my opinion. So, I mean, Bobby Roode’s a tremendous athlete. I would change. I’d build him from Venice Beach, California or Omaha, Nebraska instead of, I dunno, Canada, eh’? I love him to death. He’s a great kid. When he looked down at me from the ring, and we had an argument one day, and he goes, “What the hell have you ever done?” I said man, this guy’d be a great heel, but yeah he has a lot of potential there for him to, but if you ask me to choose who to run with’, and you gave me those two choices? That’s my opinion."
Jeff Hardy: "If I had to bet money on anybody, and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy’s the next guy if he keeps his act together. Well, I think he’s got a lot of shine to him, I mean he just doesn’t have 5-star matches. He shines outside the ring. He walks through the mall, and people know who he is. He’s got a look, he’s got an air about him. He’s got the “IT” factor. That’s what you gotta’ have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler. This is crossing barriers, medias,, media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. And I think the kid, Jeff Hardy has the potential to really be the guy."
AJ Styles: "It’s never too late. I mean, I just don’t know. I, when I first came in all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed a couple of years ago, I had a ton of suggestions which I was kind of pushing real hard, which I thought would take him to a crazy, crazy level, and nobody responded. So, I don’t know at this point. I have my ideas, but a lot of things that I believe in, and what I feel from the crowd, and what I know. The little I know about this business. Sometimes, it’s either taken and used, or used and it doesn’t work, or it’s not used at all. So, it’s just..it’s my opinion. I don’t know at this point."
Robert Roode: “Nah, he’s not ready. He’s not the next guy. Ya’ know, they might think he is. Dixie Carter might think he is. The whole world might think he is. He’s not the next guy. If I had to bet money on anybody and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy is the next guy if he keeps his act together. Um, that’s what you gotta to have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler, this is crossing barriers, medias, ya’ know media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. Getting your character down verbally has 90% to do with getting over. I just have a very strong feeling Kurt Angle’s going to clean his clock performance wise, and carry the match, and basically remains the champion. He’s training for the Olympics. He’s had some up and down moments, and I think this is not gonna be a down moment for Kurt Angle, so I’m betting that farm on him."
Wrestling Sting at Bound for Glory: "The main event is Kurt Angle, thank god! And uh, Bobby Roode stepped up, and he’s definitely become a presence, so I’m betting the farm on Kurt Angle, and uh, I guess I’m kind of like the icing on the cake, Sting and I have a crazy track record with Pay-Per-View buy numbers, and it just made sense to give everybody a little extra, and let everybody know, and, that it’s not a performance orientated match. Of course none of em’ were for me, anyway. But it’s a situation where I think there’s gonna’ be some interest to see what happens out there with Sting and I, and if I can roll my walker down the ramp, I’ll be good to go. I don’t even want to think about it. It’s just going to happen like everything else. I’m not into talking about diving off something or falling off something. I never have really talked about a match. There’s really nothing to talk about. You gotta’ go out there and listen to what the people want. They want a car crash, they’ll get one. I’m not looking for back surgery #9 or anything like that. I mean I’m not out of my mind, and crazy. I don’t think Sting’s ever really had anything broken on his face. My nose and teeth are, have been so beat up, it doesn’t matter, but Sting? I don’t know if he can take one straight in. Even as of last week, it was there. I just stood in the ring with him, and it’s electric. I mean it’s there. You just follow that energy man, and we could end up in the middle of the ring, we could end up at the top of the building, I mean you just don’t know. It could go 5 seconds, it could go 50 minutes, I don’t know. I mean, if it’s there, it’s there, and right now, standing in the ring with him, it’s there. I’ve stood in the ring with a lot of people that it hasn’t been there. But I’m not worried about this one because it’s there. The feeling and the energy’s there from the people. They want to see something crazy happen. Well, I had my last match a long time ago, so we definitely didn’t attempt to build this as a match. It’s kind of like, almost a grey area again. The crazier Sting gets, the more over his character gets, but then the down side should have been me getting booed more, but it’s kind of like the N.W.O. feel all of a sudden. The more aggressive I get, the more people cheer me out of loyalty, out of love, out of compassion, whatever it is. I think the people might’ve farted at me turning good guy, shaking hands, and going you know what? One last fight, and I’m gonna’ fade off into the sunset. I don’t think they would’ve bought that. The timing doesn’t feel right for that."
James Storm: "I’d go with James Storm all day long. Mainstream brotha’! Cowboy hat, beer drinking, middle America, Nascar, Walmart, Country Western. I mean all day long, it’s a no brainer. That’s me. That’s my opinion. So, I mean, Bobby Roode’s a tremendous athlete. I would change. I’d build him from Venice Beach, California or Omaha, Nebraska instead of, I dunno, Canada, eh’? I love him to death. He’s a great kid. When he looked down at me from the ring, and we had an argument one day, and he goes, “What the hell have you ever done?” I said man, this guy’d be a great heel, but yeah he has a lot of potential there for him to, but if you ask me to choose who to run with’, and you gave me those two choices? That’s my opinion."
Jeff Hardy: "If I had to bet money on anybody, and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy’s the next guy if he keeps his act together. Well, I think he’s got a lot of shine to him, I mean he just doesn’t have 5-star matches. He shines outside the ring. He walks through the mall, and people know who he is. He’s got a look, he’s got an air about him. He’s got the “IT” factor. That’s what you gotta’ have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler. This is crossing barriers, medias,, media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. And I think the kid, Jeff Hardy has the potential to really be the guy."
AJ Styles: "It’s never too late. I mean, I just don’t know. I, when I first came in all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed a couple of years ago, I had a ton of suggestions which I was kind of pushing real hard, which I thought would take him to a crazy, crazy level, and nobody responded. So, I don’t know at this point. I have my ideas, but a lot of things that I believe in, and what I feel from the crowd, and what I know. The little I know about this business. Sometimes, it’s either taken and used, or used and it doesn’t work, or it’s not used at all. So, it’s just..it’s my opinion. I don’t know at this point."
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Steve Austin Interview
Steve Austin
By Phil Allely
In an exclusive interview with Phil Allely WWE legend turned hugely successful actor ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin promoted his latest DVD release Born To Fight and stated that if he did have one more match the WWE’s CM Punk would be his chosen opponent.
Still on very good terms with the WWE Austin has been the face of the recently revamped Tough Enough series and stepped back into the ring to referee a match at this years Wrestlemania. He is also the man at the centre of an interesting semi-shoot storyline where CM Punk and himself are battling on Twitter in relation to a proposed feud.
So Steve whilst we have seen twitter remarks and other mentions of him, we’ve not actually heard you comment on CM Punk, what do you really think about him?
“Aw hell I think Punk is a great guy, I’d say he looks up to me for what I did in the ring back in the day. I now look up to him for what he is doing now. I’d say it’s a case of mutual respect now. So yeah I hear the stories, if the stars aligned and all things worked out to benefit us all (The WWE, myself and Punk) I’d say that he is the guy I’d pick to face. I could get another match out of this carcass of mine sure”.
Born to Fight is Austin’s latest DVD and one that takes him away from his comfort zone of action films. Telling the tale of a young man new to school who experiences bullying, this tale is one that Stone Cold feels will appeal to more than just his loyal fan base.
Born to Fight is a movie that seems well out of your action movie comfort zone, was that a conscious decision after such movies as Hunt to Kill and The Expendables?
“This movie (Born to Fight) shows a softer side to me than the previous ones I guess. I’d call it the Karate Kid meets Rocky type of film, I play an ex-boxer turned school janitor. I see this kid being bullied and I train him to become a boxer and teach him how to stand up for himself, whilst learning more about myself too. I enjoyed the role as it stretched me as an actor, there is more dialogue for me to tackle for a start, I don’t even cuss once in this one. I got to develop my character more than in previous movies. There’s no fight choreography, it made it interesting. It’s a different kind of movie for me. You know when I was young I wasn’t bullied, but now days you hear of it all the time. I think the story here where my character (Dan) helps this youngster learn how to make his way through life is a confidence building one. There’s more to the story than most you see being made. People will relate to it.”
What’s next for you movie wise?
“Next up I have a film called recall in post-production, I’m a vigilante ex-cop and track down people who got off through the system, and serve my own kind of punishment to them.”
I think we can safely say you have a talent for acting, I’m sure you get many scripts sent to you now that you’ve notched up such an amount of successful roles, what entices you to a role?
“You know what I read the script and try to find something different, I mean saying that a bunch of my films have seen my family killed, I look for a good script. A lot of my films lead to some form of fighting, I want to grow as an actor, and still please my fans.”
Last time I spoke to you (promoting Hunt to Kill) you said that comedy was something you would love to give a go, how is that going?
“Comedy, no one has asked really, but I am working on it now myself. I have a script in progress, kind of a spoof of the action genre and I do want to do that, I’m a fun guy in real life, I’d love to do that.”
So Steve you’ve been fortunate enough to work on big budget films, low budgets straight to DVD movies and TV shows, which do you prefer?
“You know I had a lot of fun on expendables, those guys were carrying the weight of the film and I got to hang out have fun and aspire to be a bigger star one day. I enjoy making what I do, I am a quiet guy and am happy doing what I can do.”
“TV wise, you know what I am trying to pitch a script right now, to be part of something I could invest years in to build a character would be something I’d definitely like. On many levels I like change and get uneasy if things stay the same, but to be able to work on a project for set hours and days would be perfect, Nash Bridges was something I enjoyed, but I was in high demand, wrestling was extremely over then, I had a blast, if I knew what I knew now I’d do it different now.”
You returned to the WWE at WrestleMania, what prompted that?
“We I thought if I am gonna be there and not one of the guys wrestling why not be the guy pullng all the strings. I enjoy working WWE shows and the fans. It’s fun being closer to it all. It’s changed a bit since my day, we were a lot edgier then. I don’t miss the bumps and travel grind though. Wrestling is out of my system, but I still like being involved.”
At Mania you got to work with your old friend Jim Ross do you remain close friends?
“JR and I talk all the time, it’s great to work with him when I have the opportunity. He was instrumental in the success of Stone cold. He is doing alternate commentary on my new DVD, there are three unseen matches on it so that will be good for the fans. We cover my time in USWA then we jump to WCW, take in ECW and then the WWE. One of the unreleased matches has me against Kurt Angle, it was a really physical match and I’d forgotten how tough it was til we started watching it back. Looking back like that lets you see things you would change if you could go back.Early in my career I was in Ric Flair mode early in my career (acting like a back peddling heel) I was really treading water for a time. But then as the fans yearned for an ass-kicking guy I stepped up and gave them what they wanted, it was my greatest success when Stone Cold was born.”
What about Tough Enough, will we see a season 2?
“ I hear there will be a second series I’d say there’s a 95% chance of it right now. I really did enjoy doing it. That was my first foray onto reality TV. I had been approached before and turned them all down, but Tough Enough intrigued me. To work with Bill (De Mott), Booker and Trish (Status) made it special, reality TV was more fun than I anticipated it to be.”
What are your feelings on the much hyped John Cena/Rock match at next years WrestleMania?
“That’s an interesting build-up to watch, a year-long build is something no one’s ever done. Rock is doing his thing (in Hollywood), WWE are doing their thing and there’s still a while to go for the pay off. I will be interested in seeing how it plays out.”
By Phil Allely
In an exclusive interview with Phil Allely WWE legend turned hugely successful actor ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin promoted his latest DVD release Born To Fight and stated that if he did have one more match the WWE’s CM Punk would be his chosen opponent.
Still on very good terms with the WWE Austin has been the face of the recently revamped Tough Enough series and stepped back into the ring to referee a match at this years Wrestlemania. He is also the man at the centre of an interesting semi-shoot storyline where CM Punk and himself are battling on Twitter in relation to a proposed feud.
So Steve whilst we have seen twitter remarks and other mentions of him, we’ve not actually heard you comment on CM Punk, what do you really think about him?
“Aw hell I think Punk is a great guy, I’d say he looks up to me for what I did in the ring back in the day. I now look up to him for what he is doing now. I’d say it’s a case of mutual respect now. So yeah I hear the stories, if the stars aligned and all things worked out to benefit us all (The WWE, myself and Punk) I’d say that he is the guy I’d pick to face. I could get another match out of this carcass of mine sure”.
Born to Fight is Austin’s latest DVD and one that takes him away from his comfort zone of action films. Telling the tale of a young man new to school who experiences bullying, this tale is one that Stone Cold feels will appeal to more than just his loyal fan base.
Born to Fight is a movie that seems well out of your action movie comfort zone, was that a conscious decision after such movies as Hunt to Kill and The Expendables?
“This movie (Born to Fight) shows a softer side to me than the previous ones I guess. I’d call it the Karate Kid meets Rocky type of film, I play an ex-boxer turned school janitor. I see this kid being bullied and I train him to become a boxer and teach him how to stand up for himself, whilst learning more about myself too. I enjoyed the role as it stretched me as an actor, there is more dialogue for me to tackle for a start, I don’t even cuss once in this one. I got to develop my character more than in previous movies. There’s no fight choreography, it made it interesting. It’s a different kind of movie for me. You know when I was young I wasn’t bullied, but now days you hear of it all the time. I think the story here where my character (Dan) helps this youngster learn how to make his way through life is a confidence building one. There’s more to the story than most you see being made. People will relate to it.”
What’s next for you movie wise?
“Next up I have a film called recall in post-production, I’m a vigilante ex-cop and track down people who got off through the system, and serve my own kind of punishment to them.”
I think we can safely say you have a talent for acting, I’m sure you get many scripts sent to you now that you’ve notched up such an amount of successful roles, what entices you to a role?
“You know what I read the script and try to find something different, I mean saying that a bunch of my films have seen my family killed, I look for a good script. A lot of my films lead to some form of fighting, I want to grow as an actor, and still please my fans.”
Last time I spoke to you (promoting Hunt to Kill) you said that comedy was something you would love to give a go, how is that going?
“Comedy, no one has asked really, but I am working on it now myself. I have a script in progress, kind of a spoof of the action genre and I do want to do that, I’m a fun guy in real life, I’d love to do that.”
So Steve you’ve been fortunate enough to work on big budget films, low budgets straight to DVD movies and TV shows, which do you prefer?
“You know I had a lot of fun on expendables, those guys were carrying the weight of the film and I got to hang out have fun and aspire to be a bigger star one day. I enjoy making what I do, I am a quiet guy and am happy doing what I can do.”
“TV wise, you know what I am trying to pitch a script right now, to be part of something I could invest years in to build a character would be something I’d definitely like. On many levels I like change and get uneasy if things stay the same, but to be able to work on a project for set hours and days would be perfect, Nash Bridges was something I enjoyed, but I was in high demand, wrestling was extremely over then, I had a blast, if I knew what I knew now I’d do it different now.”
You returned to the WWE at WrestleMania, what prompted that?
“We I thought if I am gonna be there and not one of the guys wrestling why not be the guy pullng all the strings. I enjoy working WWE shows and the fans. It’s fun being closer to it all. It’s changed a bit since my day, we were a lot edgier then. I don’t miss the bumps and travel grind though. Wrestling is out of my system, but I still like being involved.”
At Mania you got to work with your old friend Jim Ross do you remain close friends?
“JR and I talk all the time, it’s great to work with him when I have the opportunity. He was instrumental in the success of Stone cold. He is doing alternate commentary on my new DVD, there are three unseen matches on it so that will be good for the fans. We cover my time in USWA then we jump to WCW, take in ECW and then the WWE. One of the unreleased matches has me against Kurt Angle, it was a really physical match and I’d forgotten how tough it was til we started watching it back. Looking back like that lets you see things you would change if you could go back.Early in my career I was in Ric Flair mode early in my career (acting like a back peddling heel) I was really treading water for a time. But then as the fans yearned for an ass-kicking guy I stepped up and gave them what they wanted, it was my greatest success when Stone Cold was born.”
What about Tough Enough, will we see a season 2?
“ I hear there will be a second series I’d say there’s a 95% chance of it right now. I really did enjoy doing it. That was my first foray onto reality TV. I had been approached before and turned them all down, but Tough Enough intrigued me. To work with Bill (De Mott), Booker and Trish (Status) made it special, reality TV was more fun than I anticipated it to be.”
What are your feelings on the much hyped John Cena/Rock match at next years WrestleMania?
“That’s an interesting build-up to watch, a year-long build is something no one’s ever done. Rock is doing his thing (in Hollywood), WWE are doing their thing and there’s still a while to go for the pay off. I will be interested in seeing how it plays out.”
Wednesday, 12 October 2011
WWE DVD - Rey Mysterio : The Life of a Masked Man
WWE DVD Review – Rey Mysterio: The Life of a Masked Man
By Phil Allely
Rey Mysterio is one of the WWE’s biggest superstars and he is also one of the rosters smallest athletes. The five foot six grappler has done something that no other smaller one has, he has won world titles across the globe, has held WWE heavyweight championships and topped the bill everywhere he has been.
This triple disc set looks at the career of the ‘Little big man’ and what he did to make the WWE notice him.
As an inspiring and exciting wrestler Mysterio is the masked man that the majority of fans know and love these days. His matches are often the best thing on a pay-per-view and even with his degenerating body (due to countless injuries), whilst Rey’s recent bouts have been catered to work around these ailments the matches he participates in pale in comparison to the ones he once did.
This is where this box set works so well, as in it give us a glimpse of the Rey we all know and love and brings us from his early days in ECW to his more recent scraps with Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.
Over these three discs we get a brief description of Mysterio’s in-ring career to that point and then see the matches in their entirety. In his prime and working against similar talents Rey was a standout performer and those talents even though are obvious today are best showcased in these retro scraps.
If you love Rey Mysterio this is the set for you, if you enjoy high flying wrestling this is the set for you and if you wish to learn more about the rich tapestry of wrestling (whilst having a key roster member to judge it by) this is the set for you.
With Rey off TV for at least six months (due to much needed knee surgery) this is a nice way to keep him in mind and a show reel of his best bits, until he once more graces the WWE ring. The WWE owning the video archives for ECW and WCW aid this release greatly too.
Rey Mysterio – The Life of a Masked Man is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.
Certificate 15
Three discs
Running time 8 hours 23 mins
RRP £29.99
By Phil Allely
Rey Mysterio is one of the WWE’s biggest superstars and he is also one of the rosters smallest athletes. The five foot six grappler has done something that no other smaller one has, he has won world titles across the globe, has held WWE heavyweight championships and topped the bill everywhere he has been.
This triple disc set looks at the career of the ‘Little big man’ and what he did to make the WWE notice him.
As an inspiring and exciting wrestler Mysterio is the masked man that the majority of fans know and love these days. His matches are often the best thing on a pay-per-view and even with his degenerating body (due to countless injuries), whilst Rey’s recent bouts have been catered to work around these ailments the matches he participates in pale in comparison to the ones he once did.
This is where this box set works so well, as in it give us a glimpse of the Rey we all know and love and brings us from his early days in ECW to his more recent scraps with Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk, Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.
Over these three discs we get a brief description of Mysterio’s in-ring career to that point and then see the matches in their entirety. In his prime and working against similar talents Rey was a standout performer and those talents even though are obvious today are best showcased in these retro scraps.
If you love Rey Mysterio this is the set for you, if you enjoy high flying wrestling this is the set for you and if you wish to learn more about the rich tapestry of wrestling (whilst having a key roster member to judge it by) this is the set for you.
With Rey off TV for at least six months (due to much needed knee surgery) this is a nice way to keep him in mind and a show reel of his best bits, until he once more graces the WWE ring. The WWE owning the video archives for ECW and WCW aid this release greatly too.
Rey Mysterio – The Life of a Masked Man is available now from www.silvervision.co.uk and all good retailers.
Certificate 15
Three discs
Running time 8 hours 23 mins
RRP £29.99
Monday, 10 October 2011
Friday, 7 October 2011
TNA seek a UK band for a new song
An opportunity for UK bands to make an Impact!
By Phil Allely
TNA are once again seeking a talented UK band to create a song for their flagship TV show Impact! Wrestling.
In association with top rock/metal magazine Kerrang the US wrestling giant are asking for bands to to submit songs for consideration. The winning band will have their song recorded and played on their weekly ratings winner (viewable here in the UK on Challenge TV) Impact! Wrestling.
The winning band will also receive VIP treatment on Janaury's Maximum Impact IV Tour, the prize will include ringside seats, a meet and greet with TNA stars, the bands song being played at the event and an interview with Impactwrestling.com.
To enter, send a CD of your track along with a band photo, a brief biography and your contact details to:
TNA Impact Comp, Kerrang! Magazine, PO Box 2930, London, W1A 6DZ.
Good luck!
The dates and venues for the Maximum Impact IV UK Tour are Nottingham Capital FM Arena January 26 2012, Manchester MEN Arena 27 and London Wembley Arena 28. Tickets are on sale now from www.aloud.com. Watch Impact Wrestling every Sunday night at 9pm on Challenge TV.
Terms and conditions: This competition is limited to residents of the United Kingdom only. Tracks submitted must be original compositions (no covers please). Entrants under the age of 18 must get a parent or guardian's permission to enter. The date of the episode in which the winning song will be played will be advised after the competition closes.
The closing date for this competition is October 18, 2011.
By Phil Allely
TNA are once again seeking a talented UK band to create a song for their flagship TV show Impact! Wrestling.
In association with top rock/metal magazine Kerrang the US wrestling giant are asking for bands to to submit songs for consideration. The winning band will have their song recorded and played on their weekly ratings winner (viewable here in the UK on Challenge TV) Impact! Wrestling.
The winning band will also receive VIP treatment on Janaury's Maximum Impact IV Tour, the prize will include ringside seats, a meet and greet with TNA stars, the bands song being played at the event and an interview with Impactwrestling.com.
To enter, send a CD of your track along with a band photo, a brief biography and your contact details to:
TNA Impact Comp, Kerrang! Magazine, PO Box 2930, London, W1A 6DZ.
Good luck!
The dates and venues for the Maximum Impact IV UK Tour are Nottingham Capital FM Arena January 26 2012, Manchester MEN Arena 27 and London Wembley Arena 28. Tickets are on sale now from www.aloud.com. Watch Impact Wrestling every Sunday night at 9pm on Challenge TV.
Terms and conditions: This competition is limited to residents of the United Kingdom only. Tracks submitted must be original compositions (no covers please). Entrants under the age of 18 must get a parent or guardian's permission to enter. The date of the episode in which the winning song will be played will be advised after the competition closes.
The closing date for this competition is October 18, 2011.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
PPV Review WWE Hell in a Cell 2011
WWE Pay-Per-View Review : Hell in a Cell 2011
By Phil Allely
The Hell in a Cell gimmick is still by far one of my personal favourites in the world of sports entertainment. The HIAC bouts are usually hard-hitting and exciting feud-ending cage-based scraps that make for must-see viewing. This year the card looked pretty well stacked and there was great potential that we may even see a few titles change hands too. So what did 2011’s effort bring to fruition?
Sheamus versus Christian as an opener worked very well indeed, both men trading trademark moves and two counts. After some decent back and forth action it was the Irishman who took the advantage and nailed Christian with a Brogue kick for the win.
With Sin Cara’s recent suspension and replacement with a stand-in it was inevitable that we would take a trip down Undertaker v evil Undertaker mode once more and see two versions of the same character face-off. Here it was blue/silver Cara (the original) taking on the imposter Black/silver. The action here was well paced and enthusiastic, proceedings certainly proving that Cara is best when working with a fellow Mexican trained athlete. The end saw our blue suited hero put his foe away with a powerbomb.
The WWE Tag Team Title match between the combos of Air Boom (champs) and Jack Swagger/Dolph Ziggler was up next and whilst having its moments it never really caught our attention too much. The champs retaining after Bourne converted a powerbomb from Swagger into a hurricanrana.
The first Hell in a Cell match of the night saw World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry defend his belt against former champ Randy Orton. As with their previous encounter for the gold this was an above average affair, Orton carrying the larger and less mobile Henry to a well worked match. The Champ hit a huge slam to put ‘the Viper’ down for the three-count. Orton did however get some form of revenge by utilising a steel chair to beat down Henry.
The Intercontinental Title(now using the classic white version of the belt) encounter between champion Cody Rhodes and John Morrison had a few fine moments. Morrison and Rhodes working well together, Rhodes retained his belt with a swift roll-up when Morrison missed a springboard move.
Divas Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly took to the ring next to wage war for Kelly’s Diva Title. OK in parts this match became one where outside interference and slightly botched moves prevailed. Natalya interfering on Beth’s behalf paid off as ‘The Glamazon’ hit her glam slam move to win the belt.
The main event was another HIAC bout and it was also the point where this event went just a little bit odd.
Pitting Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk and John Cena in a cell-based scrap for Cena’s title. With chairs, the cage itself and anything else they could use the trio battered each other wildly around the ring. This was indeed Del Rio’s night as his heelish tactics and ever reliable cohort Ricardo Rodriguez worked in his favour. With Cena locked outside the cage Del Rio took advantage of the situation and used a steel pipe to level Punk for the win and his second piece of Heavyweight gold in a very short space of time.
As Del Rio celebrated his win Cena re-entered the ring to confront him, the previously banned R-Truth and Miz then entered the fray and as the cage lowered once more they pummelled the three combatants as an angry Triple H and WWE locker room watched on. The show ended with Truth and Miz being arrested and chaos surrounding he ring.
HIAC 2011 was certainly an event where many things happened, it did however feel like a slightly bigger budget Raw or Smackdown episode instead of a PPV. The Hell in a Cell format has lost an awful lot of its appeal in these non-bloodletting days of the WWE and that of course has a knock on effect with fans and the PPV buying public.
The new storyline with Triple H and the roster losing faith in him will be interesting to see develop and just where will the careers of Truth and Miz go now?
By Phil Allely
The Hell in a Cell gimmick is still by far one of my personal favourites in the world of sports entertainment. The HIAC bouts are usually hard-hitting and exciting feud-ending cage-based scraps that make for must-see viewing. This year the card looked pretty well stacked and there was great potential that we may even see a few titles change hands too. So what did 2011’s effort bring to fruition?
Sheamus versus Christian as an opener worked very well indeed, both men trading trademark moves and two counts. After some decent back and forth action it was the Irishman who took the advantage and nailed Christian with a Brogue kick for the win.
With Sin Cara’s recent suspension and replacement with a stand-in it was inevitable that we would take a trip down Undertaker v evil Undertaker mode once more and see two versions of the same character face-off. Here it was blue/silver Cara (the original) taking on the imposter Black/silver. The action here was well paced and enthusiastic, proceedings certainly proving that Cara is best when working with a fellow Mexican trained athlete. The end saw our blue suited hero put his foe away with a powerbomb.
The WWE Tag Team Title match between the combos of Air Boom (champs) and Jack Swagger/Dolph Ziggler was up next and whilst having its moments it never really caught our attention too much. The champs retaining after Bourne converted a powerbomb from Swagger into a hurricanrana.
The first Hell in a Cell match of the night saw World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry defend his belt against former champ Randy Orton. As with their previous encounter for the gold this was an above average affair, Orton carrying the larger and less mobile Henry to a well worked match. The Champ hit a huge slam to put ‘the Viper’ down for the three-count. Orton did however get some form of revenge by utilising a steel chair to beat down Henry.
The Intercontinental Title(now using the classic white version of the belt) encounter between champion Cody Rhodes and John Morrison had a few fine moments. Morrison and Rhodes working well together, Rhodes retained his belt with a swift roll-up when Morrison missed a springboard move.
Divas Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly took to the ring next to wage war for Kelly’s Diva Title. OK in parts this match became one where outside interference and slightly botched moves prevailed. Natalya interfering on Beth’s behalf paid off as ‘The Glamazon’ hit her glam slam move to win the belt.
The main event was another HIAC bout and it was also the point where this event went just a little bit odd.
Pitting Alberto Del Rio, CM Punk and John Cena in a cell-based scrap for Cena’s title. With chairs, the cage itself and anything else they could use the trio battered each other wildly around the ring. This was indeed Del Rio’s night as his heelish tactics and ever reliable cohort Ricardo Rodriguez worked in his favour. With Cena locked outside the cage Del Rio took advantage of the situation and used a steel pipe to level Punk for the win and his second piece of Heavyweight gold in a very short space of time.
As Del Rio celebrated his win Cena re-entered the ring to confront him, the previously banned R-Truth and Miz then entered the fray and as the cage lowered once more they pummelled the three combatants as an angry Triple H and WWE locker room watched on. The show ended with Truth and Miz being arrested and chaos surrounding he ring.
HIAC 2011 was certainly an event where many things happened, it did however feel like a slightly bigger budget Raw or Smackdown episode instead of a PPV. The Hell in a Cell format has lost an awful lot of its appeal in these non-bloodletting days of the WWE and that of course has a knock on effect with fans and the PPV buying public.
The new storyline with Triple H and the roster losing faith in him will be interesting to see develop and just where will the careers of Truth and Miz go now?
Wednesday, 5 October 2011
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Haku interview highlights
HAKU REVEALS THE TRUTH BEHIND THE INFAMOUS RUMOR THAT HE BIT SOMEONE'S NOSE OFF DURING A FIGHT DEFENDING PRO WRESTLING
By WorldWrestlingInsanity.com
Ask almost any wrestler to name the toughest star in the business and chances are, they'll say his name. Now, the man, the King, the legend - "Haku" Tonga Fifita joins James Guttman on ClubWWI.com for a shoot interview the world has been waiting for. In this rare and in-depth 47 minute interview, Haku leaves no topic off limits and talks about it all including the person who came up with the name "Haku", his answer to "who is the toughest wrestler you've ever known", the public reaction to the "kidnapping Matilda" storyline, what Giant Baba had Harley Race teach him in Japan, looking back on the King Haku gimmick years later, the Meng gimmick, and tons more. For a full list of topics, click here.
This is the Haku shoot you've been waiting for as James Guttman doesn't shy away from any topic. One big point of interest for many fans is Haku's legendary toughness. They discuss at length the reasons and ways stars had to defend the business from non-fans back in the 80s. As Tonga explained, he didn't do wrestling for fame. He did it to support his family back home and his wife and children in the United States. Anyone who disparaged pro wrestling was disparaging his livelihood and he took it personally. He explains it to ClubWWI.com members.
"That was my life. I have my parents. I have my family. Relatives. The thousands of cousins back home waiting for me to send them money to live on. I have that on my shoulders and I walk with that every day inside the ring and outside the ring. I have my brothers and sisters here - we could drive 500 miles one way to the town or 20 miles to the town and back trying to make a living in those days. I have that on my shoulders as I walk into the ring and out of the ring every day and drive home safely and whatever. We have a few beers here and there, but that was the business. That was the toughness in my heart and mind that I had to carry these things."
Because of that, Haku took it personally when people would criticize his wrestling family unfairly. As he tells Guttman, he would simply prove the reality of his ability when people tossed around the "fake" word.
"When I walk in and you tell me it's fake, I'll show you how fake the business is. Whether I take your teeth out or take your eyeballs off or whatever it was in those days. Maybe they're going to kick my butt around, but watch it - I'm coming back and finding you. But those were those days. I'm glad nobody picked up a gun and shot my ass. But in those days, that's how it was, James. It's my love for the business."
This leads to the question fans have been wondering about for years. Through second had stories and whispers, we've all heard about Haku once biting someone's nose off during a fight defending the business. Did it really happen? Was it just a tall tale? As the ClubWWI.com interview continued, James Guttman asked and expected to hear it was an exaggeration. Spoiler alert - it wasn't.
"Yeah. It was in Baltimore Airport. There was a hotel there. We were staying at another hotel - the Marriot or something. There was another hotel there, though. It was hopping at the time. The music was playing and it was packed. It was during the week I believe. Me and Siva Afi went over and there were lots of babyfaces there at the bar. So we went and sat in the other corner away from them. When they were ready to close, we had a few drinks, and on our way out there were five guys just sitting there. Of course, the same thing came out. The "fake" stuff. "Hey, are you guys with those guys - wrestlers? The fake wrestlers on TV?" You know. I said, "Yeah. I'll show you." And I reached over without thinking - there are four other guys there (laughs) - grabbed his face, and bit his nose off. Then the fight started. Me and Siva kind of cleaned house there and left. I'll never forget it (laughs)."
Haku goes on to discuss how the incident changed his career from that day forward and the changes in public understanding of pro wrestling through the years. After the answer, Guttman laughs and says, "I have to be honest. When I asked you that question, I expected you to be like, 'No! That's just something people say.' That's one of the craziest stories I've ever heard in my life." Haku tells ClubWWI.com members some of the troubles that sprung up from it, but ultimately he has no regrets.
"I'm still Haku. I'm still Tonga. My family - thank God for everything - still has bread and butter on the table. That was what happened at the time and how I love my business and I'm thankful for every promoter I worked for. I'm thankful for WWF and WWE and everybody because that was my life. My job, my heart, and my soul - it was wrestling."
The interview doesn't end there. James Guttman's in-depth 47 minute interview with the legendary Haku is just one of hundreds available on ClubWWI.com the moment you join up. From Jerry Lawler to Dennis Stamp, you can hear them all along with thousands of hours of audio from show hosts Paul Roma, Glacier, and World Wrestling Insanity staff
By WorldWrestlingInsanity.com
Ask almost any wrestler to name the toughest star in the business and chances are, they'll say his name. Now, the man, the King, the legend - "Haku" Tonga Fifita joins James Guttman on ClubWWI.com for a shoot interview the world has been waiting for. In this rare and in-depth 47 minute interview, Haku leaves no topic off limits and talks about it all including the person who came up with the name "Haku", his answer to "who is the toughest wrestler you've ever known", the public reaction to the "kidnapping Matilda" storyline, what Giant Baba had Harley Race teach him in Japan, looking back on the King Haku gimmick years later, the Meng gimmick, and tons more. For a full list of topics, click here.
This is the Haku shoot you've been waiting for as James Guttman doesn't shy away from any topic. One big point of interest for many fans is Haku's legendary toughness. They discuss at length the reasons and ways stars had to defend the business from non-fans back in the 80s. As Tonga explained, he didn't do wrestling for fame. He did it to support his family back home and his wife and children in the United States. Anyone who disparaged pro wrestling was disparaging his livelihood and he took it personally. He explains it to ClubWWI.com members.
"That was my life. I have my parents. I have my family. Relatives. The thousands of cousins back home waiting for me to send them money to live on. I have that on my shoulders and I walk with that every day inside the ring and outside the ring. I have my brothers and sisters here - we could drive 500 miles one way to the town or 20 miles to the town and back trying to make a living in those days. I have that on my shoulders as I walk into the ring and out of the ring every day and drive home safely and whatever. We have a few beers here and there, but that was the business. That was the toughness in my heart and mind that I had to carry these things."
Because of that, Haku took it personally when people would criticize his wrestling family unfairly. As he tells Guttman, he would simply prove the reality of his ability when people tossed around the "fake" word.
"When I walk in and you tell me it's fake, I'll show you how fake the business is. Whether I take your teeth out or take your eyeballs off or whatever it was in those days. Maybe they're going to kick my butt around, but watch it - I'm coming back and finding you. But those were those days. I'm glad nobody picked up a gun and shot my ass. But in those days, that's how it was, James. It's my love for the business."
This leads to the question fans have been wondering about for years. Through second had stories and whispers, we've all heard about Haku once biting someone's nose off during a fight defending the business. Did it really happen? Was it just a tall tale? As the ClubWWI.com interview continued, James Guttman asked and expected to hear it was an exaggeration. Spoiler alert - it wasn't.
"Yeah. It was in Baltimore Airport. There was a hotel there. We were staying at another hotel - the Marriot or something. There was another hotel there, though. It was hopping at the time. The music was playing and it was packed. It was during the week I believe. Me and Siva Afi went over and there were lots of babyfaces there at the bar. So we went and sat in the other corner away from them. When they were ready to close, we had a few drinks, and on our way out there were five guys just sitting there. Of course, the same thing came out. The "fake" stuff. "Hey, are you guys with those guys - wrestlers? The fake wrestlers on TV?" You know. I said, "Yeah. I'll show you." And I reached over without thinking - there are four other guys there (laughs) - grabbed his face, and bit his nose off. Then the fight started. Me and Siva kind of cleaned house there and left. I'll never forget it (laughs)."
Haku goes on to discuss how the incident changed his career from that day forward and the changes in public understanding of pro wrestling through the years. After the answer, Guttman laughs and says, "I have to be honest. When I asked you that question, I expected you to be like, 'No! That's just something people say.' That's one of the craziest stories I've ever heard in my life." Haku tells ClubWWI.com members some of the troubles that sprung up from it, but ultimately he has no regrets.
"I'm still Haku. I'm still Tonga. My family - thank God for everything - still has bread and butter on the table. That was what happened at the time and how I love my business and I'm thankful for every promoter I worked for. I'm thankful for WWF and WWE and everybody because that was my life. My job, my heart, and my soul - it was wrestling."
The interview doesn't end there. James Guttman's in-depth 47 minute interview with the legendary Haku is just one of hundreds available on ClubWWI.com the moment you join up. From Jerry Lawler to Dennis Stamp, you can hear them all along with thousands of hours of audio from show hosts Paul Roma, Glacier, and World Wrestling Insanity staff
Indy Wrestler files lawsuit against WWE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 2011
Independent wrestler files multi-million dollar lawsuit against WWE:
An independent wrestler is suing WWE, accusing talent relation officials
of rescinding a job offer because he had tested positive for an
infectious disease.
In the lawsuit filed last Monday in Ontario Superior Court, Devon
Nicholson, 28, claims WWE hired him then revoked the contract even
though he disclosed he had Hepatitis C.
Nicholson is seeking $600,000 damages for wrongful dismissal, $250,000
damages for emotional distress and suffering, and punitive damages in
the amount of $5 million.
The lawsuit alleges that in May 2009, Nicholson took part in a WWE
tryout camp in Tampa, Florida. He was praised by Pat Paterson for being
the best wrestler in the camp and subsequently received a three year
talent contract. The company flew Nicholson to Pittsburgh on August 20,
2009, to undergo medical screening under WWE medical director Dr. Joe
Maroon.
According to the lawsuit, "On the day of his medical examination with
WWE physicians, Devon informed the WWE's medical staff that he was
Hepatitis C positive. Devon had recently discovered, on June 23, 2009,
that he had tested positive for Hepatitis C. The first doctor he
consulted, Dr. Donohue, informed him that with the WWE's "No Blood"
policy, he would have no problem in clearing him to wrestle. The second
doctor consulted, Dr. Sisk, informed him that it was WWE's medical
director, Dr. Joe Maroon's ultimate decision. Devon finally spoke to Dr.
Maroon over the phone several days after his medical examinations in
Pittsburgh. He was informed by Dr. Maroon that his medical decision
would be taken by talent relations."
Nicholson later received a phone call from Ty Bailey from WWE's talent
relations department who informed him that his contract was being
rescinded, saying this was due to a licensing issue, and not related to
his health condition.
"Mr. Bailey was referring to the fact that 5 states in the USA do not
allow wrestlers to compete if they are Hepatitus C positive," the suit
says. "The WWE used this platform to discriminate against Devon despite
the fact he could have wrestled everywhere else where the WWE holds
events in North America and overseas."
Nicholson is asserting that by rescinding the contract that they
discriminated against his human rights and caused him psychological and
financial injuries.
WWE reps could not be reached for comment at press time.
Independent wrestler files multi-million dollar lawsuit against WWE:
An independent wrestler is suing WWE, accusing talent relation officials
of rescinding a job offer because he had tested positive for an
infectious disease.
In the lawsuit filed last Monday in Ontario Superior Court, Devon
Nicholson, 28, claims WWE hired him then revoked the contract even
though he disclosed he had Hepatitis C.
Nicholson is seeking $600,000 damages for wrongful dismissal, $250,000
damages for emotional distress and suffering, and punitive damages in
the amount of $5 million.
The lawsuit alleges that in May 2009, Nicholson took part in a WWE
tryout camp in Tampa, Florida. He was praised by Pat Paterson for being
the best wrestler in the camp and subsequently received a three year
talent contract. The company flew Nicholson to Pittsburgh on August 20,
2009, to undergo medical screening under WWE medical director Dr. Joe
Maroon.
According to the lawsuit, "On the day of his medical examination with
WWE physicians, Devon informed the WWE's medical staff that he was
Hepatitis C positive. Devon had recently discovered, on June 23, 2009,
that he had tested positive for Hepatitis C. The first doctor he
consulted, Dr. Donohue, informed him that with the WWE's "No Blood"
policy, he would have no problem in clearing him to wrestle. The second
doctor consulted, Dr. Sisk, informed him that it was WWE's medical
director, Dr. Joe Maroon's ultimate decision. Devon finally spoke to Dr.
Maroon over the phone several days after his medical examinations in
Pittsburgh. He was informed by Dr. Maroon that his medical decision
would be taken by talent relations."
Nicholson later received a phone call from Ty Bailey from WWE's talent
relations department who informed him that his contract was being
rescinded, saying this was due to a licensing issue, and not related to
his health condition.
"Mr. Bailey was referring to the fact that 5 states in the USA do not
allow wrestlers to compete if they are Hepatitus C positive," the suit
says. "The WWE used this platform to discriminate against Devon despite
the fact he could have wrestled everywhere else where the WWE holds
events in North America and overseas."
Nicholson is asserting that by rescinding the contract that they
discriminated against his human rights and caused him psychological and
financial injuries.
WWE reps could not be reached for comment at press time.
Sunday, 2 October 2011
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