BoD Daily Update: January 18th, 2019

ESPN.com Article on Cody Rhodes

http://www.espn.com/wwe/story/_/id/25781334/cody-rhodes-all-elite-wrestling-origins-future-chris-jericho-path-aew

 

Dakota Kai Undergoes Surgery For Torn ACL

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/dakota-kai-surgery-torn-acl/#.XEHTW2lOmUk

 

Nikki Cross and Killian Dain Get Married

https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-news/nikki-cross-killian-dain-get-married-274821

 

RoH Throwback Match of the Week

You can watch Bryan Danielson vs. Claudio Castagnoli vs. D’Lo Brown vs. Colt Cabana from 6/13/09

 

 

Tito Santana


Scott,


After Tito Santana dropped the IC title to Randy Savage in early 86, for the next year, he kind of just floundered with no real feuds or purpose. He did alot of house shows facing various opponents and still was on TV a good bit,but never really had a direction until joining Strike Force with Rick Martel after Tom Zenk abruptly quit the promotion.

Was there a reason he didn't really do a full house show program chasing Savage again? They had some random rematches, but not a full blown program.

Or was Santana being phased down, and Strike Force basically gave him a renewed push?
Yeah, he was definitely being phased down.  Tito had a good run as a single with Valentine and then Savage, and it was time to move on.  That's how wrestling is SUPPOSED to work! 

Mike Bennett/Maria asking to be released



What do you think of Mike Bennett and Maria wanting out of their WWE contracts?  Smart since they don't like how they are being used, stupid since they are cutting off a steady steam of income for hardly having to work for it, or something in between?  

It's hardly a big loss, but it's pretty disingenuous on Mike's part to very publicly work through addiction issues on WWE's dime and then turn around and ask for his release.  Granted he's in a loser gimmick going nowhere, but honestly the least you can do is suck it up and work out the remainder of your contract in exchange for all the goodwill that the company has shown.    

Hall Of Fame Class of 2019

Hi Scott, as we're a week away from the Rumble, it's time to start speculating about who will be in the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2019. My predictions

Kane:    Now that he's semi-retired but still strongly associated with WWE he seems an easy choice for a headliner

The British Bulldogs: Now that Dynamite has died there's nothing stopping WWE from putting them in and with them pushing UK wrestling they seem an obvious choice

Jim Cornette: After he was brought back into the fold last year and showed that despite his dislike of the current product he was still willing to work with WWE, he seems a slam dunk nominee plus his speech will be amazing

King Kong Bundy: Now that Hogan is being used by WWE gain, why not induct the guy who he fought at Wrestlemania 2? It gives them an excuse to trot Hogan out for the induction speech.

The Bella Twins: The WWE are pushing womens tag teams, so what better time to induct the only true womens tag team in WWE for the last 20 years, plus it gives them a storyline for Total Divas/Bellas

Celebrity Wing: David Arquette: He's done a few comedy cameos for WWE in the past year and is clearly on good terms, plus he is well liked in the industry

I'd like to hear your thoughts & predictions for the upcoming Hall Of Fame Class

I really, really don't care about the Hall of Fame, to be honest.  Now that we've run through most of the worthwhile candidates it's just a game of "Why is this person in this particular year?" and trying to guess Vince's whims.  

Your picks seem fine, but there's no chance of the Bulldogs going in.  They didn't even acknowledge Dynamite's death and you think he's getting into the Hall of Fame?  Davey Boy, maybe.  

WWF’s Expansion Evolution

Hey, Scott:

Loving your reviews of the old Mid-South stuff and anything early 1980s in general. Question for you and the lil' Doomers: as the WWF began it's national expansion in earnest, they obviously poached several big "territory" names. Who were the guys whose in-ring reputations were most helped/hurt by jumping to the Fed? For example, Jim Duggan went from believable bad-ass brawler in Mid-South to cross-eyed, patriotic cartoon character. Meanwhile, Jim Neidhart bounced around with Butch Reed, then found perfect tag-team chemistry with the Hart Foundation.
I'd call the Sheepherders the gold standard of a character completely destroyed by the WWF marketing machine, although Luke & Butch made a ton of money off it so I doubt they're ever complaining.  But they went from **** brawls with the Fantastics to bad comedy with Mean Gene.  
As for who was helped the most, I'd have to say Randy Savage.  He really flourished under the WWF system and went from Memphis main eventer to stadium main eventer, which are two entirely different styles of match. 

WWF Wrestling Challenge – February 21st, 1993

February 21, 1993

From the Fresno Convention Center in Fresno, CA

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. The announcers talk about what happened on “Monday Night RAW” and wonder if Jimmy Hart will accompany Money Inc. for their title match today against High Energy.

Also this week, we will see Virgil vs. Lex Luger. Plus, the Steiner Brothers, Crush, and the Giant Gonzalez handicap match from “Superstars.”

Read moreWWF Wrestling Challenge – February 21st, 1993

Fake Reigns feelings

What is with all these false platitudes regarding Roman Reigns by smarks now?  I'm not sure how a person getting sick automatically should change on how you feel about them, unless of course you are a fake person to begin with.  I mean I hope Regins beats cancer and lives a long life, but that doesn't mean I want to see him wrestle again like so many claim they do now.  Of course I'll be called an asshole,(among other things), because I'm honest.  So be it.  Let me just leave you with this;  If a person talked non-stop shit about a family member of yours and said horrible things about that person until the day they died, would you all of a sudden be receptive to them coming to their funeral and giving the eulogy?  

Yes.  Because that's what normal human beings with empathy do.  

Indies and Insanity: January 17, 2019

Your basketball update: tonight’s NBA on TNT doubleheader is Sixers/Pacers, followed by Lakers/Thunder.

Meanwhile, your college odyssey: ESPN has South Carolina/Mississippi State for the Women’s Game of the Week, followed by Oregon/Arizona.  ESPN2 has Stanford/Washington before cutting to the Australian Open.  Deep cuts on ESPNU as their tripleheader is Tennessee State vs Tennessee Tech, Gardner-Webb against Radford, and BYU facing Pepperdine.

And after the jump, the indie roundup for the weekend.

Read moreIndies and Insanity: January 17, 2019

Royal Rumble Countdown 2019: The SmarK Rant for WWE Royal Rumble 2018

(Hey, this worked really well last year, so let’s see how many of these we can squeeze in before this year’s show.  100% I’m redoing Rumble 2000 this week, too.) 

The SmarK Rant for WWE Royal Rumble 2018 – 01.28.18

Live from Philly

Your hosts are Michael Cole, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves, Tom Phillips, and special guest Stephanie McMahon!

Mojo Rawley, huh? That’s the sound of 15,000 people groaning in unison.

Read moreRoyal Rumble Countdown 2019: The SmarK Rant for WWE Royal Rumble 2018

Smoky Mountain Wrestling TV – August 22nd, 1992

SMOKY MOUNTAIN WRESTLING TV – AUGUST 22ND, 1992

 

– Last week on SMW TV, we got a detailed recap of all the big happenings at Fire on the Mountain, including Brian Lee being attacked by a mysterious man that looked like a Genie. The only new content from last week featured Tim Horner issuing a challenge for the SMW Heavyweight Title, and the Dirty White Boy successfully defending the title against Dixie Dy-No-Mite, with a little bit of help from the dastardly Killer Kyle.

Read moreSmoky Mountain Wrestling TV – August 22nd, 1992

BoD Daily Update: January 17, 2019

Mike & Maria Kanellis Request Releases From WWE

http://www.prowrestlingsheet.com/mike-maria-kanellis-request-releases-wwe/#.XEARIVxKjIU

 

Kevin Owens Update

Owens, while expected to be medically cleared fairly soon, the decision for now is to wait until after WrestleMania to bring him back on TV

Credit Dave Meltzer, Wrestling Observer Newsletter

 

WWE Free YouTube Match

You can watch Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole in an Extreme Rules match from the NXT Takeover: Philadelphia show

Biggest Bust in WCW from the WWF

Who would you say was WCW’s biggest busy of the big stars that came from the WWF?  I had 5 to choose from Warrior, Bret Hart, Jake The Snake, British Bulldog, Earthquake.

 

 


Jake and Warrior had similar tenure’s brought in only for a few months just to do a job to a big star at Halloween Havoc.  Bret with all the hype and momentum he had coming off Montreal, but at least he got a push at points.

 

 


Were there any actual plans for Jake & Warrior in WCW other than to job at Halloween Havoc?  Should WCW have not rushed Warrior-Hogan II, and built up Warrior by squashing jobbers ala Goldberg like he did in the WWF, and done it later on?
 
 
Yeah, but both Jake and Warrior came in with no momentum as special attractions who didn’t really interact with the rest of the shows much, so I don’t think they count.  Bret Hart was signed away at the height of his career, as World champion, for one of the biggest contracts in history.  And his career was over two years later.  That’s the biggest bust.

 

Most Useless Title/Championship?

What was/is the most useless title/championship in pro wrestling?  While the WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Titles and the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship were up there as the lack of depth for those divisions didn't warrant creating championships for them, I don't think anything will ever "top" the TNA King Of The Mountain Title.  

I'm not even familiar with that title, so it's likely pretty useless.  The WWF Light heavyweight title was pretty useless when it was on Gillberg for a year literally as a prop, though.  

Roman

Hey Scott,

One of the wrestling sites had a recent photo of Roman Reigns with a fan and he looked really good. If he was cleared to return as a surprise entrant in the Rumble and won, do you think he'd finally be accepted by the audience? His illness definitely ended the crowd's opposition to him, right? If he gets healthy, could he actually end up being the guy that they wanted him to be before he got sick?

Unless the crowds are populated with heartless sociopaths forever, Roman is never getting booed again.  Yes, he will finally be the guy if he comes back, and hopefully he does.  

Monday Night Raw – August 16, 2004

Monday Night Raw
Date: August 16, 2004
Location: Labatt Center, London, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

Summerslam has come and gone, meaning Randy Orton is the new Raw World Champion. That’s quite the spot for someone as young as he is but it’s WAY past the time that we need a new top heel. The few seconds it took me to write that out are about as much time as I believe Orton will get to enjoy this before HHH, fresh off his mammoth, colossal win over Eugene, decides it’s his show again. Let’s get to it.

Read moreMonday Night Raw – August 16, 2004

Abandon Ship

Hey Scott, so with the Revival and Mike Kanelis leaving, do you see more abandoning ship? Do you see another Monday Night War brewing? I see AEW hurting WWE with free agent signings and more lower and mid card wrestlers leaving. 

Yeah, none of those guys are starting a Monday Night War, but I can definitely see a bunch more people leaving soon.  Tye really wants out (if he hasn't been released already) and this could definitely open a floodgate.  Especially since the trend has been WWE cutting people themselves after Wrestlemania.  It's rare to see talent take the offensive like this.  

What is up with this year’s Rumble?



Admittedly I don't watch WWE at the moment, but the current card includes 2 Rumble matches and 7 title matches??? The card used to be a Rumble and 3-4 matches. Is the show running 6 hours??


I also realized WWE is running the baseball stadium in Phoenix. Any word on how theyre configuring the set up? Can they move 30-35k tickets for this? 

Apparently it’s configured for 45k and they weren’t doing very well with Braun on top, so  they’re gonna see if Balor can shift tickets.  
And yeah, the show is running 6 hours.  Content is king in 2019.  

NXT – January 16, 2019

NXT
Date: January 16, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness

We’re almost to Phoenix and things continue to get more and more interesting around here. That’s one of the best things that you can have happen to you at the right time and since it’s NXT, they know exactly how to do so. Keep building things in the NXT way and everything will be just fine. Let’s get to it.

Read moreNXT – January 16, 2019

NXT UK – January 16, 2019

NXT UK
Date: January 16, 2019
Location: Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Nigel McGuinness

So despite not being on the schedule, this show is airing tonight because there’s always one more episode than what you might actually want. This seems to be the standard dark matches from Takeover show and hopefully it’s more like Takeover than the regular TV show. Let’s get to it.

Read moreNXT UK – January 16, 2019

The 2018 Doomie Awards

Last week the blog cast its votes for the top (and worst) wrestlers and moments of 2018.  The voting deadline passed on Friday and all of the votes have been counted.  Remember, a first place vote was worth five points, a second place vote was worth three points, and a third place vote was worth one point.  In case of a tie, number of first place votes was used to break it.

I included the top three finishers for each category below, but if you wish to see the entire spreadsheet and how many first place, second place, and/or third place a choice received, go to this link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q7sBC5tgWqchIV7HYABgVtIPwvJ8gVnO/view?usp=sharing

Keep in mind that not all voters cast a ballot with three choices for each category and some voters did not vote for certain categories (everyone voted for Wrestler of the Year, though).  Participation in Doomie voting was down this year, with thirty-nine ballots cast versus fifty-three last year.  Voter were also more uniform in their selections, with fewer candidates being nominated/receiving votes than previous years. Winners can be found below.

Read moreThe 2018 Doomie Awards

Balor Push


Think this is a one off?  Or are they leading to The Demon vs. The Beast?  

If you think Brock is working twice between Rumble and Wrestlemania, I've got some real estate to sell you.  Balor is there to collect his money and get flung around the ring like a ragdoll physics demo, nothing more. 

The Wednesday Wackness

Tonight!  It’s NXT and NXT UK, with Tommy having coverage.

Voting is now open for the 2018 RSPW awards!  Check it out here:  http://cromwell.mightygodking.com/index.php/233347

RAW and Smackdown ratings were up a bit this week.

No idea what the Hidden Gems are tomorrow.  Maybe something Rumble related?

Anyway, enjoy the evening and probably try to avoid the “Justice” thread if you’re not into meta-drama from the blog.  I’m kinda liking Tommy’s “switch dumb e-mail and Impact jobs” offer.