Wrestling

The Faces of Smackdown



Hi Scott,


So, help me out. Smackdown's entire male babyface roster is AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Rey Mysterio, Rusev and …. Tye Dillinger?? 

Incidentally, tremendous finish. I think D-Bry can pull off the Bob Backlund 2.0 gimmick quite nicely.

TY!
Brian

I’m willing to let it play out and see where it goes. 

Smackdown – November 13, 2018

Smackdown
Date: November 13, 2018
Location: Enterprise Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton

It’s the final show before Survivor Series and last night’s big angle saw the Smackdown women’s division invade Raw with Becky Lynch laying out Ronda Rousey. Now though, it seems that Lynch is going to have to miss the show thanks to a concussion. I’m not sure what that means for Sunday, but I know it’s a downgrade overall. Let’s get to it.

Read moreSmackdown – November 13, 2018

Tuesday Night Thread

So, uh, not sure if you’ve heard yet, but Becky Lynch is off Survivor Series.  It’s been flying under the radar today.

Tonight, we discover what they’re gonna do about it on Smackdown.  I say just cancel the match and give the rest more time.  No one’s particularly invested in this PPV anyway.

Chat about that and other stuff, like whether the Canucks can maintain first in the division (spoiler: no) right here in this very thread!

WWF Wrestling Challenge – September 20th, 1992

September 20, 1992

From the Capital Centre in Landover, MD

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan, who pretending that he was campaigning for votes with the election coming up in several weeks. This was a show-long bit.

In action this week are Big Bossman, Nasty Boys, Crush, and Papa Shango. Plus, an interview with Ric Flair and more!

Read moreWWF Wrestling Challenge – September 20th, 1992

What the World Was Watching: WCW Main Event – March 19, 1995

–Eric Bischoff and Bobby Heenan are on commentary and they are live from Tupelo, Mississippi, the site of tonight’s Uncensored pay-per-view.  Heenan is still rattled from how Ric Flair snapped last night on WCW Saturday Night, which is replayed for the viewing audience.

–Tony Schiavone interviews WCW Champion Hulk Hogan in the aisle.  Hogan mocks Vader’s taunt and says that Jimmy Hart is busy with the “ultimate surprise” backstage.  He then proceeds to go into his usual habit of promising to run wild on Vader tonight.

Read moreWhat the World Was Watching: WCW Main Event – March 19, 1995

Original Plans for WM X-7



What were the original plans for WM X-7 before WWF bought WCW in March 2001?  Was there still going to be a Shane vs Vince match, just without the WCW Storyline in there?  Would they not have had the gimmick Battle Royal?  Was Austin always turning heel or
was that a last minute thing?  Was there anything else that got pushed off because of the WCW Invasion storyline?

There was nothing on that show that was changed as a result of the WCW buyout as far as I'm aware.  They didn't even start putting the WCW guys on TV until after the show anyway. 

Greatest Non-Big Four PPVs?


Scott,

Switching to the other side of the coin now, which WWE PPVs that aren't one of the Big Four are worthy of being in the conversation as the best?

One that I've heard get a lot of love is No Way Out 2001.

No Way Out 2001, Backlash 2000, and Canadian Stampede are consistently three of the biggest contenders.  Money in the Bank 2011 was pretty great, too, but I don't know about "best of all time".  

Ronda vs Becky



Pretty much the only match I feel is even worth a damn this Sunday?  Your thoughts on the match? I fully expect Ronda to win, but man it honestly wouldn't surprise me if Becky somehow won potentially setting up a rematch at Mania, Becky's been the best thing
about WWE in the last couple of months.

I don't think she's going to win, but certainly it seems like the match should close out the PPV.  Although in some ways it's best for that not to happen, because crowds are always burned out by the end of the 5 hour shows and you might get better reaction from having it midway through the show?

Takeover's gonna be awesome, though.  Just bringing that up.

Monday Night Raw – November 12, 2018

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 12, 2018
Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young

It’s the Stephanie Show this week. That’s the entirety of the official Raw preview: a photo of Stephanie with a promise of her addressing the World Cup controversy. I’m sure this will include discussions of how disappointed she is with everyone and how Raw must be the most ridiculous adjective filled show that only Stephanie can be proud of because only WWE seems to care about this battle for brand supremacy which was only first mentioned a few weeks back and won’t be mentioned again a week after Survivor Series. Let’s get to it.

Read moreMonday Night Raw – November 12, 2018

The Big Four



Hey Scott


With Survivor Series coming up, I was thinking: what do you think was the best year for the big four ppvs?


A year where all four shows were the best of the year or at least close to it. Personally I don't think 2001 can be topped. The Rumble and Mania were near perfect, we had a great Summerslam and what I think is an underrated Survivor Series.


What say you? Also what was the worst year? 2010?

I’d say 2001, yeah. X-7 makes any year hard to beat it.  
I wasn’t paying much attention in 2010.  You know what was ironically a choice?  2000. Although there were some amazing PPVs that year, the big four (outside of the Rumble) were pretty weak.  

Monday Night Open Mic

Howdy Blog O’Doomers!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and it was particularly special for those who served or have family that served time for their respective country.

RAW is live tonight. It’s a go home show for Survivor Series. Apparently there will be more McMahons on because we need more McMahons. Scott has a rant on Mid-Atlantic Wrestling from 1985 today. Sounds fun. I’ve tried to watch Mid Atlantic but I can’t get into it. Hey WWE Network content lords…GIVE ME GEORGIA CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING!!! Please…pretty please 🙂

Giants-49ers is your Monday Night game of two teams going absolutely nowhere. 10 NBA games and four NHL games.

Interesting non-sports TV tonight. There’s an HBO documentary on the determination of the price of art, which is the type of nerdy shit I must watch and a Nat Geo documentary on Mars for you earth science types.

KEEP IT CLEAN!

Shawn Michaels Inheritance



Hi Scott,

This may seem like a strange question, but it’s no stranger than a lot of the emails you get.

Many years ago there was a story doing the rounds that in the mid-90s, Shawn Michaels inherited $2m. Not from a relative but from a wrestling fan.

The story goes that there was a huge Shawn Michaels fan who was a rich guy had terminal cancer but having fallen out with his family and disliking charity decided to leave his money to the person who gave him the most enjoyment in life.

Was any of this true or was it total bullshit?

Shawn has certainly never confirmed the story, not has anyone else with any credibility, so I would tend to think it's bullshit. 

Sting’s WWE Run


Was Sting's WWE run always supposed to have lasted as long as it did, or did him getting hurt in his WWE Title match with Seth Rollins in the Fall of 2015 end it prematurely?  

Mostly, yes, although he was being used so infrequently that it's not like it disrupted huge plans for him or anything. 

The SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling–01.05.85

The SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling- 01.05.85

So I wanted to go back to Mid-Atlantic, but the tag team tournament was boring the pants off me, so let’s jump ahead to the era we’re all more familiar with, starting in early 1985!

We’re now in an arena instead of the studio shows from the earlier run.

Your hosts are Bob Caudle & Johnny Weaver

Read moreThe SmarK Rant for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling–01.05.85

Sunday Night Reset: November 11, 2018

Your Sunday Night game is Dallas against Philadelphia.  In solidarity with our Canadian brethren, I’m watching Winnipeg/Saskatchewan before heading out for a Veterans’ dinner with Dad, who was ROTC during Vietnam and retired rank Captain, US Navy.
Enjoy the night.  And now, a special word from John McCrae (1872-1918).

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row, 
That mark our place, and in the sky, 
The larks, still bravely singing, fly, 
Scarce heard amid the guns below. 

We are the dead; short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields. 

Take up our quarrel with the foe! 
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high! 
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Ted Dibiase main eventer



Hey Scott,

It seems like after Dibiase’s first year that he went to being a generic midcard heel. He would have great moments like with Dusty and Virgil but nowhere near a main eventer again. Every time he faced hogan or warrior for the belt beyond wrestlemania 5, I knew he had no shot.
Obviously if they had 12 ppvs a year, he would have gotten 1-2 runs with the belt.
Would it have been better long term for him if he had 1 real run with the belt and winning the wrestlemania 4 tournament?

Better for him certainly, although I don’t know if it was right for business.  But maybe if he had won the tournament, people would have bought him as a threat to Hogan?