Friday Night Get-Down: December 3, 2021

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TONIGHT!  Xavier Woods takes on an Uso!  Cesaro battles Sheamus!  Sammy Guevara defends against Tony Nese!  And a certain Viking Space Lord Black Hole of Plot makes a return!

TOMORROW!  AAA crowns a new Megacampeonato, and if it isn’t Hijo del Vikingo, then the drugs are REALLY strong in Mexico!  Plus, Cain Velasquez in a trios match, and the Lucha Bros and FTR settle it!

SUNDAY!  Beyond is in Providence for Fete Forever, headlined by Alex Shelley defending the IWTV title!  I can be talked into covering this.

Your WrestleCrap article of the week looks back at the brief WWE stint of Colt Cabana as Scotty Goldman, featuring a look at his web series that got very… well, you’ll see.

But first, let’s get some synergy with BOTCHAMANIA!

All right, folks, we’ve been over the rules.  I want you to obey the mods’ instructions at all time.  I expect a good clean thread.  Now: touch gloves, go to your keyboards, and come out posting!

ENJOY THE WEEKEND!

Undertakers lowest point?

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Hey Scott,


Undertakers career is definitely legendary, maybe the most legendary next to Andre the Giant. However, other than his last few years, which thankfully did end on a high note, what year would you consider his lowest point when he was fully active? To me, I always
lean on 1999.

I think it was King of the Ring 2002 when he and HHHH were having a plodding borefest to determine who was going to heroically carry the promotion when the real stars were gone.  

What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – September 1, 1990

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Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper are in the booth and they are still in Providence, Rhode Island.

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Joshi Spotlight: Jen Yukari

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ProWresBlog: Noriyo Tateno

Yeah, this is like the clearest picture I could find. Truly the sign of a big star.

JOSHI SPOTLIGHT- YUKARI OSAWA:
Other Names: Jen, Jen Yukari
Billed Height & Weight: 5’4″ 143 lbs.
Career Length: 1988-1996

-Yes, it’s time for another edition of “Jab tries to figure out stuff about a no-name wrestler because he’s insane”. Yukari Osawa is a low-tier LLPW wrestler who I only know because of the periodic LLPW shows that end up on YouTube that need to use their entire 12-person roster, and so here’s this random backgrounder, who kind of has that “Bison Kimura” athletic-asskicker look with the strong makeup and mid-length hair… except she’s a jobber.

It’s kind of weird that a company with so few wrestlers would have people who almost never win, but there you go having Osawa beating only green rookies and then jobbing in solo bouts against even the midcard, and never developing to the point where she threatened the LLPW Pillars (Kandori, Sawai, Saito, Tateno, Kazama). Sometimes you’ll see her tag with Miki Handa or Michiko Nagashima and beat another low-tier duo, but for the most part she has no solid push.

In matches, she rarely stood out, despite an interesting look- she is your standard “unconfident, blank-faced rookie” even with some experience under her belt. In 1993 bouts she kept throwing these awful spinkicks with no speed or accuracy- just kinda limply tossing a leg at someone’s belly. Though by some 1994 stuff I’ve seen she’s okay- tolerable and with a few nice moves, but nothing really flashy or setting her apart. REALLY nice bridges on those suplexes, though- you know they’re great when they’re up on the toes like that! I actually called one the “best I’ve ever seen” down below! So she’s not all bad! Just, like… mostly unmemorable and never giving anyone a reason to care. To me these people are almost as interesting to research as the big stars, but man sometimes I don’t turn up much!

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Flashback Friday: Inside Wrestling May 1986

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This week, we look back at the 1986 issue of Inside Wrestling that went to press on January 29 and sold for $1.75 in the U.S and $2.25 in Canada. With a cover featuring Randy Savage, we’re teased with stories about the Macho Man, Stan Hansen, Lex Lugar, and Chris Adams. Plus, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express is apparently here to stay. Let’s make like Dynamite Kid and dive in.

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Worst Starrcade main event booking

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Which of these was the worst?  Ending Goldberg's streak at Starrcade 98, The Russo screwjob finish of Bret-Goldberg at Starrcade 99, or the Hogan-Sting screwy finish at Starrcade 97?

They could have fixed the sinking ship after Goldberg's loss, but the Sting thing killed him off and there was no coming back from it.  So I'm gonna say that one.  

Page/Danielson

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One guy is 40. Has a history of concussions so bad he already retired once. And his best days are behind him (he'll never top main eventing WM 30).

One guy is 30 and is AEW's first home grown star who just finally won the big one. 

Is there really a debate over who should win?  Does AEW need its own Lex Luger that badly?

Years of emails to the blog would seem to indicate that yes, they do.  We've already had their version of the invasion.  Hopefully they don't run Montreal any time soon, though.  

AEW First Time Viewer review

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Hi Scott!

Thanks again for all you do with the blog.  It's pretty much THE way I keep up with wrestling, since I don't have a ton of time to watch all of the shows (and for most stuff I prefer reading anyway).

I watched Dynamite for the first time ever this week.  In fact, it's the first full wrestling show I've watched for quite a while – the last time I think I watched a full show was maybe during NXT's heyday when Gargano and Champa were feuding.  Overall, I really enjoyed it.  One thing that really struck me about AEW's presentation was how they show the records before each match, facts like “Has won last 12 of last 14 matches”, etc.  As a first time viewer, I really liked those touches, and gives both the audience (and the commentary team) immediate context – that make things like Lee Morarity's near falls on CM Punk that much more exciting.  It gives the show a feeling like you're watching a SPORT, and that wins and losses matter, which is so refreshing.

I don't really recall a promotion really doing anything like this since the NWA in the 80s.  I remember being able to look up the rankings in the local newspaper but they didn't show the actual won-loss records.  I thought this was a really nice touch.  I also loved the show's emphasis on matches and athleticism, and with just enough talking to place emphasis on rivalries, get you excited for upcoming matches, etc.  It was very easy for me to suspend disbelief for the most part which I really liked.  I think I might give it a go next week (and from what I've read here, this looks like maybe it was an off show as well!).

Hope this review helps you pad those checks from TK!  😉

P.S. – The Cody match was pretty stupid though, was NOT a fan of that match at all, that one was tough to “suspend disbelief”…

Thanks for writing!  I get a bonus for every new viewer that I convert.  

Impact Wrestling – November 25, 2021

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Impact Wrestling
Date: November 25, 2021
Commentators: James Mitchell, Dr. Ross, Sinn Bodhi

So it’s Thanksgiving and that means things are going to be a little different around here. Since Impact Wrestling is smart enough to realize that a TV show on Thanksgiving isn’t going to draw so well, this is going to be a special look at the second season of Wrestle House. In other words, it’s the wrestling version of a reality show, whose first season was a mixture of a lot of fun and near torture at times. Let’s get to it.

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NXT UK – December 2, 2021

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NXT UK
Date: December 2, 2021
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for a big show with the United Kingdom Title on the line as Ilja Dragunov defends against Rampage Brown. Dragunov works well against big powerful bruisers so we should be in for a good one here. Other than that, we have…well probably a bunch of UK wrestlers in a variety of matches. Let’s get to it.

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Impact, Indies, and Insanity: December 2, 2021

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First, IMPACT: Chris Sabin squares off with Drama King Matthew Rehwoldt; Rich Swann and Willie Mack face Deaner and Doering of VBD; Hikuleo takes on Jake Something in a hoss fight on the pre-show; and what IS Jonah Rock doing in the Impact Zone, anyway?

Sports says: Cowboys/Saints from the NFL is  your Game of the Week of the Day; televised college hoops includes Valpo/Drake (ESPNU) and St. Mary’s/Utah St. (CBS Sports); and NBATV has a double-header of Bulls/Knicks and Spurs/Blazers.

Some good indie stuff coming down, so let’s review:

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CW Title possibly leaving

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https://411mania.com/wrestling/wwe-may-be-considering-dropping-nxt-cruiserweight-title/

I am all for reducing the amount of titles, and hopefully more keep going away, and i'm so removed from wwe storylines i can't tell you when they did/didn't care about this particular one.  

Having said that, looking back MAN what a great tournament that was where this title started!  Any chance we can get some full reviews that you haven't done on it?  Besides the semi & finals i'm not sure if you reviewed other episodes. Any Ibushi match! DYI squaring off! quality Tajiri!  HO HO LUN!!!!

Hopefully the Cruiserweight title doesn’t carry its phone around.  Actually are we sure that they don’t mean the CHAMPION is getting cut?  Because Roderick is probably on eggshells these days.  

Monday Night Raw – July 2, 2007

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Monday Night Raw
Date: July 2, 2007
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Attendance: 13,500
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

We’re back to normal this week and that means it is time to get ready for the Great American Bash. Since we have nothing to go on after last week, I’m curious to see where this is going to go, but Vengeance would seem to suggest Bobby Lashley as the next challenger to John Cena. Let’s get to it.

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Johnny Hungee – sacrificial lamb?

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Next week, Bryan Danielson nearly cripples John silver (or maybe just straight up kills him, whatever).

Does this cause Adam Page to go red hot ultra rage super saiyan and make him fiery and angry to just want to inflict pain on Danielson, possibly awakening a beast Bryan didn’t exprct? Like poking a bear and not realizing it was a bear?

Or maybe Page is too demoralized and finds himself vulnerable to Bryan’s mind games?

How do you see it going?

Man, it’s a tricky one.  Honestly I’d put the belt on Bryan but I can’t see them screwing Page over already.  That’s the best kind of main event, where neither guy should lose but one must.  

Cody and More Thoughts

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Love AEW but specifically Dynamite, PPVs, some Rampage and their building of storylines. Don’t watch any YouTube stuff.

Tonight’s Dynamite was weird. What’s up with Cole coming up and then Orange just showing up and an angle?  The Britt Baker shit with MJF was cringe worthy.  Not great Bob.

Ok and the worst Cody.  And yeah he wrestled someone. Arn took a bad blotch bump.  The crap on Codys back the whole time which commentary kept trying to talk away or make fun of was fire retardant shit and was weird. He had a “home” match for him so let bring Brandy back and then have a badly blotched fire end spot to show how tough he is? How he a baby face?? Nothing with his character makes sense and without the home crowd this would have been a shitshow of boos.

AEW is so good at flowing with fans response but the Cody shit is terrible. It’s been said but he dresses and acts like the Homelander.

This has to end but no end in sight.

The Orange thing was really weird.  They definitely had an off show, but they’ve built up a lot of goodwill credits with the fan base and can cash some of it in now and then.  Unlike WWE who are basically in debt collection from the fan base at this point.  

FLAME OFF!

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Wouldn't it have made more sense for Cody to have that big street fight flaming table moment against Malachi and not Andrade? What is he going to do to him…..have a scaffold match and throw him off?


I sure hope he doesn’t let Brandi run the BBQ if that’s how much lighter fluid she uses as well.