Finally the weekend is nearly upon us and I can spend it playing Mario!
Ronda Rousey Teases WWE Return
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/ronda-rousey-teases-wwe-return-big-way/
Dynamite Match Turns Into Shoot
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/aew-dynamite-match-turns-real-life-fight/
WATCH: Eddie Kingston Takes A Shot At WWE With A Cookie
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/video-eddie-kingston-takes-shot-wwe-using-cookie/
The SmarK Rant for NXT – 09.17.20
Well, I’ve got a couple of hours to kill before I can play Super Mario 3D All-Stars, so let’s knock out some NXT. Also releasing by the time you read this is WWE Battlegrounds, and the fact that I have seen or heard about ZERO gameplay footage or even mention of the game from WWE itself cannot be a good sign.
Live from Orlando, FL
Your hosts are Wade Barrett & Vic Joseph
NXT UK
Date: September 17, 2020
Location: BT Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepard, Nigel McGuinness
We are FINALLY back with the first new show in over five months. There are no fans in attendance but that is going to be the case throughout WWE for a long time to come. I’m not sure what to expect here, but we have some big matches to set up over the coming weeks. Let’s get to it.
Howdy!
Every year for 19 days, bleary-eyed wrestling nerds all over the world shake off sleep at ungodly hours of the morning to watch the biggest pro wrestling tournament of the year.
Potential matches of the year are crafted. Tournament math that resembles the complications of algebraic theorems to be solved only by Will Hunting are bandied about. The exhausted fanbase that consumes copious amounts of caffeine are matched only by the exhausted wrestlers who give everything to their artform until they break.
It can only mean one thing……it’s time for the G-1 Climax!
I did a preview for the G-1 last year and it seemed popular enough, so I decided to run it back because this year, I’ll be part of the G-1 coverage here on the blog. I’m looking forward to it! Much coffee has been stocked up! Myself and last year’s excellent reviewer, Michael Fitzgerald, will be splitting the G-1 duties as Michael will be taking A Block and I’ll be taking B Block.
Let’s get started:
Read moreThe Big Ol’ Super-Duper Wiz-Bang 2020 G-1 Climax Preview!
“Good evening, wrestling fans, and welcome to another Thursday Night Prime Time here on the Blog of Doom. Gorilla Monsoon here in the studio alongside Bobby the Brain Heenan, and… Brain, you’ve been making phone calls for hours, who are you talking to?”
“…yeah, I’m not sure of her last name. I think it might be a question mark.”
“Have you been calling every Sue in the phone book? What makes you think she cares about you?”
“Hey, a lady who would give that parting gift to Santana and Ortiz is my kinda gal!”
Read moreThursday Night PRIME TIME Thread: September 17, 2020
I don’t think anyone seriously thinks WWE is evil for counter-programming. However, the fact that they won’t ever just own up to it, when we know it’s happening, is more what is rubbing people the wrong way. Especially when they were the first ones to cry foul and “poor us” when the same thing happened to them in 1995. Hell, they’re STILL making documentaries whining about it. Also most reasonable people understand the reasons behind why they do what they do, but when NXT goes to Tuesday and suddenly draws an extra 200k people, it really becomes hard to frame moving back to Wednesday as anything but trying to hurt the other guy instead of helping yourself.
Oooo, my phone updated to iOS 14 last night. And it mostly looks the same to me. Who says Apple isn’t innovating?
But more importantly, at midnight tonight I can finally play SUPER MARIO 3D ALL STARS! Apparently the games are being emulated by the Switch and they’re not actually new versions. However, this does mean that the Switch can fully emulate N64, Gamecube and Wii, which is kind of mind-blowing in itself.
Next Takeover Set
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/next-nxt-takeover-announced-rather-fast-turnaround/
Will Hobbs Is All Elite
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/aew-announces-another-new-signing/
Wade Barrett Is With NXT Full Time
https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/nxt-officially-announces-a-new-signing/
NXT
Date: September 16, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett
Things are back to normal around here as the show is back on Wednesday after heading over to Tuesday for a few weeks due to the NHL Playoffs. They aren’t wasting time either as we have two title matches tonight with Damian Priest defending the North American Title against Timothy Thatcher and Imperium getting their rematch for Breezango’s Tag Team Titles. Let’s get to it.
The SmarK Rant for AEW Dynamite – 09.16.20
(OK, I gave Tommy a couple of hours for a head start…)
Live (taped?) from Jacksonville, FL for the next few months.
Your hosts are Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone & Excalibur
Dynamite
Date: September 16, 2020
Location: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
Commentators: Jim Ross, Tony Schiavone, Excalibur
We are still dealing with the fallout from All Out and things are looking up for AEW. Last week’s show was the first time in the better part of a year that they got back to one million viewers, which is a heck of an accomplishment. Now the trick is to do it again and hopefully they can pull it off for a second time. Let’s get to it.
Tonight! It’s back to our usual tribalism, with AEW and NXT both going live again. AEW has the parking lot brawl that was supposed to happen the week that the world went to shit, and NXT has two major announcements from Mr. Regal.
Hey, also tonight, if you’re in the mood for something different, the UWN thing starts doing their weekly PPVs with the remains of Corgan’s NWA, featuring Nick Aldis defending against Mike Bennett tonight. I have no idea if it’s gonna be any good, but it’s relatively cheap, so if you want to give it a shot on Fite.TV make sure to use my link because then I get a piece of the action for the blog:
Thunder Rosa is apparently scheduled to appear, which will be a neat trick since she’s also on Dynamite defending her title there. I’m assuming it’s actually taped? I dunno, doesn’t matter. I’ve got a bazillion credits on Fite so I might even give it a buy to support it.
Edit: Apparently it already happened last night. My mistake. Anyway, I’ll still probably check it out.
Oh! Apparently Velocity is getting dropped onto the Network (10 episodes of it at least) very soon now, so that’s something else I can review.
Have a great night.
Chip Kessler and Les Thatcher are in the booth and they are concluding the tapings in Sevierville, Tennessee.
The closing moments of the Buddy Landel-Brad Armstrong SMW Championship match in Barbourville, Kentucky are shown. Timekeeper Kenny Rison, referee Mark Curtis, and Tracy Smothers recap the crazy endings of Jim Cornette ringing the bell prematurely to keep Armstrong from winning, Landel using a foreign object to get a pin until Tracy Smothers got Curtis to restart it, and Armstrong pinning Landel after a side Russian leg sweep. Cornette and Landel are incensed about Armstrong having the SMW title, and Landel calls Armstrong a thief while Cornette hilariously punches a wall and hurts himself. Armstrong says the belt is his because possession is nine-tenths of the law. Commissioner Bob Armstrong says the situation is a mess, so he declares the SMW Championship vacant until Landel and Armstrong meet again for the title in Knoxville.
Read moreWhat the World Was Watching: Smoky Mountain Wrestling – July 8, 1995
Monday Night Raw
Date: April 17, 2006
Location: Savvis Center, St. Louis, Missouri
Attendance: 16,108
Commentators: Jonathan Coachman, Jerry Lawler, Joey Styles
We are less than two weeks away from Backlash and that means it’s probably time for another handicap match this week. The three way feud between Edge, John Cena and HHH continues, which makes it a lot easier to sit through than Vince McMahon/Shane McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels/God. Let’s get to it.
He wasn’t ever really “booker” because he was the big picture guy like Vince. He had guys like Bill Dundee or Dick Slater doing the day to day booking for him. Same with WCW. He was more about “This is the direction I want things to go” as I understand it. We just say “Watts wanted…” as shorthand for him filtering his decisions through the actual booker.
Hello You!
The mammoth tapings from the Hammerstein Ballroom are now behind us and hype has already started for the Anarchy Rulz pay per view on the 1st of October 2000. I’m sure ECW will try and advance some angles over the next couple of weeks of programming to get us all jazzed for the eventual pay per view event.
Let’s watch some chuffing wrestling!
I think Shawn could have made it work, but I don’t know if he would have wanted to.