SomethingSavage

I might be in the vast minority, but I don't care. Matt Striker on commentary still sounds like a breath of fresh air to me. Yes, he can be grating with some of the insider stuff. But the guy's got an infectious enthusiasm & energy about him. I also love that he's absolutely unafraid to get excited and shout, "WOW" at big spots and key moments. And, like it or not, pop culture today is nerdist culture. If anything, Vamp's the odd man out with his "street" lingo. But even that has its place in the gritty, grimey atmosphere of Lucha U. So I guess I don't mind the commentary as much as others elsewhere seem to. Ditto on the backstage vignettes, by the way. Not only are they awesome vehicles to introduce & present new characters, but they feel so unique & distinct to Lucha Underground - at least as far as pro wrestling goes. Seems like some sort of hybrid between Rodriguez/Tarantino movie scenes & the cut scenes you see in practically every modern day video game.

Still rewatching the entirety of Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, and I'm absolutely loving it. There's an abundance of colorful characters, even if some of 'em are incredibly cheesy. It's good stuff. "Pretty" Peter Avalon is the type of gimmick that I'd legitimately LOVE to see ripped off on the big stage. The Cutler Brothers, working the fitness tag team gimmick, being billed from "your local GNC" is tremendous. Colt Cabana's celebration of his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship victory was simply phenomenal. Similar to the recent Sami Zayn win, it was just built & built to a HUGE payoff, and it meant so much more as a result. The personal stamp of having Colt treat the crowd to chocolate milk puts it over the top for me. That's pure pro wrestling right there, people. Call me crazy, but going back and reviewing these shows... Shaun Ricker strikes me as a "Can't Miss" prospect. Not sure what happened with his NXT tenure to get him released - especially after appearing on Rocky's Hero reality show, but he seemed on track to make it big. The guy's got a surefire look & money promo. Rarely seen him look like anything other than a star in waiting. I've always enjoyed Excalibur's commentary in PWG and for the Wrestle Reunion events, but I didn't even remember him appearing so often on the earlier Hollywood shows. He does a solid enough job, especially when it comes to putting the simpler things into perspective. For instance, I like how he logically breaks down the ludicrous idea of letting a match happen after a pre-match assault on the outside - comparing it to a Nascar driver having their tires slit before a big race, only then to be told, "Well it happened BEFORE the race started, so now ya have to go out & run the race this way." Nice. I'm at that point in my rewatching where Stu Stone is JUST beginning to turn heel. He eventually grows into a great little slimeball sleazebag manager, but he was a little too retro and contrived with getting it off the ground at first. I still think this approach could have worked for everyone's benefit back when Michael Cole was working the angle with Lawler. If they'd just put faith into someone else to become the lead announcer, then Cole probably could've made the transition into a worthwhile heel manager for awhile. Maybe I'm in the minority there, but I don't know. As far as the action goes, Hollywood delivers AT LEAST one solid match per episode. There's inconsistency among the undercard, of course. But that's totally forgivable. The angles are fun. The personalities are dynamic. And, at this particular point in my rewatch, the Scorpio Sky vs. Austin Aries "Best of 5" series has been fantastic. The matches function flawlessly enough in a vacuum, since they're each designed to tell a self-contained story on their own. But the beauty is in the way they are painting a bigger picture along the way. Each match's outcome and action holds value & meaning, directly & distinctly playing into the next bout of the series every time. Aries is vicious, sawing & gnawing away at Sky's legs like a piranha. Scorpio is the quintessential babyface, battling against injury & all odds - even in the face of permanent damage. Scorpio throws one of the SICKEST knee strikes I've ever seen, and I've never seen it look off target. He snaps that bad boy off with pinpoint precision, and it makes me wish more guys on the main scene would try this out, instead of everyone & their third cousin using the Superkick as their go-to "impulse" spot. But yeah. Good stuff with those two in their series so far. Haven't reached the finish of their encounters just yet, but I'm legitimately excited all over again - ESPECIALLY since I don't even recall who wins the darn thing. Meantime? Aries is busting out badass submissions left & right. Sky is dishing out knee strikes that are slicker than owl shit. And it's making for truly fun TV.

Yeah. I remember them tinkering with the spelling of Kane's name for a good while there at the beginning. I still think the debut is one of those big time moments that really sticks with you & stands the test of time. Strong visual. Emphatic, effective drama - even if it does detract from the "star rating" of the HBK Cell match for some. Meanwhile... I went back and scoped out some random WCW cruiserweight matches. To my absolute friggin' delight, the Dream was on commentary for most of 'em. And I gotta say, I think I'd forgotten just how endlessly entertaining his announcing could be. Whether Big Dust was comparing suicide dives to wild nights on the road with Murdoch... or "figgerin" that La Parka was going to "sit 'im down and TAWK TO 'EM BOUT SUMTHIN" whenever he pulled out a steel chair... there was never a dull moment with the Dream in those matches.

Uhh, yeah. Can't speak for everybody, but I know Lex was over HUGE with almost everyone I knew at the time. Luger's 1997 is still probably one of my all-time favorite babyface runs, to be honest. The guy was just on a mission to Rack the world, and it worked.

Got caught up on the last 3 episodes of Lucha Underground. It's consistently holding up as my favorite wrestling program at the moment. Plus I've finally found a few consecutive days off, and so I decided to go back and binge (re)watch Championship Wrestling From Hollywood - from the very beginning. Gotta go back to Blip TV for the very start, but it's well worth the look back. I'd forgotten just how awesome the Pearce/Cabana feud was at the time. I remembered enjoying it, but man oh man. It holds up. Everything about that feud felt like something straight out of the territories. It's got everything. Slow burn, patient build-up? Check. Neck brace angle? Check. Fiery babyface comebacks? Check. Fireballs? Check. Heel champion surrounding himself with a human wall of lackeys? Check. Weasel heel manager with a stable of henchmen? Check. Just a great grudge that carried on & on & on for a seriously LONG time, yet it never felt stalled or derailed. And I'm not even up to the 7 Levels of Hate in my viewing yet. But yeah. Absolutely enjoying the stuff from those guys. Toss in tremendous matches from Aries, Willie Mack, Scorpio, and others in the meantime - and it's easy to recall just why I was such a big fan of Hollywood back in the day. There's also all the dynamic personalities and characters. The work they did there felt like a precursor to the stuff we'd later get with the NXT relaunch and (most recently) the type of thing we're seeing with Lucha U. It's not nearly as polished or sleek in its presentation, of course - but the blueprint is there. Purely fun stuff and totally worth taking the time to trek through all over again. Glad I've had the time to do it, as Hollywood & Lucha Underground have really reignited my enthusiasm - at a time when my interest was REALLY starting to drop off.

Haha. Beat me to the punch there. I haven't caught the show yet, but I plan on scoping it out later today or maybe tomorrow sometime. Heard good things about both the main & the Tag Title bout. Curious to see how Strong/Page is booked, and I figure the six-man will be a truckload of fun if nothing else.

I remember them making a pretty big deal out of Edge cashing in his second MITB contract on The Undertaker back in 2007. It's hard to keep track of all Edge's title wins, but I'm fairly sure that's the one where they even had a scrolling message at the bottom of the screen during RAW (or perhaps ECW) that week - informing viewers that Edge had captured the World Heavyweight Championship at a SmackDown taping that night.

Gotta say... I popped for the part where Colt cracks up, talking about how Punk actually blocked WWE on Twitter WHILE still working for them. But yeah. Great interview. Good stuff. Punk's personality - whether it's grating to you or not - really brings the stories to life in a lot of ways though. He never came across as overly or unnecessarily bitter, in my view. And that could have EASILY been the case at certain spots.

It was also on one of the "Best of Nitro" DVD sets that WWE released. Can't recall which one specifically though.

Don't forget the Ladder Match with Bigelow in WCW. It came late in his career - well past what I'd consider his prime - when he was phoning it in most nights. But I think it's vastly underrated in the big scheme of things. And it's one match that actually deserves to be mentioned among his best performances, to be honest.

Totally random, but here's the combo I came up with for a (mostly) modernized "Four Horsewomen of Wrestling"... - Stephanie McMahon as the mouthpiece & figurehead. Yup. Say what you will, but she's a freaking furnace when it comes to generating heat these days. She's better than ever on the mic. She can show ass. And she only competes sporadically, which would lend a more "special" feel to her rare matches & appearances. Maybe some won't like the idea, but I would. Plus, she's got built-in credibility, power, and influence. Only makes sense for her to play mother hen of the whole house. - Trish Stratus and/or Mickie James. Pick one. Both bring the country twang with their cowgirl hats. I prefer Trish as a heel honestly, but I won't lie. I dig the appeal of Mickie as a take-no-prisoners temptress that plays at these local dives & bars. Very much plays into the seedy, sleazy side of a Horsemen-like party lifestyle. - Victoria (Tara?) and/or Natalya for the enforcer role. Again, take your pick. Both chicks are tough as nails but still easy enough on the eyes. Also, they both come with an accessory - the boy toy groupie. Natty has Tyson, which doesn't jive as well with the original concept, since it's her husband and all. But I love Kidd's recent work as a heel. Then there's Victoria, who had Jesse Godderz for awhile in TNA. I seriously enjoyed the act they ran there while it lasted. Good stuff. - Madison Rayne for the fourth & final spot. She could be the "fall guy"... err, gal... for the faction. She's the Tully. The Buddy Jack. The pest that eats defeat more often than the rest of the pack. She did well enough with the whole "beauty queen" gimmick in TNA for awhile, and I think that fits quite nicely. As far as her work goes, she has honestly come A LONG way in terms of improvement. I was pleasantly surprised by her match in Japan against Gail Kim earlier this year, as well as their Steel Cage encounter at the LockDown PPV. So yeah. Just came here to say I *really* enjoyed this episode & the concept itself, but somehow wound up posting all that. Christ.

Justin, you're a scholar & a saint, sir. You carried the workload in that last Mailbag edition. "I'm all about that Hase. No Chono." Classic effing line. Legitimately had me cracking up on the spot.

I think there were times when Booker legitimately seemed to be having fun. Yes, he phoned in some stuff. But I thought the feud with Roode was fine for what it was (a vehicle to elevate Bobby, as much as they were ever going to around that time anyhow) - and, as lame as the faked "accent" was, it still made for entertaining heel shtick. Booker played the over-the-top, cheesy pro wrestling heel just fine. It felt dated, for sure. And no way was he the best opponent for launching a fresh Joe title reign, but he did okay in spurts. I liked the temporary team with Scotty Steiner, the guest commentary, and a few other bits from Booker around that time as well. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't care. It wasn't King Booker, but it wasn't any worse than some of the stuff he had to endure with WWE either.

Okay. Of course, you realize that if EVERYONE dressed casually like ordinary people, then the guys you just rattled off - Flair, Batista, Ambrose, etc. - wouldn't stand out the way they do, right? It's a double-edged sword. It's fitting for guys like Cena and Orton. They're "brands" at this point. Sheamus has been doing it for long enough now that it doesn't seem out of place to me. My perception of Christian isn't really helped or hurt by it. Don't see it making much of a difference. Del Rio is definitely a guy I could see making a case for though. He should have been presented as "suited and booted" at all times & nothing else. Having him show up in Orton mode - his undies & merch shirt - just doesn't fit.

I think Steph looks great these days. If she likes hitting the gym, then more power to her. But she doesn't strike me as anyone that's obsessive compulsive over it with any underlying body dysmorphia issues or anything. She looks healthy. It's girls like AJ and Brie that I'd be worried about. Depending on the day of the week, sometimes they seem about two spoonfuls short of being totally malnourished. I'm a bit of a gym rat myself, but the whole "starved to death" look just doesn't appeal to me. Never has. It's the equivalent of being a muscled up, jacked chick in my eyes. All the same. I don't want to count your ribs anymore than I want to count your reps. Of course, that's all strictly personal preference I guess. To each their own.

I only remember Kevin starting on with ROH when the new TV deal launched, so yeah. Probably around 2010. Definitely not as early as '04. Oh. And it's cool to hear someone actually stick up for Hogan during this time, especially since he seemed so willing to give back & work with just about anyone - from Rock and Hunter down to Christian and freaking Lance Storm. He always looked to be having a heck of a lot of fun throughout this run.

I couldn't care any less whether Cornette actually likes The Miz or not. It was just funny to hear him dismiss Miz with such disdain. Funny stuff. Besides, I highly doubt Jimmy could even tell ya what shtick the Miz is working these days anyhow. I actually don't mind the act, since he's played it pretty well with his in-ring "protecting the face" spots & whatnot. Pretty much on board with ya there, Johnny.

For as much shit as the Lockdown event gets (and deservedly so, since it's bizarre to book an entire night of cage matches), it's actually produced some of their better matches & moments. AJ/Abyss is already posted here, but I'd put Christian Cage vs. Abyss, Bobby Roode vs. James Storm, Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe, and even Kurt Angle vs. Ken Anderson - all from various Lockdown shows - right up there as definitive highs for the company.

The Elimination Match with Evolution from RAW in the summer of '04 is great, and you're right. There's an abundance of matches just like it. They ran a variation of six-mans, tags, 8-mans, etc. throughout most of 2004 - to the point where it was practically a total copy & paste of the Horsemen formula. The one with Foley coming back a week before his Backlash bout with Orton isn't anything extraordinary, but it's a LOT of fun for sheer atmosphere alone. Plus, it's Mick back looking as slim as his Cactus Jack Manson "light heavyweight" days in World Class. So there's that. The Shield would definitely get my vote in terms of match quality. For their entire duration, it didn't matter WHO they were booked against. You were guaranteed no less than a solid match. It ranged from good to absolutely GREAT at times, for sure. But it never dipped below just "good." And, when ya consider that their opponents varied from Los Matadores to dream teams of Team Hell No & Undertaker and even hodgepodge "superstar" pairings like Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus - well, that's certainly worth acknowledging. But I'm still sticking with the Freebirds overall. Simply for the duration of their run together, the significance of the angles they participated in, their longevity, their legacy left, and so on...

Just now revving up the Missy episode. She's almost always upbeat and positive when speaking about the old days, so I'm hoping it's as good as I've heard. I hate the exploitative garbage she's done, but she's fairly enjoyable when just shooting the shit & reminiscing about stories, angles, and the boys. Still not sold on anything Alice, but yeah. It's cool that the Network has opened her eyes to the talents of Barry Windham, etc. Just passed the part where Corny speaks about the Network in his opening. And - as grating as it is to hear him bitch & moan about the current product sometimes - ya gotta love it when he says things like, "As long as they're showing the good stuff, it's fine. It's just that, ya know, we don't wanna see the FUCKING MIZ."

I know pretty much everyone will point to '05-'06, so I'll offer another time period that I honestly enjoyed instead... High: 2011 (basically everything post Jeff Hardy drug-induced main event versus Sting at Victory Road) through all of 2012 and possibly up until Lockdown 2013. Hogan as GM wasn't as bad as you might think. Concepts like Open Fight Night, the "mandatory" defending of the Television Championship, and even Gut Check were at least unique in theory & even turned out alright in execution more often than not. They put on a string of solid pay-per-views, with Aries, Jeff, Roode, Storm, and others contributing. The emergence of Bad Influence as a tag team, the refocusing on the X-Division, and a serious upgrade in production values took place throughout this tenure as well. Low: Definitely most of 2010. And a lot of the terrible gimmick matches & stipulations they cooked up, simply for the sheer desperate sake of seeming "different."

The Freebirds had a freaking rule and stipulation named after them. No such honor exists for The Shield. Boom. Endgame. In all seriousness, I think The Shield needed a lengthier run - maybe just another year or two - to really stand a chance of looking in the same league as the 'Birds. Maybe that's just me though. In reality, if we're judging on the terms of the stars that the stable launches - then that's another story. Obviously, that's the criteria that a group like The Brood holds, but it's not necessarily what I'd look for in terms of deciding which "trios" band is the absolute best. Because we won't know for sure just where The Shield stands in history until years from now, as far as the success of the three guys as individuals goes. Oh, and Parv. Nice list. I honestly think a case could be made for the original nWo and even the original DX trio (yes, with Chyna) as far as importance and impact goes. I know there's probably nobody on the face of the earth that would agree with me on this, but I think an honorable mention should go out to the Jersey Triad of Page, Bigelow, and Kanyon from '99 WCW. Yeah. I know they weren't great, but they were tearing it up frequently with quality matches against Benoit, Saturn, Malenko, Raven, and company for awhile there. And they felt like they TRULY fit the bill of the original Freebirds formula. Kanyon's your fall guy, your bumper, and your annoying pest. Bammer was your big bully brawler in the mold of Gordy. And Page was your heat-seeking mouthpiece.

Really random, but I just watched D-Generation X vs. Kai En Tai in an 8-Man Tag Team Match from September '98. Just an incredibly fun sprint of a multi-man scramble. DX is white hot & in full "too cool" babyface mode here. But Kai En Tai are extraordinarily entertaining as the prickly little pests. The action itself isn't outstanding or anything, but it keeps a rapid fire pace & things are never allowed to drop off from bell to bell. It's nonstop movement and maneuvers, with Kai En Tai getting in some great gang-up offense. Road Dogg plays face in peril for a bit, with Club Kamikaze pouring on the punishment & swarming him with a rifling round of dropkicks, elbows, and splashes. Good stuff. Finish is fun. Taka's double-pressed into the air by the Outlaws, and Pac DRIVES him down with a face-flattening X-Factor. Following that, we get a neat visual as Chyna towers over the noticeably smaller Yamaguchi-San. Mr. Yama mouths off, and Chyna swats him away with a single forearm shot that sends him SAILING off the apron in true pro wrestling fashion. Oh. And there's some crowd interaction after the bout, which serves as a fine "telling" sign of the times. There's a chick in the crowd, clad in skintight leather pants with the letters, "D" and "X" across her ass-cheeks. Hunter motions for her to either peel off her top or her pants, and of course - being the Attitude Era and all - she complies. You can only imagine Lawler's exuberance & excitement.

Watching some WWF from '97 recently, and yeah. Vince definitely went above & beyond to dig up the dinosaurs throughout the year. Hillbilly Jim was floating around. Honky Tonk Man was pretty prominent. Sheiky and Backlund were there with the Sultan. Brother Love returned momentarily to manage the Spider Nuns. Hell, even Lou Albano pops up during LOD & Godwinns grudge match at SummerSlam - and, sure enough, Vince is hinting on commentary that the Cap'N could be there scouting for a team to manage. Christ.

Ahh. Was hoping it'd be something a little more interesting, but there ya go. Still stoked to see the matches from Day 1, now that I've looked over the lineup again. At this rate, what's the appeal in Fale as a solo worker anyhow? I don't get it. Didn't understand the apparent desire to push him in the first place. As some muscle for the Club, sure. I buy that. But I'd rather see Gallows or Anderson in that spot anyhow. And even Tonga's booked to be "lower" on the totem pole than Fale, which is an injustice in itself. At least Tama has a look and a decent grasp of how to work like a savage. I get the new approach of rotating the title defenses to keep your cards fresh, keep your talent healthy, etc. And I dig the idea. It elevates each championship and lends a more "real sports" feel to things. Plus I'm a gambling man, so I support the idea of giving opportunities & shots to guys that wouldn't otherwise get booked in your "main event" spot. All positive moves in my eyes. But I just hope the right performers are rewarded, and that busts like Fale are only granted a one-off in that spot.