SomethingSavage

This was my first foray into the Corino Show. Haven't had a chance to check it out before, but I finally found some time and gave it a listen. Didn't disappoint. This was a good one, with Steve honestly surprising me by how well he's taken to the hosting duties. Always did enjoy him as a guest on other podcasts, but he comes across just as well in this role. Corino's a natural, engaging talker. It just kind of draws you in. Plus he's never at a loss. He's absolutely unafraid to pause & poke fun at himself, which is tremendous. And he still pulls no punches, which is something I was concerned about going in. Matt Hardy was a great guest. I listened to him BOTH here and on the Aubrey YouTube channel. Quick, condensed listens that are worth the time. Say what you will about Matt's faults, flaws, and pitfalls in recent years - but the guy GETS IT. Matt Hardy has such a firm grasp on WHAT works, HOW things work, and WHY they work. And you gotta believe - somewhere out there, Jim Ross conjured up a sparkling gleam in his eye & perhaps even a smile on his face when Matt Hardy mentions getting real legitimate heat in this day and age of cool heels and wowing the crowd.

I think the world needs more Sorrow Senior stories out there in the airwaves. That's all I'm saying.

Nice. Glad you enjoyed it. I mentioned this in another thread, but yeah. It's kind of turned into my go-to gateway match for changing minds or luring friends & fellow fans over to some lucha viewing. Digging the idea for this project anyhow.

Only got up to the 40 minute mark before I had to bail out yesterday, so I gotta go back & finish up the rest later. This is great shit so far though. Clowning on Canadian currency. Black Guys vs. Fat Guys vs... Black Fat Guys! Remembering Norman on 9/11. Never forget. And a cameo by Mrs. Grimmas? Legitimately had me cracking up at some of this stuff, guys. Can't wait to hear the rest of it.

So it's decided then? Russo on the Ross Report podcast is our winner? PodcastOne will book it.

Why sure!

Over/under for how many times Russo says, "Bro" in that one? Could be worth checking out, just to hear Austin plug Vince's site and actually say the word, "Ballyhoo."

LA Park vs. Dr. Wagner, Jr. from TxT last Spring would fit in fine here. Not sure how others might rate it, but I thought it was a fantastically fun brawl. Plenty of bleeding, to the point where Park's mask is tattered & torn, just dangling off his face - along with a blood-soaked white bandage - which makes for a sickeningly spectacular visual. The action is great. Both guys bleed. They fight everywhere. There's stairs, chairs, and FIRE. It's tremendous.

I had to laugh & nod along when I heard that part though. I've said it in plenty of places before, but yeah. I appreciate the people that take the time to analyze and criticize matches on a detailed level, because I just can't do it. I can't go into a match with the forethought to sit there and say, "Okay. Let's break down EVERY tiny ounce of this thing." For me, personally, it just sucks all the fun right out of the viewing experience. There'd be no point. My enjoyment comes from kicking back and just actively diving into the action. What might be a "cohesive" story to some might make for one BORING snore-fest for me, or vice versa. Same time - someone's idea of sloppy might be my idea of fun, frantic violence. It all comes down to preference. I really like Kurt Angle's ultra-intense, go-go-go style. I can reasonably sit here & understand precisely why that'd turn some people away though. It's all opinion and what you expect out of your product. The only thing that bothers me is when someone LOOKS for stuff to pick apart or complain about. You shouldn't go into a Kurt Angle match and then get all pissy when he pops up and explodes with a suplex. I mean, you have an idea of what you're getting going into it. Don't pop in a Ring of Honor DVD and then go to bitchin' when you see a sequence of flips, dives, and fighting spirit no-selling. It'd be like clicking on a link for Big, Busty Babes and then getting offended that a pair of double D's jolts up on your screen. Don't be so stupid. You know better. Everyone's entitled. And that's why I love lists. The more variety, the better. It's interesting to hear other people's takes on issues, not only JUST when you disagree - but ESPECIALLY when you disagree. It makes for worthwhile discussion.

Yup.

I'd feel completely comfortable including James Storm in the discussion. It's never a slight cut with the Cowboy. Never just a trickle. It's almost a guarantee that the guy winds up bathed from hairline to collarbone in his own blood by the end of the fight. And he's got a knack for USING IT to the utmost, every single time. No blade job feels unnecessary or unwarranted, as Storm plays it up perfectly for the sympathy segment. And - honestly - I think it makes for one of the most underrated, EXCITING fiery babyface comebacks that nobody talks much about. Oh. And Ric Flair. During his whole American Onita phase with WWE, he bled buckets like a freaking champ. That whole stint is full of prime examples, but I'd particularly point to the summer feud he had with Foley. That whole stretch from Vengeance to SummerSlam got GRUESOME. When Foley sabotaged his own Best Two-of-Three Falls Match... just to rip the flesh from Flair's bones with the barbed wire?! Epic. Flair flops around the mat like a frog in a blender for awhile, unable to stand on his own two feet... Just slipping and sliding (and SWEARING) like a senile old man that had just pissed himself in the hallway. Only it ain't urine. It's that Ragu-red blood, bro. And it's a'flowing all over the place in that one. I forgot all about that time Vince ate the end of that steel folding chair. Wasn't it in a match with the one-legged wunderkind? I wanna say Vengeance '03, but that's right off top.

AJ Styles is actually having a HELLUVA year in the here & the now, when you really look at it. Plus, say what ya will about 'em, but he and Joe always had a pretty firm grasp on what their characters were. Even if AJ's personality was fairly simple and straightforward, it was easy to understand what he was going for and latch onto it. Daniels is a guy that never quite clicked on a character level for a long, LONG time. He was basically doing the same style as AJ and others, sure. But there was this disconnect, 'cause the guy was so undefined on several levels. Came across as almost TOO clean, TOO crisp, and TOO sharp in some ways. The performances were spectacular, but it was almost artificial or mechanical. Too fancy. Too orchestrated. Too cutesy. The criticisms lodged at Daniels are easily understood. I think he REALLY took off and turned things around once he put all the pieces together and let his personality shine through in recent years. Guy looks like a surefire, natural born showman these days. It's a miraculous change, but it's entertaining as hell to see this side of his personality finally. Whereas he might have had "better" matches before - versus AJ and Joe in particular - there's more reason to invest in him as a character now. Whereas I can personally see how the ACTION itself might be better in his Unbreakable '05 match, I honestly feel more engaged in his more recent outings against AJ - the Last Man Standing, the "I Quit" bout, the "Final Encounter", and so on - because he's grown so much as a despicable douchebag. There's a raw, visceral, REAL reaction to that stuff that you just don't get from exciting MOOOVS. And hey. I'm a moves guy! Far as Roderick Strong goes? I dig Strong myself personally, but I can see why he wouldn't make people's lists. He's very hit or miss in most of his matches. To be fair, it also took him awhile to find his groove in terms of his offense. It's like he couldn't quite make up his mind on what he wanted it to be there for a good chunk of time. His tempo and pacing was "off" a bit during that time, too. It's a minor detail, sure. And it's especially forgivable on the indie level, I guess. But it was enough to be noticeable. He'd rush through spots or moments when he should've settled and soaked 'em in. Stuff like that doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you're narrowing your "Best of the Best" field down to twenty, well those are the things that might matter to some.

Funny. I've watched both the JBL/Eddie and Jay/Joe matches in the last month. And yeah. Both are spectacular. Definitely two strong candidates right there. The canvas is painted crimson on both occasions. I'd lean more towards the cage encounter though. Eddie's gash practically SPURTS blood at first, but Jay's gets my vote. It's just a tad more sickening. The bloodletting turns on like a faucet and never really lets up. There's splatter. There's clotting. There's dried, caked on plasma stuck to his skin. It's just an incredible visual by the end. Plus I gotta dish 'em out some bonus points for the crime scene cleanup efforts at the end there. I mean, Eddie's situation LOOKED like it called for medical attention, but it was more about the DQ brutality and the beat-down on Bradshaw. It was like separating a bar fight. None of that with Jay & Joe though. It was like, SHIT. We gotta get this guy to a hospital.

Ahh, yes. The streak. We talkin' Taker-Lesnar, folks. The response to the Mania match honestly is overblown. But damn. It's just such a real, raw, and visceral reaction that it's impossible to judge. People have every right and reason to be upset or feel slighted. That means it WORKED. It resonated. It reached out, grabbed people by their collars, and roughed them up a bit. That's good. That's the intent. That's the whole sole PURPOSE of pro wrestling. It's supposed to reach you. Fans are supposed to be emotionally attached & invested in the stories. But moving along... Can't wait until you guys talk up their Hell In A Cell match. I remember people WANTING to dump on it at the time, since it had no death-defying spots or unnecessary stuff off the top of the cage. People had pegged Matt Hardy to run in, attempt interference, and take the obligatory "big bump of doom." But it never happened. So then people WANTED to shit all over the match, but in reality - it was just too damn good. So yeah. Eager to hear what you guys thought of it, as I think it did as much to put the final stamp of approval on Lesnar as just about anything - the wearing of Hulk's blood as warpaint, the win over Rock at SummerSlam, or anything else for that matter.

Been purposely going back and giving a fresh look at several Ladder Matches that feel less memorable or lost in the surplus we've experienced over the years. Just wanting to see if there are specific reasons they don't stand out to me, or if I've just forgotten about them and been swept up in the "here and now" as time marched on. CM Punk © vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. The Miz - Tables, Ladders, and Chairs for the WWE Championship. This one came at the 2011 TLC event. I went into this one totally blind, as I couldn't recall or pinpoint one single moment or spot from this match. In fact, I don't think I'd seen it since the actual pay-per-view itself. Didn't really have high hopes either. I mean, yeah. Punk's solid enough, but both 'Berto and Miz have a long track record of being VERY hit or miss for me. Anyhow, Punk was the champ going in, having just won the belt back at Survivor Series. He's still very much in rebel Punk mode, getting huge babyface reactions for the most part. The announcers note that all 3 of these men are past Money In The Bank winners. So this is billed as some sort of all-stars, I guess. Funny. When I look at Del Rio and Miz, I don't think Ladder Match worker at all. Far from specialists, for sure. And it shows throughout most of the bout here. Typical double-team stuff to start, with the two heels ganging up on Punk with your usual dual offense. They DO snap off a nifty double-team Hot Shot across the top rope that we don't see often enough, in my book. Nothing special, but hey. Nifty spot to throw out there, nonetheless. We get a lot of the stock ladder match stuff. Punk mixes in some of his little things, like the knee strike through the ladder. 'Berto gets the best of Miz with a back drop onto the ladder, which I really think should have been reserved for Punk. It comes at a time in the match when the crowd was hungry for Miz's blood, and Punk could have benefited from the babyface redemption scenario right there. There's a nice spot with Punk having Miz set up for a superplex, but 'Berto rushes over and does the run-up enziguri in the corner. Holy hell. This kick lands FLUSH to Punk's freaking face. Even has the sickening SMACK sound effect. This is something that should be getting replayed anytime they want to shine up Del Rio for a new program or something. Seriously. Moving along, 'Berto FINALLY comes around to full throttle heel mode and goes all "shark that smells blood." I must say - I don't care for plenty of Del Rio's performances, but when he turns it on? It's FANTASTIC to watch him get all malicious. He breaks out some handcuffs, which brought a slight smirk to my face. Clever. Classic heel tactics. Punk fires up and RIPS APART the brace of the ladder. Neat visual. Ricardo Rodriguez eventually earns his pay, and in a pretty big way. He gets toppled off the ladder and takes a NASTY spill down through a ringside table. Christ. He PLUNGES through the wood like an ass backwards beaver with a bag of bricks strapped to his back. Just brutal. Lands with a loud THUD that'd make you believe there was nothing but concrete underneath. Refs signal that he's alright - still alive and kicking - though. Miz later handcuffs Punk to the middle turnbuckle. Again, just a clever spot. And Punk plays it up, making the most of the moment and seizing the opportunity to put it over like all hope is lost. Great visual there. The rest of the match is just Punk making the comeback and retrieving the belt to retain. Nothing extraordinary, but I definitely came away from this with a higher appreciation for the match itself. I mean, yeah. There's a reason it isn't talked about or rated up there among the all-time best TLCs or Ladder Matches. It's just not THAT kind of quality. But it's passable. It has some neat stuff worked into the context of the story, although I honestly feel like they could have gotten a lot more mileage out of 'Berto and Miz trying to top one another in terms of dirty deeds or something. Other impressions? Well, Miz is CLEARLY outclassed as a heel by Alberto at this point. There's no wonder why he was shuffled down the card so much, to be totally honest. It wasn't just a sign of the times, because he feels so far out of place in a lot of these main events in retrospect. And that brings me to... The Miz © vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler - TLC Match for the WWE Championship. Another match from (much earlier) 2011, and another match in Miz's ill-fated main event run. Ugh. Still, I wanted to give this a fair shake and look at it through freshened eyes. So let's see what we got. Nothing outstanding, which was what I expected. I did recall that there was nothing mind-blowing about the match, but I remember being excited for the story and stuff back around this time. I guess just getting Lawler back in the mix and then gearing him up for the 'Mania buildup was what I was remembering most, 'cause yeah. Nothing much here. Miz manages to stand out for his sheer LACK of showmanship. For a guy that earned his spot and status for working his mouth and being "charismatic", he sure doesn't show much here. He could have channeled villainous shades of Lawler himself and done some trash-talking in the ring, but we got very little of even that. Miz cracks Jerry across the back with some chair shots that are softer than powdered pastries. And sure. The natural explanation is that he was worried about hurting the legend, but come on. Rule of thumb - if you can't execute the stuff well or properly, then it isn't worth doing. Miz goes on to blow a spot with a couple of chairs. But hey. At least the setup looks like it WOULD HAVE (MAYBE?!) been a cool spot. Ya know. Had he actually connected or whatever. Of course, Jerry's big comeback is the saving grace of this match for me. In a heated little moment that actually comes across as exciting and almost "in the moment", Alex Riley plays the stooge and hops onto the apron to distract Lawler. The King barrels over and SLUGS A-Ry on the jaw, knocking him straight down off the apron and down, down, DOWN through a ringside table. And that's about it. Miz takes a similar bump through a table, setting in motion the finishing sequence with Cole and all that. So yeah. I came away from this one about the same, all in all. Oh, and I'm still catching other matches at random of course. Like this little gem... "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin vs. Jay Lethal from ROH Super Card of Honor VII. I remember the buzz this one got when it first went down, so I guess I *kind of* went in with high hopes - but I also wanted to fairly judge it now that there's been some time and separation from the hype and all the message board overrating that sometimes comes with these matches. But nah. NONE O' THAT HERE. Won't even lie, guys. I still gush over this one. It's just FUN. Yes. It has some faults. But it works on so many levels as this great chapter in elevating Elgin, keeping Lethal revved up & relevant, and just being a generally BADASS clash of babyfaces. It functions extremely well as a straight-laced, action-packed match that is just jammed bell to bell with a lot of energy and intensity. This isn't the story of two guys trying to cripple each other. It's the tale of two guys busting ass and breaking limits, finding out who WANTS IT more. And hey. I dig that. They start off with a standoff, which is one of those things I'm just a sucker for. It's a small detail, sure. But it helps to enhance a match and make it stand out as more of a big deal, even if the moment isn't really destined to be one in the long run. Doesn't matter. It's about being in the moment here. And in this moment? These guys look supercharged and ready to wage war. Lethal busts out a three-peat suicide dive spot, SQUISHING Elgin against the barricade each time. Loved that. Throw in the Koji freaking Clutch from Lethal, as well as a Black Machismo callback with the Macho Man elbow. Ohhhh yeah. I'm fully into the match at this point. Follow that later with some of my personal favorite Elgin spots, like the Deadlift Suplex and the always-awesome, SOOPAH snug Bicycle Kick to the mush. Nice, clean, and crisp. The match pretty much keeps the course, up until we reach the no-selling points. Now these are tricky for me. They CAN be aggravating when they're overdone, taken too far to an extreme, or simply tossed out way too many times in the course of a SINGLE night's card. But here? I don't find fault with it. Elgin does the deal where he gets smacked around a few times and just stands there, daring Lethal to REALLY bring it and try to knock him out. That's a typical tough guy thing that I can buy into, no problem. Now a little later, we start to crossover into the "this might be a little TOO much" territory, but it's not enough to really detract from my enjoyment of the match. The shit goes down when Elgin eats a Reverse Rana and is spiked on his big (balding) DAD-HAIR WEARIN' DOME. Mister Unbreakable shakes it off, rises up, and roars in Jay's face. Lethal responds by rushing off the ropes and SCORING with the Lethal Injection. Here's where we get sideways a bit, 'cause Elgin rises up from THIS, TOO. I'd complain, but I like the rest of the match WAYYYY too much to nitpick on a single little thing like that one instance of going "too far" with the no-selling. So meh. Sue me. PLUS, it plays into the bigger story, as we get this instantly AWESOME visual of Jay clutching onto the bottom rope, looking like it's certain dread and eternal despair in his life. He looks like a man out of options, and it's simply stupendous. Finish follows up on the whole story of the match, as it's maximum, high-octane offense back to back to FREAKING BACK. How's this strike ya? Jay eats a RAPID FIRE succession of... Super Powerbomb, Spinning Backfist, and then a Buckle Bomb tucked straight into a Spinning Sitout Elgin Bomb. It's a freaking buffet of brutality, folks. I know some people might criticize this as an "indie-riffic" style finish, but nah. It's strong, for sure. But that's the point. I think it ties in nicely & fits within the context of the match and their story. Fits well enough, and it works for me. It's breathtaking in the sort of way that leaves you feeling exhausted after watching a thoroughly EXCITING match that just packs the feel of a nonstop thrill ride. That's what this was for me. In fact, I'm disappointed that I haven't gone back and seen it more times now. I'll definitely be revisiting it a few more times in the future.

Finally finished up this year's Best of the Super Juniors. I liked a lot of the matches, although I was admittedly disappointed to see Mascara Dorada do so poorly overall. The guy's a GREAT high-flying talent, and he performs some of his dives with incredible ease. Dude's smooth as butta' in the air out there. But that's a minor complaint, as the majority of the matches DELIVERED. Think the blocks could have benefited from being structured a bit differently to guarantee better matches, but what we actually got still turned out to be VERY good anyhow. Taka can still go, man. Naturally, he doesn't have quite the same spring in his leaps or anything, but he's still polished enough to look like a legitimate threat out there with these younger competitors. Say what ya will, but he never seems out of place to me. Taichi took this chance to make a real SPLASH. He's not on the same page as a Nakamura when it comes to charisma or showmanship or anything, but his performances are REALLY entertaining in their own right. Taichi is essentially like this Japanese hybrid of heel Eddie Guerrero, early heel Jericho, and Alex freaking Wunderkind Wright. He's got this great douchebag heel vibe to him right now, and the guy's genuinely exciting to watch. The pairing with Taka took some time to grow on me at first, but I'm really digging the stuff now. His stalling and antics don't ever tread water or feel tiresome and boring to me. Throughout the tourney, Taichi played the arrogant & cocky part perfectly well, because he meshed it with this sense of danger and unpredictability. He's loose and lethargic, but it's all character work. The guy's not lazy. He's just full of himself and almost apathetic towards his opposition a lot of the time. It's hard to put into the words, but the guy's turned into a joy to watch. I just hope the suspension and punishment for his "out of ring" shenanigans doesn't do him much harm in the long run. I like the shtick with Taka as it is. Watching Rocky Romero and Alex Kozlov separately just reminded me how they are SO much better when paired together. These guys just don't do much for me in singles. Maybe I'm in the minority. I dig the Forever Hooligans as a unit, but individually? Not real big on either guy. Pretty much the opposite of how I feel about the Time Splitters, come to think of it. I've heard people dump on Tiger Mask lately, and judging by his contributions to this tournament - I can't understand why. He brought some good stuff out in these outings, for sure. In the opening round alone, he tossed Romero around like a rag doll with suplex after suplex. Wrecked him with a suicide dive that pushed back a few rows of chairs. Ruined him with a Tombstone Piledriver. Ripped away the Black Tiger hood, and then promptly folded Romero up like a lawn chair for the decision. It was the first match that really got me revved up for the rest of the tourney, and I never necessarily saw a drop-off in quality in Tiger Mask from there to be honest. Maybe I've missed out on some of his phoned-in work though. I even enjoyed a lot of the random Bullet Club tags we got along the way. I'm no fan of the guy, but even Bad Luck Fale plays his part well. Reminds me of The Wall / Malice back in the day. Not lighting up anybody's radar as must-watch, but he knows what to do & when to do it. And, disagree if you want, but I feel like Doc Gallows has shown drastic improvement over the past few years. He's as fun a big man worker as you're going to find out there right now. But Tama Tonga was the one that consistently drew my attention. Guy's got a natural presence and aura of intensity to him. Most of the Polynesians seem to share the same traits and similar qualities, sure. But he's got this extra bit of the intangibles. Maybe I'm overrating it or exaggerating, but that could be because it's still fresh in my mind. It DOES make me wonder why he hasn't been approached by WWE yet though. If Camacho landed a developmental deal, then surely they'd seek out Tonga, who has a look & feel of a natural bred superstar in the making. My money was on Kushida to take the whole darn thing, and I was a tad disheartened to find out we WEREN'T going to wind up getting a Time Splitters clash after all. Shame that Shelley went down to injury. Kushida still impressed and made it all the way to the finals. With the way Ricochet breezed past the semi-finals, I *kind of* thought we were going to get shades of Bigelow/Bret from KOTR '93 - with Kushida outlasting the endurance factor and overcoming all obstacles to win the prize at the end of the night. I was wrong. In a dazzling display of EVERYTHING these two have in their arsenal, Ricochet and Kushida delivered a tremendous match that's worthy of being called a Best of the Super Juniors finale. Still not totally sold on the Benadryller as Ric's signature finish, but meh. That's nitpicking, I guess. I can certainly understand why the guy would want to scale back on SOME of the high-risk stuff. I'd never fault a guy for trying to take better care of his body in that sense. All in all, every night of the tourney gave us something different and something exciting. No complaints on that end. The booking kept me guessing right up to the end. Ricochet is as good as anyone to fill that void left behind by Devitt, if they choose to go that route with him. I get the sense that - at this specific moment in time anyhow - Ricochet is really generating that same style of hype and buzz around him. He really feels like he's on the cusp of becoming that next piece of highly sought after international talent. Meantime? No harm done to Kushida, who is still finding his identity away from the Time Splitters. Not sure how long Shelley will be out of action, but this could be the premier time to put more focus and emphasis on launching Kushida towards more significant solo outings. I'm excited to see where they go with him.

It sure felt like he was on the cusp of doing something bigger. Booker never quite ascended to that upper echelon, but there certainly was a window of time & opportunity for him to break through. Here's my post, taken from the "____ should have been a top guy" thread.

Niiiice. Stoked to see what's on the agenda. Should be a pickup truckload of fun.

'Nother random comment: Do we credit Zack Ryder with smartening up WWE on the influence and possibilities of social media? Sure seemed like they picked up the trend and ran HARD with it after his whole popularity fiasco took off without permission. Before then, I don't recall them having much of a clue.

"This is Awesome" springs up A LOT more than you're thinking, I believe. "Holy Shit" isn't heard half as much these days though. I'll grant ya that. I remember hearing it pop up during the Bray/Cena match at Payback (IIRC) and noting how it had been a while since I'd heard it. Maybe a few of the Shield/Wyatts matches, but I'd have to go back and check on that. EDIT: I was posting this around the same time as anarchistxx and didn't see his comments, but yeah. Beat me to the punch, pretty much.

Orton's cold as ice as a heel right now. A lot of that can be attributed to the way he's portrayed and handled on TV. He just looks and behaves like a lackey. He's being used like 2003 Randy Orton, and that simply isn't where 2014 Orton should be at this point. That role belongs to somebody else on the rise - someone on the cusp of breaking out - somebody that would benefit from rubbing shoulders with Aitch, the Authority, and the Shield in matches. Orton was INCREDIBLY over as a babyface just last summer. I know that feels like a lifetime ago in today's era, with such an abundance of TV, but yeah. It's true. He was a peg below Bryan and Punk in the pecking order going into that Money In The Bank match last year. I didn't even mind him winning the thing at the time, 'cause the guy was getting major reactions everywhere & had just produced a stellar series of matches with Bryan during the build to that event.

Great discussion here. Hoping some of it carries over into the audio eventually, as it MAY be something worth revisiting as Hogan progresses, Backlund's momentum regresses, and the likes of Snuka & Muraco gain exposure. Not that it's an overwhelming factor or anything, but something to consider with McMahon is that, yeah. History is written by the winners. And so there will be this sort of bias towards the last man (territory, kingdom, whatever) standing. As far as Vince Sr. the person goes, he's generally spoken about and regarded as a "man of his word." That's entirely different from the consensus on Verne, who's often described as being out of touch. He didn't want to go modern. He didn't want to update the business model or his practices. He's talked about as if he was stubborn for all the WRONG reasons. Vince Sr. was stubborn for the sake of keeping his word and honoring his promises. If he had committed to running with Backlund, then it was as if he felt absolutely obligated to go that way - come hell or high water. Whether that stark difference between Vince Sr. and Verne is wholly true or only partly based in reality, we don't know. It's just word of mouth from cohorts, former employees, etc. But that's the impression I get on both men, gathering from all the interviews and stories out there. Besides all that though, this was a different era. The ultimate goal, of course, is for workers to make the most money possible. In that day and age, that USUALLY meant travelling to several territories, maxing out your main event run there, and moving on. That's especially true with the monster heels (like Hogan) in New York, as Kelly noted. Sure. Some guys could make bank by staying put in one region, but they were few & far between. They were the exceptions. Not the rule. In most cases, if you didn't have homestead in the region or work for the office, you weren't going to benefit from remaining in one place like that. With the Rocky 3 casting, Hogan could call his shots a bit. It only made sense for him to explore other options. Besides, it wasn't like the door was shut in his face. So he probably WANTED to venture out, while Vince Sr. was clearly committed to the Backlund reign for the time being. Seems mostly mutual to me. Then there's good old Larry Z. The way Larry always spins it, he was the tool they employed to motivate Bruno into getting back in the ring for another run. Larry's involvement sparked Sammartino's interest enough to make the comeback and work through the extent of the angle. Beyond that? He seems to believe there weren't ever any serious plans to keep him in the mix. Because it didn't take long for him to go from top-tier heel to mid-card fodder for the babyface brigade. Then, when he pulled the big power-play (that he claims Bruno helped orchestrate) for no-showing a house show over pay, it was lights out & game over for LarryLand in New York.

Regal alone is tremendous. He reaches for the comedy sometimes, sure. But his timing is precise. He never misses a beat, and he pays major dividends when it comes to putting over the physicality and action that goes on INSIDE the ring. It's something I used to really like a lot about JBL - hyping matches as big fights, noting the toughness of competitors, etc. - but almost any and ALL signs of that JBL have withered away. And another guy nobody talks about anymore, Tazz, did the same thing. He was EXCEPTIONAL as an analyst for a couple of early years over on the SmackDown brand. The little subtleties he brought to the booth made for outstanding (and informative) tidbits tossed in at times. Tazz would pick up on & point out strategy, technique, differences in style, past injuries, etc. He very much helped to carry Cole through some of those early broadcasts, BOTH in terms of calling the action AND in clearly defining the stories and motivations that were being told. It's such a shame. Both Bradshaw and Lawler are tremendous talkers. Plus, guys with the life & career experiences of Bradshaw and Lawler should make them NATURALS for a fantastic commentary team. But it falls way short in reality. The focus at the table seems all about popping each other with "inside" jokes or lame, dated references. I don't mind the plugs, the pushing for Twitter, the gushing over Mountain Dew, or whatever. All that's understandable when it comes with the territory of television. But Christ. Something could be done to keep the commentary on task. At times, it seems like the ONLY time they're really dialed in is when they're beating viewers over the head with the constant replaying of video packages throughout the night. And then it feels forced, because it's like they go from lapping it up & joking around with buddies to this SOOOPER strict, dreadfully dead serious & somber tone. Michael Cole's expression goes from giggling & smiling to "just received word that my puppy was ran down in the street" in an instant, and it just comes across as phony and artificial. And that's what lacks in the announcing, for me personally. There's no sense of authenticity or credibility. Even when you "accept" something they tell you, it's not a genuine "Yeah, I buy into this, because HE told me so." No one in that three-man team feels like "my" guy. Who is the trustworthy voice of reason among the trio? It's like picking the lesser of three stooges.

Still making my way through the first few nights of this year's Best of the Super Juniors, but I took a detour to catch this week's SmackDown. Glad I did, too. Don't sleep on this one, guys. I honestly can't recall the last single, isolated episode of WWE television that was this good up & down the card. A lot of the stuff was completely cold & simply tossed together, but it clicked. Really fun show throughout. Wade "Bad News" Barrett vs. Roman Reigns wasn't anything extraordinary, but it's probably the best solo performance I've seen from Reigns to date. It's still a little weird to see him sell so much and fight from underneath. I've grown so accustomed to seeing him in the "secret weapon" role - just generally receiving the hot tag, doing the superman save routine, and going home with the comeback routine. But he did okay here. Barrett is a believable guy to be putting THIS kind of punishment on Roman, so it worked well enough. No clean finish, which I think is smart. 3MB causes a DQ with their run-in, seeking revenge. They get none of it, of course - as Roman promptly lays waste to the trio. Worth watching just to see Reigns murder, death, kill Slater with an AWESOME spear in mid-air on the outside. Sheamus vs. Cesaro just about stole the show for me though. It's a toss-up between this one and the main event, for sure. These guys REALLY brought the bruising offense, and I loved every second of it. Cesaro carves up Sheamus with those crisp, clean-cut uppercuts. There's a spot where he just CRUSHES Sheamus' sternum with a caving kick to the chest, squashing Sheamus in the corner & setting up the always eye-pleasing facewash. Oh, and those crossface forearms? Absolute devastation. Cesaro ROCKS Sheamus' jawline with those bad boys, time & time again. At one point, Cesaro puts so much power behind one of 'em that he literally loses his footing and falls down with the follow-through. Just a raw, roughhouse fight right here. And that doesn't even TOUCH on the neat story line stuff they accomplished here. Heyman's pre-match promo put all the pieces into place perfectly. The finish, with Cesaro countering and using his OWN cradle - PLUS grabbing the tights? Nicely done. Extremely clever, and it ACTUALLY builds to the next logical step of their feud. So this isn't just a series of endless rematches we're seeing, which WWE has been guilty of sending down the assembly line a lot lately. So kudos to them on that end. In fact, I think this bout actually surpasses what these guys did at Payback. Maybe I'm in the minority with that line of thinking, but it's certainly not far off. Bray Wyatt vs. Dean Ambrose was our main event, and it delivers big time. Phenomenally fun, physical contest from beginning to end. Bray has this way of working that just revolves around bombs and brutality. All his maneuvers and motions feel like broad strokes. It's full steam ahead at all times, and it's blunt force trauma type attacks. Nothing seems like filler or meaningless time-killing, like a lot of the "punchy kicky stompy" stuff we got in the Attitude Era heyday, for example. Hard to put into words, but when I watch the guy work - it's easy to point out. Anyway, Bray pumps plenty of violence into this thing - whether it's the spine-jarring slam against the apron or the battering head-shots against the ring post. Oh. And there's the car-crash crossbody he busts out, too. Always dig that. Dean retaliates with some darn good stuff of his own. Big DDT, the stinging jabs, the suicide dive. You name it. There's pretty much no lull in this match. It's nonstop. There's also this terrific visual of Dean and Bray, both on their knees, just staring across at their foe eye-to-eye. Dean's got the eyes of a wildman, and he's shouting something directly at Bray. It's a GREAT image that's ultimately doomed to get swept aside in the abundance of TV we get every week. But it's still worth noting as a neat sight to see. I like the way they're establishing that Bray can strike with the Sister Abigail attack out of thin air now. It's much more lethal as a sudden death type kill-shot, and it adds sharper teeth to his overall persona. Dean is excitement. Pure, plain, and simple. The guy's a bundle of energy brought to life. If Seth Rollins is quietly putting critics to rest with his confident comfort & poise as a heel, then Dean Ambrose has shouted out loud that he is ALL ACES as a babyface. His peril routine, his fiery comebacks, his selling, his timing... EVERYTHING just gels so freaking well with this guy. It's been almost a revelation with Ambrose this year, because I never would've called it. I'm pleasantly surprised. It's sheer versatility. The guy's practically got zero downside now, and I'm stoked for the possibilities with his future. Dean's playing the part perfectly thus far. He's a loose cannon with a lit fuse. A human hand grenade. And I know fans are calling to see that villainous side of him again soon, but I personally wouldn't have it any other way for now. Now then... back to New Japan soon, probably with another pit stop for some more WWE or ROH randomness here & there. I'll post up thoughts on the Super Juniors when (IF?!) I get through the rest of the shows.

Haha. Yes. The latest episode of Main Event is a fun one, for sure. Scott is turning into quite the character. He's the heel Authority on his own show at this point, playing off snarky insider "newz" and the rumor mills to generate his own little furnace o' heat. It's neat, and it makes for interesting discussion. Amusing to hear Scott rip on Mojo Rawley's truly TERRIBLE gimmick, mere moments after praising an act like the Ascension. The team itself is okay. Their work is decent enough. They fill the bill as big, brutish brawlers just fine. But their gimmick is so undefined and vague that I don't really see them getting far with it. They need some streamlining before getting a call-up, or they'll sink like stones up on the main roster. What are they meant to be? The Brood Lite? Diet Ministry of Darkness? Wyatt Family Zero? Because none of those sound especially appealing in this day and age. I can't see them scoring with much of a connection to the crowd in THIS current capacity. I'm seeing more & more that Chad Campbell was right on target when he referenced the Scott litmus test. He can feast on WWE news & rumors or drool over hearing about some tabloid garbage with Randy Savage and Steph, but he's quick to cast aside Kalisto as just some "schlub" under a mask or whatever. Yikes. Really enjoyed the deeper look into some of the NxT cast as well. If the suggested gimmick change for Mojo Rawley ever sees the light of day, that would be SUPREMELY awesome. Glad to hear more level-headed and balanced discussion on guys like Generico as well. The Breeze and Charlotte hype is still a little over-inflated. Don't get me wrong. I expect great things for both, but they're clearly riding a wave of goodwill that stems from recent performances and little else. In a few months' time, I think they'll be worthy of a more in-depth analysis - similar to what we got for Sami here. I'm digging the Chikara in-jokes and whatnot. I like how they've RAPIDLY sort of become a piece of Main Event canon now. Anybody else hear a slightly sloshed Owen Wilson when Graham speaks? Seriously. Let the Wedding Crasher get hammered, hand him a headset, fill his noggin with a lifetime of wrestling nerdism, and his voice is Graham.