Eduardo

Would promoting the fact that their roster is more diverse (in several ways, as in prominently promoting people of color in featured roles and showcasing performers working different styles) than NXT's have any positive effects? If they were to babyface themselves, they would have to be far different about it than say, ECW in the 1990's. Different world today. Maybe keep working at highlighting the differences between what they offer, and what NXT offers, but without being too obsessed about it or negative about it.

I'd rather go to the Field of Honor show than Takeover, and stomperspc articulated a lot of my thoughts perfectly on this. As Will mentioned, the ROH and NXT are stopping by San Antonio next month as well. I'm currently making plans to attend both those ROH shows and didn't even considered going to the NXT shows. I like NXT but have had way more fun watching ROH TV, PPV's, and iPPV's this year, for the most part.

So I'm going to interview Bruce Tharpe on Monday for the local newspaper. I will ask him a little bit about his old IWF promotion, to keep it local, and other stuff, but will mainly be talking to him about NWA Classics. Do y'all have any questions you would like me to ask him, about NWA Classics or really, anything?

They did bill him as 'Chavo Guerrero', but they also billed this team as 'Los Guerreros', which we could use as the thread title here.

My brother had the WWF/VHS tape one and this one too:

HHH is probably the only wrestler my dad consistently talks about being ugly.

The most upsetting thing to me is that Meltzer (and others) is (are) just totally overlooking the health of Jose Aldo. I love combat sports, but let's be honest about them: they are brutal. Aldo, if he would have gone through with this, would have been drained from a drastic weight cut, been weakened from a fractured rib, would have been put in such a vulnerable position against someone who would take advantage of all that and go for the kill.

I think Meltzer came off somewhat bad on the latest WOR, regarding the Jose Aldo situation. The acknowledging that Aldo is seriously hurt, so he should have pulled out, then going into this weird deal about how Aldo's complained about money in the past, Aldo's post, about how doesn't Aldo realized he was going to make a lot of money, etc. Like Meltzer was having it both ways, both understanding Aldo pulling out and criticizing Aldo for pulling out when he asked for big money in the past (like how dare someone ask to be compensated for more). He's not the only MMA media member to do this, this week, but it's gross that people were hoping, expecting to see Aldo, with a broken rib, who couldn't leave his bed for a few days, be forced to make a drastic weight cut, and go into the biggest fight of his life in this weakened condition. It's one thing to be disappointed that the fight isn't happening, that's cool, I really wanted to see this fight too. But being mad at Aldo for pulling out, bringing up his past of asking for more money (and not just for him, but other fighters), etc. is fucked up. Not only that, but the whole, "Doesn't Aldo understand he will get a lot of money, and if he loses, he gets an immediate rematch for more money! He'll become a bigger star in losing!" is so dumb, and gives zero recognition that these dudes are humans, and they can end up really hurt in the longterm. It's not some random video game, dudes careers can be altered in one single fight. Also, while Meltzer did mention the released x-ray, it's disappointing that he didn't go back to Zuffa's "bruised" b.s. from last week.

When did the "Vader jumps off the ropes and gets powerslammed" become a regular spot in his matches though? If you watch a lot of Vader matches from the 1990's, that spot was used almost as much as Ric Flair being pressed slammed off the top rope. Okay maybe not that frequently, but it was a spot he used all the time. I've seen Sting, Davey, Dustin, Foley, Hart, 'Taker, Simmons, and several others do that to Vader.

I really dug him on Velocity when I was in high school. Simple solid worker who I enjoyed watching. He had some fun matches, especially tags. Also I liked that Cody Rhodes stole some of his spots, but yeah, nowhere near a top one hundred worker.

Wasn't Hart's lack of finishes involving his finisher partially due to the way the pro wrestling world viewed submissions at the time? If he came along ten years later, we would probably have a lot more matches with him beating stars with the Sharpshooter. I guess one can criticize Hart for picking a submission hold as his finisher, knowing there would be some limitations, but I thought he did best with what he could at the time, in terms of finishes for a good chunk of his major matches. EDIT: Also, I think this is actually a really close call for me. Still undecided, but I think the best match either guy was involved in was probably Hart-Austin SS 96. EDIT: EDIT: I don't see any way Hart is anywhere near as close to Cena when it comes to drawing. At all. Is Hart even in Mysterio's level as a draw? Italy, Spain > Germany, or whatever, no se.

A strong part of the build up, and the match itself, was built around what ended up being the finish to Satanico-Dandy. Satanico had beaten Dandy in a similar way in previous matches. It was documented before the match, and discussed during the match by the commentators. In the match itself, Dandy tried to fool the referee a few times but it didn't work. It finally did at the climax of the match. Dandy was giving him "una sopa de su propio chocolate" ("a taste of his own medicine"). It also proved that Dandy could beat Satanico at his own game of "rudeza". It was a big accomplishment for Dandy. After the match, the commentators kept talking about it by using the Spanish versions of "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", and Dandy mentions how he is a fast learner (as he learned how to play dirty from Satanico in previous bouts). In short, it was poetic justice and I thought it was the perfect ending to this 1990 feud.

tomk had a good defense of Atlantis on Twitter. Love Dylan, but just couldn't agree with most of his list. Obviously guys like Santo, Casas, Satanico blow away Atlantis, but even though I like Psicosis, don't see him anywhere near Atlantis' level. Atlantis does have his fair share of boring, mundane work. Some of his selling in the 80's would makes Ricky Steamboat look like subtle seller. But he's been involved in great matches in the 1980's, 1990's, 2000's, and 2010's. He's had incredible sprints with high flying, great apuesta brawls, great title matches, and just all around great trios work. You aren't going to find some neat, nuanced stuff from him like you would Casas or Satanico at their peaks, but you are going to find some great matches. He is also a guy that is arguably Blue Panther's best dancing partner. There are trios matches that involve Santo, Casas, Atlantis and Panther, and the best work in those matches was often Panther-Atlantis. And it was hardly Panther carrying him. Atlantis brought a lot to those matches. EDIT: Forgot that OJ mentioned the Panther bit earlier.

Seriously, Kawhi Leonard has been amazing as of late. He's been so much fun to watch, both on defense and offense.

Duncan probably is the best pure striker in the NBA - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAoC9_umNq0

I regret that I sometimes forget to pay attention to some of the stuff that is going on in my local scene. In the past year, I missed out at seeing Atlantis and Blue Panther in a norteño night club, and Negro Navarro and Solar at a local flea market in a tiny town.

Conversation I had with John Darnielle: http://pharrfromheaven.blogspot.com/2015/04/conversation-with-john-darnielle-of.html

Also, maybe it's a regional thing, but never got the house show only brings in families talking point. The house shows I go to, everyone usually goes, from the so-called smart fans to local workers to local celebrities to families to people just wanting to see a show.

I was at some house party last month and some random dude came over to talk to me. The Chael Sonnen-Wanderlei Silva at WrestleMania rumor came up, and this dude just started freaking out. He was just going on about how if Silva did pro wrestling, it would ruin his legacy, and leave a black mark on MMA. I didn't care at all to even talk about this rumor but just thought his whole argument was really weird and melodramatic.

Yeah I think most trademark submission holds in the WWE have looked really loose and weak since the early 2000's, or maybe even before. Benoit's crossface and sharpshooter looked like shit for years. Sharpshooters, boston crabs, crossfaces, HBK's inverted figure four, etc. have looked really bad, compared to past decades.

I interviewed him a few weeks ago, and it was a bit amusing since he briefly mentioned the Apartment Wrestling ads in old pro wrestling magazines. So hoping he writes something about that subject in the future. Loved the album, initially overlooked "Unmasked" but came to really love that track. So good. Also "The Ballad of Bull Ramos" is a sweet little tribute.

Also, if they were so concerned, why were they pressuring him to return so early when he got injured in 2014?

I haven't rewatched it in a while but Rey Mysterio vs Chavo Guerrero Jr. at GAB 2004 is probably my favorite PPV outing from him. Also his work in a couple of Elimination Chambers was awesome, and he had an excellent match with Chris Jericho at The Bash 2009, although I think they had a better match on SD! after that.

I first started taping pro wrestling in 1995, so from 1995-2015, I don't think there was a guy who had more fun-good-great TV matches during this 20-year period. His WWE stuff on Smackdown was my favorite work he did. As a kid, I liked Rey so much I named my first cat after him. Seriously.

I love that John Darnielle is now checking out NJPW: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/27/john-darnielle-pro-wrestling-is-real-the-way-fiction-is-real Someone should tell him to check out goodhelmet's El Dandy set.