Could Global Force Wrestling Be a Governing Body Instead of a Promotion?

A promotion or an umbrella?
Graphics Credit: Global Force Wrestling website

Word leaked that Global Force Wrestling's pay-per-view debut was scheduled to take place January 4, 2015. If that date sounds familiar to wrestling buffs, it's because New Japan Pro Wrestling usually holds its annual Tokyo Dome show, WrestleKingdom. While the upcoming WK is only ninth of its name, the traditional show has been held on that date at the Tokyo Dome since 1992. All of this talk sounds coincidental until you realize NJPW and GFW are partner promotions. Would GFW dare to hold its first show on the same date as its highest-profile partner? Or is this deal a way to bring NJPW to America as a Global Force branded show? Nothing is set in stone yet, but the dates lining up is enough to fuel rampant speculation.

One of the most salient observations, however, came from the Voices of Wrestling Twitter account yesterday after the announcement dropped:

Icarus/Jacobs Is Set Thanks to the Grand Championship Points System

Icarus may be facing the toughest test in his career in Virginia
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

So the main event for Chikara's first ever visit to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Moonraker, has been announced, and it's not all that surprising. The last match of the October 26 show, and the weekend in general, will put Icarus in a match for the Grand Championship against Jimmy Jacobs of The Flood. This match seems to have been brewing for awhile, since Jacobs' focus has either been getting the Grand Championship for himself or for formerly brainwashed acolyte Eddie Kingston since his first promo as The Flood's figurehead. But the tweet that announced the title match mentioned that Jacobs had accrued three points towards a shot.

Saved You a Kliq

Saved You a Kliq is too sweet

@savedyouakliq on Twitter

Wrestling news is a tricky get. Either you have to pay money for insider sites or newsletters, or you take your chances going to aggregator sites that plagiarize those dirt sheets or plagiarize each other. The free content oftentimes gets changed from the original reporter's wording, and then the news item is copied ad nauseam on sites around the web, whether it be Rajah, Lords of Pain, or whatever other "NEWZ" site happens to exist. Then it's placed under a click-bait headline designed to get you to give the site a hit, even if the news is something as banal as Brodus Clay's opinion on John Cena's opinion of Randy Orton or a nebulous rumor that amounts to the phrase "plans are up in the air."

Don't Be a Lemon, Be a Civil Rights Leader

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Jesse Jackson showing up to RAW is surreal enough. I'm always amazed at the width and breadth of celebrity fans WWE attracts, but regardless of your opinion on Jackson (spoiler alert, he's super-polarizing), one might find it shocking that he would enjoy pro wrestling. Maybe anyone can like wrestling, but it's the years of savage societal messaging that it's a sport for hillbillies, babies, and the lower castes that have beaten me down to expect guys like Larry the Cable Guy or Antoine Dodson. IN reality, even WWE can border on the full artistic potential of the art, even if it's not all that often.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Cheap Heat Sept. 25

Cheap Heat discusses Night of Champions in the latest episode
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Cheap Heat
Episode: Sept. 25, 2014
Run Time: 1:04:12
Guest: None

Instant Feedback: Vince McMahon's Brick Tamland

Y'all got gak'd, son
Photo Credit: WWE.com

WWE and comedy seem to have an antonymous relationship. What passes for funny in the script usually tickles the ribs of one man, a dinosaur whose unrefined sense of humor was odd at best even in days of his youth. Vince McMahon's input into scripts and presumably his writers catering to him brought the RAW audience some "gems" in the last few years, with heavy emphasis on fecal matter and crude sex jokes. While comedy is a crucial lubricant for any successful wrestling show, WWE's attempts at hilarity have often been like greasing a machine with molasses instead of oil.

And yet, every time WWE went to the comic relief well on this episode of RAW, the bucket came up full, even when the script called for the usual poop (or in this case, green slime) and dick jokes, the laughs were there. Crediting Seth Rollins and more importantly Dean Ambrose for elevating the material is easy, and Ambrose especially deserves credit for keeping the crowd engaged and the joke progression on the rails. However, were the jokes here on point because for once, the framing was on point?

The Wrestling Blog's OFFICIAL Best in the World Rankings, September 29

Sexy all over
Photo via Bryce Remsburg's Instagram

Welcome to a feature I like to call "Best in the World" rankings. They're not traditional power rankings per se, but they're rankings to see who is really the best in the world, a term bandied about like it's bottled water or something else really common. They're rankings decided by me, and don't you dare call them arbitrary lest I smack the taste out of your mouth. Without further ado, here's this week's list:

1. Bryce Remsburg (Last Week: Not Ranked) - Look at the above picture. No one parties that hard with Rockstar Spud without getting some dap.

2. AJ Lee (Last Week: 3) - The silver lining in the massive amount of CM Punk chants is that each one brings her closer to her limit break. When she goes into Trance, she will unleash METEORAIN and pretty much turn Chicago into a crater. THAT'S FOR TRYING TO PASS OFF TOMATO CASSEROLE AS PIZZA, JERKS.

3. @GEAUX_SAL (Last Week: Not Ranked) OFFICIAL HOLZERMAN HUNGERS SPONSORED ENTRY - The little-known LSU booster came out of NOWHERE and ate 25 tacos for this year's #DoLoThroDo. His total bested the record (set by @PhilKenSaban last year) by four, which makes him the Barry Bonds of the Throwdown. Or would that make him Roger Maris? Mark McGwire? I don't know. Either way, 25 tacos is impressive, even if I'm pretty sure Sal will retain so much water that he could make it across the Sahara with no pit stops.

Beyond Wrestling Has Had a Star-Crossed Couple of Days

Guns are bad, and they got the latest Beyond event at Fête Music cancelled
Photo via NBC 10 Providence

Beyond Wrestling has been in a rough way the last couple of days, to say the least. The promotion has had a strong 2014 so far, cementing Fête Music as an independent stronghold in Providence, RI, and providing a stage for wrestlers like Kimber Lee, Silver Ant, Biff Busick, and Drew Gulak to solidify their resumes. However, an unforeseen closure to said venue at the last possible minute throttled Makin' Moves, what would have been seventh show Beyond staged there this year alone. Furthermore, the venue for the ambitious, limited-entry craft-beer themed show Beerly Legal cancelled on the promotion with two weeks notice. If you're among the the throng of Beyond's fans who looked forward to either show, then the only person who's had it rougher than you the last couple of days has been Denver Colorado, the man, not the place.

Fan Fiction Book Report: Celebrating Christmas With the Wyatts

They like Christmas, who knew!
Photo Credit: WWE.com

We’re back with another edition of the Fan Fiction Book Report. It has been a few weeks since we did the first one. I’ve been busy, but I hope to do more. For this edition, we head back to the Fan Fiction dot net headquarters and bring you a short story (a flash fiction to be exact) about the Wyatt Family. The story is called “A Very Wyatt Christmas.”

The story starts off on Christmas Day at the dinner table, presumably outside in some Louisiana forest somewhere. The film crew for Southern Comfort probably wasn’t far away.

Smackdown: Friendship is Magic

Show gets "Best Friend" honors this week
Photo Credit: WWE.com

This was the last Smackdown that I'll see before I get married, so I was hoping for a good episode as a wedding present of sorts, and I wasn't disappointed. Fun matches all around!

Needs No Friends—Dean Ambrose
I've said this about Dean Ambrose before and I'll say it again. Despite the fact that he is still upset about Vile Traitor Seth Rollins breaking up the supportive and successful friendship of the Shield, Ambrose is doing pretty well as a solo act. On Smackdown he first triumphed over the still-entertaining duo of the Miz and Damien Sandow. Then, when confronted with the emerging partnership of Rollins and Kane, Ambrose got away and swiped the Money in the Bank briefcase to boot. In the face of two solid partnerships, Ambrose stood alone and once again made me question my “Friendship or bust!” policy.

Best Coast Bias: A Pack Of Rematches

Pretty sure that's international for "Y'all done effed up now"
Photo Credit: WWE.com

The latest edition of NXT was bookended by a pair of return matches. Come next time around, Tyson Kidd gets the Resoian one more match against Adrian Neville and Charlotte, begrudging respect and all, will acquiesce to going in against Bailey again.

At least in the case of the main event rematch for the Tag Team Championships, it felt like something to burn through in order to get to the real story at hand: Hideo Itami is pissed off, and the Ascension are going to find themselves for the first time in some time in their NXT careers, if ever (and appropriately enough seemingly on their way out to the door to elevation) on the wrong end of a yahkicking. For a lot of you reading the BCB, you know Hideo's going to need a royal level of backup in order to do what he does best, and in a few weeks it's going to air when he gets it and Full Sail loses their shite.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 154

Austin talks movies this week
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show Unleashed
Episode: 154
Run Time: 1:29:35
Guest: None

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Art Of Wrestling Ep. 217

Page recounts the Spring Stampede 1997 story and more with Colt Cabana
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Art Of Wrestling
Episode: 217
Run Time: 1:17:39
Guest: Diamond Dallas Page

Twitter Request Line, Vol. 94

He seems to have gotten his scar removed, but where did Khali get said chest scar from?
Photo Credit: WWE.com

It's Twitter Request Line time, everyone! I take to Twitter to get questions about issues in wrestling, past and present, and answer them on here because 140 characters can't restrain me, fool! If you don't know already, follow me @tholzerman, and wait for the call on Wednesday to ask your questions. Hash-tag your questions #TweetBag, and look for the bag to drop Thursday morning (most of the time). Without further ado, here are your questions and my answers!

@tholzerman Can you invent a wrestling urban legend you wish were true? #TweetBag
— Star of Savage (@StarOfSavage) September 24, 2014

You know that scar that Great Khali has between his two pectoral muscles? It has never been explained, although people extrapolated that it's a knife or gunshot wound from when he used to be a cop. Well, while the most logical explanation is probably the best one, in this case, it's not true at all. In his early days as a wrestler, Khali went to Thailand for a tour for a seedy promoter who only put his talent up in shitty hostels with no really good places to eat in the vicinity. Being a veteran of dealing with eateries in third world slums, Khali ventured out to a local place that was reputed to have the best food despite its grimy outer appearance. He ate three bowls of tom yum soup, several skewers of various rodents and snakes roasted over open flames, and finished it off with a rice drink of some kind.

Later on in his hostel bed, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, feeling like a heart attack. He started panicking and the promoter brought the local doctor in. With a cigarette in mouth and possibly half-shot-in-the-ass from drinking the Thai equivalent of moonshine, the doctor did his best to diagnose what was wrong with Khali to no avail. As soon as he turned around to the promoter, something popped out of Khali's chest, almost like out of Alien. Khali, who amazingly kept his wits about him, yanked the surprise out and threw it hard against the wall, while everyone in the hostel jumped on him to restrain him and put pressure on the wound that had opened up on his chest. Once Khali was calmed down - rumors say that he didn't do it on his own and instead had to be injected with enough morphine to put down a bull elephant - the doctor went over to where Khali threw the protrusion out of his chest. Instead of finding the foreign object/organism, he just saw a splat on the wall and a trail of slime and blood leading out of the room. Of course, the trial was not without its rewards. Khali had a decent sized scar on his chest as a visible reminder not to eat at any strange places.

How's that for a whopper of a tale?

Best Coast Bias: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Show

It takes all types of crazy to power the World Wrestling Entertainment
Photo Credit: WWE.com

The moment that the first post-Night Of Champions Main Event started proper was with a cheerful "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Bunny and Adam Rose!".

And with that, down the hole for an hour we went. On a show with AJ Lee it was rare to see her be the shining beacon of mental health while psychosis spilled out of nearly every other orifice the show had like a guillotine legdrop off the top rope.

The Ross Report: Episode 32

Dave Meltzer's podcast rounds have him on Jim Ross's show
Photo via @ObserverQuotes

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: The Ross Report
Episode: 32
Run Time: 1:32:41
Guest: Dave Meltzer

It's On Us

Take the pledge

So, the following post is probably not going to seem germane to wrestling, but it's important for everyone to read or hear regardless. Even so, wrestling fans and the wrestling industry in general have problems in this area as well. But for the nearly eight billion people who live on planet Earth, roughly half of them live in constant fear, embedded in society, and even protected by some governments. Women on this planet have been abused and mistreated for as long as humanity has existed, and it has to stop. Furthermore, it's not on anyone else to stop this awful and dangerous treatment than the people who perpetrate these assaults.

Frankly, it's on us to stop it.

Inspire Pro Wrestling Is Bringing Out the HOSS

Big Daddy Yum Yum is throwing down the HOSS gauntlet
Photo Credit: Jon-paul Luis le Blanc/Inspire Pro's site

Via Inspire Pro's Site

Inspire Pro Wrestling's next show, Battle Wars, is already notable because the stars of Chikara will be invading Texas and mixing it up with the stalwards in the NWA's hottest new outpost. However, "Big Daddy Yum Yum" himself, Byron Wilcott has upped the stakes. The NWA North American Champion will be competing in a non-title exhibition called the HOSS BOWL. Basically, Wilcott wants to throw down against the meanest, roughest, girthiest, strongest competitors Inspire Pro has to offer. The pendulum has swung completely the other way from the '90s and '00s, where junior heavyweight divisions were all the rage. Absolute Intense Wrestling has a #HOSS Division Championship, and Leonard F. Chikarason has been bringing it up on Chikara commentary. But Wilcott is taking the initiative down in Texas.

Pro Wrestling SKOOPZ on The Wrestling Blog: Issue 3

Hogan gets a retraction!
Photo via @HulkHogan

HORB FLERBMINBER is back once again with 30 pounds of news shoved into a five pound bag. I have so many scoops for you that Tidy Cat is suing me for gimmick infringement. Of course, I have the law offices of Plagueis, Shandor, and Morgoth working DAY AND NIGHT to make sure I win that suit. In fact, junior partner Bankley Morintomoson said I have a 32.5% chance of NOT going to debtor's jail. THAT'S ALMOST A THIRD. However, my lawyers have also informed me that the delivery of MINED SCOOPS will be INTERRUPTED this week because I have several injunctions filed against me from the state of Louisiana, the commonwealth of Kentucky, the Hennepin County Chamber of Commerce, the Better Business Bureau, and the estate of Paul Lynde on false reporting of news. TECHNICALITIES. People just can't handle the raw and REAL nature of my nuggets. Anyway, this week, I have to print retractions. Before I get to those, I have some business to handle.

First, if you need to contact me with vital information about CM Punk, Sting, CM Sting, Punk M. Borden, or any other unholy hybridization of those two wrestlers, please contact me POST HASTE at ProWrestlingSKOOPZ@gmail.com. I must know ALL of the news as it happens or else my mucus membranes will dry out and I will DIE. Do you want my soul on your conscience? DO YOU? Second, if you can't wait for me to remember my e-mail password, you should totally follow me on Twitter at @HorbFlerbminber. I dispense the most BREAKING of scoops in 140 characters or fewer.

Your Midweek Links: The Future Is Now

KENTA, err, I mean Hideo Itami is part of the new school
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

It's hump day, so here are some links to get you through the rest of the week:

Wrestling Links:

- The leaders of the new school [WWE.com]

- The Best and Worst of Night of Champions [With Spandex]

- What we learned from Night of Champions [SB Nation]

- Bang for Your Buck PPV Review: Night of Champions [Juice Make Sugar]

- A first look at Lucha Underground [With Spandex]

Best Coast Bias: The Second Domino Falls

...see, wh-wha--wha--well, this is the thing--wha had happened was..
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Before the first post Fatal 4 Way episode of NXT launched, you could've made the argument about all the "somebody's about to turn heel the center cannot hold things fall apart" line of paranoid thinking that underscored the ending of the title match between Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville.

An hour later, an old chestnut came to mind. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're wrong.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show, Ep. 153

Austin recounts a tale where his wife nearly died this episode
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show
Episode: 153
Run Time: 1:23:46
Guest: Kristin Austin

On "Hiring Models"

Nikki Bella may have been a model first, but she's growing into a perfectly cromulent wrestler
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Nikki Bella in the last two days has shown the capacity to be a complete WWE superstar. While her promo skills are still a little off (still better than her sister by light years), the two matches in which she wrestled saw her assume a distinct in-ring character, wrestle not just as capably as she ever has but to a level befitting someone on the roster, and she helped enhance a major story over the Divas Championship. The sample size right now is small - one couplet of matches and a few months of being slightly better than her blood is far from definitive - but Bella could end up being yet another vindication of the criticism that the "hiring models" technique doesn't yield anything but no-talent hacks who can't do anything but look pretty.

While this practice had set back the development of the Divas division for a good eight years or so, it had not a whole lot to do with the women who were hired. Blaming someone for taking the opportunity to get fame and decent pay is short-sighted and hypocritical at the very least, and continuing to blame them despite the fact that systemic factors within the company have been revealed, both through the finished product and through backstage reports, that worked against them is ignorant. If someone can't do the job because they haven't been trained properly, how can one blame the employee and not the people tasked with training them?

Why I Booed 3.0 at King of Trios

Their Chikara wrestler characters may be fun and zany, but their in-character Twitters have dabbled in the gross
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

King of Trios weekend, like any mammoth event on the pro wrestling calendar, had its share of big news stories, both within and outside of the narrative. One of the most curious and controversial was the vociferously negative reaction 3Peck0, specifically 3.0, received from the Easton faithful. The reaction spawned a few quizzical reactions at the arena and online. The tag team, after all, should be one of the most beloved in Chikara right now. Scott Parker and Shane Matthews traversed across the fabric of time itself to retrieve Archibald Peck and help turn the tide against The Flood at National Pro Wrestling Day. Even without their contributions towards the rebirth of the company, they are an affable, likeable, talented tag team that has formed part of the backbone of Chikara for almost seven years now.

While I agree with any assessment of their importance in the company, and while in a vacuum I would enjoy the hell out of them, I was among the throng booing 3.0 on Sunday. It had nothing to do with anything they've done during Chikara sanctioned-events, but when you run an in-character Twitter handle that spews misogyny, I can't abide by you when you're performing.

Impact Report: We Now Return To Your Regularly Scheduled Wrestling Program

It's all about EC3, as it should be
Photo Credit: ImpactWrestling.com

Did you guys miss me? I promise I won’t leave you so long next time, but honestly Impact can be an exhausting program to write about on a weekly basis and the show was just not giving me that confidence. I got tired of writing the same thing every week but they’ve been giving me so little to build on lately it’s hard to pull content out of thin air. But the past three weeks have been good to me, so it’s time to excitedly pick apart this carcass of a wrestling show.

Honestly, the past few weeks of Impact have given me some stuff to be hopeful for. I can continue to praise the brilliant Ethan Carter III Meltdown angle, which is honestly some of the smartest storytelling the show has told. I was iffy on Dixie Carter going through the table and I still don’t really think we needed that to happen, but EC3 beating the ever-loving CRAP out of Rhino and shunning his best friend Rockstar Spud as he continues to spiral downwards has been a weird treat. I’m still hoping that he realizes the real enemy here is Bully Ray and the veteran puts over Carter on his way out of TNA. I have low expectations that that’s where this is going but I will continue to enjoy the ride for the time being. This feud not featuring on last week’s show really put a damper on my enjoyment of it, so that should tell you how great it is and really how bad the rest of TNA is right now.

The Past is Prologue: Total Divas Season 3 Episode 2 and 3 Semi-recap

Summer Rae rules, mostly everyone else drools
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Back in the ancient days, delays weren't really explained since every publication had a deadline of sorts. Either you turn in a half-assed piece by a given date or face the unemployment line. I suppose this is still true. Pretty sure the folks working at a lovely site like With Spandex have to get their work in by a set time even if they don't have it in. Anyways, this is a long rambling way to further apologize for the classic Trey Irby writing delay. I had work (which a lot of people have) and I had laziness (which Trey Irby has) so Total Divas' latest episode is out of the purview and I am now doing a double recap, a further procrastination technique. And again, I give gracious thanks to anyone who would read this long ass pointless thing.

It's breakup season in Total Divas land. Everyone pretty much began to hate each other slowly and surely. In episode 2, it was the Ariane/Trinity saga. In episode 3, it was the reheated Summer/Nattie saga, which at least seemed to be a relief because it was at least a common thread. Like damn, this is rough. Anyways, let's reestablish the power rankings hierarchy, combining two episodes with lazy discussion as always.

Dispatches from the Lake: 1476 and Counting

That's enough, John
Photo Credit: WWE.com

I really don’t know why I allow myself to get all bent out of shape about this stuff. I really don’t. Granted, I was expecting John Cena to walk out of Night of Champions with the title, so it could have been worse. But I don’t get it. I don’t get why you would build a monster like Brock Lesnar, a man who’s last run in the WWE has been nothing short of dominant, only to have him need to be saved from losing after taking Cena’s finisher for the fourth time in the match after he no sold it during their last match.

Why?

WHY?!?!?!

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Cheap Heat, Sept. 18

The Grantland gang discusses this RAW, among other things
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Cheap Heat
Episode: Sept. 18, 2014
Run Time: 1:08:12
Guest: None

Instant Feedback: All Ambrose Everything

He's your god now
Photo Credit: WWE.com

The dirtiest little secret about Attitude Era RAW was that the shows really weren't written well at all. The maze of swerves often made little to no sense, and the failed attempts at worked shoots only really exposed the business in chintzy, tawdry ways. The "adult" edge was basically done to pop Vince McMahon, whose sense of humor is about as refined as bauxite, and it mainly drove kids away while catering to a bunch of gross manchildren, the majority of whom were about five years at the very most from abandoning "fake" wrestling for mixed-martial arts. The era's popularity had nothing to do with booking and even less to do with bookers.

The above isn't so much to say that nothing was good about those days. I mean, people loved wrestling, "The Big Three," and watching on Mondays for a reason. When people say they want the halcyon days of 1998 back, what they really seem to want is a show buoyed by electric, unpredictable personalities. Without guys like The Rock, Triple H, McMahon, Undertaker, Mick Foley, and especially Steve Austin, the then-World Wrestling Federation would have been a Tommy Wiseau movie with sub-SyFy original movie casting. Wrestling, no matter what the era or the motif of the promotion, needs stars.

The Wrestling Blog's OFFICIAL Best in the World Rankings, September 22

Dean Ambrose is a friend to Yellow cab
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Welcome to a feature I like to call "Best in the World" rankings. They're not traditional power rankings per se, but they're rankings to see who is really the best in the world, a term bandied about like it's bottled water or something else really common. They're rankings decided by me, and don't you dare call them arbitrary lest I smack the taste out of your mouth. Without further ado, here's this week's list:

1. Dean Ambrose (Last Week: Not Ranked) - That Dean Ambrose is such a swell guy, keeping traditional cabbies in business in the face of Uber crushing the market with its trendy and convenient iron fist.

2. Sidney Bakabella (Last Week: Not Ranked) - He manages the reigning King of Trios AND the Tag Gauntlet winners. He's also brought helmet hair back into style, AND he's gotten over more times on Toots Mondt than the Roadrunner has on Wile E. Coyote. If you don't think Bakabella is the Manager of the Year, well, he's not gonna let you get to the pay window.

3. AJ Lee (Last Week: 4) - Lee won the Divas Title for a third time last night. Two more times, and she can get a free coffee cake muffin at her local Dunkin' Donuts.

Way to Front-Load, Guys: WWE Night of Champions Review

HEY! Tell everyone the Tittymaster's back!
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Hey yo! TH Review ENGAGE. Catch the replay on the WWE Network if you weeell.

Highlights:

• Goldust and Stardust won the WWE Tag Team Championships from the Usos when Stardust countered a Superfly Splash by getting his knees up and rolling up for the pin.
• Sheamus retained the United States Championship with a flash Brogue Kick counter on Cesaro from the corner.
• Damien Sandow returned from the back after being shooed away by R-Truth and ugh, Florida-Georgia Line and distracted Dolph Ziggler long enough for The Miz to O'Connor Roll him with tights to win the Intercontinental Championship.
• Roman Reigns' incarcerated hernia kept him from the arena, allowing Seth Rollins to claim a forfeit victory. He then issued an open challenge, which was answered by a returning Dean Ambrose, leading to a non-match brawl around the arena.
• Rusev defeated Mark Henry by submission with the Accolade.
• Randy Orton countered a Chris Jericho leap from the top into a RKO to get the victory.
• AJ Lee wrangled Paige in the Black Widow to earn the tapout victory and her third Divas Championship reign.
• John Cena defeated Brock Lesnar by disqualification when Rollins came in and broke up a pin attempt after a fourth Attitude Adjustment. Cena then prevented Rollins from cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase by yanking him from the apron before he could make the attempt official. Lesnar is still WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

MCMG Monday: Generation Me (The Young Bucks)

The Bucks didn't have a lot of contact with the  MCMGs outside of TNA
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

Maybe it's because they really only had one match outside of the restrictive TNA confines, in PWG (a match which was excellent by the way.), but the Young Bucks-Motor City Machine Guns thing ever really only happened in TNA. In a lot of ways, this is a shame. As much because this was a feud between two guys who were, at the time and in the case of the latter still are, state-of-the-art tag teams and it was always glossed over to talk about the same strata of top guys that was only chipped into when circumstance, and lack of finance, changed it. Also, so many of those new and cool double-team moves are miscalled because Mike Tenay, who was once on the cutting edge of the sport, grew lazy and a caricature of himself. But that's another story for another day. Right now, just enjoy their most physical and hate-filled match (and the only one without commentary.)

The Return of the King: Chikara King of Trios '14 Night Three Review

Smooth Sailing didn't appear on the show, but who cares!
Photo Credit: An anonymous Chikara friend whose name I didn't get

TH Style! I highly checking back to Smart Mark Video to see when you can get this show in whatever your desired medium is.

Highlights:

• The Golden Trio defeated Jimmy Jacobs' Flood team when Volgar tapped out to Icarus' Chikara Special. After the match, Icarus freed the Lithuanian Snow Troll from his chains, only for the Troll to give him a low blow in return.
• The Devastation Corporation punched its ticket to the finals with a Death Blow on Scott Parker of 3Peck0.
• Mark Andrews put down Oliver Grimsley with a shooting star press.
• The Osirian Portal eliminated nearly a third of the field in the Tag Team Gauntlet, but they couldn't overcome Sidney Bakabella's roll of quarters. Oleg the Usurper and Jaka won the Gauntlet thanks to help from their manager as the tenth and final team entered.
• The Submission Squad defeated the Gentlemen's Club in atomicos action by hitting a Stone Cold Stunner, Rock Bottom, Atomic Leg Drop, and Warrior Splash on the Swamp Monster in quick succession.
• Shynron overcame the red mist to defeat Seiya Sanada and win the Rey de Voladores title with a 630 senton off the second rope.
• The Devastation Corporation won the 2014 King of Trios with a Death Blow on Dasher Hatfield.
• After the match, the Flood laid waste to the Chikara roster and offered an ultimatum to Icarus to hand the Grand Championship to Eddie Kingston. Icarus was able to talk sense into Kingston, and the War King turned on Jacobs, allowing the Chikara roster to beat the Flood back and end the show on a high note.

Smackdown: Friendship is Magic

Bad Bunny, bad friend
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Most Stable Friendships—Jimmy and Jey Uso, and Goldust and Stardust
The tag match between the Usos and the Dust Bros. was over before I had fully realized it was even happening, but as far as I'm aware nothing untoward happened to threaten the stability of either team. In fact, I'm putting the Usos' apparently fully healed injuries down to the power of friendship.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 152

Austin's going stag again this week
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show Unleashed
Episode: 152
Run Time: 1:25:37
Guest: None

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Art of Wrestling Ep. 216

Eddie Kingston among the throng on Cabana's podcast this week
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Art Of Wrestling
Episode: 216
Run Time: 56:22
Guests: John Thorne (at 6:45), Eddie Kingston (13:23), Colin Delaney (24:08) Johnny Gargano (36:40) and Cliff Compton (49:40) — with brief appearances from Rhyno and Tyson Dux in the cold open.

Final King of Trios News Update

AR Fox is a worthy mic drop name for Rey de Voladores
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

Well, tonight is the night that King of Trios begins in all its glory. In the past few days, Chikara has put some of the finishing touches on its pre-tournament announcements. Obviously, some surprises are still in store, and the full slate of competitors in the Tag Team Gauntlet will not be decided until trios start getting eliminated from the main tourney. However, Rey de Voladores is completely set, three new teams have been added to the Gauntlet, and some juicy post-Trios news about the oldest traditional tournament in the company has been dropped.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: The Ross Report Ep. 31

Watts gabs about tons of history
Photo Credit: Pro Wrestling Illustrated via WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: The Ross Report
Episode: 31
Run Time: 2:11:59
Guest: “Cowboy” Bill Watts

Twitter Request Line, Vol. 93

Can't have a tag division without these guys
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

It's Twitter Request Line time, everyone! I take to Twitter to get questions about issues in wrestling, past and present, and answer them on here because 140 characters can't restrain me, fool! If you don't know already, follow me @tholzerman, and wait for the call on Wednesday to ask your questions. Hash-tag your questions #TweetBag, and look for the bag to drop Thursday morning (most of the time). Without further ado, here are your questions and my answers!

@tholzerman #Tweetbag If they came to you and said, "TH, build us a tag team division the envy of the wrestling world", how would you do it?
— Okori Wadsworth (@OkoriWadsworth) September 17, 2014

Firstly, who is "they?" Are the people who named Vader coming to me to make a tag division? Is WWE giving me a big budget? Is a money mark looking to have me make offers to teams that they can't refuse? I'm going to with the latter option. Anyway, the tag team scene outside of WWE and TNA is robust enough to craft a division that with the right booking could light the spark on a wildfire.

• The Young Bucks - How can I craft a tag division without grabbing the best team in the world?
• The Hooligans - Two burly guys crashing into opponents and fixed structures at high speeds are the new market inefficiency.
• Pieces of Hate - Jigsaw and Shard provide a strong villainous presence in the division. Sure, the Bucks being there add that too, but they're more classic heels. PoH provide the more modern, sleek-assassin presence.
• EYFBO - Much like the Hooligans, they are agile hosses, but the Funky Monkey and Mike Draztik would give the division a bona fide comedic presence.
• Washington Bullets - The Brothers Williams bring that Southern swag to the table in addition to high-flying explosiveness.
• Brian Cage and Tommaso Ciampa - Sure, they haven't teamed just yet (first appearance as a team to be at Beyond's Makin' Moves), but really, Cage's other partner, Michael Elgin, just doesn't do it for me. Ciampa brings unpredictability and fire to the team, who'd act as the monster baddies of the division.

Those six teams would embody the batshit ethic I would want to instill while still having specific roles filled.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 151

Nash returns to the Austin podcast this week
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show
Episode: 151
Run Time: 1:20:42
Guest: Kevin Nash

King of Trios for Beginners

King of Trios is awesome, and you should read this post to familiarize yourself with it
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

King of Trios, the most important event on the Chikara calendar and perhaps the biggest event in independent wrestling in a given year, begins Friday. While the event has my fires and the fires of the Chikaraverse stoked, I would be naive to assume that every wrestling fan knows what the weekend is about. On the surface, it's just a six-man tag team tournament, but as with anything in wrestling, especially Chikara, the roots grow more deeply than what they'd appear from the surface. In addition, the Chikara mythos can feel daunting to newbies or outsiders.

Even if being immersed in the promotion can give an extra sense of satisfaction (or heightened disappointment, depending on the outcomes) this weekend, one can know nothing else about the promotion except that it exists and still enjoy King of Trios. The following is a primer of sorts on what to expect at the tournament. I'm not sure how many tickets remain for any of the three shows, but the Easton Funplex holds a lot of people in terms of independent wrestling crowds. I'm sure if you wanted to make a last-minute road trip to the Lehigh Valley, you could score a general admission ticket and experience for yourself the grandeur of the weekend. But anyway, if you want to go and don't know what you would be getting into, well, why not read this guide and see what you're up against, or if it's something you'd enjoy.

Your Midweek Links: She's Hardcore! She's Hardcore!

#FreeSeleziya
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

It's hump day, so here are some links to get you through the rest of the week:

Wrestling Links:

- Women's Wrestling Weekly: Searching for the Innovators of Violence [With Spandex]

- The Heart Is RAW: I want to see AJ Lee as WWE World Champion [International Object]

- The Best and Worst of RAW: The Incarceration of Paul Heyman by the Coward John Cena [With Spandex]

- More matches from the mid-20th century [Ringbelles]

- NXT Takeover 2: Fatal Fourway [International Object]

Pro Wrestling SKOOPZ on The Wrestling Blog: Issue 2

What BREAKING NEWS is about Cesaro and Vince McMahon? READ BELOW!
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Hello again, people of the world! HORB FLERBMINBER is back again with all the news that's fit to print, and that's a trademarked phrase by ME AND ME ALONE. I don't wanna see any of you dorks and nerds out there stealing my material, unless you pay me a hefty rejoinder fee. In that case, you can steal my organs if you want. I'M ALL ABOUT THE CASH. Anyway, if you have a tip that you want to submit, send it my way at ProWrestlingSKOOPZ@gmail.com. Please contact me if you have scoops, news, hot rumors, or if you're a Nigerian prince who needs an upfront loan so you can transfer some loot into my account. Even if you're scamming me, at least throw me some contact information for Great Power Uti. I've been wanting to get him for an interview FOR YEARS now.

Also, you can and probably should follow me on Twitter at @HorbFlerbminber, where you can get all the BREAKING scoops that happen as they happen. For a low monthly fee, I can give you access to my LinkedIn account too, although I only use that to send sanitation companies Bryan Alvarez's resume. HE KNOWS WHAT HE DID. Although I probably shouldn't be TOO hard on Alvarez. One night, we got RIPSHIT drunk on absinthe and rubbing alcohol and lit paper bags full of dog poop on Joe Babinsack's front porch. And by front porch, I mean his kitchen. And by dog poop, I mean propane canisters. I think I've written too much already.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Steve Austin Show Ep. 150

Austin was on location for ep. 150
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Steve Austin Show Unleashed!
Episode: 150
Run Time: 1:18:05
Guest: None

I Listen So You Don't Have To: Cheap Heat with Bray Wyatt

Wyatt was a guest on the most recent show
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Cheap Heat
Episode: Sept. 11, 2014
Run Time: 1:13:07
Guest: Andrew Goldstein, Bray Wyatt (at 58:23)

More King of Trios News Than You Can Shake a Stick at

The Batiri will be there in the Tag Gauntlet
Photo Credit: Scott Finkelstein

King of Trios starts THIS WEEK guys, and so the final announced details are beginning to rush in like blood getting off the elevator at the Overlook Hotel. The final first round matches have been announced, more Rey de Voladores competitors have been named, and a night three staple has officially landed. Of course, the odds and ends that are trickling forward are tasty as well. All in all, this weekend is looking like one of the most loaded of the year on paper.

I Listen So You Don't Have To: The Gist w/Daivari

Daivari was a guest on a Slate podcast last week
Photo Credit: WWE.com

If you're new, here's the rundown: I listen to a handful of wrestling podcasts each week. Too many, probably, though certainly not all of them. In the interest of saving you time — in case you have the restraint to skip certain episodes — the plan is to give the bare bones of a given show and let you decide if it’s worth investing the time to hear the whole thing. There are better wrestling podcasts out there, of course, but these are the ones in my regular rotation that I feel best fit the category of hit or miss. If I can save other folks some time, I'm happy to do so.

Show: Slate’s The Gist
Episode: “Did You See Obama Pull a John Wayne?” Sept. 11, 2014
Run Time: 29:48
Guest: Josh King of PoliOptics (at 3:24), Shawn Daivari (14:18)

Instant Feedback: RAW Is Confused, It Hurt Itself in Its Confusion

Odd to see this on a show right before they wrestle again
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are wrestling on Sunday, and yet they wrestled to a clean finish on RAW. Brock Lesnar's big appearance came at the beginning of the 10:00 hour. The show closed with an unproven newish heel going up against an old guard guy whose sell-by date may have already expired (as much as it pains me to write that about Mark Henry). Even on episodes worse than tonight's (and tonight's was bad, don't get me wrong), a theme rises to the surface. This show, however, felt disjointed, a manifestation of every rumor about how chaotic the backstage environment is on Mondays before the show goes to air.

The Wrestling Blog's OFFICIAL Best in the World Rankings, September 15

Thanks, Tony!

Welcome to a feature I like to call "Best in the World" rankings. They're not traditional power rankings per se, but they're rankings to see who is really the best in the world, a term bandied about like it's bottled water or something else really common. They're rankings decided by me, and don't you dare call them arbitrary lest I smack the taste out of your mouth. Without further ado, here's this week's list:

1. Mo'Ne Davis (Last Week: 1) - Okay, she didn't really do anything newsworthy this week, but after the shitty week the world has had, it needs a reminder that somewhere out there, awesome folk like Davis exist.

2. Tony Schiavone (Last Week: Not Ranked) - Surge is coming back, and I'd like to think Schiavone was working hard behind the scenes to make it happen. Sure, he can't promote it on a wrestling show anymore, but if you're a fan of the Gwinnett Braves, then maybe he'll start making promotional consideration for the soda during minor league baseball games. Hopefully, he won't talk about the nWo while Atlanta prospects are at the dish.

3. Paige (Last Week: 6) - Sweet Saraya's baby girl seems to be taking the lead in this whole psychological warfare thing between her and AJ Lee. I hope Lee isn't baiting her into the killshot; I want to see this continue in perpetuity.

Appropriate Responses and Bullying: Why the Babyface Ethic Needs to Change

Cena should be able to give Heyman some justice without threatening bodily harm against him
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Last week on RAW, John Cena laid an ultimatum to Brock Lesnar's advocate, Paul Heyman. He demanded that the WWE World Heavyweight Champion show up to the show tonight or else Cena would render physical harm to the rotund mouthpiece. The promise comes from the standard operating procedure for any pro wrestling babyface dealing with any kind of non-player-character proxy. Basically, from the Grand Wizard to Bobby Heenan, James E. Cornette to Scarlett Bordeaux, fans seem to love seeing the brawny hero manhandle a managerial type, usually one whom the presumptuous attacker has at least 100 pounds on. Being a bully is seemingly part and parcel with wearing a white hat in wrestling parlance, which is funny given WWE's past (and present?) partnership with the B.A. Star Alliance.