I believe that for the crowd to respond well to a wrestler, whether that reaction is good or bad, the wrestler has to be real. They have to be an all-around amazing entertainer, in and out of the ring. On Monday night, CM Punk gave us all of this and more.
I was sitting on my couch and when he started speaking after Cena lost, my jaw hit the floor. He just laid it all out there and cut one of the best promos I have ever watched. Even better than the one Roddy Piper cut on the Old School Raw and the silent one done by both the Undertaker and Triple H for their epic Wrestlemania XXVIII battle. From the first second that he opened his mouth it was pure magic. I did find it odd that he was wearing a Stone Cold Steve Austin shirt but then someone on Twitter summed it all up. He was having his 'Stone Cold moment'. He ripped on absolutely everything. Cena, Vince, WWE as a company, the fans, and he even speculated about what he would do when he was done with the organization. I was flabbergasted. When things like this happen, it breathes new life into what some view as a 'stale' product. I personally find WWE programming entertaining every time I watch it but even I was relieved. This is exactly what a heel should be in wrestling.
It is my hope that everyone in the locker room was taking notes that night. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how it's done.
Kayfabe or not, I don't care. This is exactly the type of intense heat that a rivalry should have. Fans are engaged, intrigued, and just can't get enough of it.
To view the epicness that occurred on Monday Night Raw, click here.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The Good, Bad, and Ugly.
There is a lot to cover in this post; Ultimate Warrior's 'Karma Collects' video came out, the Capitol Punishment pay-per-view, and the second three hour edition of Monday Night Raw. So here we go, let's get down to business...
I sat with my mom and watched all eight parts of the 'Karma Collects' video. First off, I have never been more entertained in my entire life. Some serious allegations were made against Hogan by Warrior. He was/is a drug abuser, he was so afraid of other guys getting over that he would sabotage their careers, he is a hypocrite, and a plethora of others. It was a lot to take in and I sat riveted to my computer for almost an hour. Warrior made one statement that really stood out to me, "Hulkamania shows how to fuck up a life."
Utterly speechless.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is more than just mudslinging. You don't say those types of things without having some kind of truth to the rumors. I personally find it weird that Hogan hasn't really addressed these allegations. Most people would advise that the best thing to do is to keep your mouth shut, 100% wrong. I think that Hogan should come out and say a little more than what has been said. I'm looking forward to any other videos that Warrior is releasing but what I'd really like to see if these two men face to face. Now that would be entertainment...
As for the Capitol Punishment pay-per-view, it was a really solid card. What they could have done differently was get rid of that stupid Obama impersonator. It would have been impressive if the real president made a surprise appearance. Asking a lot, I know, but it would have been phenomenal. The highlight of the event for me was when that little kid threw the drink in R-Truth's face and celebrated in the ring with John Cena. My dad and I laughed so hard, it just goes to show that the superstars are all about the fans and giving them a fantastic show. There are two things that made me scratch my head during the show, one happened when Christian faced Randy Orton and when Kofi Kingston faced Dolph Ziggler.
We'll start with the Dolph Ziggler versus Kofi Kingston match. I'm sorry but Scott Armstrong needs to go back to FCW or something. Ziggler clearly used to bottom rope for leverage and his sleeper hold on Kofi should have been broken. I do realize that he probably made a judgement call and wanted to do what was best for Kofi but COME ON! Any other referee would have broken that hold.
And concerning Christian versus Randy Orton...HIS FOOT WAS CLEARLY UNDER THE ROPE! I saw it, the announcers saw it, everyone watching saw it. I have seen the officials reverse their decisions based on replays from matches before and I think that the same should be done here. Or there should at least be one more rematch. It's not like Christian is some Joe Blow going for the belt, this man earned it and deserves it. Hopefully this is all just part of the angle and not just another Montreal Screwjob.
I won't even discuss the results from Monday Night Raw: Power to the People because of all the problems that they had with the mobile voting system. The biggest disappointment of the night was that the problems caused Mason Ryan to face Evan Bourne. I so badly wanted Sin Cara to face Evan Bourne and found it extremely odd that the WWE Universe would pick Ryan over Sin Cara. At least the WWE acknowledged the snafu and is making it up to the fans, I for one will be glued to my seat Monday night to watch the two high flyers go at it. Another fun surprise for next week is that Shawn Michaels is the special guest, he'll be in attendance for the Raw Roulette and to promote his new outdoor themed television show. If anything, it should bring up the ratings and get a great reaction out of the fans who always go nuts whenever the Heartbreak Kid is around.
What I want to discuss the most is CM Punk's stunning announcement that on July 17th he will be wrestling his final WWE match. I was stunned. I heard rumors of it happening but didn't think that it would happen. I'm attending a taping of Monday Night Raw in Edmonton this August and very upset that I won't be able to see him. I'm hoping that he will remain in some capacity with an eventual return, that it's just a break like Chris Jericho takes periodically. Either way, it's a true loss to every wrestling fan. CM Punk had incredible in-ring ability and an even more incredible gift of gab. He could get the crowd going and make them laugh all in the same breath. He delivered world class entertainment each time he stepped in between those ropes and into the squared circle, as only the WWE superstars can do. We'll miss you Punk...
With two three hour editions of Raw complete and Raw Roulette coming up, let's sit back and see what the WWE creative team has to offer up to us next week.
I sat with my mom and watched all eight parts of the 'Karma Collects' video. First off, I have never been more entertained in my entire life. Some serious allegations were made against Hogan by Warrior. He was/is a drug abuser, he was so afraid of other guys getting over that he would sabotage their careers, he is a hypocrite, and a plethora of others. It was a lot to take in and I sat riveted to my computer for almost an hour. Warrior made one statement that really stood out to me, "Hulkamania shows how to fuck up a life."
Utterly speechless.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is more than just mudslinging. You don't say those types of things without having some kind of truth to the rumors. I personally find it weird that Hogan hasn't really addressed these allegations. Most people would advise that the best thing to do is to keep your mouth shut, 100% wrong. I think that Hogan should come out and say a little more than what has been said. I'm looking forward to any other videos that Warrior is releasing but what I'd really like to see if these two men face to face. Now that would be entertainment...
As for the Capitol Punishment pay-per-view, it was a really solid card. What they could have done differently was get rid of that stupid Obama impersonator. It would have been impressive if the real president made a surprise appearance. Asking a lot, I know, but it would have been phenomenal. The highlight of the event for me was when that little kid threw the drink in R-Truth's face and celebrated in the ring with John Cena. My dad and I laughed so hard, it just goes to show that the superstars are all about the fans and giving them a fantastic show. There are two things that made me scratch my head during the show, one happened when Christian faced Randy Orton and when Kofi Kingston faced Dolph Ziggler.
We'll start with the Dolph Ziggler versus Kofi Kingston match. I'm sorry but Scott Armstrong needs to go back to FCW or something. Ziggler clearly used to bottom rope for leverage and his sleeper hold on Kofi should have been broken. I do realize that he probably made a judgement call and wanted to do what was best for Kofi but COME ON! Any other referee would have broken that hold.
And concerning Christian versus Randy Orton...HIS FOOT WAS CLEARLY UNDER THE ROPE! I saw it, the announcers saw it, everyone watching saw it. I have seen the officials reverse their decisions based on replays from matches before and I think that the same should be done here. Or there should at least be one more rematch. It's not like Christian is some Joe Blow going for the belt, this man earned it and deserves it. Hopefully this is all just part of the angle and not just another Montreal Screwjob.
I won't even discuss the results from Monday Night Raw: Power to the People because of all the problems that they had with the mobile voting system. The biggest disappointment of the night was that the problems caused Mason Ryan to face Evan Bourne. I so badly wanted Sin Cara to face Evan Bourne and found it extremely odd that the WWE Universe would pick Ryan over Sin Cara. At least the WWE acknowledged the snafu and is making it up to the fans, I for one will be glued to my seat Monday night to watch the two high flyers go at it. Another fun surprise for next week is that Shawn Michaels is the special guest, he'll be in attendance for the Raw Roulette and to promote his new outdoor themed television show. If anything, it should bring up the ratings and get a great reaction out of the fans who always go nuts whenever the Heartbreak Kid is around.
What I want to discuss the most is CM Punk's stunning announcement that on July 17th he will be wrestling his final WWE match. I was stunned. I heard rumors of it happening but didn't think that it would happen. I'm attending a taping of Monday Night Raw in Edmonton this August and very upset that I won't be able to see him. I'm hoping that he will remain in some capacity with an eventual return, that it's just a break like Chris Jericho takes periodically. Either way, it's a true loss to every wrestling fan. CM Punk had incredible in-ring ability and an even more incredible gift of gab. He could get the crowd going and make them laugh all in the same breath. He delivered world class entertainment each time he stepped in between those ropes and into the squared circle, as only the WWE superstars can do. We'll miss you Punk...
With two three hour editions of Raw complete and Raw Roulette coming up, let's sit back and see what the WWE creative team has to offer up to us next week.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Warrior Vs. Hogan: Whose side are YOU on?
I saw an article on TMZ.com that mentioned something about Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan feuding and initially skimmed over it. Figuring it was nothing new and just some blurb never to be heard of again. Boy was I wrong...
My nerdy nature prompted me to do a little bit more research on the matter and I was in shock and awe about what I was seeing and reading. The first video I personally watched was the short blurb he did about Hogan censoring fans on Twitter. Not really sure what to think, I looked at a few more. Initially, I will admit that I thought he was bat shit crazy. The other videos seriously blew me away, I especially enjoyed the preview of his upcoming uncensored video all about Hogan. That particular video can be found by clicking here. He really speaks with conviction, you can't deny that at all. The video and the topics that he brings up just beg the question, how much of it is based in fact? I'm hoping for all of it and that sounds terrible.
I watched the video that Hulk Hogan did saying how much he missed Randy Savage. I also watched the interview that he did with 'The Voice' and I was simply appalled. Excuse my language, but what a smug son of a bitch.
The interview is available on YouTube, in four parts (click here to start with part one). I felt like Hogan didn't care who he threw under the proverbial bus. They talked about a variety of topics and a variety of different wrestlers. I got the impression that Hogan thought that during the 'Rock n' Wrestling' era (and his entire WWE run), he was the be all and end all. He wasn't, the success of the business and product cannot be attributed to one person in any given era. The things that have come out about his family and himself in the last few years really make you feel sorry that he has sort of 'fallen from the top', for lack of a better term. His son Nick's accident and the oddly entertaining divorce between Hulk and Linda are the first things that jump to mind. I am frankly disgusted that he would walk around like he's still one of the biggest stars in the business, an example would be him openly admitting that he uses his 'celebrity' to his advantage. Why would you even admit that? It just makes you look and sound kind of terrible, everyone knows that it sometimes does happen but to hear someone admit it is a totally different story.
What I believe exacerbated the entire situation even more that those YouTube videos is the mocking of Randy Savage's tragic passing by Brian Knobbs. I read the report about the entire situation and I was completely disgusted with what I read. He should feel sorry and ashamed, as should the people who just sat by and said nothing while he mocked the death of a fellow wrestler. Some say that maybe that was his way a grieving, I beg to differ. Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs should be the last person 'joking' about having a heart attack. What happened to Randy was a terrible and unfortunate accident that shook the wrestling world (and the entertainment industry in general). But of course, there will be no repercussions or public apology given because he's a friend of Hogan's. If he was really and truly missing Randy then he would have issued an apology almost immediately after it blew up on the internet.
I am just waiting for the Ultimate Warrior to release his uncensored rant on Hogan. I would also like to see Hogan release a response video to the Warrior's accusations, because at this point that's all that they are. A part of me is hoping that these two guys can work this out privately but the other part of me is hoping that everything gets laid out on the table. Either way, I think that accusations will be thrown, claims will be proven or not, and there will be two guys who definitely won't be sharing anything together in the near future.
My nerdy nature prompted me to do a little bit more research on the matter and I was in shock and awe about what I was seeing and reading. The first video I personally watched was the short blurb he did about Hogan censoring fans on Twitter. Not really sure what to think, I looked at a few more. Initially, I will admit that I thought he was bat shit crazy. The other videos seriously blew me away, I especially enjoyed the preview of his upcoming uncensored video all about Hogan. That particular video can be found by clicking here. He really speaks with conviction, you can't deny that at all. The video and the topics that he brings up just beg the question, how much of it is based in fact? I'm hoping for all of it and that sounds terrible.
I watched the video that Hulk Hogan did saying how much he missed Randy Savage. I also watched the interview that he did with 'The Voice' and I was simply appalled. Excuse my language, but what a smug son of a bitch.
The interview is available on YouTube, in four parts (click here to start with part one). I felt like Hogan didn't care who he threw under the proverbial bus. They talked about a variety of topics and a variety of different wrestlers. I got the impression that Hogan thought that during the 'Rock n' Wrestling' era (and his entire WWE run), he was the be all and end all. He wasn't, the success of the business and product cannot be attributed to one person in any given era. The things that have come out about his family and himself in the last few years really make you feel sorry that he has sort of 'fallen from the top', for lack of a better term. His son Nick's accident and the oddly entertaining divorce between Hulk and Linda are the first things that jump to mind. I am frankly disgusted that he would walk around like he's still one of the biggest stars in the business, an example would be him openly admitting that he uses his 'celebrity' to his advantage. Why would you even admit that? It just makes you look and sound kind of terrible, everyone knows that it sometimes does happen but to hear someone admit it is a totally different story.
What I believe exacerbated the entire situation even more that those YouTube videos is the mocking of Randy Savage's tragic passing by Brian Knobbs. I read the report about the entire situation and I was completely disgusted with what I read. He should feel sorry and ashamed, as should the people who just sat by and said nothing while he mocked the death of a fellow wrestler. Some say that maybe that was his way a grieving, I beg to differ. Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs should be the last person 'joking' about having a heart attack. What happened to Randy was a terrible and unfortunate accident that shook the wrestling world (and the entertainment industry in general). But of course, there will be no repercussions or public apology given because he's a friend of Hogan's. If he was really and truly missing Randy then he would have issued an apology almost immediately after it blew up on the internet.
I am just waiting for the Ultimate Warrior to release his uncensored rant on Hogan. I would also like to see Hogan release a response video to the Warrior's accusations, because at this point that's all that they are. A part of me is hoping that these two guys can work this out privately but the other part of me is hoping that everything gets laid out on the table. Either way, I think that accusations will be thrown, claims will be proven or not, and there will be two guys who definitely won't be sharing anything together in the near future.
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