Daily News Update – September 20, 2020

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For those not around yesterday, the site was down due to a malicious crypto-mining exploit caused by a WordPress plugin that was compromised earlier in the month.  Basically I had to erase the site and rebuild it from the most recent backup, which thankfully cleared up the problem.

Because we were down for so long yesterday I’m gonna leave SNME #1 up for a while longer, in case you didn’t have a chance to read it.

Melina Returning To WWE

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/former-champion-returning-wwe-long-absence/

Two New Matches Set For Clash Of Champions

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/major-gimmick-title-match-set-clash-champions/

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/new-title-match-set-clash-champions-2/

WATCH: Undertaker Plays Video Games

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/video-the-undertaker-plays-video-games-with-his-family/

How Paul Heyman And Roman Reigns Will Be Presented On Smackdown

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/paul-heyman-roman-reigns-will-presented-smackdown/

Jon Moxley Competing In Bloodsport

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/jon-moxley-competing-in-bloodsport-fight/

 

Back in Business (mostly)

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Hi, thanks for your patience with all the bullshit today. Long story short, the site was somehow hacked with a crypto-mining script that I couldn’t get rid of, and I had to take the site offline for hours while combing through dozens of directories manually in Unix to try and find the culprit. Eventually I just ended up having to nuke the site completely and restore everything from the most recent backup, which thankfully happens every morning. I’m missing a few minor plugins and I still have to manually restore all the photos, but the script is now gone and thankfully the site is extremely fast again.

The SmarK Rant for Saturday Night’s Main Event #1 – 05.11.85

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The SmarK Rant for Saturday Night’s Main Event – 05.11.85

Screw it, I’ve been wanting to redo these from the start forever now and we might as well just jump into it so I can purge the awful “new format” versions for good.  I didn’t start watching these until 1986, with 12 year old me anxiously waiting for the quarterly episodes at 11:30PM because I guess West Coast feeds weren’t a thing back then.

Read moreThe SmarK Rant for Saturday Night’s Main Event #1 – 05.11.85

Daily News Update – September 19, 2020

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It’s the weekend and ALL MARIO ALL THE TIME, BAY-BAY.  I’m also amused that nearly my entire friends list on the Switch is playing it as well.  120 stars by Sunday or bust!

Cameron Grimes is the next geek introduced for the Gauntlet Eliminator next week

https://www.f4wonline.com/nxt-news/cameron-grimes-confirmed-wwe-nxt-gauntlet-eliminator-match-320491

G-1 starts today, and we’ve got coverage from Rick Poehling on the way! 

The Big Ol’ Super-Duper Wiz-Bang 2020 G-1 Climax Preview!

Smackdown – September 18, 2020

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Smackdown
Date: September 18, 2020
Location: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

We are coming up on Clash Of Champions and that means it is time to start getting ready for the pay per view. There are a lot of different things being set up, including a few more title matches. Tonight we might get a few steps closer to that but you never know around here. Let’s get to it.

Read moreSmackdown – September 18, 2020

Thundercats – The Return

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Seeing as there was a call to look at Thundercats and yesterday’s review was popular, I thought I’d also branch out and watch a trio of episodes from the 2011 Thundercats show, which only ran for one season of 26 episodes and really should’ve run longer except for the accompanying Bandai toyline dying on the vine. Some great episodes and there was a really good arc planned out in the vein of Avatar: The Last Airbender, but it wasn’t to be. It really was a serial, but I’m going to have at just three chapters today.

Read moreThundercats – The Return

Smackdown – April 21, 2006

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Smackdown
Date: April 21, 2006
Location: Savvis Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 16,108
Commentators: Michael Cole, Tazz

The King of the Ring is still rolling after last week’s opener, meaning we could be in for some good stuff going forward. Smackdown seems to be throwing out a bunch of more gimmicky stuff at the moment and I’m curious to see what else they have. There is something fun about seeing these characters that you might remember from years gone by making their debuts and we should be in for some bigger names and moments. Let’s get to it.

Read moreSmackdown – April 21, 2006

New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax 30 – 19/09/2020 – A Block

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Hello You!

Please make sure to check out Rick’s excellent G1 Climax preview for the skinny on what’s taking place in the tournament this year.

I would have had this up earlier, but I had a nice trip to Clitheroe in the afternoon, so apologies for the delay.

I’ll be taking on A Block this year whilst Rick takes on B Block, so look out for his reviews when they go up also.

Great to be tagging with someone this year as it should hopefully make the workload easier to bare and I think it will be interesting to get two perspectives on things.

I haven’t got a clue who will win G1 this year, but I’ll go with Kota Ibushi as they were making him look like the star in the team with Tanahashi on the Summer Struggle Tour, which suggested a passing of the guard, and Ibushi Vs Naito at Wrestle Kingdom would be pretty rad.

So, without further ado, let’s start off Night One of A Block and watch some chuffing wrestling!

Read moreNew Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax 30 – 19/09/2020 – A Block

Miro’s debut

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So Miro's debut was pretty underwhelming. On one hand, this continues the string of 'meh' debuts stretching all the way back to day 1.

But if Miro had debuted in a more traditional manner, kicking somebody's ass and telling the world he's a badass, then what? You have another wrestler who made a statement or put the locker room on notice or whatever generic nonesense we've heard for years. 

AEW has had much better luck pairing people up and just letting them do stuff. The Dark Order got much better just hanging out and dicking around, while pairing two Jersey misfits like Sonny Kiss and Joey Janella to drive around automatically makes them better.

Miro got over as Rusev for being a charming, beefy, and weird, not because he was intimidating. So having him hang out with Kip/Penelope and do Rusev/Miro stuff seems like a better plan then “I'm here and I want a title”

Sure, but there's also a big gap in between “I'm here I want a title” and “Second banana to comedy heel Kip Sabian” where they could have slotted him a little higher.  I dunno, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it's just such a weird place to slot him.  

Inexplicable Slaughter heel push

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When he returned to the WWF in August 1990, he looked terrible and out-of-shape, his interviews were slow and sloppy, same with his ring work. Wins against undercard jokes Garvin, Koko, Tito and Volkoff (didn't even win at Survivor Series) were supposed to make him the nr 1 contender for Warrior at the Rumble how? All this crap just to justify WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL IMMORTAL HEROIC Hogan destroy and demolish UGLY TRAITOR NON-MURRICAN Slaughter at Mania and thereafter? Vince is a petty petty naive Republican who has no clue about real world politics/occurrences

Hot take, bro.  

Territories.

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Hey Scott,

I noticed of late you're looking at territories a bit more (some great storytelling there),

Which one is your favourite?
I quite dig Mid-South, but certainly all had their moments,
Memphis is by far my favorite.  I didn't have access to it when it was a big thing in the 80s, but I used to follow it religiously in the wrestling magazines, and then once I became a tape trader I was able to track down a lot of stuff that I had missed originally and gained a new appreciation for guys like Lawler.  It was mostly everything I was looking for in a promotion and I wish I had the TV show growing up. 

Ospreay – A post

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Hey all,

I get the feeling that this one may get me in trouble, but I had to say something. If I’m going to recap the G-1, I gotta get this out beforehand, although I’m not recapping the A Block so I won’t be subject to Will’s matches. But I felt like this was something that affected NJPW as a whole, so I wrote it.

I realize that a lot of folks will have opinions on this, and I accept that. But on the eve of the biggest thing I’ve ever done for this blog, I gotta put some stuff out on front street. I hope you all stick with me after this.

Read moreOspreay – A post

Friday Night Party Thread: September 18, 2020

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WE MADE IT!

In the big controversy, Dave Meltzer decided that the Parking Lot Fight was a ***** match, which means Chuck Taylor, noted comedy wrestler, now has a higher rated Best Match than Daniel Bryan.  I mean, I realize Meltzer is one guy and he has biases, but it’s still funny to see them play out.

Tonight: AJ Styles faces Sami Zayn.  Also, a Samoan Street Fight with Reigns/Uso vs Corbin/Sheamus.

Before we begin, I want to share this gem with you: the 1984 Wrestling Observer Match of the Year, the Come As You Are Street Fight between the Freebirds and Von Erichs — only 10 minutes long but holy cow the crowd noise and action.

All right, folks, I want a good clean thread.  We’ve been over the rules; obey the mod’s instructions at all times.  Now, touch gloves, go to your keyboards, and come out posting!

Enjoy the weekend!

On request… Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics

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As suggested by riraho, I’m looking at Laff-A-Lympics, specifically the ones set in England. The concept is that all the Hanna-Barbera characters that could be mustered compete with one another in Olympics-style games in different countries and places around the world. Characters are divided up into three teams – the Scooby Doobies, which I’m just shocked got past the censors, the Yogi Yahooeys, and the Really Rottens, who are captained by the Dread Baron and Mumbly, barely disguised copies of Dick Dastardly and Muttley (why not just call them Rick Rotten and Roughly?). My knowledge of the show is minimal, so it’s going to be first reactions pretty much, although I have watched the episodes a LONG time ago.

Read moreOn request… Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics

As The Big Show Turns

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Upon hearing the news of the Big Show Show cancellation,I compiled a list of Big Show Turns. I believe to be complete. I am sure the little doomers or yourself might feel free to add to.


1 Turned face when nWo was formed
2 Turned Heel when he joins nWo
3 kicked out of nWo turns face
4 rejoins Hollywood as heel
5 kicked out of nWo face
6 shows up as Vince's lackey heel
7 Turns face at 15
8 Joins Taker turns heel
9 Dad dies becomes face
10 Rock wins Rumble turns heel
11 Appears on SNL turns face
12 Joins Shane's group heel
13 Returns at Rumble 2001 as a face
14 Forms ShowGunns as a heel
15 Turns face because of InVasion
16 Turns heel joining nWo 2002
17 Returns from injury in 04 face
18 Joins ECW as heel
19 Turns face shortly after XXIV
20 Starts love affair w/Vickie Heel
21 ShowMiz loses belts KO Miz Face
22 Helps Johnny beat Cena Heel
23 Turns face to aid Orton/Sheamus
24 Turns heel at XXIX
25 Aides RVD/Henry vs Shield FACE
26 Survivor Series 2014 HEEL
27 2016 helps fend off Wyatts FACE
28 Smackdown 1000 helps Bar Heel
29 KOs Cesaro Face
30 Strowman Feud Heel
31 Helps Owens and Joe FACE
32 Interrupts McIntyre 36 Dark Heel
33 Rescues Viking Proffits FACE

Only 33, huh?   I honestly would have guessed more.  

Razor Ramon in 96/97

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Hi Scott, 

Your namesake Scott Hall is often mentioned as one of the best wrestlers to never win a World title and he obviously was a huge star in WCW but what if he hadn't jumped to WCW in 96?

1) Do you see Razor Ramon as a World title contender or even champion if he had stuck around in the WWF?
2) Does the nWo Invasion play out the same without Scott Hall or would WCW need to replace him with someone else? 
1.   Sort of.  I feel like he would have got it eventually had he made it to the Russo era and they needed someone for a quick run.  But as a top guy?   No, Vince didn’t see him there. 
2.  Pretty sure there’s no nWo without him.