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  • Revolution Pro Wrestling June 14 London, England, results: AJ Styles, Nakamura, Ishii, Colt Cabana, Matt Sydal

    Submitted by Lak Gill

    Dark Match

    Josh Bodum def. Tommy End

    The Revolutionists (Sha Samuels & James Castle) def. Joel Redman (c) & Jake McCluskey to win the British Tag Team Titles

    Before the tag title bout, it was announced that RPW Tag Champion Mark Haskins was dealing with “personal problems” and wouldn’t be at the show. Taking his place in the match was Jake McCluskey. Castle got the pin after low-blowing McCluskey behind the ref’s back. Redman heelishly pushed around McCluskey after.

    Big Damo def. Tomohiro Ishii

    Damo (who looks like an overweight, hairier Daniel Bryan) impressed many. Most of the match involved Ishii getting pounded on. Some crazy moves including a superplex from Ishii on the 300+ Damo and a Damo Van Terminator. Damo scored the upset win following a Running Senton. 

    – Annouced for Uprising 2015 on Oct 2nd was an all New Japan tag match: Kazuchika Okada & Gedo vs. Jushin Liger & Hiroshi Tanahashi

    Shinsuke Nakamura def. Roderick Strong

    A great match. Strong was replacing Ricochet who for the second time had to cancel on RPW, this time due to visa issues. The first ten minutes involved the crowd berating Strong on his “Shitty Little Boots.” Strong paced back and forth on the entrance ramp, enraged at the chants which included a rendition of Hey Jude with the lyrics changed to mock Strong’s boots. Nakamura and Strong worked hard, really laid into each other. Nakamura won after a succession of Bomb Be Ye kicks. 

    – After the match, Big Damo came out. A bemused Nakamura turned to the crowd and asked “Who is this guy?!” Damo challenged Nakamura to match at Uprising 2015. Nakamura answered his challenge with a “YEOW!” Intermission followed.

    Will Ospreay def. Matt Sydal in 2 out of 3 Falls Match to retain the British Crusierweight Title

    Match of the night. This was outstanding. Sydal won the first fall via a Shooting Star Press. Ospreay got the second after countering a Sydal move into a cradle. The last fall was just nuts. Ospreay kicked out of the Shooting Star and beat Sydal with a Corkscrew Shooting Star. Sydal did everything he could to make Ospreay look like ‘The Man.’  After the match, promoter Andy Quildan revealed that Sydal had the same visa issues as Ricochet but “went above and beyond” to make it to London including buying his own airfare. Sydal only arrived in London a few hours before the show started.

    Colt Cabana & Matt Classic (Grado) def. “Lord” Gideon Grey & Rishi Ghosh

    This was the match CM Punk cut a promo for. Grado was under the mask as Matt Classic. Cabana & “Classic” won this total comedy bout to reinstate Cabana into RPW. 

    AJ Styles def. Marty Scurll to win the British Heavyweight Title

    Scurll came out with his Revolutionist colleagues, they were promptly send to the back. Good bout but it couldn’t top the Nakamura and Cruiserweight Title match. Styles got the win via the Styles Clash. Styles put over Scurll on the mic and asked him to shake his hand. Scurll suckered AJ in and put the boots to him. Will Ospreay made the save. He longingly stared at Styles’ British Heavyweight Title. Quilidan quickly arranged Oct 3rd’s British Heavyweight Title bout: AJ Styles vs. Marty Scurll vs. Will Ospreay.

    October 3rd’s Uprising show will feature Tanahashi, Okada, Nakamura, Styles, Gedo and Liger. The show is being billed as co-promotion with NJPW unsurprisingly.

  • Background of Austin vs. Lesnar and what happened after podcast, A look at how viewers reacted to ROH & TNA on Wednesday, History of New Japan jr.division and its legends, Hall of Fame coverage

    Last week the big story was the tease of a Steve Austin vs. Brock Lesnar match at WrestleMania.  This week we have a double issue because of such a busy news week, with our lead story talks about the background of that promo and why the match isn’t happening.  We have the background of Austin, Lesnar, Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon, what led to the promo on the WWE Network, why Vince McMahon was unhappy about it, and what happened from there including Austin talking about the situation.

    We also have the first look at the Wednesday night wrestling wars with ROH & TNA, an update on MMA in New York, coverage of one of UFC’s best shows in recent years, New Japan’s summer look at including the G-1 Climax and Super Juniors tournament along with a history of the New Japan junior heavyweight division, as well as full coverage of the Hall of Fame and the new season of Tough Enough.

    The new issue is up on the site at http://www.f4wonline.com/component/content/article/110-wrestling-observer-newsletter/42967-june-15-2015-wrestling-observer-newsletter-latest-on-austin-lesnar-destination-america-ny-mma-and-much-more

    Web site subscriptions, which include access to both current and older newsletters as well as every audio show on the history of the site are at  http://www.f4wonline.com/member/signup.php

    You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to dave@wrestlingobserver.com”>dave@wrestlingobserver.com

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    If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order (P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228), you can get $1 off in every price range.

    The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.

    Our lead story talks about Steve Austin and Brock Lesnar.  We look at Austin’s comments regarding what he said last week, we look at the background, we look at why Vince McMahon wasn’t happy about what happened, we look at what this seems to end speculation on, where the Texas death match comment came from and what we don’t know about the situation and why the book seems closed on the match.

    We’ve got full details on the first week of both ROH & TNA together on Destination America.  We look at the audience for both groups, and what the quarter hours told about both groups.  We look at what the ratings seem to have indicated about both ROH and TNA and their audiences, as well as the next time this should be evaluated.

    We also look at Money in the Bank, the WWE Network special on 7/4 from Japan with the lineup.  We also look at the rest of the tour, an idea floated for the Slammys, what Vince McMahon wants out of the live talk shows on the WWE network, update on Tyson Kidd, why the stock is rising, Dwayne Johnson entertainment news, how the Kevin Steen action figure triggered so many things, return of Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman, special guest on Raw next week, Austin signs a new deal, and lots of the recent WWE tryout camp.

    We also look at the Jessicka Havok situation.

    We also look at all the NXT and WWE house show notes and business notes from the past week.

    We look at the new attempt to pass legislation in New York to legalize MMA, how this affects pro wrestling in the state as well as boxing, why MMA has to agree to certain things that are inherently unfair in a last ditch effort to get into the state.  We also look at a unique law regarding attendance at events in the bill, as well as what rules are in place to promote pro wrestling in New York.

    We’ve got coverage of one of the year’s best events, Saturday’s UFC show in New Orleans.  We look at the record tied, the career of Dan Henderson, the career of Brian Ebersole, as well as business notes and full coverage of the show.

    We also look at New Japan’s G-1 Climax tournament, who is in, who is out, what is says about current booking, the big shows on the tour, coverage of the show, prior winners, handicapping the tournament, why the winner is already planned out and how far in advance booking is, as well as the next few shows on New Japan World and the Dominion PPV show.

    We also have coverage of this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament, why the interest level was down, business notes on the tournament, a look at the great finale match, as well as coverage of the final shows.  We also have a history of the New Japan junior heavyweight division, including the stars that build the division and the 1996 heyday period.

    We’ve got full coverage of the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremonies last month in Amsterdam, NY, with the awards, presentations, and a look at talent like Jumbo Tsuruta, Rick Martel, Vivian Vachon, Whipper Watson, Pedro Morales, The Freebirds and Curt Hennig.

    We also look at the new season of Tough Enough, who was and wasn’t picked to be part of the show, notes on why the winners are going to have it tough and not winning may to advantageous, as well as notes and backgrounds of some of the people involved.

    The Observer is the world’s most detailed weekly pro wrestling publication, in its 32nd year of publication, and is read by the biggest names in the pro wrestling, industry, MMA industry, sports world and on Wall Street.

    We also have our regular features such as the most complete look at ratings, plus results of the major house show events each week in pro wrestling and MMA, and complete inside rundowns of all the TV shows.

    Also in this week’s issue:

    –A look at this year’s Busca de un Idolo tournament’s first shows

    –What happens in pro wrestling the night before UFC

    –Problems between companies in Mexico regarding CMLL pulling talent

    –Notes on Verano de Escandalo and U.S. iPPV and the card

    –First notes on TripleMania

    –What mach may be headlining this year’s TripleMania

    –Upcoming AAA TV

    –The debut of the three generations of green mist trio

    –Dragon Gate two big shows coming this week

    –All Japan’s big event for the week

    –A tag team of stars from two different promotions has a long reign as tag champions gone

    –More on the new Japan NOAH relationship and how this relates to the New Japan World service

    –New Japan scouting talent in the U.S. this summer

    –New Japan’s upcoming shows in Singapore

    –Satoru Sayama health update

    –Notes on the beginning shows of Global Force Wrestling

    –Notes on the lineups and what is and isn’t important about these events

    –Special celebrity guest added

    –An unselfish act acts an aspiring pro wrestling career

    –Another streaming service expected to start featuring 800 hours of a lost library

    –Chris Hero’s three hour gauntlet match and full details

    –Bill Goldberg talks about a potential pro wrestling farewell match and what could stand in the way

    –Who Goldberg still keeps in touch with in wrestling

    –Goldberg talks Brock Lesnar

    –A look at the big show at Citifield in New York this past week

    –A look at what TNA angle was revived on the show and how Goldberg fit in

    –A.J. Styles vs. Lionheart match coverage, back story, and why the crowd was so hot

    –Kris Travis talks return from cancer

    –Tons of indie big show news

    –A suspended senator in Canada participates in a pro wrestling show

    –Early ROH champion moving into MMA

    –Son of former Oregon star suspect in a beating death

    –Wrestling star in talks for a national cable television show unique deal

    –Update on the next ROH PPV

    –A look at the weekend ROH events

    –Why they did the Mickie James angle

    –TNA gets another international deal

    –UFC’s Labor Day weekend show announced

    –Two new title fights announced

    –Comparing Bader vs. Gustafsson as challengers for Cormier

    –When Cormier is targeting his first title defense

    –What Bader needs to do to get a title shot

    –Update on Anderson Silva and his suspension hearing, as well as Nick Diaz

    –Ben Rothwell accuses Cain Velasquez of PEDs and Velasquez responds

    –Former UFC star gets TV major network announcing gig

    –An interesting question that the courts may have to decide regarding UFC contract clause

    –Lots of new UFC fights

    –Notes on Shamrock vs. Kimbo

    –The first head to be cut off in new stronger penalties for PED usage

    –War Machine has court outburst

    –TV martial arts star with pro wrestling ties in bad health

    –Fighter comes back from nearly being stabbed to death to win a small promotion world title

    If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today.  With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today.

    New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.

    Our most requested issues in our history are:

    *November 17, 1997 (full details of everything leading to the most famous wrestling match finish of modern times at the Survivor Series plus a history of in-ring double-crosses)

    *December 21, 1998 (the complete Vince McMahon-Bret Hart conversation right before the Survivor Series match so you’ll know exactly what was said–the conversation played in edited form both on the inaugural broadcast of Confidential as well as in Wrestling with Shadows, but everything that was said between the two about the match that was going to take place that same night)

    *August 1, 1994 (the most detailed coverage anywhere of the Vince McMahon steroid trial, an issue praised in numerous newspaper article and Sex, Lies and Headlocks)

    *March 26, 2001 (death of WCW and history of pro wrestling on the Turner networks)a

    *October 22, 2001 (why the adult audience has left pro wrestling in such great numbers and what needed to have been done to save them)

    *July 8, 1991 (Ric Flair leaves WCW as world champion/Zahorian steroid trial)

    *February 8, 1993 (the life and times of Andre the Giant)

    *May 13, 2002 (the life story of the most incredible pro wrestling career ever, a look at Lou Thesz, in one of the largest issues of our history)

    *January 27, 2003 (part one of the two-part series covering the career and life of The Sheik)

    *February 3, 2003 (Part two on The Sheik including thoughts from people who worked with him and where he stands historically)

    *March 24, 2003 (history of the WWWF title, inside behind the Sammartino, Backlund and Backlund era)

    *April 21, 2003 (history of WWF continues with the expansion nationally, the death of the regional territories and the rise of Hulk Hogan)

    *May 12, 2003 (The life and death of Elizabeth and the rise of fall of Lex Luger)

    *June 9, 2003 (Part 1 of history of WWF vs. WCW wars and what many say was the greatest year in U.S. wrestling; plus a look at Fred Blassie)

    *June 16, 2003 (Freddie Blassie through the eyes of his biggest rivals and friends)

    *July 28, 2003 (Part 2 of the history of the WWF vs. WCW war and the plans to make new superstars in the early 90s, what happened, and the night where the three biggest wrestling companies in the world combined for a joint show and what happened)

    *August 25, 2003 (2003 Hall of Fame issue with huge profiles on the controversial career of Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit as well as historical features on Earl Caddock and Francisco Flores)

    *September 22, 2003 (Part 3 of the history of the WWF vs WCW war with the seeds that caused the collapse of the industry in the 90s, Zahorian trial, Gulf War controversy, Flair leaves WCW while holding world title and much more)

    *October 27, 2003 (The fascinating life of Stu Hart plus the story of Road Warrior Hawk)

    *January 19, 2004 (2003 Awards issue)

    *February 2, 2004 (History of Toronto wrestling, Jack Tunney life story, Royal Rumble and Battle Royal history)

    *February 23, 2004 (History of Guerrero family with Eddy’s win over Brock Lesnar)

    *March 1, 2004 (History of WWF continues with the period that brought the company down in early 1992, the mistakes, the real stories and how the business changed)

    *March 8, 2004 (History of Wrestlemania, its greatest matches and best and worst shows as voted both by wrestlers and non-wrestlers and Wrestlemania history books)

    *July 5, 2004 (A look behind the scenes and Ric Flair’s book and his background with Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan)

    *July 12, 2004 (A look at more on Ric Flair’s book and his comments on Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart and Mick Foley)

    *August 16, 2004 (History of the Olympians in pro wrestling)

    *August 23, 2004 (2004 Hall of Fame issue and biggest issue of the year with huge profiles on Kazushi Sakuraba, Undertaker, Bob Backlund, Masahiro Chono, Ultimo Dragon, Kurt Angle and Tarzan Lopez–this counts as one issue if you are asking for a free issue, but ordered separately, due to size, is $6 in North America and $7 overseas)

    *October 4, 2004 (the life and times of Big Bossman; as well as details of the life and times of one of the most influential men world wide in pro wrestling history, Jim Barnett)

    *November 15, 2004 (the full story of what happened between Kurt Angle and Daniel Puder, plus coverage of the most important week in the history of TNA)

    *January 24, 2005 (2004 Awards issue, Rock and WWE part company)

    *March 14, 2005 (the 50 biggest money players in the history of WWF and a look at their Hall of Fame)

    *May 9, 2005 (the life and times of Chris Candido)

    *June 20, 2005 (The full story behind Paul Heyman and the death of ECW, as well as coverage of One Night Stand, Hardcore Homecoming and behind the scenes of both shows)

    *July 18, 2005 (death of Shinya Hashimoto and his records with a look at the fall of New Japan, the Matt Hardy angle, tons of WWE firings, Cornette firing in detail as well as problems of a WWE developmental territory in our biggest news issue of the year which is a double-sized issue and would be $6 on its own and $7 overseas)

    *August 24, 2005 (2005 Hall of Fame issue with career profiles of Paul Heyman, HHH and Freebirds plus debut of MMA Hall of Fame)

    *September 12, 2005 (History of Mid South Wrestling)

    *October 10, 2005 (Life and Times of the Ultimate Warrior)

    *November 21, 2005 (Life and Times of Eddy Guerrero and Crusher, double issue $6 on its own and $7 overseas)

    *December 5, 2005 (The Eddy Guerrero special issue, double issue $6 on its own, $7 overseas)

    *January 9, 2006 (The life and times of Superstar Billy Graham, plus New Year’s Eve 2005 coverage)

    *January 16, 2006 (2005 Awards double issue, $6 or $7 overseas)

    *April 3, 2006 (Story of Ann Calvello and the history of Roller Derby–many called this the best issue of the Observer ever)

    *April 10, 2006 (Behind the scenes at the 2006 Wrestlemania/Hall of Fame week)

    *July 24, 2006 (The History of the Von Erichs and World Class Championship Wrestling–the most unreal story ever in wrestling)

    *September 4, 2006 (The Rise and Fall of Kurt Angle; 2006 Hall of Fame inductions of Eddie Guerrero, Paul Bowser, Masakatsu Funaki, Aja Kong and Hiroshi Hase including tons of wrestling history around the world from the 20s through the 60s, the evolution of working to not working in Japan, and a look at Guerrero in hindsight, double issue $6 or $7 overseas)

    *October 9, 2006 (A look back nine years later at the life and legacy of Brian Pillman with tons of inside information about what made him tick as his real objectives)

    *November 15, 2006 (History of WCW part one, Eric Bischoff’s book and how the industry was changed forever)

    *November 20, 2006 (History of WCW part two, Why Jim Ross left WCW, How Bischoff changed the company, signing of Hulk Hogan, Beginning of Nitro, Jesse Ventura, Brian Pillman, Chris Jericho and signing Wrestlemania planned celebrity away)

    *November 27, 2006 (History of WCW part three, When Bischoff challenged McMahon to fight; Truth and fiction around Bret Hart signing with WCW and why it didn’t click)

    *December 6, 2006 (details behind Pride’s offers to sell promotion and Part four of History of WCW part four, Hogan-Goldberg match and why there was no rematch, WCW loses NBC network deal in 1999 and the real reasons the company fell apart)

    *January 22, 2007 (2006 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas)

    *February 14, 2007 (Life and Times of Bam Bigelow)

    *March 5, 2007 (WWE begins plans that will change the business)

    *March 12, 2007 (Life and Times of Mike Awesome)

    *March 19, 2007 (Life and Times of Ernie Ladd)

    *April 4, 2007 (Life and Times of Badnews Allen Coage–which many are calling one of the best issues in history)

    *July 2, 2007 (Part one of the Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *July 5, 2007 (Part two of the Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *July 10, 2007 (Part three of the Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *July 19, 2007 (Part four of the Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *July 23, 2007 (Part five of Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *July 25, 2007 (Part six of Benoit double murder-suicide)

    *August 15, 2007 (The legend of the God of Japanese wrestling and his influence on MMA, Karl Gotch)

    *October 15 (2007 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas including inductions of The Rock, Tom Packs and the original Strangler Lewis)

    *November 12, 2007 (Life and times of Fabulous Moolah and history of U.S. women’s wrestling) .

    *December 31, 2007 (History of Ric Flair and the heyday of wrestling at the Greensboro Coliseum)

    *January 21, 2008 (2007 Awards issue, double issue $7 on its own, $8 overseas)

    *March 17, 2008 (Life and times of Johnny Weaver)

    *March 24, 2008 (Life and times of Gary Hart)

    *April 10, 2008 (Farewell to Ric Flair; My thoughts, Shawn Michaels talks of Flair’s meaning to him; Hall of Fame; Wrestlemania double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas)

    *August 11, 2008 (Ric Flair leaves WWE; Updated history of pro wrestlers and MMA fighters who went to the Olympics)

    * September 8, 2008 (2008 Hall of Fame double issue, $7 on its own, $8 overseas; part one of Killer Kowalski bio)

    * September 15, 2008 (Life and Times of Evan Tanner)

    * September 22, 2008 (The amazing career of Killer Kowalski, one of our most in-depth bios)

    You can also order any of these issues on their own for $4 in North America or $5 overseas.

    We now have available personally autographed copies of Tributes II, our latest book, as well as a DVD that comes with it talking more about the subjects in the book. The book covers the life stories of Lou Thesz, Wahoo McDaniel, Elizabeth, Fred Blassie, Road Warrior Hawk, Andre the Giant, Curt Hennig, Johnny Valentine, Davey Boy Smith, Terry Gordy, Owen Hart, Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, The Sheik and Tim Woods..

    To get all of those biographies as back issues of the Observer would be a $60 value today. This is a collection of some of the best Observer articles of the past several years in a hardcover, full-color format that is 239 pages. There is also a foreword by Bret Hart. The book price is $12.95 plus $3.50 for shipping costs in the U.S., $20 for shipping costs to Canada and $25 for shipping costs outside North America. You can order the book the same way you order the newsletter.

  • We want to know what your favorite Dusty Rhodes matches are

    Since Dusty Rhodes’ passing last Thursday, we’ve all heard a lot about his promos but I haven’t heard nearly as much about his must-see matches. I know you’re thinking about them, and there’s a generation of fans who either a) have seen only a small fraction of his matches or b) haven’t seen any. I fit into the former.

    So, I want to hear from you. What’s your favorite Dusty match (singles or tag) that’s either available on the WWE Network or on YouTube/DailyMotion that fans could check out today? Email me (josh-at-wrestling-observer-dot-com) and put ‘Favorite Dusty Match’ in the headline. Give me who’s in the match, where it was, and why it meant something to you. If you want to include your name, awesome. If not, just say ‘Name witheld’.

    Even if you assume that people are going to send in the same match, do it anyway. It’ll be a great litmus test for ones that really stand out.

    Email me by Sunday at midnight EST, and I’ll put together a list to post on Monday. Thanks for taking part! 

  • On this day in pro wrestling history (June 14): Antonio Inoki beats Hulk Hogan for IWGP title, Steiners win WWF tag team gold

    By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com

    1909 – In Des Moines, Iowa; World Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch defeated former United States champion Tom Jenkins 2 falls to 0.

    1922 – In Minneapolis, Minnesota; World Heavyweight Champion Ed “Strangler “Lewis beat John Freberg in 2 out of 3 falls match.

    1936 – In Waterloo, Iowa; Bronko Nagurski beat Ivan Vacturoff.

    1948 – In Wichita, Kansas; World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown and Lord Albert Mills went to a draw at 1 fall a piece.

    1961 – In Duluth, Minnesota; In a Texas Death Match, AWA US Champion Gene Kiniski beat Wilbur Snyder. Also, Leo Nomellini beat Bob Geigel

    1971 – In Duluth, Minnesota; The Crusher beat Strong Kobayashi in a Death Match, Nick Bockwinkel beat Paul Diamond,
    Bobby Heenan beat Bull Bullinski and Big K beat Lars Anderson.

    1973 – In Winnipeg; The Crusher & Wahoo McDaniel beat Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff in 2 out of 3 falls, Nick Bockwinkel beat Billy Robinson dq and Rene Goulet defeated Bob Bruggers. Attendance was 5,000.

    1974 – In Chicago, Illinois; Dick the Bruiser & Wahoo McDaniel beat Larry Heiniemi & Buddy Wolff, Ivan Putski beat Superstar Billy Graham via dq and Chris Taylor beat Ray Stevens

    1978 – In Honolulu, Hawaii; Russ Francis beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel dq, Hawaiian Tag Title Match John Tolos & Steve Strong beat Buddy Rose & John Studd to win tag title, Little John & Cowboy Lang beat Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook, Don Muraco beat Rocky Tomayo, Chris Markoff beat Mickey Doyle and Bill Francis beat Duke Savage; Jack and Jerry Brisco defeated Mr. Saito and Mr. Sato to win the Florida tag-team title in Miami Beach; In Duluth, Minnesota; Verne Gagne & Rufus R Jones beat Super Destroyer Mark II & Pat Patterson, Evan Johnson beat Lord Alfred Hayes, Bob Orton Jr beat Jim Brunzell and Steve Olsonoski beat Blackjack Lanza dq

    1980 – In Rockford, Illinois; Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura beat Greg Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon, In a Loser Leaves Town Match, Bobby Heenan beat Lord Alfred Hayes, Dino Bravo beat Jerry Blackwell and Super Destroyer Mark II drew Steve Olsonoski

    1981 – The Highflyers (Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) defeated The East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura) for the AWA World Tag Team Title in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Also, Baron Von Raschke ddq Jerry Blackwell and AWA Light Heavyweight Champion Mike Graham beat Buck Zumhofe.

    1984 – Antonio Inoki defeated Hulk Hogan for the IWGP Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan; in Winnipeg; In a Non Title Match, King Kong Brody & Abdullah The Butcher beat AWA Tag Team Champions The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke, Nick Bockwinkel beat Curt Hennig, Fabulous Ones beat Steve Regal & Chris Markoff, Blackjack Lanza drew Larry Zbyszko, Steve O beat Kevin Kelly and Stan Lane beat Sheik Adnan. Attendance was 2,620.

    1989 – At Clash of the Champions VII in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, The Freebirds defeated The Midnight Express in a tournament final for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.

    1993 – The Steiner Brothers defeated Money, Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) for the WWF World Tag Team Title in Columbus, Ohio.

    1998 – In Baltimore, Maryland, Chris Jericho defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification to win the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Title and Booker T defeated Fit Finlay to win the WCW Television Title.

  • ‘The Sheik’ review: WWE level aspirations with indie level execution

    By Josh Nason, WrestlingObserver.com

    I was really looking forward to checking out ‘The Sheik’ after hearing the Iron Sheik on a recent Jim Ross podcast and once it hit Netflix, I was all in. But after watching the 95 minute doc, I think the buzz around it should have been a bit humbled.

    To no surprise, the film centers around the life and times of Khosrow Vaziri, later to be known as The Iron Sheik. We are taken through his life in Iran, his wrestling background and bodyguard work, why he came to the United States, how he got into wrestling, his rise and fall in the WWF, and his rise and fall in life.

    A big plus is the pictures we see that accompany much of the story help us see Vaziri as a normal human being through every stage of his life, especially those early Iran years. For the most part, the doc humanizes the cartoon character that we all know as the Sheik, bolstered by the story of him getting married on the same day he wrestled for the AWA. Perhaps it’s because Verne Gagne recently passed away but the pictures of him at the wedding take on a little more meaning now. The story of his daughter being killed is also a tough watch and is presented with grace.

    Sadly, there is no WWF footage in the doc but the filmmakers (also his management team) did a good job at getting other footage of Sheik wrestling and just told the WWF story as that ran. There are a few still shots from his WWF title loss to Hulk Hogan on January 1984, so it’s not all foreign.

    We also get a lot of footage of Sheik’s post-career decline, including him buying drugs and his subsequent falling out with his family as a result of his addictions. The saviors of his life were Page and Jian Magen, Iranian-Canadian twins whose father was close friends with the Sheik. As the story goes, they reacquainted with him and essentially took him on as a reclamation project.

    Sheik got off the drugs and the twins now manage his career and in the film’s final act, we are shown how much of a social media and pop culture phenomenon he’s become and how he is earning his family’s love back. Success and the love of his family for the Sheik has come full circle.

    My major issues were the pacing and the production values. There’s somewhat of a narrative and storyline, but major twists happen suddenly. After Sheik’s wife had enough, we go to a few years (I think?) later where Sheik has an apartment and is now completely drug free. We never see the process it took to get there or exactly what happened which is kinda weird. Even a few title cards explaining what happened between those periods would have been great.

    I also don’t believe we are ever told when and why he started doing drugs. Was there a moment he started smoking crack that he wishes never happened? There’s too much of a feeling of “How did we get to this place” throughout the doc. There’s also no mention of his reconciliation with WWE that saw him return in the 90s and in subsequent years — odd because time is spent discussing his abrupt exit.

    On the production value side, “The Sheik” felt like a project from two inexperienced filmmakers making a documentary. There were some misspellings and inconsistencies in the subtitles, white subtitles over a white background, and an overuse of bad background music that took away from key moments moments. The best documentaries bring you into a moment and keep you there. “The Sheik” had too many spots where you could float in and out whenever you pleased.

    As a wrestling fan, there’s plenty to enjoy in “The Sheik” and lots of major stars telling the tale (huge score by getting Dwayne Johnson for an extended interview), but I think it would have been best served to have a group independent of the Magen twins tell the story.

    Watch “The Sheik”, but don’t expect to be blown away.

  • Feedback to Money in the Bank

    Thumbs Up.
    Despite screwjob finishes, Cena/Owens was exceptional.  Everything from that match on made me forget how bad the preceding matches were.

    Best match: Cena v. Owens.  

    This match was all wrestling, no gimmicks, and no BS finish.  It should be a model for PPV matches and not the exception.

    Worst match:  Either the MITB ladder match or Paige v. Bella(s).
    MITB had all of the bad elements of ladder matches.  Spots with no story, underutilized abilities, unnecessary run-ins and interference.  On top of that, the briefcase went to the guy that got the absolute least crowd reaction.  Poor match.  Poor choice of winner.
    As the Divas match went on, the wrestling itself was no worse than Ryback v. Show.  But the production of this was insulting.  Cutting from the match to show backstage reactions told viewers that the actual ring action wasn’t worth paying attention to.  The screwjob finish also made us question how the rules work, considering that another person interfered in a match without leading to an immediate DQ (-the ref actually counted to three).  And on top of that, the finish was completely unnecessary.  It didn’t matter whether Brie interfered if Nikki could just get a clothesline for the win.  The production and booking made this match the worst, while the worst wrestling happened in the ladder match.

    Other notes:
    -The Rollins/Ambrose finish, if combined with a Reigns briefcase would have been the perfect setup for a Shield 3-way.  So close to having that fantasy booking.
    -Did every match before Cena/Owens have interference?  I’m thinking the creators of “Swereved” are giving input to this PPV.
    -I’m impressed with New Day.  They followed Cena/Owens in a spot that was certain doom.  My hat’s off to them for keeping the crowd into this.  
    -Cena’s stunner doesn’t look good.  My wife has now asked me twice whether or not his opponent was just throwing him down on his butt.
    -Glad to hear less talking during matches at this PPV.

    —

    Nick Garcia

    Hey Dave

    Pretty much agree with everything you had in your recap of money in the bank.  MITB match was great even if it was “safer” than its predecessor’s. Crowd was relatively hot for it especially the wyatt spot. Alot of Reigns fans in attendance. He still comes off extremely corny and fake especially in person and crowd was mostly in love with bray when he ruined Romans chance to win. Could have been more of them being in love with the surprise but it still got a big pop.

    Women’s match was what it was. Nothing special more paige fans than nikki the twin swap deal not working and nikki still winning is total bs and until they bring up nxt girls im over the divas.

    Columbus has never been a good town for ryback I’ve seen him here many times and even a couple of years ago during the height of his push our fans could give a shit less about him.  He’s tons better now than then but this match with big show was a complete flop and crowd was more into telling big show to retire than anything else with ryback.

    Owens and Cena was tremendous.  Never experienced anything like it in person.  It was as you said electric in the building from start to finish and rightfully so. Alot of cena fans even adults in the crowd.  Owens doesn’t get the entrance pop yet that a seasoned veteran like cena or Orton gets but by God when his matches get going they get behind the man and he’s special.  WWE had been so smart putting him with cena and making his debut in mainstream matter. Amazing match and so glad they had him nail cena at the end I was about in induced vomiting when they did the handshake.  Best of 3 series it looks like to me with the rubber match at battleground.

    Tag match was nothing.  Not sure why they dropped the belts here and to prime time players either.  New day is a good act and I’m sure not having kofi in the match will play a big part in storyline.  Not having kofi in the match also played a big part to me in the presentation of the match. New day is not the same without all 3 of them out there to play off one another.

    Ambrose and Rollins was good but they aren’t a wwe main event right now and the crowd let them know it. Also doesn’t help that the mitb match and of course owens and Cena was much better and crowd was just drained after owens cena anyway.   Dean and seth worked hard and crowd popped for the big spots just never kept up with their emotions for it after each spot was over it was dead again no cary over affect.  Personally like the idea of the finish but it fell flat in the building and scuttlebutt in house was popular opinion said brock was going to be there people kept waiting and looking for it but never happened.  Guess they thought of it as a let down.  Also doesn’t help that dean cut a promo at the end saying he lost fair and square.  Don’tknow if that made the broadcast or not but the way the finish was worked I definitely see some controversy almost like a possession conflict in football type of idea.

    Side note the dusty stuff was tremendous I had goosebumps everytime he was acknowledged.  Many dusty chants throughout the night one set at the beginning was booming loud.  A legend that will undoubtedly be missed and they did a good job tonight and I’m sure even more to come tomorrow.

    Anyway there’s my take on the show from in person.  We had amazing seats 5 rows up dead center of the ring so definitely got a good feeling for the show in its entirety.  Thanks for everything you do.

    Loyal observer fan
    Ryan Fritch

    Hi Dave,
       Just wanted to provide some feedback on tonight’s Money In The Bank PPV. Wow! Big thumbs up for the show with best match being the rematch between Cena and Owens, and worst match being the I/C title match between Big Show and Ryback. Very good matches tonight and very emotional as well with the tribute to Dusty.

    1. Money In The Bank Opener – Shamus, Orton, Reigns, Neville, Kofi, Kane, Dolph.
        A very good match and good choice in my opinion with Shamus winning the contract briefcase to end the match. I thought it was strange to open with this match instead of having it as the semi main event, but I guess match order does not really matter. But a good match, and I’ve always thought it was better to have a heel win this type of match since it it’s just a heel thing to do when trying to cash in for a title match. Not really effective with a face running around with the briefcase for a year trying to be sneaky and cash in, lol.

    2. Divas title – Paige / Nikki – Actually this was a pretty good match! Not the best divas match I’ve seen, but very good. Seems like they are stepping up the women’s action a little on the main roster since it’s become so popular in NXT. But for once the Divas match was not put in the “death spot” on the card and the women had a chance to shine and pull off some good moves. The Twin magic gimmick is a little corny though since clearly Nikki and Brie clearly have different body types, but funny when the ref noticed the size of Brie’s tits and it was not Nikki, lol!

    3. Ryback / Show – The land of lumbering giants. I pray for the I/C title. Worst match of the night. Who is the worst possible opponent for Ryback? Well that would be Big Show. And who is the worst possible opponent for Big Show? Well that would be Ryback! I thought they were going to enhance the I/C title?

    4. Cena / Owens – Wow! Clearly best match of the night and maybe a contender for match of the year! And I hate Cena! I can’t stand Cena matches and just wish he would go away. So this is big praise coming for me, and like I’ve said before speaks volumes for Kevin Owens to have such a spectacular match with Cena. Simply amazing. I really like the Owens character and I don’t think having him lose this match will affect his push at all. With a match like that who is going to remember that he lost? And good ending too to keep the feud going.

    5. New Day / Prime Time Players – These poor guys had the misfortune of being in the death spot on the card. Plus the match was not really that good anyway. Seemed like a pointless title change to me, I’m not a big fan of title changes for no reason and believe a title change should tell a good story.

    6. Rollins / Ambrose – Great main event for the world title. Great match but too many risks and too brutal for no reason. Is it really that necessary for this guys to take so many dangerous bumps like that during the whole match? Wouldn’t it be more effective with less bumps and longer selling? Instead of just crashing through a ladder every 5 seconds? Just seems risky to me, and less would have been more in my opinion and just as effective in the story telling.

    Very good night of matches, very emotional with such a nice tribute video for one my favorites Dusty Rhodes and the 10 bell salute. Renee Young was clearly very emotional as was everyone else I’m sure. I couldn’t help but tear up a little myself during the tribute video and 10 bell salute. Dusty is on my personal Mount Rushmore of wrestling, and very touching tribute. He would have enjoyed tonight’s matches and to see so many superstars that he personally assisted with in NXT on the main roster now. Very good show and very special tribute.

    Thanks,
    Jon Southerland
    Clovis, Ca.

    Overall: thumbs up
    Best match: Owens vs Cena
    Worst match: Big Show vs Ryback

    MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH
    Decent match, but pretty far away from the standards of best MITB matches. It was good idea to not give Reigns a briefcase, cause it would hurt his babyface reaction. Still dumb to start feud with Wyatt after he pinned Bray clean in his third match of the night on Raw just a week ago!

    NIKKI BELLA VS. PAIGE
    They actually worked hard. And they managed to get crowd’s attention in the end… But the finish was stupid. Especially because Brie Bella is terrible actress. After referee realized it was Brie, shouldn’t it be DQ?

    RYBACK VS. BIG SHOW
    Another bad finish. But at least the match was short, which is big plus. I liked Miz’s promo.

    JOHN CENA VS. KEVIN OWENS II
    It was amazing. But imagine how much better it would be, if we actually wait for this rematch. If they give story a bit more time it could be all-time classic. It is so easy. If they did second match in July, it would be a rubber match in SummerSlam. Now will they drop it before SummerSlam or will do the fourth match? Despite the loss Owens looked as strong as possible. Crowd was into it all the time. And post-match was very good.

    BIG E & XAVIER WOODS VS. PRIME TIME PLAYERS
    Smackdown match on PPV. Title change was surprising. Let’s see how it will play out. I can see Prime Time Players be transit champions to pass titles to Harper and Rowan.

    SETH ROLLINS VS. DEAN AMBROSE
    Great story. Only reason I didn’t choose them as a best match, cause crowd was pretty flat in the first half. No interferences, no screwjobs. Close match with the beautiful finish. Can’t believe some people is being upset with this finish. After all this matches with million of interferences from Kane and others, we finally get a clean PPV main event, where Seth was just a little bit better in the end.  Now we have to wait, how they will explain return of the Brock.

    Dmitry Shakhov, Russia.

    Hi Dave

    Thumbs up
    Best Match: Cena vs Owens
    Worse Match: Big Show vs Ryback

    I skipped most of the preshow, but did tune in for the Dusty Rhodes tribute.  That, as you’d expect, was very good, and Renee Young being so visibly upset was especially moving.  We don’t usually get to see human reactions in WWE.  The ten bell salute was also touching, though I wish that guys with silly gimmicks that weren’t working on the show, like Curtis Axel, didn’t have to be in character.

    Money in the Bank match:  I dunno, but I thought this match was pretty dull.  Not because there weren’t a lot of big spots, but because it felt very formulaic, with everyone taking turns being the pair in the ring for awhile.  I Can’t say that anyone particularly stood out.  Not sure what to make of the Bray Wyatt appearance; he’s a character that just doesn’t feel as important at WWE seems to think he is. I’m not sure a feud with Roman Reigns is good for either man.  As for Sheamus, I’ve always liked him and thought he was underappreciated, so I hope the briefcase win can help elevate him back up the card. Don’t know what you do with a heel MITB winner and heel champion though.

    Paige vs Nikki:  Match was pretty good.  Paige’s attempt to channel CM Punk in her prematch promo felt pretty hollow though.  I don’t know why the Bellas are heels all of a sudden, but then I didn’t know why they were faces either.  Nikki is much more effective as a heel, and I can get behind Paige as a babyface.  That finish though… I like the idea of twin magic backfiring and Paige pinning Brie, and Brie immediately trying to prove her true identity, but the ref restarting the match was super dumb.  He should have declared Paige the winner by DQ, so Nikki doesn’t lose the title, and then she can still beat Paige up afterwards. 

    Ryback vs Big Show: Not gonna lie, I watched a minute or two of this, then went to find something else to do.  Saw enough to know it was the worst match of the night.  This is a bad spot for Big Show, though at this point I don’t know what a good spot for him is.

    Cena vs Owens:  Wow, what a match.  WHAT A MATCH.  I think that it was, in fact, better then the first one.  I’ve never been a Cena fan, but I can’t deny his presence makes a match feel like a big deal.  He and Owens really put on a show.  My only quibble is that the Springboard Stunner just looks worse and worse every time I see it.  While I was annoyed that Owens lost, once it became clear they were doing a rubber match, hopefully at SummerSlam, I was fine with it.  Loved the postmatch angle.  My hope is that Cena is kept of TV until the Tokyo special, then he helps cost Owens the NXT title to Balor.  So Owens loses the title but is protected, and there’s grudges on both sides to settle in a third match.

    New Day vs the Prime Time Players:  Pretty basic.  I wish the WWE would change up the tag team formula a bit.  I think it was a mistake to take the titles off the New Day so soon.

    Ambrose vs Rollins: This match.  I’m not sure how I feel about it.  A lot of the work was very good, and the guys sure killed themselves, but I just never fully got into it.  The crowd seemed to feel the same way.  It was a mistake, I think, to book a two person ladder match on the same show as the Money in the Bank match.  Even though both were laid out very differently, they still felt the same.  I liked that Seth Rollins worked over a body part, particularly a body part that was greatly needed in a match that would involve a lot of climbing.  But Ambrose was inconsistent with his selling; one minute he’s racing into Rollins and leaping off the announce table, the next he’s crawling like he’s been shot.  His goofy overdone facial expressions didn’t help either. Frankly, I think he’s about due for a heel turn. The ending sequence, with those two brutal Powerbombs to the guardrail, and the Sitout Powerbomb on the ladder, was something, though why you’d do a Sitout Powerbomb onto a ladder, meaning you land on it yourself rather then just throw your opponent on it, is a mystery to me.  I know some people didn’t like the finish; I didn’t mind it, other then Ambrose popping back up after that beating, but I was fine with them continuing to fight for the belt after it was unhooked.  Baffling that Sheamus wouldn’t cash in on Rollins though.

    Thanks,
    Ken Raining

    Thumbs down show. Everybody worked their tails off but the booking was not on their side. I’m honestly just frustrated as a fan because WWE can do better than this. 

    OVERALL: Thumbs down
    BEST MATCH: Ambrose vs. Rollins
    WORST MATCH: Ryback vs. Big Show

    Money In The Bank Ladder Match — Sheamus winning was kind of out of nowhere. They should have just given it to Reigns. They need to defecate or get off the pot with him. I don’t think a feud with Bray Wyatt will help either Reigns or Wyatt.  Good action in the match though. (***1/2)

    Nikki Bella vs. Paige, Divas Title — Good match because they were given time. Really bad finish though. (**3/4)

    Ryback vs. Big Show, IC Title — This match wasn’t that bad but it wasn’t that good either. Stupid finish hurt the match quite a bit too. They are completely wasting Ryback at this point. (*1/4)

    Kevin Owens vs. John Cena — I had a strong feeling Cena was going to win this because of how WWE books things. Not to mention that he’s still the United States champion and his championship wouldn’t have meant as much had Owens beaten him twice. Great match with lots of kickouts to finishers and hard work but I honestly didn’t think this was as good as everybody is making it out to be. I think the crowd made the match feel better than it was. Nice ending to protect Owens by having him dismantle Cena. (****)

    New Day vs. Prime Time Players, Tag Team Title — Pretty solid match between these two teams. I guess the big push for PTP is coming because Titus O’Neal is starting to get over some. Good for them as I do like them both. (**1/4)

    Ambrose vs. Dean Ambrose, WWE World Championship — So I guess Dean Ambrose’s push is once again halted. I really wish the WWE would just pull the trigger and have him get the title and face Lesnar at SummerSlam. As much as I love Seth Rollins, they’re not doing much with him and I feel like him scheming to regain the title he lost would help. But I guess they’re trying to kill the feud between the two of them. I get it. The match itself was tremendous and I think would have had way more heat had everybody not already known the outcome beforehand. (****)

    Craig Reeves

    Thumbs Up
    Best Match Cena-Owens
    Worst Match- Show-Ryback
    As  much as I want to give this show thumbs down, I can’t hate on a show that had two really good matches. The Main Event  might gone a little long, but it was nice a dramtic tension filed ladder match that didn’t turn into a stunt show.

    Other than those two Matches, the show was awful.  Sheamus winning makes zero sense… and I never felt that match had the tension that Money in the Bank Matches usually have. The Women’s match was ok.. but the finish made zero sense… (the ref saw Bri Interfere, why was there no DQ, Ryback and Show was awful, with an worse finish, and the tag match was short, and why take the titles off
     your hottest act. At the end of the day this was a two match show.. but those two matches were good enough to make me go thumbs up….

    —

    Michael Anderson Kruse

    Fuck this company.

    How could anyone give a fuck about anyone after this show?

    Best match: Cena/Owens

    Worst match: Ryback/Show

    MITB Match
    It was fun until Sheamus won. Can’t wait for Bray to job again! **3/4

    Divas Title Match
    Ahahahahahahahaha RIP Dusty. *

    IC Title Match
    Was easy to tell that Miz was going to interfere. It took 8 minutes. 0 stars.

    John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
    These guys just shit out ****3/4 matches like no ones business. Cena winning was awful, but it was a ****3/4 quality match dumbed down to a **** match because Cena pinned Owens after a fucking Springboard Stunner. God damn this booking. ****

    Tag Team Title Match
    Heels get all the heat and then are beat within a minute. Please hurry back, Tyson. *3/4

    World Heavyweight Title Match
    Never got bored during this match. Was amazingly well paced, great flow, and a story that made sense. Jobrose showed, once again, that he’s the best seller in the company. And then all my time was wasted with another goddamn fuck finish. I fucking hate this company. ***

    Brady Childs

    Thumbs Up
    Best Match: Cena Owens II
    Worst Match: divas

    The Owens rematch was not quite as good as last months as a whole but certain points of it were better than things in the first match. Rollins and Ambrose went through a war. Odd booking to take the titles off New Day and the briefcase to sheamus but they have at least hammered home how the holder doesnt not automatically win anymore so Sheamus could cash in and lose.

    The MITB match itself wasnt quite on par with many others. Seemed to be a tad off at points and didnt like everyone being wiped out so early by lesser moves so folks could do one on one spots. Also never care for ladders and climbing come in to play right off the bat prefer a build to first usage. Show may have been a thumbs middle or down without the Owens and title matches but those saved the grade!

    Michael OBrien
    Brockton MA

    Thumbs up!

    Best match: Ambrose VS Rollins followed by Owens VS Cena
    Worst match: None really.

    Money in the bank ladder match: Good match with some nice spots! However, all those matches look and feel the same. Kofi Kingston getting back up on his feet 30 seconds after being powerbombed on the ladder and getting another guy powerbombed on him is ridiculous. Interesting choice with Sheamus winning. It gives him momemtum and adds a new face to the main event picture.

    Divas match: Good match given a lot of time. I taught the finish was clever.

    Ryback VS Big Show: Short match, better than I expected. Ryback lifting Big Show for the shell shock should have been on this show and not on RAW.

    Cena VS Owens: Great match, as good as the first one. Owens deserves everything he is getting lately.

    Tag title match: Happy to see the Prime Time players get some spotlight finally. I was surprised by this win, however. Match was fun.

    Ambrose VS Rollins: This is EXACTLY what professional wrestling is all about: storytelling! If there is one thing to remember from the great late Dusty Rhodes is that selling… sells! Ambrose did a fantastic job selling his injuries, even his post-match facial expressions were great. They didn’t just do a bunch of crazy stuff just for the sake of it. Everything they did meant something. This match reminds me of the forgotten HBK VS Jericho ladder match from 2008. It was a brutal grudge match, and even after all what Rollins did to Ambrose, Ambrose was always coming back. With all the crazy over the top matches of the last 10 years blending all together in a fuzzy mess in my head, this ladder match will stand out because of the selling and storytelling. And the stunned audience at the end made this match even better. This match will be remembered.

    PS: Bring back the curb stomp!

    Manuel A. R.

    Hey Dave,

    Overall: Thumb up show. It was a three match show, and each marquee match delivered to some degree.  Owen’s solidified himself as a main player, and perhaps more importantly, a heel character. It appears as though Reigns and Wyatt will be heading into Summerslam. This has the potential to be good for both guys who still need to sharpen the tools they have and add some additional instruments to their respective tool belts. The main event presented an admirable fight from Ambrose, and a vicious and competent victory for Rollins.
    Best Match: Owens vs. Cena was on par with their first encounter. In other words, it was great.
    Worst Match: The finish for Ryback and Show was about as unsatisfying as it gets. It was not even worth a boo, so it was met with silence.

    Cool to see the public acknowledgment and celebration of the life of Dusty Rhodes. The roster is obviously touched by his passing, and the crowd was respectful and appreciative as well.

    1. Money in the Bank Contract Ladder Match: Randy Orton vs. Neville vs. Kane vs. Kofi Kingston vs.  Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns.
    Well laid out and nicely executed Money in the Bank Ladder Match.  Unarguably one of the better, and perhaps one of the top matches of its kind. It suffered from the traditional multiple man ladder match pitfalls (laying outside the ring, waiting, and slow climbing) but the peaks, valleys, twists and turns kept the match momentum moving upwards. There was enough “awe” spots to fill the time, but not too many to appear unsafe and reckless.  The appearance of Wyatt was a surprise, and the Sheamus victory was perhaps more unexpected. I am hopeful that Wyatt and Reigns can bring something out of each other that has not yet been revealed to the general audience. ***3/4

    2. Divas Title Match: Nikki Bella vs. Paige. They were given the time and the crowd gave them a chance. The action was here and there; some stuff was on point, other spots were choppy and mistimed.  Part of me does not mind the screw job finish. If nothing else, it was a creative twist that used past history to surprise the audience. The other part of me shakes my head because the ref obviously saw the sin and yet did nothing to reprimand the sinner. *3/4

    3. Intercontinental Title Match: Big Show vs. Ryback. The pre match promo by Miz was very well done.  The in ring action between Show and Ryback was completely acceptable. The uncreative and anticlimactic finish was inexcusably unacceptable. To make matters worse, it followed another unsatisfactory tainted finish.  *1/2

    4. Kevin Owens vs. John Cena. At the onset of the contest, to quote Michael Cole, “The atmosphere is electric.” For once, this was not an overstatement. In layout, the match was similar to their first encounter. Perhaps, too similar. In execution it was a step behind. In crowd involvement, a step above. Most importantly,  in overall enjoyment, it was on par.  Was this an example of finisher inflation? Yes. However, I did think they gave adequate time between moves and counters to let the audience breath and to allow the wrestlers to sell. I enjoyed the referee’s role sub plot. It almost made up for the pitiful finishes in the prior two matches. Almost. The finish was a clean win for Cena. Maybe, that was a little disappointing. The after match attack by Owen’s was awesome. Nobody likes a sore loser, and a sore loser is a heel. I am not sure the live audience agreed with this basic fact of life.  Owen’s laugh and facial expression after the attack is one of his attributes that sets him apart. ****

    5. Tag Team Title Match: The New Day vs. The Prime Time Playas. Formulaic, but acceptable tag team match. They made the crowd wait for the hot tag, and the crowd showed some patience and reacted to the tag and the finish.  I am surprised the Prime Time Playas got the win, but I am happy the finish was clean. I expect the New Day to get the belts back in the next month. *3/4

    6. WWE World Championship Ladder Match: Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose. Crowd was quite subdued to start. The beginning of the match was methodical, which was not complemented with a quiet live crowd. Using solid storytelling, the competitors were able to build empathy for Ambrose and create excitement and anticipation for each ascension up the ladder.  By the end, I felt the match built nicely into a war of attrition, which showcased a mean streak in Seth and some admirable toughness for Ambrose.  The finish gives credibility to Seth without pushing Ambrose back down the ladder (pun intended). In conclusion, it was a good, but not great, ladder match and an acceptable end cap to a solid event.

    Thanks, Derrick Hubbard

    Hello Dave,

    Thumbs Up.

    I was at the show tonight and almost the entire arena was filled. Crowd was hot even during announcer introductions.

    Crowd really hot for Barrett v Truth. Let’s Go Barrett/Barrett sucks chants.

    Roman received the biggest pop, Ziggler 2nd, Orton 3rd, Neville 4th
    Crowd hated Kane and Sheamus but Kofi had most heat.
    Everyone in the arena stood up for the Red Arrow on Sheamus.
    Crowd was really disappointed when Sheamus won and there wasn’t a lot of heat. Music was pumped through the arena loudly to cover up lack of loud reaction.

    Crowd was confused with Divas finish because the ref waved his arms like the match was thrown out and needed to get picked up after the awful Intercontinental Title match finish. So they brought out Cena & Owens to huge reactions.

    Cena and Owens got a standing ovation at one point for having such an outstanding match. Crowd was into every move and loved the match.

    Crowd loved the Primetime Players victory. It looked like Big E was legal man in match but I’d have to watch it again. Sets up Rowan and Harper for titles I guess.

    Crowd reacted positively to Triple H’s pep talk but booed Rollins during entrance. Quiet during the first half and got a little excited when they brawled through the crowd but the match lacked heat. The crowd was gasped when Rollins’ music played and was apathetic until the show ended.

    Erik Thibault

  • Feedback to UFC 188

    Best match: Werdum vs Velasquez

    Worst match: Torres vs Hill

    Thumbs up. Torres vs Hill was about as exciting as watching Super Invader vs Todd Champion. Rodriguez vs Rosa was a good fight. Rodriguez looked sharp and is someone to watch. In no way was this a split decision, it was pretty clear Rodriguez won 29-28. Gastelum vs Marquardt was a good showing for Gastelum and a sad one for Marquardt. It’s time for Marquardt to hang it up. Melendez vs Alvarez was okay, but did not live up to expectations. Not even close. Velasquez vs Werdum was a lot of fun. It’s funny because to me it looked like both fighters were fighting in slow motion a lot of the fight, but the shots were still effective. I was thrillled to see Werdum win in decisive fashion

    Shannon Steward

    ****

    Thumbs in the middle. Maybe a little up from the top fights. Their spottiest card in awhile. Altitude got to everybody, even the locals.

    Best fight: Werdum-Cain, HM to Alvarez-Melendez, Rodriguez-Rosa

    Worst fight: Pendred-Montaño, Torres-Hill

    Best performance: Werdum, HM to Alvarez, Rodriguez, Escudero, Williams, Benitez

    Worst performance: Montaño

    KO: none (!)

    Sub: Werdum, HM to Williams, Escudero

    Gabriel Benitez looking like a different fighter batters Clay Collard but cannot finish him. Altitude definitely had an effect and Collard trains in Utah. Could easily have been wider than 30-27 but of course isn’t. Cathal Pendred takes a 29-28 UD stinker over Augusto Montaño, who is warned for timidity after the 1st and seemed the more gassed of the two.

    Johnny Case paintjobs Francisco Trevino in another stinker. Case seemed well on the way to an impressive win when he ate an eyepoke in the 1st but dominated even afterward. 30-27 only possible score. Patrick Williams blows Alejandro Perez away, immediately knocking him down and snatching Guillotine and putting him to sleep. 23s. Grudging applause. Almost the same fight as Erfrain Escudero footsweeps Drew Dober and snatches Guillotine and Dover resists but has to tap. 54s. Close fight between Henry Cejudo and Chico Camus. Camus stuffed every TD till the last few seconds and he just gave that one up as there were feet of daylight, and that may have been the margin but it’s a UD with one 29-28.

    Tecia Torres mostly drubs Angela Hill in another stinker. Same scoring as last fight.

    In by far best fight of the night so far Yair Rodriguez comes out at the bell doing matrix stuff and landing it and dominates the first two. Charles Rosa refuses to quit and dominates the 3rd. Gotta be 29-28 Rodriguez. One judge goes the other way. Great fight. Rodriguez pukes on his promo, fortunately off camera.

    Kelvin Gastelum is fat but much too quick for quickly aging Nate Marquardt and does pretty much what he wants and it’s stopped by the corner after the 2nd. Maybe lucky for Gastelum because he looked to be gassing from hitting him. Gastelum really belongs at 170 but he’s just too lazy. Nate should retire. 

    Eddie Alvarez looks tiny against Gil Melendez like he did against Cerrone. He should drop to 45. Gil busts Eddie up in the 1st. Eddie makes his own eye shut when he blows his nose after the round. But Eddie refuses to quit and takes the 2nd and 3rd. Eddie had the bigger gas tank. Both busted up at the end. 29-28 Eddie by me. One judge goes the other way. Right decision. This is the Alvarez we’re used to seeing. 

    Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum both come out bombing in the 1st. A lot of clinch work. Cain is cut. Cain gets 2 flash TDs, Fabricio 1. Cain wants no part of ground. Very close round. Cain MIGHT have edged it but Fabricio holding his own standing. The pace is going to kill somebody. In the 2nd Cain landing LKs but he looks the more gassed. Cain picks it up but Fabricio blasts back. Cain is rocked. Cain goes back to the LKs. Cain busier but Fabricio landing the harder shots. Fabricio nearly gets a standing cravat. Cain rocked again. Less and less on his strikes. Cain in trouble. He drops. Bounces up. Cain saved by the bell. Fabricio 10-8. Cain a mess in the corner. Fabricio barely breathing hard. The doctor is in. Gets Cain a little extra rest. They want Cain to take him down in the 3rd and he does. Kicks the legs a little and Fabricio up. Cain lands a HK. Fabricio snags a standing Guillotine. Lets go and lands knees. Misses a HK. Cain shoots right into a Guillotine and quickly taps. Cain clearly way off form from the long layoff and insufficient time training at altitude but full credit to Werdum who takes him to school and unifies the HW title.

    Crimson Mask

    *****

    Thumbs Up. PPV portion only. The undercard was all good. Alvarez vs Melendez was great, as expected. And then the main event. In the biggest irony of all, a foreigner beat a mexican in Mexico because of the altitude. Being a long time football/soccer fan I know all about outsiders falling short when they get to Mexico City because they can’t keep up with the “thin” air while the local team overachieves. But this was at another level because it was the opposite result. Plus, Cain’s main atribute was the cardio. It’s pretty much incredible that no one on Cain’s team thought of that aspect.

    Leonardo II Mendez

    San Sebastian, PR

    *****

    Overall: Thumbs Down

    Best Fight: Yair Rodriguez vs. Charles Rosa

    Worst Fight: Tecia Torres vs. Angela Hill

    If the UFC went back to Mexico City in 100 years it would be too soon. The altitude was SUCH a huge factor in the quality of fights. Way more than Denver ever has been. There’s got to be other arenas in Mexico that aren’t at such high altitude. 

    Tecia Torres def Angela Hill

    Just a lay-and-pray fest. Awful. I get the strategy considering how tiring it must have been to fight, but come on.

    Yair Rodriguez def Charles Rosa

    Great fight. It slowed down after awhile due to altitude. Yair fights like a star, and he speaks both Spanish and English which is a huge plus for the UFC. Yair was AWESOME in the first round and I’d love to see what this guy could do closer to sea level. 

    Kelvin Gastelum def Nate Marquardt

    Proud of Nate’s corner for ending it when they did. More corners should do that and save their fighter’s future health. In retrospect Nate should have never taken this fight in Mexico City. I hope he’s okay. 

    Eddie Alvarez def Gilbert Melendez

    There’s no doubt in my mind that Gilbert wins this fight if it was in California or Vegas. Instead he loses to a one eyed man after completely gassing out in the second. After this fight I decided I’m never watching another show that’s booked in Mexico City. 

    Fabricio Werdum def Cain Velasquez

    Mr. Cardio himself loses due to cardio. Another fight I think the other guy would have won if it was closer to sea level. Werdum showed a hell of chin as he took some heavy jabs, hooks, and uppercuts over and over from Cain and seemed unphased. Cain looked like he was about to pass out from exhaustion in the second round and had trouble even getting the water bottle to his mouth in between rounds. Yet still I think Cain would have won this had it not been in Mexico City. Cain was showing he was still the most skilled heavyweight in the world until he totally gassed out. I’m not taking the win away from Werdum though, it’s Cain’s fault for not making the sacrifice and training in Mexico like Werdum did. Werdum is already 37 but seems to suddenly be in his prime. We’ll see how long that lasts. I expect Cain to return to the championship soon, if he can ever stay healthy. 

    -Matthew Burrill

    @mattb425

    Thumbs up
    Best Match – Velasquez vs Werdum
    Worst Match – Alvarez vs Melendez

    Never thought I’d ever see Cain tap – WOW! Loved Yair Rodriguez’s performance. Melendez/Alvarez was such a let down. El Niño got beat by a guy who couldn’t see out of his eyes. It felt like three rounds of shadow boxing. What Joe Rogan said was right – when there is such a huge grudge – there is an intense fear of failure that makes everyone tentative.

    Jason Singh
    Vallejo, CA

  • WWE house show report 6-13 Terre Haute, IN – Cena vs. Kane

    The show began with a 10 Bell Salute to the late great Dusty Rhodes. Byron Saxton was the ring announcer and “hype” guy for then show.

    Opening Intercontinental Championship Match – (c) Ryback vs. Bray Wyatt
    Lots of crowd interaction. The kids are really into Ryback. Tons of “Feed Me More” chants. Good back and forth action. Ryback won with the Shell Shock.

    Singles Match – Bo Dallas vs. Jimmy Uso
    Bo cut a promo to begin, about his usual shtick. He trashed Terre Haute Indiana. ISO came out to a huge pop from the crowd. Lots of little kids really into Jimmy. Super short match that Jimmy Uso won after hitting a splash off the top.

    Post match Bo Dallas challenges anyone from the back to come out and if he loses he’ll never come back to this “disgusting town” again.

    Singles Match – Bo Dallas vs. Jack Swagger
    Swagger answered the challenge and Bo attacked him immediately. Even shorter match than the first one, Swagger won with the Ankle Lock.

    Divas Tag Team Match – Naomi & Tamina vs. Nikki and Brie Bella
    Best part of then match so far is Naomi’s shoes that light up when the lights are out. Formulaic tag. Cut off, cut off, cut off, false tag, hot tag, finish. Rack Attack by Nikki, for a Bella’s victory.

    Up next is Chris Jericho. He cut an amazing promo as always. Seeing Jericho was really the reason I came. He cut a crazy promo about taking over the WWE from The Authority.

    Singles Match – Chris Jericho vs. Luke Harper
    Pretty good match. Quality for a house show. But, two fantastic workers. The crowd was really into it. Jericho picked up the win with the Codebreaker.

    Intermission

    WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way Match – (c) New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. The Ascension vs. The Miz & Adam Rose w/ Rosa Mendez vs. The Mega Powers
    All four teams really took time to work the crowd, trying to get everyone back into things after the intermission. New Day did some promo work and sang “We Are The Champions” before the match. The crowd exploded for The Mega Powers. Curtis Axel got that hot tag and went crazy. Hulk up, leg drop, everything on The Miz. Big E snuck in after the leg drop and stole the win from Curtis Axel with a simple school boy pin, for The New Day.

    Singles Match – Erick Rowan vs. Cesaro
    Excellent matchup. Cesaro is just so good. Rowan is very capable himself. The crowd was into the match and the action was hard-hitting for WWE. Cesaro won a really good match after a Big Swing then the Sharpshooter for the submission victory.

    Singles United States Championship Main Event Match – (c) John Cena vs. Corporate Kane
    As should be expected, John Cena literally blew the roof off this tiny building. Loudest pop of the night. Back and forth match. Lots of “hope” spots for Cena to get the crowd behind him over and over. After 20 some years in the business, my god, Kane is so under rated as a performer. 5 moves of doom, two ref bumps and no ref to count Cenas pin, as the end draws close. Kane with the choke slam, false finish! Two only. Double down. Cena over the top of the cage as Kane tried to go out the door. Cena kick the door shut in Kane’s head and Cena escapes for the win.

    And the show is over. No return announcement. Just John Cena celebrating ringside as the house lights come on and b show is over.

    Okay show for $15.

  • WWE June 13 Terre Haute, IN, house show results: John Cena vs. Kane

    Submitted anonymously

    – The show began with a 10 bell salute to the late, great Dusty Rhodes. Byron Saxton was the ring announcer and “hype” guy for then show.

    Intercontinental Championship Match – (c) Ryback vs. Bray Wyatt

    Lots of crowd interaction. The kids are really into Ryback. Tons of “Feed Me More” chants. Good back and forth action. Ryback won with the Shell Shock.

    Bo Dallas vs. Jimmy Uso

    Bo cut a promo to begin, about his usual shtick. He trashed Terre Haute, Indiana. Uso came out to a huge pop from the crowd. Lots of little kids really into Jimmy. Super short match that Jimmy Uso won after hitting a splash off the top. Post match, Dallas challenges anyone from the back to come out and if he loses he’ll never come back to this “disgusting town” again.

    Bo Dallas vs. Jack Swagger

    Swagger answered the challenge and Bo attacked him immediately. Even shorter match than the first one, Swagger won with the Ankle Lock.

    Naomi & Tamina vs. Nikki and Brie Bella

    Best part of then match so far is Naomi’s shoes that light up when the lights are out. Formulaic tag. Cut off, cut off, cut off, false tag, hot tag, finish. Rack Attack by Nikki, for a Bella’s victory.

    Up next is Chris Jericho. He cut an amazing promo as always. Seeing Jericho was really the reason I came. He cut a crazy promo about taking over the WWE from The Authority.

    Chris Jericho vs. Luke Harper

    Pretty good match. Quality for a house show. But, two fantastic workers. The crowd was really into it. Jericho picked up the win with the Codebreaker.

    Intermission

    WWE Tag Team Championship Fatal Four Way Match: New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. The Ascension vs. The Miz & Adam Rose w/ Rosa Mendez vs. The Mega Powers

    All four teams really took time to work the crowd, trying to get everyone back into things after the intermission. New Day did some promo work and sang “We Are The Champions” before the match. The crowd exploded for The Mega Powers. Curtis Axel got that hot tag and went crazy. Hulk up, leg drop, everything on The Miz. Big E snuck in after the leg drop and stole the win from Curtis Axel with a simple school boy pin, for The New Day.

    Erick Rowan vs. Cesaro

    Excellent matchup. Cesaro is just so good. Rowan is very capable himself. The crowd was into the match and the action was hard-hitting for WWE. Cesaro won a really good match after a Big Swing then the Sharpshooter for the submission victory.

    Cage Match: WWE US Champion John Cena vs. Kane

    As should be expected, John Cena literally blew the roof off this tiny building. Loudest pop of the night. Back and forth match. Lots of “hope” spots for Cena to get the crowd behind him over and over. After 20 some years in the business, my god, Kane is so underrated as a performer. 5 moves of doom, two ref bumps and no ref to count Cenas pin, as the end draws close. Kane with the choke slam, false finish! Two only. Double down. Cena over the top of the cage as Kane tried to go out the door. Cena kick the door shut in Kane’s head and Cena escapes for the win.

    And the show is over. No return announcement. Just John Cena celebrating ringside as the house lights come on and show is over. Okay show for $15.

  • WWE NXT June 13 Columbus, OH, house show results: Kevin Owens vs. Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor

    Submitted by Nick Garcia

    The show opened with an instrumental rendition of the national anthem, followed by a 10 bell salute to Dusty Rhodes.

    Enzo & Cass (w/Carmella) over the Vaudevillains via rocketlauncher in 9:49

    Everyone was very over with the crowd. Enzo responded to the “Put your dukes up” challenge of Aiden English by making it a boxing match, complete with their partners as corner men. Aiden actually laid out Enzo in one punch, and it returned to a wrestling match. Lots of love for Dusty at the end of this match with everyone showing respect to him at the end of the match. Looks like a possible face transition for Aiden and Gotch. New music and they were invited to share the applause with Enzo and Cass. Fun match.

    Bull Dempsey over Jason Jordan in 8:21

    Still going with the cardio angle with Dempsey being challenged to do pushups, situps, and then getting winded while chasing JJ. I don’t know that I’m a fan of the Bull gimmick, but following crowd favorites (Enzo/Cass & Vaudevillains) risked dooming BD and JJ. His gimmick won the crowd.

    BAM over Zack Ryder & Mojo Rawley after BM pins ZR in 10:16 while hanging onto the ropes

    Crowd couldn’t decide if they liked or hated Mojo. He did his hammertime move and forcibly kissed Alexa, being met with chants of “No means no”. Also, Alexa is very believable as a mean girl. I believe the turn.

    Women’s Champion Sasha over Charlotte via submission in 13:57

    These two are incredible wrestlers. Convincing a crowd that a belt will change hands at a house show is difficult, but it really felt like a battle for the title. Multiple submission attempts from both. Sasha worked Charlotte’s leg and Charlotte sold it for the rest of the match.  There was a strange rope spot where it looked like Charlotte slipped while climbing the ropes. The response was excellent, as Sasha immediately played off of the opportunity to hit a downed opponent. Great match.

    Intermission

    Bayley and Carmella over Emma and Dana Brooke in 8:53

    Carmella submitted Emma with her modified headscissor finish. The crowd has increasingly liked Carmella, but Ican’t say the same for Dana Brooke, despite serious improvements. Bayley and Evil Emma were adored. Fun match.

    Tyler Breeze over Baron Corbin via pinfall in 8:42

    Breeze won with the beauty shot over Corbin for the second time in Columbus. After the match, Corbin attacked Breeze from behind with the End of Days. Corbin is improving as a heel. Tonight was the first time I’ve seen him try to look intense and pull it off.

    NXT Champion Kevin Owens over Finn Balor and Samoa Joe in 12:17 after Owens pins Joe with the popup powerbomb

    Match began with Owens exiting the ring and encouraging FB/SJ to fight, chanting  “This is awesome- *clap *clap *clap *clap *clap -, right guys?” Crowd rooted for everyone, but KO did Cena’s 5 Moves of Doom and had the pop of the night. Match itself was fast paced with heavy impacts. Everyone had heavy offense. Match ended after SJ hits FB with the Muscle Buster and Owens hits SJ with the popup. Good match. Much more intense than I expected from Owens the night before MITB.