This will be my last post for the year, as I'm going up the mountains to celebrate the New Year. Yep. Hopefully, nothing major happens in the world of wrestling, which means now it's almost certain someone's going to be hired, fired, arrested or whatever.
Anyway, be responsible on New Year's Eve. I want everyone reading this message now to be able to read the next blog posted on Monday. Be safe and have a happy New Year!
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Banner by Billy Dunlevy
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
The 2010 Annual BLOGGIE Awards!
Welcome to the announcement of the 2010 Bloggie Awards, where TWB (read: me) looks to recognize all the best performances from 2010 in the wrestling world. You saw the nominations, now here are the winners.
Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Kane, The Miz and Sheamus
2010 Winner: The Miz
All five candidates had their moments, but Miz takes the honors here because he has arguably been the WWE's most charismatic and over performers all year long. Like John Cena, he's elicited mixed reactions from crowds everywhere. Unlike Cena, he's pushed as a heel, so the face reactions he gets are just due to his awesomeness. Where did this campaign start in earnest? It had to have been the infamous Chicken Crumbs promo, where he just threw down and told every other wrestler in the world "It's fucking on like Donkey Kong, bitches". He was great out of the ring, he was good-to-great in the ring. He made Daniel Bryan look like a million bucks, and as a reward, he was crowned WWE Champion, an honor that he has taken and run with. Yes, Sheamus cut some blistering promos all summer long. So did Kane. Bryan was maybe the most buzzworthy wrestler in the business. John Cena had the spotlight on him and again carried himself with pride. However, Miz epitomized the word "awesome". So rare it is to find a guy whose catchphrase is the utter truth, but he is The Miz, and he is… AAAAAAAWEESOMMMMMME!!
Worker of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Kaval, Chris Masters and Kevin Steen
2010 Winner: Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson
Y'all forgot about Bryan Danielson, didn't you? Aside from a tilt with Kaval on FCW TV that went viral, there was nary a word to be spoken about Daniel Bryan the worker for the first couple of months. Then he appeared on NXT, and it was his character work that got more play. Yeah, there was that much-talked-about match against Chris Jericho on the first episode of that, but it was a little overrated. However, once he got on the indie scene, he started to rev up. Chikara, EVOLVE, DGUSA, PWG and a few other random feds saw his awesomeness first before going back to the WWE, where he cemented his resume. There was that match with The Miz, which was my personal WWE match of the year. Then the series with Dolph Ziggler, matches with Jack Swagger, Ted DiBiase, Sheamus, William Regal… hell, any match where he wasn't squashed, he shone through. Bryan Danielson or Daniel Bryan, whatever you want to call him, was the truth in 2010. Many were close to him, but in my opinion, no one was his equal. No one.
Talker of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, Kane, The Miz, MVP and Sheamus
2010 Winner: The Miz
Again, it started with the aforementioned "Chicken Crumbs" promo, which was the highlight of the year, and maybe the best promo in WWE in a long time. However, it was every week that Miz was coming out and cutting brilliant promos, getting crowds riled up and wanting his blood. Wade Barrett, especially with his "Winds of Change" promo, and Kane with his promo work week in and out, were strong contenders here, but Miz wins here.
Woman of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Sara del Rey, Madison Eagles, Daizee Haze, Nattie Neidhart and Madison Rayne
2010 Winner: Sara del Rey
Death Rey was all over the scene in 2010, and no matter where she went, she was lights-out awesome. She wrestled women and men in Chikara. She seconded the Tag Champs and looked to be the centerpiece of the revamped Women of Honor in ROH. She tore up JAPW and SHIMMER. Yeah, there were women in WWE and TNA that had more exposure, but in an environment where women are treated like actual wrestlers and not eye candy, del Rey stood taller than her peers.
Indie Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, Davey Richards, Kevin Steen and Roderick Strong
2010 Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
Yeah, Kevin Steen had maybe the best fed-year out of all the candidates with his 2010 in ROH, but he was in PWG sporadically at best and had few other feds where he was making an impact. Claudio though? He was everywhere in 2010. He was a leader of a major heel faction in Chikara. His tag team with Chris Hero in ROH was a focus all year long and has held the Tag Team Championships there for almost the whole year. He had some nice matches in EVOLVE and toured other feds around the country like 2CW and NWA Hollywood among others. And the coup de grace? He won his first American-based World Championship in PWG. Claudio's award here is based on quality AND quantity.
Tag Team of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Canadian Ninjas, Kings of Wrestling, Motor City Machine Guns, ¡Peligro Abejas! and Young Bucks/Generation Me
2010 Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin)
The Guns had to be the obvious choice here. They were boss on the indie scene, but the big reason for them winning the award here was their work in TNA. For a few months, they, along with Beer Money and Generation Me, were the only reason to tune into Impact. They had great matches with anyone they were put in the ring with, and for that, they get this award by kind of a landslide.
Stable of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Bruderschaft des Kreuzes, The Colony, Immortal, Nexus and World-1
2010 Winners: Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (Ares, Claudio Castagnoli, Sara del Rey, Delirious, Tim Donst, Lince Dorado, Jakob Hammermeir, Daizee Haze, Derek Sabato, Pinkie Sanchez, Tursas and Dieter von Stiegerwalt)
The BDK dominated the action in Chikara with their story, and it was a well-told one beginning to end. They played the role of cocky dominators early, and when it came time for the tide to turn, they were still game.
Breakout Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, Adam Cole, Alberto del Rio, Chris Dickinson and Percy Watson
2010 Winner: Wade Barrett
It was tough to choose between the man hilariously referred to as RED BELLY by the Great Khali and Alberto del Rio, but I think Barrett gets the nod slightly as he's been more high profile for a longer time than del Rio has. Barrett, while still green in the ring, has held up his end as a character. He cut some wicked awesome promos, starting with his "Winds of Change" number during NXT and never looked back. He carried himself well as leader of Nexus.
Face of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan, John Cena, The Colony, El Generico and Rey Mysterio
2010 Winner: Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan embodied the plucky underdog all year long when he was in WWE. In the indies? Maybe not so much, but he spent most of the year in the bigs, so that's where the mark was made. Yeah, he struck Michael Cole, which regardless of how heelish he was is not exactly noble, but then again, Cole provoked him. There were far worse role model types in the WWE to emulate in 2010 than Bryan.
Heel of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, RJ Brewer, Canadian Ninjas, Kane and Kevin Steen
2010 Winner: Kevin Steen
The guy redefined psychotic within the confines of a wrestling ring. He brained El Generico at as many turns as possible with chairs. He ripped his mask off in an attempt at humiliating his former tag partner. He broke out as many sadistic techniques in matches as humanly possible. He announced his own matches against enhancement talent. Hell, he even had a t-shirt made depicting what he wanted to do to Generico during the year (for the uninitiated, it was a shirt with Generico's decapitated head on a steel chair). Steen was one of the scariest mofos in wrestling this past year, and for that, I salute him.
Comedian of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Colt Cabana/Matt Classic, Vladimir Kozlov, LuFisto, Santino Marella and Joey Ryan
2010 Winner: Santino Marella
The first two-time Bloggie winner in the same category, Santino gets the award again because, c'mon, the guy is pretty money. I think what sealed it for me this year was the tea party segment with Sheamus. How Santino could keep a straight face dressed up like that, or more specifically with Kozlov standing next to him dressed like that, I have no idea, but his delivery was almost perfect there.
Guest of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Rowdy Roddy Piper, Daisuke Sekimoto, William Shatner, Sgt. Slaughter and Manami Toyota
2010 Winner: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
Piper's appearance at the Old School RAW may have been one of the only serious ones, and it was used to great effect, as he did more to sell the Survivor Series PPV Cena, Barrett or Randy Orton did leading into it. His promo was among the best of the year, but c'mon, did you expect any different from Hot Rod? I didn't, but even if it was expected, that doesn't mean it was any less awesome.
Feud of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: BDK vs. Chikara, Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz/Michael Cole, John Cena vs. The Nexus, CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio and El Generico and Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen and Steve Corino
2010 Winner: El Generico and Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen and Steve Corino
The matches were off the charts violent and superheated. There was nuance. The build, both at live shows and on the Internet, was superbly done. Three out of the four men developed sides to their characters that weren't seen a whole lot before, and the one who played up a character that was familiar to him played it to a tee. This feud carried ROH in 2010, and the ultimate blowoff, with Generico defeating Steen at Final Battle, deserved the main event spot that it got.
Announcer of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Michael Cole, Excalibur, Lenny Leonard, Bryce Remsburg and UltraMantis Black
2010 Winner: Bryce Remsburg
This was a tough field to call. Michael Cole's work in 2010 was vastly improved, but he sacrificed getting the product over for entertainment value, and really, it should never be about the announcer. Conversely, Chikara's Commentation Station does an incredible job getting the matches over. Whether it's Mike Quackenbush's expertise at analyzing wrestling or UltraMantis Black's macabre over-the-top commentary, it's sure to please. However, the glue to that station is one Bryce Remsburg, who lends his voice whenever he's not needed in the ring, and I have to say, he does a damn fine job. It's about time for him to get recognized for more than his fair refereeing or his boyish good looks.
Moment of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: The Colony Defeats the BDK at King of Trios Night 2, Daniel Bryan Returns at WWE SummerSlam, El Generico Is Unmasked Against His Will, The Nexus Debuts on RAW, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart Embrace
2010 Winner: The Nexus Debuts on RAW
The only reason why the finish to the Night 2 main event to King of Trios didn't win because, while it was the first big win against the BDK by a Chikara team, it was erased by the main event the next night. Some might say the Nexus angle may not have lived up to its potential, but I don't think it was a failure. I mean, the good guy won in the end, and while the stable itself may live on, the main focus isn't going to drag on forever like the nWo did. Plus, you can't deny that the first time Nexus appeared as Nexus was absolutely chilling and spine-tingling. I mean, the rookies coming out of the crowd, beating up John Cena and CM Punk AND Luke Gallows AND Serena before going onto everyone at ringside. The final, memorable scene of them tearing down the ring while standing over a fallen Cena was as poignant as you could get for pro wrestling.
Promotion/Brand of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Chikara Pro Wrestling, Friday Night Smackdown, Monday Night RAW, Pro Wrestling Guerilla and SHIMMER Women Athletes
2010 Winner: Chikara Pro Wrestling
This was hard in that all five candidates had good years. For all the haters that like to lump the WWE in with their railing against shitty wrestling, both major brands had great years. RAW was good more weeks than it was bad, and Smackdown at least always had great wrestling. SHIMMER promoted women well, and PWG was great as always. But why did Chikara win this year? Last year, I gave the award to ECW because they produced great every week rather than twice a month, but at the same time, it's still very hard to produce at a high level, no matter how frequent the shows are. Every time Chikara produced a show, it was top-quality, high-level awesomeness. Who cares if they didn't do it every week? The way they were going, they could have produced at that level twice a day. Quack and his crew deserve all the credit in the world for what they've done this year, and I really mean it when I say Chikara in 2010 was my favorite fed ever to date. Good work, fellas.
del Rey, Castagnoli, BDK, Steen, Feud of the Year, BRYCE~! and Chikara Photo Credits: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan, John Cena, Kane, The Miz and Sheamus
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
2010 Winner: The Miz
All five candidates had their moments, but Miz takes the honors here because he has arguably been the WWE's most charismatic and over performers all year long. Like John Cena, he's elicited mixed reactions from crowds everywhere. Unlike Cena, he's pushed as a heel, so the face reactions he gets are just due to his awesomeness. Where did this campaign start in earnest? It had to have been the infamous Chicken Crumbs promo, where he just threw down and told every other wrestler in the world "It's fucking on like Donkey Kong, bitches". He was great out of the ring, he was good-to-great in the ring. He made Daniel Bryan look like a million bucks, and as a reward, he was crowned WWE Champion, an honor that he has taken and run with. Yes, Sheamus cut some blistering promos all summer long. So did Kane. Bryan was maybe the most buzzworthy wrestler in the business. John Cena had the spotlight on him and again carried himself with pride. However, Miz epitomized the word "awesome". So rare it is to find a guy whose catchphrase is the utter truth, but he is The Miz, and he is… AAAAAAAWEESOMMMMMME!!
Worker of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Kaval, Chris Masters and Kevin Steen
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
2010 Winner: Daniel Bryan/Bryan Danielson
Y'all forgot about Bryan Danielson, didn't you? Aside from a tilt with Kaval on FCW TV that went viral, there was nary a word to be spoken about Daniel Bryan the worker for the first couple of months. Then he appeared on NXT, and it was his character work that got more play. Yeah, there was that much-talked-about match against Chris Jericho on the first episode of that, but it was a little overrated. However, once he got on the indie scene, he started to rev up. Chikara, EVOLVE, DGUSA, PWG and a few other random feds saw his awesomeness first before going back to the WWE, where he cemented his resume. There was that match with The Miz, which was my personal WWE match of the year. Then the series with Dolph Ziggler, matches with Jack Swagger, Ted DiBiase, Sheamus, William Regal… hell, any match where he wasn't squashed, he shone through. Bryan Danielson or Daniel Bryan, whatever you want to call him, was the truth in 2010. Many were close to him, but in my opinion, no one was his equal. No one.
Talker of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, Kane, The Miz, MVP and Sheamus
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Again, it started with the aforementioned "Chicken Crumbs" promo, which was the highlight of the year, and maybe the best promo in WWE in a long time. However, it was every week that Miz was coming out and cutting brilliant promos, getting crowds riled up and wanting his blood. Wade Barrett, especially with his "Winds of Change" promo, and Kane with his promo work week in and out, were strong contenders here, but Miz wins here.
Woman of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Sara del Rey, Madison Eagles, Daizee Haze, Nattie Neidhart and Madison Rayne
2010 Winner: Sara del Rey
Death Rey was all over the scene in 2010, and no matter where she went, she was lights-out awesome. She wrestled women and men in Chikara. She seconded the Tag Champs and looked to be the centerpiece of the revamped Women of Honor in ROH. She tore up JAPW and SHIMMER. Yeah, there were women in WWE and TNA that had more exposure, but in an environment where women are treated like actual wrestlers and not eye candy, del Rey stood taller than her peers.
Indie Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Claudio Castagnoli, Chris Hero, Davey Richards, Kevin Steen and Roderick Strong
2010 Winner: Claudio Castagnoli
Yeah, Kevin Steen had maybe the best fed-year out of all the candidates with his 2010 in ROH, but he was in PWG sporadically at best and had few other feds where he was making an impact. Claudio though? He was everywhere in 2010. He was a leader of a major heel faction in Chikara. His tag team with Chris Hero in ROH was a focus all year long and has held the Tag Team Championships there for almost the whole year. He had some nice matches in EVOLVE and toured other feds around the country like 2CW and NWA Hollywood among others. And the coup de grace? He won his first American-based World Championship in PWG. Claudio's award here is based on quality AND quantity.
Tag Team of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Canadian Ninjas, Kings of Wrestling, Motor City Machine Guns, ¡Peligro Abejas! and Young Bucks/Generation Me
 |
| Photo Credit: TNAWrestling.com |
The Guns had to be the obvious choice here. They were boss on the indie scene, but the big reason for them winning the award here was their work in TNA. For a few months, they, along with Beer Money and Generation Me, were the only reason to tune into Impact. They had great matches with anyone they were put in the ring with, and for that, they get this award by kind of a landslide.
Stable of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Bruderschaft des Kreuzes, The Colony, Immortal, Nexus and World-1
2010 Winners: Bruderschaft des Kreuzes (Ares, Claudio Castagnoli, Sara del Rey, Delirious, Tim Donst, Lince Dorado, Jakob Hammermeir, Daizee Haze, Derek Sabato, Pinkie Sanchez, Tursas and Dieter von Stiegerwalt)
The BDK dominated the action in Chikara with their story, and it was a well-told one beginning to end. They played the role of cocky dominators early, and when it came time for the tide to turn, they were still game.
Breakout Wrestler of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, Adam Cole, Alberto del Rio, Chris Dickinson and Percy Watson
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
2010 Winner: Wade Barrett
It was tough to choose between the man hilariously referred to as RED BELLY by the Great Khali and Alberto del Rio, but I think Barrett gets the nod slightly as he's been more high profile for a longer time than del Rio has. Barrett, while still green in the ring, has held up his end as a character. He cut some wicked awesome promos, starting with his "Winds of Change" number during NXT and never looked back. He carried himself well as leader of Nexus.
Face of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Daniel Bryan, John Cena, The Colony, El Generico and Rey Mysterio
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
2010 Winner: Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan embodied the plucky underdog all year long when he was in WWE. In the indies? Maybe not so much, but he spent most of the year in the bigs, so that's where the mark was made. Yeah, he struck Michael Cole, which regardless of how heelish he was is not exactly noble, but then again, Cole provoked him. There were far worse role model types in the WWE to emulate in 2010 than Bryan.
Heel of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Wade Barrett, RJ Brewer, Canadian Ninjas, Kane and Kevin Steen
2010 Winner: Kevin Steen
The guy redefined psychotic within the confines of a wrestling ring. He brained El Generico at as many turns as possible with chairs. He ripped his mask off in an attempt at humiliating his former tag partner. He broke out as many sadistic techniques in matches as humanly possible. He announced his own matches against enhancement talent. Hell, he even had a t-shirt made depicting what he wanted to do to Generico during the year (for the uninitiated, it was a shirt with Generico's decapitated head on a steel chair). Steen was one of the scariest mofos in wrestling this past year, and for that, I salute him.
Comedian of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Colt Cabana/Matt Classic, Vladimir Kozlov, LuFisto, Santino Marella and Joey Ryan
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
The first two-time Bloggie winner in the same category, Santino gets the award again because, c'mon, the guy is pretty money. I think what sealed it for me this year was the tea party segment with Sheamus. How Santino could keep a straight face dressed up like that, or more specifically with Kozlov standing next to him dressed like that, I have no idea, but his delivery was almost perfect there.
Guest of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Rowdy Roddy Piper, Daisuke Sekimoto, William Shatner, Sgt. Slaughter and Manami Toyota
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Piper's appearance at the Old School RAW may have been one of the only serious ones, and it was used to great effect, as he did more to sell the Survivor Series PPV Cena, Barrett or Randy Orton did leading into it. His promo was among the best of the year, but c'mon, did you expect any different from Hot Rod? I didn't, but even if it was expected, that doesn't mean it was any less awesome.
Feud of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: BDK vs. Chikara, Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz/Michael Cole, John Cena vs. The Nexus, CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio and El Generico and Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen and Steve Corino
2010 Winner: El Generico and Colt Cabana vs. Kevin Steen and Steve Corino
The matches were off the charts violent and superheated. There was nuance. The build, both at live shows and on the Internet, was superbly done. Three out of the four men developed sides to their characters that weren't seen a whole lot before, and the one who played up a character that was familiar to him played it to a tee. This feud carried ROH in 2010, and the ultimate blowoff, with Generico defeating Steen at Final Battle, deserved the main event spot that it got.
Announcer of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Michael Cole, Excalibur, Lenny Leonard, Bryce Remsburg and UltraMantis Black
2010 Winner: Bryce Remsburg
This was a tough field to call. Michael Cole's work in 2010 was vastly improved, but he sacrificed getting the product over for entertainment value, and really, it should never be about the announcer. Conversely, Chikara's Commentation Station does an incredible job getting the matches over. Whether it's Mike Quackenbush's expertise at analyzing wrestling or UltraMantis Black's macabre over-the-top commentary, it's sure to please. However, the glue to that station is one Bryce Remsburg, who lends his voice whenever he's not needed in the ring, and I have to say, he does a damn fine job. It's about time for him to get recognized for more than his fair refereeing or his boyish good looks.
Moment of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: The Colony Defeats the BDK at King of Trios Night 2, Daniel Bryan Returns at WWE SummerSlam, El Generico Is Unmasked Against His Will, The Nexus Debuts on RAW, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart Embrace
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
2010 Winner: The Nexus Debuts on RAW
The only reason why the finish to the Night 2 main event to King of Trios didn't win because, while it was the first big win against the BDK by a Chikara team, it was erased by the main event the next night. Some might say the Nexus angle may not have lived up to its potential, but I don't think it was a failure. I mean, the good guy won in the end, and while the stable itself may live on, the main focus isn't going to drag on forever like the nWo did. Plus, you can't deny that the first time Nexus appeared as Nexus was absolutely chilling and spine-tingling. I mean, the rookies coming out of the crowd, beating up John Cena and CM Punk AND Luke Gallows AND Serena before going onto everyone at ringside. The final, memorable scene of them tearing down the ring while standing over a fallen Cena was as poignant as you could get for pro wrestling.
Promotion/Brand of the Year
AND THE NOMINEES ARE: Chikara Pro Wrestling, Friday Night Smackdown, Monday Night RAW, Pro Wrestling Guerilla and SHIMMER Women Athletes
2010 Winner: Chikara Pro Wrestling
This was hard in that all five candidates had good years. For all the haters that like to lump the WWE in with their railing against shitty wrestling, both major brands had great years. RAW was good more weeks than it was bad, and Smackdown at least always had great wrestling. SHIMMER promoted women well, and PWG was great as always. But why did Chikara win this year? Last year, I gave the award to ECW because they produced great every week rather than twice a month, but at the same time, it's still very hard to produce at a high level, no matter how frequent the shows are. Every time Chikara produced a show, it was top-quality, high-level awesomeness. Who cares if they didn't do it every week? The way they were going, they could have produced at that level twice a day. Quack and his crew deserve all the credit in the world for what they've done this year, and I really mean it when I say Chikara in 2010 was my favorite fed ever to date. Good work, fellas.
del Rey, Castagnoli, BDK, Steen, Feud of the Year, BRYCE~! and Chikara Photo Credits: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Amazing Kong's Cryptic Tweets = Going to WWE?
 |
| The WWE's Newest Signee? |
Amazing (or Awesome if you will) Kong posted the following on her Twitter account just about an hour ago:
My dreams just came true today. I got my dream job. Yes, THAT one.If that means what I and everyone else seems to think it means, then she's the newest WWE Diva, or better yet, the division's Anti-Diva. It also means we're one step closer to my dream of Kong and Beth Phoenix tearing shit up in the tag division, wiping Chyna's untalented, penis-laden stain from the annals of WWE's intergender history.
And in a bit of karma... AHAHAHA BUBBA THE LOVE SPONGE YOU HACK BAHAHAH! To wit, yes, the incident that got Kong fired from TNA was a case of Kong overreacting to an incendiary blowhard. However, if I were she, I might have done the same thing. Bubba brought nothing to TNA. Kong did, and now, because TNA chose Bubba over Kong, they're out both. Hopefully, the WWE and Kong are a better fit for each other, of course, if this is the case with the tweet. I'm not confirming anything, but you have to admit that this is almost obvious.
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
In Memoriam 2010
Let's take a few moments to honor those in the wrestling industry who were taken from us this year, be they before their time or in the twilight of their lives.
All photos credit to Online World of Wrestling unless otherwise captioned
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Lance Cade
Luna Vachon
King Curtis Iaukea
Eduoard Carpentier
Mike Shaw
Giant Gonzalez
Ludvig Borga
Trent Acid
Chris Kanyon
Gene Kiniski
Chris "Solid" Long
 |
| Photo Credit: AJC.com |
Gran Naniwa
 |
| Photo Credit: SBNation.com |
JC Bailey
"Nightmare" Ted Allen
Skandar Akbar
Baron Mikel Scicluna
Jack Brisco
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
2010 Year in Review/Preview: WWE
 |
| It's Miz's world; we're all just squirrels trying to get a nut Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Fed: WWE
What Happened in 2010: Well, the biggest story of the first part of the year was Shawn Michaels' swan song. It was one that saw him obsessed with ending Undertaker's streak, burying the hatchet with an old rival in Bret Hart along the way. The streak consumed him to the point where he harassed, harangued and even cost Undertaker his World Championship at Elimination Chamber. By that time, he had Taker's attention, and the Dead Man offered his streak for Michaels' career. The match at WrestleMania was yet another classic, but much like the year before, Undertaker put Michaels to bed, this time forever. The next night on RAW, HBK made his last appearance and it was over.
The first half of 2010 also saw Batista leave the company, although in a much different fashion. After his excellently done heel turn at the end of '09, he segued into a feud with John Cena that would span the better part of the first months of the year. It was a great feud, even if Cena was the one getting the upper hand most of the time. For whatever reason though, Batista became disenchanted with the company's direction and decided that a MMA career would be better for him, so he left. Funny, if he had left at that time last year, I'd have said good riddance, but when he did in 2010? I was bummed. The WWE's gonna miss him.
With Michaels and Batista out and Edge, Triple H and Undertaker maybe on their last legs, the WWE needed to create some new stars. Enter NXT. The first season of the show that replaced the WWE's version of ECW featured a wide range of wrestlers from the Internet fan-favorite Daniel Bryan (aka Bryan Danielson) to the hated for reasons other than kayfabe David Otunga. Wade Barrett won the competition, but all of what happened in the time to complete that first season paled in comparison to what went down June 7th. During the main event of the Viewers' Choice RAW, a match featuring Cena wrestling CM Punk, all eight members of that season one cast stormed the ring, beat the crap out of everyone at ringside (curiously excepting Michael Cole) and tore down the ring in what was maybe the most spine-tingling wrestling moment in the last decade.
Of course, that angle took a hit right off the bat when Bryan was fired for being "too violent" for the act of choking Justin Roberts with his own tie. Barrett, the leader, spent some time off the air because of visa issues as well. Still, the group kept chugging along, terrorizing the RAW brand as they saw fit. They attacked everyone and anyone, including Vince McMahon, presently ending him as an on-screen character. This temporarily culminated in a seven-on-seven elimination match between the Nexus and a team led by John Cena at SummerSlam. The final member of that team, not announced until the match began, was none other than Bryan, who came out to a monstrous pop. Cena's team won, but Barrett's harassment of him didn't stop there.
Somehow, Barrett was able to convince Cena to put his freedom on the line in a match, where if Cena lost, he had to join Nexus. We all know what happened after. Cena lost, was disruptive from get-go one, got fired, came back the next night as a disruptive force and was rehired, all within the span of two months or so. It was a frustrating, and it did more harm for Barrett than good. Still, it happened and there's nothing we can do about it, other than not watch.
But then again, if you don't watch WWE, how can you check out the budding awesomeness of Bryan? After he came back, he was given the mother of all good-faith pushes, booked to dominate The Miz in their feud, capture the United States Championship. From there, he defeated Dolph Ziggler in three straight matches and has been making Ted DiBiase his personal whipping boy in the close of 2010. Right now, he's in a holding pattern with the Bella Twins arguing over which one gets to take his "virginity", but bad storyline aside, that kid from the indies did good, didn't he?
The biggest star the WWE created this year had to have been the guy Bryan beat for the US Title, Michael "The Miz" Mizanin. He spent more time this year with gold around his waist than not. He was given platform after platform to get himself over, and he did so well. When he finally cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Randy Orton, it was official. Miz had arrived, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Really.
WWE's 2010 MVP: Is it anyone other than The Miz? Well, Sheamus and Kane are contenders, but Miz was around gold all year, had gobs of camera time, and then when he won the WWE Championship, he got all kinds of mainstream press for the WWE, the good kind even.
What's Gonna Happen in 2011: Well, going forward, there's going to be a lot of attention on the build to WrestleMania. The card has been ideated, scrapped and reimagined so many times now that it's almost impossible to predict. However, the latest rumblings have John Cena vs. The Miz as the main event for the WWE Championship. That, of course, flies in the face of the current Cena/CM Punk program that just started, although the WWE has started big-time angles around this time of the year only to see them set up something else (the HBK-in-servitude-to-JBL angle ring a bell?) before. Still, I think Miz may just hold onto the title until WrestleMania, where he'll drop it to maybe Randy Orton? I don't know.
What might happen with the World Heavyweight Championship is even murkier. Edge has never held a World Championship longer than 105 days, and he seems like the prime target not to escape Elimination Chamber with his title intact. Would Sheamus or Triple H be candidates to take it to give their potential WrestleMania match a little more oomph? Maybe Rey Mysterio wins it again and defends against Alberto del Rio.
Then there's the question of Undertaker. Will he be back in time to defend his streak, and if so, who will it be against? It won't be Brock Lesnar unless someone performs Inception on Dana White to allow it to happen. It won't be against Michaels again either, seeing that there's a better chance of me climbing Mount Everest than there is of HBK coming back to wrestle anytime soon.
Five to Watch in 2011:
Drew McIntyre - Everyone thought that Scrooge McPoyle would get the big push this past year, but he didn't get over the way they liked, and his wife turned out to be, in the eyes of the WWE of course, a real c-word. I don't know her, so I can't say, but it's hard to imagine that they didn't take a little bit of her behavior out on Drew. That being said, he's really improved in the ring, and if they let him go at least I know he can go in character, he'll be a huge star. He seems to be in the process of a face turn if his interactions with Kelly Kelly of late are any indication, and I think that'd be a good move for him.
Skip Sheffield - Sheffield got a bad break, literally, when he snapped his leg on tour. He was among the scariest looking mofos during the various Nexus beatdowns, which means he's mastered two different kinds of characters. This includes the goofy "Cornfed Meathead" character he ran with during NXT Season 1. Sheffield has the tools to get over in a big way once he comes back.
Ted DiBiase - DiBiase seems to be in the same boat right now that Miz was in last year around the time of the "SummerFest" incident. He's floating around the US Championship and getting some air time, although it might not seem significant now. Still, he's got too much talent and too much of a pedigree to be left to the side. I can see him taking down one of the three possible Money in the Bank briefcases in play this coming year.
Percy Watson - Oh yeah! Watson showed a lot of promise during NXT Season 2, and his return may be imminent since he's been featured in dark matches lately. Of all the guys in either season, Watson had the most raw charisma, and could very well be a breakout star when all is said and done.
John Morrison - Yes, his push has already begun, but while I don't think he'll be hanging around the title scene too long after the Royal Rumble, I think he will hold his first World Championship before the calendar year of 2011 is over. He's charismatic despite having barely any mic skills, and he connects with the crowd in the ring. Those are two very good traits to have.
Three Things I Want to See in 2011:
1 – A real, honest-to-God tag team division. Seriously, this is where future stars are created. I've written about this so many times before that nothing I can say more will add anything meaningful to the conversation.
2 – The end of avoiding any mention of the word "wrestling" on telecasts. I understand that the WWE has a hard on to be considered in the same realm of TV shows as Two and a Half Men or CSI or what have you, but the fact is that the terms "sports entertainment" and "wrestling" are not mutually exclusive. Wrestling is in the damn name of the company. That's what they do no matter how much they want to deny it publicly, and if you ask me, they do it quite well. The in-ring product is not what's hurting them right now. It's everything else.
3 – Three words, King Daniel Bryan. YOU KNOW THIS DESIRE IS IN YOUR HEART AS WELL, SQUIRE.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
The Best Moves Ever: Last Ride Powerbomb
The last Best.Move.Evar. of 2010 is, how fittingly, the Undertaker's Last Ride. There are powerbombs, and then there are FUCKING AWESOME powerbombs. Taker, who has a tendency to have primo finishing moves, has a bomb that fits in the latter category. It might be more impressive when he gives it to larger opponents, but when he does it to little guys like Rey Mysterio? Yeah, it's more impressive-looking. Here goes:
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Wrestling Six Packs: New Year's Resolutions for Wrestlers
 |
| GAH SO BORING Photo Credit: WWE.com |
1. Cary Silkin and ROH administration: Learn to balance the books better and deal with talent in a more judicious manner
ROH is at a point where they can grow their brand and develop into a national promotion with better drawing power on tours than maybe TNA. Okay, so you'd want all the star power possible, right? So why do you need to jettison quality talent like Necro Butcher, Austin Aries, Kevin Steen and the Dark City Fight Club for either a short period of time or, in Aries' case, forever? C'mon now, either you're as good at keeping the books as you like, or you don't have the touch in mediating the locker room. Stuff like that needs to be fixed if ROH is truly to go national.
2. Randy Orton: To emote more
C'mon Randy, you're not a soulless heel anymore. You don't need to stalk to the ring like you're a deadbeat dad dreading going in for a court hearing. Walk briskly, smile at the fans, do more gesturing to the crowd. So what if you're not a traditional babyface? Steve Austin at least interacted with the crowd and did more than pound the mat before he went for his signature move. You're just so damn boring to watch anymore.
3. Matt Striker: To tone it down a bit
You get a lot of hate on the Internet, and while I'm a defender, I can see why. Whenever you go over the top to try and get yourself over as the epic voice of the WWE, you end up sounding obnoxious. Meanwhile, I enjoy the hell out of you on Superstars, when you actually break matches down and give analysis. Why can't you do that more? Seriously, Vince McMahon and Jim Ross had the chops to go big. You just end up making us want you to go home. Kick it down a notch, please.
4. Icarus: To wear more tee-shirts
Seriously dude, I'm pretty sure most of the heel heat you get from Chikara crowds has to do with that terrible tattoo. You got a chant at Ciberknetico despite being totally awful in every way. Why? Because you wore a shirt. Yep. I tried starting one for STIGMA, but it didn't take. But you? You got one. Wear more shirts boss, and maybe you won't get those "Worst in the world! Worst in the world!" chants.
5. CIMA: To say "Uuuuu!" on Twitter more
Because you obviously don't say it enough.
6. AJ Styles: To stop giving a crap what censors or producers think
Seriously, the Impact moment of the year might have been when you yelled "SHUT UP, HOOKER!" at Madison Rayne. So what if you make the censors work a little harder to bleep out your more colorful slips? You saying outrageous shit like that makes Impact more watchable. Let it all go. It's not like people watch Impact anyway. Do the opposite of what I want Matt Striker to be. It's a lot more awesome when a wrestler does that kind of thing than when an announcer does.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Quick Hits: Quick Hits Go Manhattan
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
- Ask and ye shall receive? Apparently, Kevin Steen got a whiff of the blog I posted today in tribute to him, and had this answer:
I appreciate your blog. But I must reiterate, I am NOT quitting wrestling. You'll see me at PWG and other places, bet on it.This is excellent news. According to commenter Marty, Steen was actually part of the Aries cuts, which is asinine if you ask me. You don't send a performer away the caliber of Steen. Anyway, if he's still working PWG, then I'm fucking psyched. Maybe he'll EVOLVE too? Or maybe the WWE will come to its senses and offer the guy a contract? No, never.
- More Twitter news, Mickie James loves Steel Panther. Is this news? Not really. Is it awesome? Yes it is. If you don't know Steel Panther, then know them. They're awesome. I co-sign on that.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Lesnar NOT Looking to Leave UFC
Via the Dave Meltzer Podcast, via Eric Gargiulo at the CCB
Turns out that report I posted last night was erroneous. People have been taking Meltzer out of context, and apparently, Brock Lesnar isn't looking for an out on his UFC contract to go wrestle at WrestleMania. Does this mean he won't be appearing at WM? The smart money is no, no chance, but then again, if the pot is sweetened enough for Dana White, who knows at this point. The part about Lesnar wanting to do WM is right, it's just a matter of what channels he's willing to go through to get there without walking away from his UFC deal.
So yeah, silly me for not going right to the source. That being said, anything with Meltzer's name attached to it gets that extra level of priority, y'know? That being said, whatever Meltzer reports in the Observer will still be passed along.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Turns out that report I posted last night was erroneous. People have been taking Meltzer out of context, and apparently, Brock Lesnar isn't looking for an out on his UFC contract to go wrestle at WrestleMania. Does this mean he won't be appearing at WM? The smart money is no, no chance, but then again, if the pot is sweetened enough for Dana White, who knows at this point. The part about Lesnar wanting to do WM is right, it's just a matter of what channels he's willing to go through to get there without walking away from his UFC deal.
So yeah, silly me for not going right to the source. That being said, anything with Meltzer's name attached to it gets that extra level of priority, y'know? That being said, whatever Meltzer reports in the Observer will still be passed along.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
2010 Year in Review/Preview: TNA
 |
| TNA in a nutshell Photo Credit: TNAWrestling.com |
What Happened in 2010: Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff took over, pretended that they were phasing out Vince Russo and instead worked with him the whole time. They promised change, with Bischoff literally ripping up a script on the first show in their tenure, the ill-advised head-to-head January 4th show, but he just had another backup in his pocket to read from. Too bad the script changed each week.
The year started off focused around Kurt Angle and AJ Styles feuding, with Styles under the tutelage of Ric Flair. That focus turned into Flair feuding with Hulk Hogan, using Abyss as the in-ring proxy. The main heat involved there was, and I shit you not, Flair getting pissed off at Hogan giving The Monster his WWE Hall of Fame ring. That turned into Desmond Wolfe getting swallowed up into a hole in the ring that Abyss created. Are you following this? No? Good, because I don't think anyone can.
Rob Van Dam was then signed and within 20 seconds of his Impact debut, was beaten senseless by Sting. It was forgotten about quickly, because within a month, RVD was the TNA World Champion, which was actually a good move. The not-so-good-move? RVD vacated the belt after getting beaten down by Flair's Fortune stable. Depending on whom you believe, the move was made either as a storyline device or because RVD had used up most of the dates on his contract and was getting close to going into "OT" so to speak where he could charge $10K per appearance. Either way, I guess dropping the belt wasn't in the cards. Brilliant.
It was around this time that Abyss started talking about "they", a mysterious group that told him to do all these nasty things like kidnapping staffers and threatening to beat people with a baseball bat with protruding nails. This group turned out to be the majestic heel turn of Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, Abyss and Jeff Hardy, who immediately formed with Flair's Fortune group to become the super-stable Immortal. This group immediately started running roughshod over TNA, and the faces have yet to get over on it. Ever. At all.
Of course, there were some good things to happen in the fed in 2010. The tag team division, especially when they FINALLY got their heads out of their asses and strapped the MCMGs, was jumping. The Guns, as well as Beer Money and Generation Me, provided a welcomed respite from the schlock and awful that the main event and most of the midcard was giving forth. Jay Lethal had some nice moments too when they decided to use him, which wasn't really that often in retrospect. Oh yeah, the Knockouts had a nice run towards the end of the year after they started treating them like a real division again instead of just a carbon copy of the WWE's Divas division.
But alas, the good in TNA has been overwhelmingly overshadowed by the bad. Sadly for us the fans, looking for a viable competitor to the WWE to bring back a fuller wrestling scene, that's just another sign in the decline of the business.
TNA's 2010 MVP: Even if there has been a lot of hand-wringing over the time he spent off the roster, the answer for me is Rob Van Dam, who got some decent ratings as Champion. He had his working shoes on most of the year, and when the title was on him, the main event was at least somewhat interesting.
What's Gonna Happen in 2011: C'mon son, I don't know if they know what they're doing in two months let alone twelve. Still, might as well try to forecast something. I don't know. What I do know is that they've kept Sting and Kevin Nash off TV for the last couple of months in hopes that when they do decide to bring those grey wolves back, they'd spike a nice pop. The problem is, when you're counting on Sting and Nash to drive business and not trying to build stars like Pope or Ken Anderson in earnest by allowing them to have SOME kind of heat in their current feuds, well, you set yourself up for failure. The WWF didn't catch up with WCW by bringing back Hillbilly Jim to feud with Koko B. Ware for the Championship. They took risks and pushed guys like Steve Austin, The Rock and Mick Foley, guys who had potential but not a push to the top. Who in TNA fits that bill?
Samoa Joe is one guy. Yes, you could say they've failed him at every turn ever since they signed Kurt Angle and made Joe an afterthought. However, they signed him recently to a long term deal, and he's still somewhat young. Another guy is that aforementioned Pope, who's gotten some main event level love, but who has also been borderline buried since starting to feud with Abyss.
Five to Watch in 2011:
Robbie E - One of Mikey Whipwreck's NYWC alumni, Robbie has been eye-opening, taking a parody gimmick of the Jersey Shore, totally embracing it and making it work. He's a decent worker too. If he doesn't get lost in the shuffle, he could take some big steps in '11.
Sarita - Known as Sarah Stock everywhere else she goes, everyone knows that she's got the chops in the ring to keep pace (or more like LEAD pace) with the Knockouts division. She's starting to show more of that requisite personality, and for her troubles has gotten some nice exposure on Impact, wrestling Mickie James and Madison Rayne. If she gets the chance, she could really shine amongst the Knockouts as a top heel foil to James or Angelina Love.
Generation Me - Another indie darling act, the erstwhile Young Bucks have re-upped for at least one more year, which means one more year of potentially show-stealing matches against the MCMGs. If the right people take notice, maybe this could be the year that the Buck boys get their first taste of mainstream wrestling gold.
Pope D'Angelo Dinero - As I mentioned before, he's gotten a taste of the main event earlier in 2010, and even if his feud with Abyss isn't going the way that most people would like it to go, he's still in the main event mix. When the tide starts turning (or I should say, if it ever does before they decide to foolishly do another fed-wide reboot) for the faces, Pope could very well be in the mix, even as a challenger for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
London Brawling - This team was hastily put together and then emasculated on the air by their manager Chelsea before being taken off for retooling. However, as noted recently on Impact, they're on their way back and they could add to an already stacked tag team division. If Desmond Wolfe stays healthy, they could be a force to be reckoned with all year long, as both he and Brutus Magnus are talented performers.
Three Things I Want to See in 2011:
1 – Resist the urge and leave Matt Hardy on the sidelines. Many people, including Dave Meltzer, have it as a foregone conclusion that Matt Hardy gets signed by TNA as soon as his no-compete is up. This is a bad idea. Jeff Hardy is already in deep trouble with his drug use, alleged or otherwise, so bringing in another enabler is asking for trouble. Plus, it's not like Matt doesn't have his own demons that would cause TNA headache. Reuniting the Hardy Boys is not worth the bad juju that bringing Matt aboard would bring.
2 – Institute a real drug program. The WWE at least has a token Wellness Program, and whether you want to believe it works or not, they at least have some stance on drugs. TNA? They test for drugs, but usually, if you pass, they tell you to find a better dealer. Okay, I was kidding about the latter part of that statement, but the truth is, they don't do anything about positive test results. It hurts the product when you have guys in there working so fucked up out of their minds that it hurts what's being presented. Wrestlers dying young is a real epidemic, and TNA could do some real good towards remedying that if they just had a GD drug program.
3 – Be different. It's not 1998 anymore. What worked then won't work now. Trying to recreate the WWF/E's success is not going to bring about business because the people who watched during that heyday are now watching MMA. Why are Bischoff, Russo and Hogan stuck in the past? Because they're hacks. Either they have to realize that they need to be different, a true alternative to WWE, or they need to be jettisoned. Simple as that. This may be a pipe dream, because God forbid you tell Dixie Carter that her cronies are keeping her company back. Then again, in her mind, she does run a company that competes with the WWE, no matter how false that idea is in reality. Still, they need to try new things, and not just in the low card either.
Next up… WWE!
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Year-End Sorting Bins: Bin Five - The Pantheon of Sheer Awesome
Here you go, the grand finale, the guys who are so awesome to me that calling them my favorites would be an understatement. Last year there were four. This year, there's a fifth. WHO IS IT? Let's get to the list to find out.
Chris Jericho - Jericho spent the better part of his final year (for now, let's hope) in the business helping to put over everyone he could – Edge, Wade Barrett, the nameless GM and finally Randy Orton. They gave him a run with the World Championship and as clean a WrestleMania main event win as they could, but Y2J was clearly in the give mode. That's one of the many reasons why he could be my favorite wrestler of all-time. He's not only a great talent, but he's not so self-absorbed that he can't help other people get over without thinking that his heat would get hurt. He's a true professional, and Christ, I hope to God that he decides that wrestling isn't beneath him and makes one last run in WWE. For the kids. And by kids, I mean me.
Claudio Castagnoli - I spent a good amount of time at shows where he wrestled in 2010 booing him. Was it because I all of a sudden didn't like him anymore? Hell no. The thing is, I didn't go to many ROH or Sapolsky-booked shows, so it was mostly Chikara or bust. In Chikara, he was sort of an über-heel. I got into the show and played mark, jeering Claudio and his BDK faction, when in reality, I thought the job he did all year was amazing. Finally, people were recognizing him. He was given a year-long reign with the ROH Tag Titles that's still ongoing, and ROH treats its tag teams right. He was also given his first ever American-based World Championship in PWG. I can't think of anyone else who deserves it more.
Austin Aries - A Double is one of the best showmen in all professional wrestling. He always cuts a blisteringly hot promo. His ring work is impeccable, treading the line between indie strong style and sports entertainment storyteller with such adroit that he makes so many other of his contemporaries, even the ones who get more of the critical acclaim than he does, look utterly silly. His facial expressions and body language are better than those of your favorite wrestler most likely (unless your favorite wrestler is Jericho or the last guy on this list). Yet, he's out of ROH because he speaks his mind, and he won't get picked up by WWE because he's not a half a foot taller. What a cruel business wrestling is. At least he'll still have bookings for Gabe Sapolsky, PWG, NWA Hollywood and other indie feds that want to have greatness working for them. Better that than nothing at all, I say.
Bryce Remsburg - To the untrained eye, Bryce is "just a referee". That's why those eyes are untrained. Bryce is not only the best ref in wrestling (I WILL HEAR NO ARGUMENT AT ALL TO THE CONTRARY!), but he's one of the best announcers in wrestling as well. He's affable and accessible on Twitter, Facebook and after the shows. The Podcast-a-Go-Go just wouldn't be the same without him, Wiggly, Gavin Loudspeaker and others bringing the smiles and the good times. Plus, he liked my salsa, and no one who likes my salsa can be a bad person.
Bryan Danielson/Daniel Bryan - Could he be the most versatile performer of all-time? I don't know, but he's definitely up there, and there isn't anything more satisfying on WWE TV right now than seeing him showing everyone in the world that a nerdy, technical wrestler belongs on the international mainstream stage along with the John Cenas and Randy Ortons of the world. He never has a bad match. NEVER. He's got such an understated promo delivery that puts guys who've been in the WWE for years to shame, even though they've had way more practice on the big stage. Here's to several more years on top in the WWE for Daniel Bryan. He may not bring about the next big wrestling boom, but it'll be damn fun watching him revolutionize the way matches are wrestled in the ring.
Aries and Castagnoli Photo Credits: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
 |
| Photo Credit: ChikaraPro.com |
 |
| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Aries and Castagnoli Photo Credits: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
If This Be the End for Kevin Steen...
Kevin Steen worked his last match for the time being for ROH at Final Battle about 10 days ago. It was maybe the most memorable match of 2010 in any fed, a brutal and bloody Fight without Honor where he lost to his former friend-turned-bitter rival El Generico. In a way, the resolution of the feud left people wanting more from the latest incarnation of Mr. Wrestling. Maybe it was his excellent character work as a heel in 2010. Maybe it was his in-ring abilities, which have never been in question. Regardless, ROH is losing, at least temporarily, its 2010 MVP.
The rumor was that Steen wanted to take time off from wrestling for awhile. Given that he works a high-energy, high-impact style that surely has taken a toll on his body over his career, can anyone really blame him? But if he decides to retire completely? Again, I'm not sure if anyone can blame him, but at the same time, wrestling would be losing one of its most dynamic characters.
Much in the same vein as Batista leaving the WWE after he had found a character that fit him so well, Steen taking this break after hitting his stride as a heel monster without conscience. Unlike Batista though, Steen always brought it as a worker. Still, there's that same feeling of emptiness. ROH, and if he's leaving PWG and other feds too, indie wrestling, won't feel the same. Hopefully, he makes his way back to ROH in a year or so.
However, if this really is the end of the line for Kevin Steen? Well, pat yourself on the back, Mr. Wrestling. It's been a hell of a run.
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
 |
| Godspeed, Mr. Wrestling |
Kevin Steen worked his last match for the time being for ROH at Final Battle about 10 days ago. It was maybe the most memorable match of 2010 in any fed, a brutal and bloody Fight without Honor where he lost to his former friend-turned-bitter rival El Generico. In a way, the resolution of the feud left people wanting more from the latest incarnation of Mr. Wrestling. Maybe it was his excellent character work as a heel in 2010. Maybe it was his in-ring abilities, which have never been in question. Regardless, ROH is losing, at least temporarily, its 2010 MVP.
The rumor was that Steen wanted to take time off from wrestling for awhile. Given that he works a high-energy, high-impact style that surely has taken a toll on his body over his career, can anyone really blame him? But if he decides to retire completely? Again, I'm not sure if anyone can blame him, but at the same time, wrestling would be losing one of its most dynamic characters.
Much in the same vein as Batista leaving the WWE after he had found a character that fit him so well, Steen taking this break after hitting his stride as a heel monster without conscience. Unlike Batista though, Steen always brought it as a worker. Still, there's that same feeling of emptiness. ROH, and if he's leaving PWG and other feds too, indie wrestling, won't feel the same. Hopefully, he makes his way back to ROH in a year or so.
However, if this really is the end of the line for Kevin Steen? Well, pat yourself on the back, Mr. Wrestling. It's been a hell of a run.
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
My Favorite Matches of 2010, The End of the Year
 |
| How are these two guys gonna have two of the best matches of the year? Photo Credit: WWE.com |
The grand finale of the match countdown for this year. Remember, if you don't see a match you thought should be on here, leave it in the comments. If I didn't see it, I'll tell you. If I didn't like it, I'll tell you too.
AJ Styles vs. Stevie Richards
Impact, November 11th (airdate)
A match that told a story, had big spots that made sense and finished with a memorably sick variation on a signature move? It happens a lot in many feds, but in TNA, especially on free TV, it doesn't happen very much. The one Impact match that people cite as a MOTY candidate is the Styles/Kurt Angle match from the January 4th show, but to me, that was a morass of spots stringed together haphazardly in an attempt to titillate without any semblance of story and destroyed both their finishers. This match had a legit story (Styles wanting to put out Richards, a member of EV 2.0), a few memorable spots, including the big one of Richards countering a Styles high spot with a Stevie Kick, and ended with an absolutely sick variation on the Styles Clash. One of the best matches in TNA all year.
Sheamus vs. John Morrison
Survivor Series, November 21st
The premise behind the match, Morrison fighting another grown-ass man's battle for him, was lame, but the payoff match for the original heat in this feud was amazing. Sheamus was wonderfully stiff as he usually is, but Morrison was a revelation, bumping and brawling like he was Shawn Michaels in 1996. The finish, which was seamless and featured something other than the overly-flippy Starship Pain, put an exclamation point on the action.
Mickie James vs. Tara
Steel Cage Match, Impact, December 9th (airdate)
They gave this match the main event on Impact, and it paid off. This was a damn good brawl between two women who have been in the business for a good long time and know how to get a match over. It was a nice brawl that ended on an insane spot from the top of the cage, maybe one of the best free TV spots of the year with Mickie's leap onto Tara.
Roderick Strong vs. Austin Aries
ROH on HDNet, December 13th (airdate)
Aries is the kind of guy who straddles the line between indie strong-style and traditional storyteller so well, and this is one of those examples. You put him in there with Tyler Black and he'll give you something watchable. Put him in there with a CAPABLE worker such as Roddy? It's masterful theater, which is what this match was. Aries, who had spent the last two years going heel, worked face here, playing off his former tag partner's recently-found heel antics. It started out slowly, but once Aries started going on offense, it picked up. Best spot of the match was Aries going to the outside on Strong, missing, but then recovering and throwing him into the guardrail. There was great selling, and Aries put Strong over strong on the way out. ROH is going to miss Austin Aries, and this match is going to serve as a stark reminder how much.
Sheamus vs. John Morrison
Number One Contenders Ladder Match, Tables, Ladders and Chairs, December 19th
This was much like their Survivor Series match, only enhanced with the addition of ladders. On a card with two other ladder matches, this one managed to have its own identity that wasn't borrowed from a prior ladder match. Morrison bumped great here again, and Sheamus again was on point with his offense. Fantastic match that stood out on a PPV with mostly good wrestling action on it.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Instant Feedback: Miz the Stalker and the Straight Edge Nexus
For the last RAW of the year, many, including myself, thought they were going light on the storyline material and heavy on wrestling. They usually go all in for the first RAW of the year, so why not go filler for the post-Christmas RAW? Yeah, they'd have none of that. A lot went down, and to tell you the truth, I could dig most of it.
First off, they FINALLY put Miz over huge tonight. No one is going to remember that he lost via countout and shenanigans to Jerry Lawler. They WILL remember that he may have kayfabe killed the old man though. Just a fantastically done segment, and Miz comes out looking like a stone-cold killer.
Secondly, the Cena/Punk/Nexus stuff was very well-done. The opening segment was scorching hot, and the closing segment, excepting the lame-ass "CM Sucks" nickname, was very effective. Punk putting on the Nexus armband actually made sense, although I hope that this band of minions has a better fate than his prior Straight Edge Society.
I hated that Tyson Kidd got buried, and I would rather have seen Sheamus go over Orton, but that wasn't enough for me to reverse my positive feeling. Solid show, and hopefully, they follow up next week.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
First off, they FINALLY put Miz over huge tonight. No one is going to remember that he lost via countout and shenanigans to Jerry Lawler. They WILL remember that he may have kayfabe killed the old man though. Just a fantastically done segment, and Miz comes out looking like a stone-cold killer.
Secondly, the Cena/Punk/Nexus stuff was very well-done. The opening segment was scorching hot, and the closing segment, excepting the lame-ass "CM Sucks" nickname, was very effective. Punk putting on the Nexus armband actually made sense, although I hope that this band of minions has a better fate than his prior Straight Edge Society.
I hated that Tyson Kidd got buried, and I would rather have seen Sheamus go over Orton, but that wasn't enough for me to reverse my positive feeling. Solid show, and hopefully, they follow up next week.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Brock Lesnar Looking to Get out of UFC Contract
 |
| Appearing at WrestleMania? Photo Credit: Josh Hedg of Getty Images via ESPN.com |
Brock Lesnar is apparently looking for an "exit strategy" from his UFC contract. His last fight, where he got his block knocked off by Cain Velazquez, got him thinking that he doesn't want to get injured in the Octagon. Here's the real kicker. He's reported to want to do WrestleMania... "badly". Whoo boy.
I will stay on top of this, as I'm sure Meltzer will have more on this in one of his Observers this week, but if he does get out of his contract, and he does appear at WrestleMania? Whoo boy. That'll be pretty meaty.
Thanks to indie wrestler and Twitter buddy Joey Image for posting the original report
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
ReAction Cancelled
 |
| So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu |
Via Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun
ReAction, the post-Impact show that had candid sitdown promos but also served as a spot for Impact to have an overrun, has been cancelled. This was also the show where Hulk Hogan broke kayfabe and said that titles were fake. Anyway, fans of the show were huge fans of it, but I really never checked it out. Anyway, the final episode will air Thursday.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Kane Did a Huracanrana
The following video is from a Smackdown in the early Aughts, back when it was still the WWF, Kane still had a mask, Albert wasn't Giant Bernard yet and Smackdown was still on UPN. Kane is shown here on this grainy-ass taping doing a huracanrana to Albert. Your argument is invalid.
Thanks to A1 Poster PhantomZ for finding this!
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Thanks to A1 Poster PhantomZ for finding this!
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
ROH with ANOTHER Huge Main Event Signed
 |
| Coming soon again to a ROH ring near you... Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Straight from the Horse's Mouth
ROH, having already announced a huge 8-man main event for their first show, has done it again, this time, for their January 28th show in Los Angeles for WrestleReunion. This match will be a rematch from September 11th of last year, a non-title match featuring the Kings of Wrestling going up against Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin. Cool stuff. Hopefully, with the de-emphasis on the Briscoes around the Tag Titles, this'll open up a wide-open year of awesome tag team wrestling in ROH.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
2010 Year in Review/Preview: PWG
 |
| The Champ |
What Happened in 2010: PWG saw 2010 as a year of great successes and some rough patches. The successes came from each show they ran in terms of quality and critical praise. The rough patches? Well, you need only look at their World Championship to know that. The year 2009 ended with Kenny Omega having won the World Championship in the Battle of Los Angeles tournament. Seeing that Bryan Danielson wasn't taking the strap with him to WWE, something had to be done with it. He lasted only one title defense, as Davey Richards defeated him for it at As the Worm Turns. His reign lasted until… well, it never ended in the ring. Scheduling conflicts came up, and Richards let PWG know he wasn't going to be able to compete for them anymore until after the last time he defended his title. So he just vacated it. Claudio Castagnoli ended up winning it in a four way match at The Curse of Guerilla Island, giving him his first ever American-based singles World Championship.
But rather than focus on the negatives, let's look at all the good stuff that went down in PWG this year. Their first card featured guest stars galore, including Jushin Liger, Great Muta and Rob Van Dam, whose band kind of pissed everyone in the company off by being dicks. Their second card, the aforementioned As the Worm Turns, may have been the best total card of the year in terms of match quality. The Motor City Machine Guns visited in two singles matches, the better of which was Chris Hero battling Alex Shelley. The Guns weren't the only other notable guest stars that PWG would have throughout the year. They got a visit from Danielson in the time between his firing and rehiring by WWE at their seventh anniversary card, aptly titled Seven.
Of course, with their propensity to get guest stars, it can be easy to overlook their homegrown talent, which shone brightly this year. Brandon Gatson took a huge step forward, making it all the way to the Final Four of the Battle of Los Angeles tournament and defeating several big names during the year. The Young Bucks, who were rightfully signed to a big-league deal, continued to work PWG and help put over the tag division whenever they could. The Cutler Brothers, Johnny Goodtime, Candace LeRae, Christina Von Eerie, the Fightin' Taylor Boys and Rocky Romero all helped providing great matches and theater on the undercard. The biggest splash by a native had to have been made by Joey Ryan, though, who won this year's Battle of Los Angeles tournament. Ryan, who should be a bigger star in more feds than he already is, spent the first part of the year in the undercard and got his time in the sun later on with the tourney win and participating in the match where Claudio won his title.
It was a bittersweet year though, as PWG also saw one of its native stars retire from the business. Just like Chris Bosh, Super Dragon, Human Tornado and Quicksilver before him, Scott Lost took his final bow as a professional wrestler and bowed out with a loss to long-time rival Scorpio Sky at Seven. Lost, who was one of the most colorful personalities and hated heels in his time in PWG, now is an aspiring comic book artist.
Of course, none of that above takes into account the biggest title switch of them all. While the World Championship may have been jinxed a bit this year, the Tag Team Championships were a hot focus. Coming into the year, the Young Bucks, who as mentioned before got their big break signing with TNA, came into the year as the longest reigning Tag Champs ever, and they were letting people know that in the most obnoxious way possible. No one wanted them to be on top anymore, but every attempt came up futile. That is, until the annual DDT4 came up. The Bucks mowed through Goodtime and Jerome Robinson in the first round and then the Cutler Bros. in the semis. However, when they met the team of El Generico and Paul London – ¡Peligro Abejas! – in the finals, it was a different story. The Danger Penguins knocked off the Bucks and became the new PWG Tag Team Champions, titles they hold currently.
PWG's 2010 MVP: You could make cases for Chris Hero, Davey Richards or even the Young Bucks, but my vote goes to Joey Ryan. He did great work no matter what card position he was in, and his winning of BOLA was one of the great moments of 2010.
What's Gonna Happen in 2011: The big questions that need to be asked pertain to which wrestlers are going to step up to challenge for the Championships. The Tag Team Championships could be easier to predict than the World Title. The Cutler Brothers and Young Bucks both ended their 2010s with big victories. The Bucks seem to have the Cutlers' numbers, but at this point, it could be anyone's ballgame. I wouldn't count out the Kings of Wrestling challenging again, but not until a little later since they lost their first attempt at the titles at Cyanide: A Loving Tribute to Poison.
The World Title may look a little trickier. Claudio has the title, and there are cases to be made for BOLA Winner Ryan, Gatson and even his tag partner, Chris Hero. I'd keep an eye on former Champion Roderick Strong, who might want to make a play to hold both the PWG and ROH World Championships at the same time. Another interesting name to look at is Austin Aries. He's still on the roster page, and now that he's not working for ROH anymore, a whole lot more of his dates have freed up. I wouldn't be surprised to see him venture Westward and take a few cracks at Claudio when he can.
As for things beyond the titles, one of PWG's charms is that the fed has that sort of dream match mentality when it comes to booking cards. There are feuds and angles, but you're just as likely to get a heated storyline match as you are one of their regulars facing off against a Great Muta or a Jushin Liger or a Bryan Danielson. What guest stars will come PWG's way in 2011? Well, the first one that comes to mind is the newly-freed from his WWE contract Low Ki. He's been a regular in PWG before, and I could definitely see him coming back, either on a guest star basis or even as part of the regular roster.
Five to Watch in 2011:
Brandon Gatson - He's been given the hard push and was one of the final four at BOLA as well as a participant in the four-way for the vacant World Championship at The Curse of Guerilla Island. He's got good chops and he may be primed for big things in '11.
The Cutler Bros. - Now that the Bucks have re-upped with TNA, more tag teams are going to have to step up. The Cutlers are seasoned and primed for a run at the Danger Penguins' straps upcoming.
Chuck Taylor - Taylor is money, plain and simple, and yet until Gabe Sapolsky came along and started booking him in EVOLVE and DGUSA, only PWG saw that potential outside of Chikara. Is this the year he makes strides towards the main event?
Malachi Jackson - The Youngest Buck has been toiling in openers for the last couple of years, and with his brothers turning more and more dickish by the second, it might be time for him to start getting his own feuds and more of a push to the forefront, either as a lackey to them or as a target of their heelishness.
Ricochet - In his PWG debut, he blew the roof off the joint with two critically acclaimed matches, one with Claudio and one with El Generico. I think more Ricochet is in store for SoCal in '11.
Three Things I Want to See in 2011:
1 – More MCMG appearances, please! The Guns were lights-out in their appearances in the fed in 2010, and I think their style fits better than any other possible guest stars could. A spillover of their feud with the Bucks/Generation Me in TNA would provide for a bigger platform than Orlando is willing to provide right now, but even if they just came in to wrestle singles or against other non-YB tag teams, it'd be a welcome sight.
2 – Get on the iPPV bandwagon. ROH and DGUSA are doing it, and PWG has enough buzz behind them that I think they could make some extra scratch by broadcasting live on the Web. Let's face it; it's an expensive endeavor to make the trip to Reseda if you're a fan anywhere but in SoCal, and PWG can be a little slow on the ball in shipping DVDs. The iPPV thing makes sense for them because each card they produce has that dream card quality and would sell like hotcakes to the indie fans of the Northeast and around the country.
3 – Strap Brandon Gatson. Seriously, the guy is money, he's a homegrown star and it'd be a feel-good moment, especially if it was towards the end of the year and he was the only guy who was able to stop a Very European reign of terror in SoCal.
Next up… TNA!
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein - Please visit his site to view the plentiful amounts of pictures he's taken for DGUSA, ROH and other indie feds: Get Lost Photography
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Year-End Sorting Bins: Bin Four - Worthy of Marking Out For
 |
| THAT'S RIGHT ORTON, YOU STAY DOWN YOU BORING DUD Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Coming up on the big finish, but first, here are the guys that I actively mark out for. Again, because there are so many, not going to have blurbs for everyone.
The Miz - Not only is it great to see a guy like Miz rise to the top, but it's great when he's the guy who ends up providing me, someone who said Miz would get to the top sooner rather than later, with endless amounts of vindication. AAAAAWESOMMMME!
Chuck Taylor - He had me at the hand grenade, and yet he still continues to make me mark for him more by making children cry and working with some nasty injuries in a nice match. If you don't like Chuckie T (DYLAN), then shame on you. SHAME.
LuFisto - I'm really glad to see that she's recovered from her stroke and is back working. She's so deliciously quirky, it belies her savage nature in the ring. A very enjoyable part of any card she's a part of.
Masato Yoshino
Allison Danger
Steve Corino
Delirious
Beth Phoenix
Goldust - It sucks to see him hurt, because he might have made the WrestleMania card this year. He deserves it. I loved watching Superstars this year because Goldust was always on there, having good matches and just being his quirky self.
Mark Henry
AJ
Pinkie Sanchez
Taylor Wilde
Joey Ryan
Kenn Doane
Cheerleader Melissa - Okay, so I totally missed the boat on Melissa until now. Sorry! She's super awesome and super dreamy. *swoon*
CM Punk
Evan Bourne
Shawn Michaels
Batista
Motor City Machine Guns - They almost made Impact watchable, which is a miracle in and of itself. Plus, they were awesome in the indies this year. Gotta give it up to these guys.
Velvet Sky
The Colony
Tommy Dreamer
Dashing Cody Rhodes
Skip Sheffield
William Regal
Jigsaw - I own his mask, he pimped TWB on Facebook and he's just one of the most awesome workers and characters in my favorite fed ever. OF course he's gonna be on this list, n00bs.
Mike Quackenbush
Jerry Lawler
Paul Bearer
Sara del Rey
Samoa Joe
UltraMantis Black - To wit, no, he did not use the Eye of Tyr on me because he doesn't have it anymore. Fools. I follow my dark lord by my own choice.
The Shore
El Generico
Colt Cabana
Kevin Steen - Y'know, ROH is going to be a colder, emptier place without Steen (and Austin Aries) wrestling in its ring. His 2010 was scorching hot.
Johnny Goodtime
MsChif
Drake Younger
CIMA
Naruki Doi
Eddie Kingston - I've grown to appreciate the War King a lot more this year after seeing him wrestle in great match after great match. He's the man.
Jack SWAGGAH~!
Low Ki
Santino Marella
Maryse
Frightmare - Every time I watch a Frightmare match, I'm just filled with youthful exuberance and joy because that's what I imagine he's filled with from the way he emotes, runs around the ring and celebrates after every high spot. He's an absolute treat to watch in the ring, and I hope he just keeps getting better and better.
Zack Ryder
Dolph Ziggler
The Throwbacks
Young Bucks/Generation Me
Chris Masters - How is a guy who was best known for getting thrown out of the WWE on Wellness going to come back to the company and become one of its best workers? I have to say, whenever I see Masters on a card in a wrestling match, I get giddy because I know it's going to be good.
Alberto del Rio
Yoshi Tatsu
Christian
Layla
Mickie James
Chris Hero
Sheamus - Not only does he drag great matches out of John Morrison on the reg. Not only is he the most awesome ginger in history. Not only did he inspire a meme of gargantuan proportions (LOBSTER HEAD! TOO MANY LIMES!). But the dude has cut some of the most unapologetically awesome promos of the year. There was a point in the summer where every week Sheamus would come out and just kill it on the mic. I swear to God, if they screw him up by jobbing him to Triple H like its his job, I'm rioting. Sheamus is almost on par with Miz on how valuable he is to the future of the company, and I love it.
The Osirian Portal - Seriously, just give them all the tag titles in the country. All of them, especially the WWE ones since the WWE doesn't care about tag teams on their programming. So awesome. So much win.
Remember you can contact TH and ask him questions about wrestling, life or anything else. Please refer to this post for contact information. He always takes questions!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)