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  • The casual fan’s guide to Wrestlemania 32

    By Ryan Pike for WrestlingObserver.com

    WrestleMania is the Super Bowl of wrestling, a one-day menagerie of the best and brightest (of those not injured) from this great sport. Because of its prominence, it’s also a time of year where people that never watch wrestling wander back and have no idea what’s going on. In an effort to help out those casual fans that gravitate back to wrestling every spring, here’s a quick and dirty primer for this weekend’s big event.

    WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (WWE Champion; 46; 9-10 at WrestleMania) vs. Roman Reigns (30; 2-1 at WrestleMania)

    Helmsley better known as Triple H, is appearing in his 20th WrestleMania (9-10) and has risen through the ranks from getting beaten by the Ultimate Warrior in 90 seconds at WrestleMania XII to the point where he’s a real-life WWE executive and the on-screen leader of a villainous corporate stable called The Authority. Reigns is the latest good-guy character to run afoul of The Authority – following Daniel Bryan and John Cena – and was twice briefly WWE Champion last year before the Authority stacked the deck against him and Triple H won the championship from him in the Royal Rumble match.

    Despite the Authority’s enmity towards him, he was able to earn another title match. They haven’t really established why either guy wants to be the champion, and the grudge between these two men seems to come from Triple H offering Reigns a spot in the Authority several months back (after Seth Rollin’s knee injury) and Reigns answering by attacking him without provocation. To the shock of few, Triple H is getting more cheers than Reigns is.

    Hell in a Cell for Control of RAW: The Undertaker (51; 22-1 at WrestleMania) vs. Shane McMahon (46; 2-0 at WrestleMania)

    The Undertaker is the longest-tenured member of the WWE roster, having debuted at the 1990 Survivor Series as a a spooky mortician. He’s gradually evolved into a less cartoonish character, but still retained some of the bad-ass mysticism of his character. He was undefeated at WrestleMania until two years ago, when Brock Lesnar beat him. He’s facing Shane McMahon, Vince’s son, for control of Monday Night RAW (the television show). Shane wrestled a bit as a special attraction throughout chunks of the late ’90s and mid ’00s, and was actually decent for somebody with no real training.

    Why the Undertaker was roped into this match-up has never really been explained on-camera, besides “The Authority told him to.” If Shane wins and gains control of RAW, the Undertaker won’t be allowed to compete at WrestleMania ever again. Based on the tepid fan response so far, it’s unclear if the audience really buys that either of the match’s stipulations will be followed. After all, The Authority were banished forever last year and it lasted for just a few weeks.

    No Holds Barred Street Fight: Dean Ambrose (30; 2-1 at WrestleMania) vs. Brock Lesnar (38; 2-3 at WrestleMania)

    This match has arguably the simplest build-up on the show. Both of these guys were in a match with Roman Reigns last month for a WWE Title shot. Ambrose cost Lesnar the match, and both guys are mad at each other for blocking their path to the WWE Championship and wish to fight to prove who is the best. Lesnar is a former UFC champion and legitimately one of the toughest men in WWE history, while Ambrose has developed a “loose cannon” character since debuting as part of The Shield a few years back, and the build for this match has been around how Ambrose is too crazy to be appropriately scared of a terrifying human being like Lesnar.

    Grudge Match: Chris Jericho (45; 4-7 at WrestleMania) vs. AJ Styles (38; WrestleMania debut)

    Chris Jericho debuted in WWE in 1999 as the hottest free agent in pro wrestling and earned many chants and much adoration from fans. AJ Styles debuted in WWE in early 2016 as the hottest free agent in wrestling and earned many chants and much adoration from fans. These men have had a “mutual respect” feud dating back to Styles’ debut in late January and after three matches this feud has turned into full-on hatred.

    Much of the build for the match has revolved around Jericho being jealous that the fans are chanting for Styles instead of him, but if you ignore how lame that sounds the feud is basically about an insecure character worried that the wrestling world is passing him by. Oh, and both guys are great in the ring so this could be the best match of the night from a technical perspective.

    WWE Divas Championship Triple Threat Match: Charlotte (Divas Champion; 29; WrestleMania debut) vs. Sasha Banks (24; WrestleMania debut) vs. Becky Lynch (29; WrestleMania debut)

    Charlotte is Ric Flair’s daughter, Banks is Snoop Dogg’s cousin and Lynch was trained by NXT champion Finn Balor. All three came up through NXT and had awesome matches. All three of these women debuted in July as part of the “Divas Revolution,” which changed the way women’s wrestling was perceived largely by showcasing the same women in short matches on RAW without finishes. (The concept was largely abandoned by September.) The women’s division was initially three teams which broke apart, and eventually the storytelling focused on Banks and Lynch facing off against Charlotte after she won the title and became a heel back in the fall.

    Fun Fact: This is the first triple threat match with all three competitors making their WrestleMania debuts since WrestleMania 2000 (where Chris Jericho, Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle faced off).

    Handicap Tag Team Match: The New Day [WWE Tag Team Champions Xavier Woods (29; WrestleMania debut), Kofi Kingston (34; 1-4 at WrestleMania) and Big E (30; 0-2 at WrestleMania)] vs. The League of Nations [Alberto del Rio (38; 1-2 at WrestleMania), King Barrett (35; 0-2 at WrestleMania), Sheamus (38; 1-3 at WrestleMania) and Rusev (30; 0-1 at WrestleMania)]

    The New Day describe themselves as “unicorns,” which is a weird way of describing them. They’re a trio of positive wrestlers who are over the top with their enthusiasm, which has led to them gradually becoming fan favourites because they’re so ridiculous that it’s tough to hate them. The League of Nations are four bad-guy wrestlers from foreign countries, with all three men lacking direction with their characters beyond being tough and mean and foreign. The New Day have been tag team champions for much of the last year, though the titles are not on the line.

    Fun Fact: This is the first handicap tag team match at WrestleMania since WrestleMania XX’s Evolution vs. Rock & Sock Connection 3-on-2 match.

    WWE Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Kevin Owens (Intercontinental Champion; 31; WrestleMania debut) vs. Sami Zayn (31; WrestleMania debut) vs. Sin Cara (38; WrestleMania debut) vs. The Miz (35; 3-1 at WrestleMania) vs. Stardust (30; 1-4 at WrestleMania) vs. Dolph Ziggler (35; 1-5 at WrestleMania) vs. Zack Ryder (30; 0-2 at WrestleMania)

    The primary recent feuds for the Intercontinental Title have been between Owens and his old NXT (and independent circuit) rival Zayn, and him and Ziggler (who has been perpetually in the mix for the Intercontinental and United States Titles). Literally everybody else was thrown into this match at the last minute, after Stephanie McMahon (a heel) berated Owens (a heel) for trying to engineer an easy title defense at WrestleMania. The winner is the first person to climb a ladder and retrieve the title belt.

    Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

    Announced participants include Health Slater (32), Curtis Axel (36), Adam Rose (36), Bo Dallas (25), The Big Show (44), Kane (48), Tyler Breeze (28), Goldust (46), R-Truth (44), Darren Young (32), Mark Henry (44), Konnor (36), Viktor (35), Jack Swagger (34), Fandango (34) and Damien Sandow (33) in a 20-man over-the-top-rope battle royal. The last man standing gets the Andre the Giant trophy, which is basically a statue of the Hall of Fame wrestler who was renowned for his success in battle royals. It helps that he was quite large and really hard to move. Cesaro and The Big Show have won the last two battle royals and it hasn’t done their careers much good, sadly.

  • At last, the WWE women will have their chance at Wrestlemania 32

    This Sunday at Wrestlemania, WWE Divas Champion Charlotte will face Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in a three-way title match that would have served as the logical narrative bookend to the concept that was the Divas Revolution. The payoff of these three facing off against one another on the biggest stage in professional wrestling, having climbed from humble beginnings and overcome negative stigmatization in a male-dominated industry to achieve at the highest level imaginable, would have been both the ultimate testament to the success of the Divas Revolution as a long-term storyline and the proper punctuation on the statement that WWE had reached a new era in the presentation of its female talent.

    Or at least it would have been were it not for the countless fatal decisions made along the way that ultimately lead to its failure. Had WWE’s faith in branding and hashtagging been enough to sustain through incomprehensible storytelling, numerous dreadful on-screen segments (including no fewer than two disastrous episodes of Miz TV), far too many unexplained and illogical changes in the heel-face dynamic, an overwhelming sense of purposelessness, and the tasteless invoking of Reid Fliehr’s name for the sole purpose of cheap heat, the Divas Revolution concept may very well have survived to see Wrestlemania.

    But because so many mistakes made it revolting more often than revolutionary, and because WWE’s commitment to the concept seemed to run only as deep as seeing a buzzword trend worldwide on Twitter a few nights a week, the #DivasRevolution is long dead.

    When Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky step into the ring on Sunday, they will represent all that remains of that misbegotten, in-name-only revolution. Fortunately, they were the only components of it that ever mattered at all.

    The title match at Wrestlemania this Sunday is not at all about the Divas Revolution, despite any possible attempts from WWE commentators to inform the audience otherwise. Rather, it will be above all else the crowning moment for three of the major players of the very real sea change that has been going on for far longer than a hashtag-revolution. It will be a career-defining highlight for Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky, whose work in NXT between 2013-2015 with each other and the likes of Bayley, Natalya, Paige, and Emma was a major catalyst for an actual change in that audience’s perception of women’s wrestling.

    Given their immense collective and individual potential, this should be far from the last big moment these three women will experience at a Wrestlemania.

    What this match could ultimately prove to be is one that may help direct the course of women’s wrestling in WWE for years to come, and one that could help pave the way for other women to enjoy their own much-deserved moments in the spotlight at that level. Someone like Bayley, for example, who has a very real potential to become one of the company’s top money-makers, full stop. The response of the live crowd, and the social response of the worldwide viewing audience, could create enough tangible evidence to convince those who may still believe otherwise that the future of WWE’s female performers is in emphasizing in-ring prowess and performance over aesthetics and sex appeal.

    If rumors of a new WWE Women’s Championship being revealed on the Raw following Wrestlemania prove true and result in the long overdue abandonment of the obnoxious “Divas” brand, then the match between Charlotte, Becky, and Sasha may just be the final, decisive nail in a coffin that they have all worked so hard to seal.

    Or, perhaps, it won’t prove to be that at all. Perhaps the notion of sweeping change in WWE’s philosophy regarding women taking place in just eight months’ time is as ill-fated as thinking that CM Punk’s 434-day championship reign or Daniel Bryan’s Wrestlemania triumph would turn back decades of big-man fetishism. Even today, with Charlotte, Sasha, and Becky on the precipice of taking their well-earned Wrestlemania moments, the company still seems adamant to draw blood from the stone that is Eva Marie, someone who epitomizes what WWE thinks of when it uses the malapropos term “Diva.”

    The fact that the expectation was that she would be cheered when she appeared on Raw (in Brooklyn, of all places) reinforces the idea of a considerable disconnect between WWE’s beliefs and reality. Slotting Eva in as the surprise 10th participant in the pre-show tag match doesn’t quite portend that she would one day be given a run with the championship (though her reemergence on the main roster certainly makes it seem no less plausible), but it also doesn’t dissuade from the idea that there are still those in the company who see a woman’s primary contribution to the product as being her ability to look good in as little clothing as possible.

    Regardless of what the match means or doesn’t mean for the big picture of WWE today and moving forward, it can be said with a fair degree of certainty what it means to the three performers involved: quite simply, everything.

    Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks will be culmination of years of tireless effort and struggle; in one instant, together in front of the largest audience WWE has ever drawn, everything that they have sacrificed along the way will have been worth it. For as much as the concept of the Wrestlemania moment has become another in WWE’s arsenal of trite branding terms, it will be just that for the three, and it will be a moment well deserved.

    Perhaps given the uncertainty of seemingly all things creative in WWE at present, it is simply the best course of action to not worry about whether this match can atone for the failures of the Divas Revolution or set the table for the future of the women’s division. It is unlikely that Charlotte, Sasha, or Becky will be thinking in such lofty terms this Sunday or in the days leading up to it. They will probably not be concerning themselves with starting a movement, causing a revolution, or sparking long-term change.

    Instead, they are much more likely to be focused on a single moment. On appreciating it, and on seizing it. On doing their utmost to steal the show, just as they have in NXT so many times before. With their talent and drive, there is no reason to believe that they cannot deliver on that promise once again, despite the amplified lens. Given their history of pulling off show-stealing performances, it is unlikely that most fans will leave their seats until the finish if only so that they, too, can share in that moment with them. That, in and of itself, speaks to the level of change they have helped affect.

    Before the #DivasRevolution hashtag, there was #GiveDivasAChance. It sprung directly from indignation at women being given so little to work with compared to their male counterparts, rooted in the idea that female wrestlers deserve, at the least, an equal opportunity to show the world what they could do in the ring. This Sunday at Wrestlemania, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky will presumably be empowered and enabled to go out in front of 85,000 fans — many of whom will be invested in the match to at least some extent – and tell a story.

    They should, and likely will, be given every tool available to put on a blow-away match in front of millions of people around the globe. It is fair to say that, despite WWE doing seemingly everything it could to get in its way, women’s wrestling is being given its chance at long last. It would be more appropriate, however, to say that it is an opportunity well earned. 

  • Observer Feature: Patrick Scott Patterson talks NWA Parade of Champions

    Long before Xavier Woods had an UpUpDownDown channel on YouTube, Patrick Scott Patterson was bridging the gap between video game culture and professional wrestling.

    A self-described video game advocate, he also wound up in the confines of the squared circle, where he once ranked as high as #409 in the PWI Top 500 in 2004 under the in-ring name of Scott Phoenix. Some people will scoff at that ranking, but Ion the other hand will respect the fact he’s taken a thousand more bumps than I have in any ring other than the virtual ones of 2K Sports.

    Tonight (Thursday), Scott will return to the wrestling world he once inhabited as a competitor for the NWA Parade of Champions in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday night. He won’t be wrestling though — Scott will be calling some of the action from ringside as a guest commentator. Before we get to that I wanted Scott to tell people a little bit about his history in the gaming world. Incidentally he prefers to go by Scott in conversation, but is credited as Patrick Scott Patterson for all media appearances.

    So how did you first become a video game advocate?

    Long story short, video gaming was my first love as a young child. Over time I wanted to know everything there was about it — not just playing all the games from going all the way back then to every generation successively — but I wanted to know about who made these games, how’d they come about, how’d the industry come about, how did all of these evolve. Over time that passion ended up becoming a profession, and these days I produce online content where we talk about the past, present and future of gaming (and) I speak at live events and appear in documentary films about the subject.

    It feels like there’s an educational shortfall when it comes to preserving the history and informing today’s generation of gamers about where it all came from. There’s not a hundred plus years of history like there is for the squared circle, but sadly in 50 years much has been lost, forgotten, or just flat out inaccurately reported.

    This is true in all forms of entertainment. This is true in film, this is true in books and television and everything else. I think it’s important to know where you came from and how you got to this point, so you can fully understand and appreciate it — and love it for the art form that it is.

    How did you fall in love with wrestling?

    I was born and raised in the Dallas area. The younger generation of wrestling fans don’t even know it at this point, but at one point in time the city of Dallas was the hottest up-and-coming talent factory that there was. We had not just the Von Erichs and the Freebirds — as well as like the Jerry Lawler vs. Andy Kaufman feud as the first instances of ‘sports entertainment’ as well as Gorgeous George going way back.

    It’s a good coincidence that the Fabulous Freebirds are going into the WWE Hall of Fame this weekend,.

    The Freebirds were so influential in what McMahon went on to do by the way. The Freebirds introduced the Rock’n’Wrestling thing even before Vince McMahon did. So they were based down here – but so many talents started in the Dallas area that went on to become bigger and bigger stars: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Booker T, JBL, I could go on and on. A lot of guys didn’t get their start here but came down here and got their first break – people like Sean Waltman, Mick Foley, Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude. At one point in time almost every major talent you would see either started here or came through here on their way to the top.

    What made you to want to step into the squared circle?

    I just had a passion for it – it was something I grew up (with). I was in middle school and high school and I didn’t have a lot of friends. I was bullied, I was beat up a lot, made fun of a lot. I was a real skinny lanky uncoordinated kid. Professional wrestling was my escape during those times. I could live vicariously watching them onTV and imagine that I was going out there with some entrance music and the crowd going crazy and I was throwing these people around that were giving me a hard time at school — I was throwing them around the ring and putting the beatdown on them.

    And what happened when you decided to pursue that passion?

    Spur of the moment I called a local wrestling school and they were having tryouts that weekend. Common sense would have been like ‘Okay — maybe I can spend the next three months, go get in a gym, get in a little better shape, and give it a go.’ No – I decided ‘Alright I’ll see ya this weekend.’ There were four of us in the tryout and somehow I got in. I think it was the fact I was so out of place, and despite everything I was put through I wasn’t going to quit. That promoter at the time was like ‘Well this guy is willing to spend thousands of dollars so I’ll take his money for as long as he’s gonna stick around.

    Who were your trainers at that school that broke you in?

    That was headed up by a guy named Kit Carson – one half of a tag team down here called Team Extreme. Occasionally he’d bring in some of his other friends. He’d bring in his partner Khris Germany, sometimes he’d bring in the original Awesome Kong – obviously not Kia Stevens – one half of the Colossal Kongs. Once I was through that school the promoter really wasn’t – since he wasn’t getting any more money he wasn’t eager to keep me at it. I went and I found another school that was close to where I lived. There I was training with Awesome Kong – Dwayne McCullough was his real name. They were briefly in WCW. You’re never supposed to quit learning in the business – so other people along the way would teach me things. I can’t just point at one person.

    What frustrated you about working on the indies?

    Towards the end of my time in the ring there was a discussion among several indie promoters in the state of Texas about having a Texas Heavyweight Champion who could go outside the state to (represent). Everyone agreed it was a good idea but no one could agree on who held the belt. Self-serving egos got in the way.

    So for a large part of the 1990s a lot of people forgot that NWA even existed. How did we get from there to the revival and the Tournament of Champions?

    I think one of the things that helps the modern version of it is that it’s not trying to be what it was. It’s trying to appeal to those fans who aren’t interested in backstage vignettes and stock prices. They want to see some hot action in the ring. They want to see a good show. I think catering to that is what’s brought some stability to NWA (today).

    What brought you back after retirement?

    I always kind of kept one foot in (wrestling). David Fuller stuck around and stuck around and stuck around. We all said ‘He’s going to be the guy that inherits the whole territory’ and that’s what happened. We reconnected on social media a few years ago and talked about some things, it was late 2014. I hadn’t been to any event for a long time. He was doing an anti-bullying rally and I thought that would be a nice thing to speak in so I agreed to do that. Then he’s came up like ‘Yeah you want to do some commentary?’ I did some color commentary for a match or two. He worked me – turns out he already had me penned in.

    What will you be doing at the NWA Parade of Champions in Fort Worth tonight?

    I’ll do color commentary for Rob Moore’s play-by-play. Yeah – let’s do that – I’m excited to be here! I’m kind of a smart aleck by nature anyway so I always like color commentary in any type of competitive or entertaining thing. It needs to be entertaining but still have some insight. I’m not going to go up there and be playing a gimmick. It’s 2016, plus I’m not a wrestler any more. I’m up there as me. But occasionally I’ll fire off a quick one liner that’s fun or entertaining. But I used to be in the ring – so I can speak to the pressure of being up there in front of a crowd – or if I see a move I never liked being performed on me I can say that as well. ‘Chops? Boy I don’t miss those at all!’ I think having a little direct insight with that experience, you can tow that line, what it’s like in the ring.

    Final thoughts on calling the card on Thursday?

    Whether it’s eSport video game competition or it’s professional wrestling, I think a color commentator needs to help paint the picture. The play-by-play is telling you what’s going on and the color guys needs to be telling you why it matters and why you should care.

  • WWE Total Divas: Total Divastation episode 11

    Submitted by Kevin LaRose

    In Indiana, Paige does a photo shoot. Everyone likes it. Paige falls down on the ground because she is so excited about her sandwich. This is the last we will see of her tonight.

    In Phoenix, the Bellas and Bryan sit down to lunch at a really, really cute breakfast place. They are going to eat Dutch Babies. The Bellas want to start a charitable bra and panty line. Bryan doesn’t want to talk about Nikki’s vagina. Bryan tells a story of Brie giving him a Dutch oven. 

    In Orlando, Nattie is training with Mandy. Nattie is excited because she is going to have an opportunity to get closer to Mandy. Nattie is worried about her “loose cannon” father. She doesn’t want to be embarrassed in front of Mandy’s family. 

    The Bella twins are on the Today show. Nikki is excited to have meetings later in the day in New York. Brie wants to talk about babies, but Nikki doesn’t. 

    On some island in Florida, the Mandy family arrive at the bomb vacation house. They all pick their bedrooms. Her mom and dad don’t want to stand next to each other, because they are separated. Mandy cries. She wants them to be together again. Mandy has plans for them to rekindle their romance. They chase a crab and the Neidharts arrive. Nattie tells Mandy to let her know if her dad acts weird. He just got out of rehab.

    The Bellas are at a really nice restaurant, elegant but casual. They are drinking wine and Nikki is talking business. Nikki set up a meeting with some famous business dude. Brie doesn’t want a meeting. She wants to make the bras and panties herself. 

    Back on the island, everyone is eating breakfast. Mandy and her fedora-ed brother spy on their dad through a tiny window. Nattie draws a lipstick heart on TJ’s face. Jim Neidhart is wearing a hilarious shirt that makes him look like he is wearing a sexy bikini.

    In NY, Brie and Nikki go to take a sewing lesson. Nikki is super negative about learning. Nikki knows Brie is going to fail. Brie tries to make a pair of panties. Nikki thinks Brie is a total failure because she didn’t make a perfect pair on her first try. I think she has potential. 

    Mandy’s family and the Neidharts have a dragon boat race. Mandy’s family is so good at working as a team, and, as expected, the Neidharts are a mess. I bet that Nattie is going to have to learn to love her family, warts and all. She seems to always have to learn that. Nattie is embarrassed that her family lost. Jim Neidhart is pissed because some guy is massaging his wife’s ass. He is having a conniption. Nattie doesn’t want him to cause a scene. Mandy’s family gets in a van and they try to reminisce about old times. Mandy is stoked that her parents are sitting next to each other. The Neidharts join them at a dock and each family gets on a fishing boat. Jim Neidhart makes some very excited noises and then a noise of disappointment. Nattie’s mom reveals that she put a curse on him and he won’t catch any fish, he will only feel the excitement of it. Nattie’s mom catches her third fish. Nattie is pissed that her dad is acting wacky and having fun. She’s glad Mandy isn’t on the boat to see him. Meanwhile, Mandy tries to talk about her dad with her mom. Her mom doesn’t really want to talk about it. 

    Nikki and Brie are still bickering. Brie wants to be on Etsy, and Nikki wants this to be an empire. Nikki believes she is so much better at business than her sister. It’s funny because outside they are identical twins, but inside they are worlds apart. They have a meeting with a fashion designer. The fashion designer has a big show tomorrow, but she is more than happy to take time out of her busy day to talk to them. Brie explains her Etsy vision. This lady doesn’t think that’s feasible. I hope Brie doesn’t give up on herself.

    Back on the island, Mandy takes a walk with her brothers. She remarks to them how much everything has changed. One of her brothers tells her that if she thinks that mom and dad are going to get back together then she’s crazy. Another brother thinks there’s a chance. They yell at each other. 

    Nikki and Bella are hanging out in their swank hotel room in amazing evening gowns. Brie tells Nikki that she is not as good at business as Nikki. Brie acts really humble. Nikki rubs it in her face, but she’s happy that she gets to be in charge. They each thinks the other gives gross hugs.

    Mandy takes her family outside for a drink. Her dad acts all Italian tough guy. Mandy tries to talk to them about getting back together. Mandy cries. Her dad tells them that they are going to stay separated and everyone needs to deal with it. Mandy and her brothers cry. Everyone accepts that things have changed, and they decide to be happy. All the families gather together for a giant meal. They all reflect and laugh over the weekend’s adventures. Mandy gives a toast. Nattie loves Mandy, and she realizes the whole weekend was fun and she didn’t need to stress so much. Haven’t heard that one before, Nattie. 

    Nikki and Brie go into the Empire State Building for a meeting with the famous business dude. They tell him about their charitable lingerie line. He likes that the lingerie line is charitable. He brings in a designer and she draws some panties. He says a lot of noncommittal positive language and tells them he’ll be in touch. The Bellas are really happy.

    Back on the island, Nattie’s tiny nephew gives some precious words of wisdom and they all take a picture of themselves. It may be a mess of a family, but it’s their mess, and I’m sure they wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

    Back in NY, the Bellas are at a really great, really expensive looking restaurant. The Bellas smile at each other, and they make a toast. Brie looks like she’s getting close to Brie Mode. 

    There was a show on another network tonight where a bunch of nut-jobs were excited about installing can lights in their bedroom. That coupled with tonight’s Total Divas, and this is officially the worst night ever in television history. Congratulations, America. 

    Mission Accomplished.

  • Alan 4L’s Japanese Wrestling Notebook: NJPW & NOAH’s big weekend

    New Japan

    NJPW had two shows with titles on the line this past weekend. On Saturday, they were in Nagoya and headlined with a Satoshi Kojima challenge against NEVER Openweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata. After a successful defense, Shibata was challenged by Kojima’s partner Hiroyoshi Tenzan. It looks like the story will be Shibata having to go through “The Third Generation” one by one. The other man who fits that bill is Yuji Nagata and that could end up being a title match in May or June.

    Sunday in Amagasaki, Tomohiro Ishii retained his ROH Television championship against the man who gave him a run for his money in the New Japan Cup – EVIL. After 21 minutes, Ishii hit the vertical fall brainbuster for the win. The NEVER 6 Man titles were also on the line as The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) took on Hiroshi Tanahashi, Michael Elgin & Juice Robinson. The Elite retained following a One Winged Angel by Omega on Juice.

    NOAH

    NOAH had a big show at Korakuen Hall and the results were rather questionable as they continue to have Suzuki-gun run through the NOAH babyfaces in an almost nWo-esque fashion. Whilst Takashi Sugiura retaining against Katsuhiko Nakajima was not a suprise, the tag title match result of Killer Elite Squad defeating Go Shiozaki & Maybach Taniguchi was rather head scratching.

    KES has held the belts for over a year now and the babyface team needed this win, particularly with Shiozaki the man who needs to be belt as the man to conquer Sugiura. The one set of titles that did change hands were the junior tag titles as Daisuke Harada & Atsushi Kotoge dropped their straps to Kenou and Hajime Ohara.

    Today, DDT and Dragon Gate took the stage with big shows in Sumo Hall and Wakayama respectively. At its 19th anniversary show before a sold-out 7000 fans, DDT had its K-OD title up for grabs in a big match between Isami Kodaka and multi-time former champion HARASHIMA. Whilst the Open The Dream Gate featured a main event of Shingo Takagi defending against Ryo Jimmy Saito in front of 1500.

    Get your DDT results here and your Dragon Gate results here.

  • UFC Fight Night 85 DFS Playbook: value picks, who to avoid

    The Octagon returns to Australia this weekend for UFC Fight Night 85 in Brisbane. The event takes place locally on Sunday, but due to the time difference, airs on Saturday night in the US. The event is headlined by a five-round heavyweight bout between Mark Hunt and former champion Frank Mir. Below are our studs, value plays and fighters to avoid when setting your fantasy line-ups for the event on Saturday.

    STUDS

    Alan Patrick ($10,800)

    Alan Patrick has a favorable match-up when he gets short-notice replacement Damien Brown in a preliminary bout fight on Saturday. Brown is taking the fight on just a week’s notice after Patrick’s original opponent, Chad Laprise, was shifted to a different bout against Ross Pearson. Brown has won five straight fights to get in the UFC, but sports just a 15-8 overall record. Patrick is coming off his first career loss and is looking to bounce back in a very big way. He has knockout power but has only finished half of his opponents. However, with the short notice that Brown has, it is very favorable for Patrick to get a finish. This could be a fight card where finishes may be hard to come by. You have to take the odds on this one, and Patrick is a very good play for Saturday.

    James Te Huna ($10,500)

    James Te Huna hasn’t fought since June 2014 and is currently on a 3-fight losing streak where has been finished in the first round in each of those fights. He has been battling injury issues but makes his return on Saturday for his second fight at 185 pounds. It is a must-win fight for Te Huna, and he has a favorable match-up when he takes on Steve Bosse. Bosse fights inside the Octagon for the second time and is looking to bounce back from a spectacular knockout loss from a head kick by Thiago Santos. Bosse probably isn’t a UFC-caliber fighter and is likely only getting a second opportunity due to stepping up on short notice to make his debut. It is a perfect bounce back opportunity for Te Huna, who owns 13 wins by stoppage. I expect him to get his 14th stoppage victory this weekend.

    VALUE PLAYS

    Ross Pearson ($9,300)

    Ross Pearson comes in as an underdog in his fight against Chad Laprise on Saturday, and that already makes him a value play as he is an underdog I think that has an excellent chance at scoring a win. Pearson has been rotating wins-and-losses in his last seven fights, and with coming off a loss, history says he should get the win this time out. He fights Chad Laprise, who was moved to this bout just over a week ago. Coincidentally, Pearson and Laprise both lost their last bouts to the same opponent- Francisco Trinaldo. It was Laprise’s first career loss and he was knocked out in the process. Pearson has power and he does good against opponents with less experience, and he racks up quite a good number of punches as he lands with a lot of volume. At his price point, he has a lot of upside if you choose to put him on your roster. He makes for great value on Saturday.

    Dan Kelly ($8,300)

    Dan Kelly has one of the lowest salaries of all the fighters on Saturday’s card, and it is interesting considering he is 10-1 in his career. He has a blue-chip prospect for his opponent in Antonio Carlos Junior, but one who struggled against a heavy takedown fighter in Patrick Cummins. Kelly is an Olympian in judo and works excellent from the clinch, and his striking has developed nicely. He doesn’t do anything flashy but he does everything well. Kelly does have an uphill battle in this bout, but he will have the crowd behind him in a huge way. Carlos Junior hasn’t scored an actual win in almost nine months, and he may not pull the trigger as much considering his last fight ended in 30 seconds with multiple eye pokes coming from him. Kelly makes a good target as an upset pick.

    FIGHTERS TO AVOID

    Richard Walsh ($9,400)

    Richard Walsh is an underdog and has some solid value at his price, but I think he is a fighter to avoid on Saturday. He has a tough opponent in Viscardi Andrade, but Walsh will have the crowd behind him. The two men are almost the same type of fighter, but Walsh has shown he can be put to sleep if a big punch lands. Andrade likes to keep the fight on the feet and strike and Walsh won’t be able to match him there. Walsh may get some takedowns and some top position, but I don’t see him landing a lot of strikes or finishing Andrade. He may get the win but I’m not sure he has enough to justify putting him in your line-up, thus I am avoiding him.

    Brendan O’Reilly ($8,200)

    Brendan O’Reilly is not getting a lot of respect heading into Saturday’s event as he finds himself as the biggest underdog on the card and has the lowest salary. It is for good reason as this seems to be a fight booked to get his opponent, Alan Jouban, back on the winning path. O’Reilly is a low-level welterweight who has a lot of holes in his game, especially on his feet. Against a big power puncher like Jouban, that is going to be a problem. Jouban is probably the smartest pick on the card in all honesty, but his salary is extremely high. I see O’Reilly being finished and finished quick. I can’t justify putting him on your roster, but anything can happen in a fight.

    OUR LINE-UPS

    RYAN FREDERICK- Alan Jouban ($11,200), James Te Huna ($10,500), Mark Hunt ($10,300), Ross Pearson ($9,300), Dan Kelly ($8,300)

    Despite Alan Patrick being my top play above, I am not having him in my line-up. I did when I originally drafted this team, but I made some changes. First off, I’m going with Alan Jouban. I think he makes quick work of Brendan O’Reilly and maximizes his points potential. James Te Huna I see as another fighter who gets a first-round finish. Steve Bosse just isn’t a UFC fighter and that will show again. Mark Hunt is an excellent pick. He has that power and Frank Mir doesn’t have much of a chin to wishstand the punches Hunt will throw. Hunt is also smart enough to avoid going to the ground. I see Hunt getting a stoppage in the first half of the fight. Ross Pearson and Dan Kelly are my two underdog picks. Pearson throws a lot of volume and can easily catch Chad Laprise, but I expect a decision win by him. Dan Kelly is a hail mary pick and he has a tough road to win, but he can get the upset.

    PAUL FONTAINE- Dan Hooker ($10,600), Mark Hunt ($10,300), Johnny Case ($9,700), Ross Pearson ($9,300), Rin Nakai ($9,000)

    Nakai has only one loss in her career and it’s to the current Bantamweight champion. Tate had more trouble with her than anyone else in her recent streak leading into the title challenge and I think her relentless style will wear down Leslie Smith, leading to a late KO or sub. Johnny Case is on a 12 fight win streak, including 4 in the UFC and I think he’ll continue that run against Jake Matthews, who was exposed in his fight with James Vick. It’s been too much, too soon for Matthews and Case is really tough. Unlike Matthews, I think Hunt will make the locals happy when he knocks out Mir early. I think Hunt is a steal at $10,300. I’m shocked that Ross Pearson is the underdog against Chad Laprise. They’re both coming off losses to Francisco Trinaldo but other than that, Pearson’s faced much tougher competition and is a battle-tested  veteran that has power and Laprise was KO’d last time out. My final pick is another hometown hero in Daniel Hooker. Hooker is unbeaten in Australia with his only two career losses coming in Japan and the US. He should be good  for finishing points as well since his last 7 wins have all been by stoppage.

    PEACH MACHINE- Dan Hooker ($10,600), Viscardi Andrade ($10,000), Johnny Case ($9,700), Hector Lombard ($9,600), Rin Nakai ($9,000)

    I like Rin Nakai. She took Miesha Tate to task in her most recent tilt. Alliteration is awesome. I like Johnny Case and I don’t like Jake Matthews. Boom. Magny will be mauled by Mombard. Or Lombard. Don’t hate Dan Hooker. Viscardi will be victorious.

  • Sunday Conversation: Teddy Long on racism, Owen Hart, key career learnings, more

    Fan….driver….ring jacket carrier….ring crew….referee….manager….general manager….legend.

    All of these things (and more) can sum up the professional wrestling career of Teddy Long, and we are given a look into all of the above and more in a near 30-minute interview that I conducted with him recently.

    From his beginnings in the business thanks to Abdullah the Butcher through to the CM Punk/Undertaker storyline in WWE, he has seen and done it all.

    We talk at length about why he was always happy to be working in the business, how much he loved Owen Hart and what it was like on he night that he died, dealing with racism from fans in his early days, whether he will veer be in the WWE Hall Of Fame and why he is the first to show respect in any locker room he is in. We look at the inner workings of being a referee, why certain people should have had more respect and common sense in the business (especially Abraham Washington in WWE) and the reasons why as he watched Vince McMahon allow himself to be humiliated as a character on TV each week that he was never worried about any storyline they threw his way.

    We could have literally talked for hours about his stories in the business, but enjoy just a 30-minute glimpse into his 30+ year career.

    #HollaHollaHolla

    #Playa

  • A journey through NXT’s big weekend at the Arnold Classic

    Images c/o @WWENXT & @JJWilliamsWON

    In case you missed it, WWE’s NXT Experience was part of this past weekend’s Arnold Classic at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH, for the second straight year. A good portion of the NXT crew and coaching staff along with WWE Champion, COO, and NXT head Triple H himself were there to promote the brand over the two days which featured in-ring action, Q&A sessions, and even a portion of a tryout camp. 

    Day one’s highlight was HHH sharing a big surprise with us: Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.

    They spoke about fitness, inspiration, and made plenty of jokes. During the Q&A session, there were a few fans who tried to ask storyline questions about WrestleMania, and Roman Reigns, which lead to the champ being as confident as only he can be, smiling and holding the WWE Championship up. The ringside area filled up during this session which truly felt like a big deal.

    The crowd itself was nothing like you get at your usual wrestling show as it was calmer than the rest of the Expo as most people (casual observers and families alike) were just enjoying watching the action. As one would expect, the biggest hits were Women’s champion Bayley, NXT Champion Finn Balor, and fan favorite Sami Zayn. Their autograph lines went hundreds deep, and their matches were fan interactive with many fun house show-esque spots to get everyone into the fun of wrestling. 

    Day 1 Results (matches happened throughout the day):

    • Apollo Crews beat Dylan Miley
    • Billie Kay beat Amanda 
    • Johnny Gargano beat Riddick Moss
    • NXT Women’s Champion Bayley beat Emma in a title match
    • American Alpha beat The Vaudevillains
    • NXT Champion Finn Balor beat Baron Corbin in a title match
    • Tye Dillinger beat Tino Sabbatelli
    • Eva Marie beat Peyton Royce
    • NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival beat King Constantine and Thomas Kingdon 
    • Asuka beat Alexa Bliss
    • Kishan Raftar beat Dan Matha
    • Nia Jax beat Billie Kay
    • Apollo Crews beat Riddick Moss
    • Tye Dillinger beat Johnny Gargano
    • American Alpha beat NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival via DQ
    • Peyton Royce beat Alexa Bliss
    • Sami Zayn beat Samoa Joe

    Day two (Sunday) had a much calmer vibe in the hall as the autograph lines were shorter, the matches had a little more time, and we spent a good portion of the afternoon with the coaches watching the tryout athletes. From what we could gather, a few were previously trained wrestlers, one big man was a power lifter, and there was a few other athletes from around the world.

    The process was fascinating to watch up close. I tried to pay more attention to William Regal during most of it as Jason Albert was running the drills. Regal had even said the day before that he watches footwork as anyone who watched Breaking Ground knows for certain.

    Our special in ring Q&A guest for Sunday was Mark Henry who spoke to Dasha Fuentes about his career, powerlifting, and his future. He spoke about NXT being developmental and said he was, in fact, WWE’s first developmental wrestler as he was signed before knowing how to wrestle in a time when the company hadn’t brought in guys like that before. 

    When asked about who he would have liked to face from history, he told a story about how Andre The Giant once picked him up off the floor at a live event and his dream match would have been against him. As for the future, Apollo Crews is who he said he would like to break in. When asked about WrestleMania and potentially being in the Andre Memorial Battle Royal, Mark said he wouldn’t want to be in it if he wasn’t going to win. It was a very good session as Mark Henry is one of those quality men who can be a WWE spokesman for as long as he wants. 

    Day 2 Results (again, matches went all day):

    • Apollo Crews beat Tino Sabbatelli
    • Chad Gable beat Riddick Moss
    • Aiden English w/ Simon Gotch & Dan Matha went to a no contest and was re-started as a tag match when Dylan Miley joined the mix
    • Dylan Miley and Dan Matha beat The Vaudevillains
    • Tye Dillinger beat Kishan Raftar
    • NXT Women’s Champion Bayley beat Nia Jax w/ Eva Marie
    • Jason Jordan beat Johnny Gargano
    • Apollo Crews beat Riddick Moss
    • Billie Kay beat Alexa Bliss
    • Chad Gable w/ Jason Jordan beat Scott Dawson w/ Dash Wilder
    • Asuka and Peyton Royce beat Emma and Amanda
    • NXT Champion Finn Balor and Sami Zayn beat Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin

    Overall, this was a fun weekend and was something that any NXT fan who has only seen the stars on TV should try to attend next year. It’s an affordable chance to see wrestling and have a chance to get up close with your favorites. They even implied that the event will be even bigger next year as this HHH and Schwarzenegger partnership has been beneficial to both sides. 

  • UFC 196 McGregor vs. Diaz: Observer Panel Picks & Preview

    The first big show of the year is upon us as Ireland has taken over Las Vegas and Stockton is there to fight. Since this fight was signed last week, Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz have managed to cram three months of trash talk into 11 days and captured the imagination of fight fans everywhere.

    Lost in the shuffle is a highly anticipated title fight in the marquee division in women’s MMA. Our very own Tom Lawlor is also on the main card along with the guy he knocked out in his last fight. And in the Fight Pass main event, two battle-tested UFC veterans will throw down as Diego Sanchez moves back to 155 to take on Jim Miller.

    Our panel is here to weigh in on their opinions on the top fights on the card and as you can see from the results below, our panel (for the most part) picks at a higher clip than the people who set the betting odds.

    Here’s our panel with the 2016 records in parenthesis with a running tally of the records of the favorites going into the fights and the panel consensus picks 

    • John Pollock (18-7; .720) – Fight Network analyst, Live Audio Wrestling co-host, MMA Report co-host
    • Mike Sawyer (17-8; .680) – Tough Talk MMA
    • Josh Nason (17-8; .680) – Host of Josh Nason’s Punch Out; Assistant Web Editor of WrestlingObserver.com; WON Twitter guy
    • Mike Sempervive (17-8; .680) – Wrestling Observer Live and Big Audio Nightmare co-host
    • Ryan Frederick (16-9; .640) – WrestlingObserver.com UFC reporter, WON Twitter guy
    • Consensus picks (14-9; .609)
    • Dave Meltzer (15-10; .600)– Wrestling Observer founder
    • Steve Juon (14-11; .560) – MMA Mania/Wrestling Observer writer. Angry Marks founder
    • Favorites (14-11; .560)
    • David Bixenspan (14-11; .560) – Figure Four Weekly writer, podcast host
    • Front Row Brian (13-12; .520) – MMA newsbreaker, Beloved internet personality, Podcast host
    • Paul Fontaine (10-15; .400) – MMADraws.com founder, WrestlingObserver.com writer

    Conor McGregor (19-2) vs Nate Diaz (18-10)
    Welterweights

    The World Featherweight Champion takes on the #5 ranked Lightweight contender in a Welterweight fight. Despite how ridiculous that sounds, this show is going to do huge business and it’s because of this fight. And it should be a great one. McGregor has outstanding power and with the extra weight could be even more powerful. If it goes to the ground, Diaz should have the huge advantage. The odds are heavily in Conor’s favor and the fight seems a lot closer than they would suggest but our panel is picking straight up and without having to think about the odds, it’s a clear consensus.

    McGregor (big favorite): Frederick, Juon, FRB, Sawyer, Pollock, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Sempervive, Meltzer

    Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm (10-0) vs Miesha Tate (17-5)

    Holm makes her first title defence after the biggest upset in UFC history when she knocked out Ronda Rousey. Rousey’s previous biggest rival Tate gets the title shot she’s been working toward for two years. This should be a very different fight for Holm but so far she’s passed every test in the UFC even if it was with a solid C in her first two fights. Again the panel seems pretty unified on this one and the odds, while not quite as lopsided as the main event, favor the champion. The winner will likely get the biggest money fight of her career against Ronda later on this year.

    Holm (sizable favorite): Frederick, Juon, FRB, Sawyer, Pollock, Nason, Fontaine, Sempervive, Meltzer
    Tate: Bix

    Ilir Latifi (11-4) vs Gian Villante (14-6)
    Light Heavyweights

    Latifi has stormed the UFC with 4 first round stoppages in his first 6 fights. He has had a few stumbles with 2 losses and while one was against someone who now fights at Middlweight in Gegard Mousasi, he was knocked out in the first round by non-contender Jan Blachowicz. Villante is also susceptible to the KO but has managed to win 3 of the last 4. This and the next fight is almost a mini-tournament of sorts to get into that next level of contenders once Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier settle their differences. It would seem natural to have the winners of these two fights face off down the road.

    Latifi (moderate favorite): Juon, Sawyer, Pollock, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Meltzer
    Villante: Frederick, FRB, Sempervive

    Tom Lawlor (10-5) vs Corey Anderson (7-1)
    Light Heavyweights

    The co-host of Filthy Four Daily on this very website steps back into the Octagon in an attempt to finally break into that elusive top 15. He really should be there already considering he’s coming off of a KO win of Villante, who already is. He’s got a tough opponent in former TUF Champion Anderson. Anderson has won 4 of 5 in the UFC with the last 3 coming by decision. The two most likely outcomes seem to be a finish for Lawlor or a grinding decision for Anderson. With the way my selections have been going so far, you can look at my pick in this fight as support for a fellow website contributor….

    Anderson (sizeable favorite): Pollock, Fontaine, Bix
    Lawlor: Frederick, Juon, FRB, Sawyer, Nason, Sempervive, Meltzer

    Diego Sanchez (25-8) vs Jim Miller (25-7)
    Lightweights

    Another TUF winner on the card here as Diego Sanchez is back in the Octagon. If not for a gift win against Ross Pearson that only the two judges who voted for him think he won, Sanchez would be on a four fight win streak. After dropping to 145 for a fight with Ricardo Lamas, he’s back at  his familiar 155 for this one. Jim Miller is a perennial contender who almost always has exciting fights and this one could steal the show. Miller has also lost 3 of his last 4 with two of those uncharacteristically coming by stoppage. It seems unlikely that either of these two would ever be cut by UFC but it’s tough to stick around in UFC with a 1-4 record in your last 5 fights so this is important for both of them.  

    Miller (slight favorite): Frederick, Juon, FRB, Sawyer, Pollock, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Sempervive, Meltzer

    Dave Meltzer will be cageside for the big show, starting at 6:30 pm eastern with the Fight Pass prelims. In the meantime, check out the following content relating to this show:

  • Observer Feature: Jim Ross on being the new guy for NJPW on AXS

    Images courtesy of Ian Mosley/AXS TV

    In the world of sports announcing and play-by-play, Jim Ross is as venerated and decorated as they come. After a four decade span calling wrestling for Jim Crockett Promotions, WCW, and WWF/E, “good ol’ J.R.” is practically synonymous with the sport of the squared circle. Fans connect with Ross on commentary for one reason; he emotionally invests in every call he makes. Deep down, fans still want to believe wrestling is more “sport” than “entertainment” and Ross doesn’t call matches like he’s reading a script or knows the outcome in advance.

    That’s part of what makes J.R.’s new gig for AXS TV so intriguing. Fans grew to love the emotional “from-the-gut” reactions of Ross during live events, but starting this Friday for New Japan on AXS TV, he’ll have to react to pre-taped matches, calling them in the studio alongside veteran pro wrestler and MMA fighter Josh Barnett. He’s also in the rare position of having to replace one of the few announcers who is as emotionally invested in pro wrestling as he is.

    Mauro Ranallo sounded like he was going to have a heart attack during any big New Japan match, but his ebullient joy and apoplectic rage were so convincing that WWE recruited him to become the voice of SmackDown.

    As we prepare for the debut of “good ol’ J.R.” for New Japan on AXS TV, Ross took a little time out of his busy schedule podcasting, selling sauce, and preparing for his return to boxing commentating for CBS Sports on March 12th to chat with yours truly for Wrestling Observer about the latest chapter in his already historic career.

    You’ve been inducted into both the WWE and Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. You’ve had opportunities to call boxing and MMA since leaving WWE. What led you to come back to announcing pro wrestling after having already done it all in the sport?

    Well, I never stopped loving wrestling. I certainly didn’t stop loving being a broadcaster; it’s that I didn’t have a team to play for. After leaving WWE, there were some opportunities that came about but nothing really fit what I was looking for. I guess I’m an in-ring snob. If I want to invest my time at this stage of my life, I want to really enjoy the product.

    After doing (New Japan’s) Wrestle Kingdom 9 in January of 2015, I knew that I was going to like the product. Going beyond watching the one hour edited show that I was watching every Friday night on AXS with Mauro and Josh, I got to see the product unedited, live in person at their biggest event of the year – and it hooked me.

    You departed from WWE and will now call New Japan on AXS TV, while Mauro Ranallo left AXS TV and New Japan to be the lead announcer on SmackDown. What are your thoughts as your two career paths cross going in different directions?

    It’s coincidental isn’t it? It’s very ironic that’s how its worked out, but I think we’ve both got wins. Mauro’s living a dream of finally working in WWE, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, and so that’s good for him. He’s allowed to continue to do his MMA and boxing, so he came out on the other side really well. I think that I did as well. I think I found my gig, I found my home that I hope is in place for years to come.

    Josh Barnett and I are really hell-bent on helping build a brand. We want to do more with New Japan on AXS. I don’t know what shape that’s going to take right now, I don’t know how all of this is going to evolve, but I know that from the AXS upper management team, they are very interested in joining New Japan in as big of a way as New Japan will allow.

    On this week’s debut, you call a tag team match that features AJ Styles and an Intercontinental title match for Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestling Dontaku 2015. Both men are highly touted WWE signings this year. What do you think of the talent exodus?

    I’m always happy for guys that want to change their scenery, upgrade, just change – whatever their reason is – and live their dream. I got to live mine for 40 years in the business and I’m still living it, so I’m always happy when somebody gets to do the same thing. WWE made some really good hires, not just with those guys – Shinsuke, AJ, Gallows and Anderson – but hiring Mauro! That’s a great hire! So they’ve done a really good job, WWE being they, with those acquisitions.

    I only hope that all four of those guys are allowed to remain essentially intact, and that their characters are not wholeheartedly changed for a whim just to be different.

    How difficult do you find it to call matches that are pre-taped? Can you convey the same level of emotion in a pre-taped match where dedicated wrestling fans have already watched it and know the outcome in advance?

    All those years working with Bill Watts, I called a lot of matches over in post-production at WCW in the Crockett era, and then afterward, I did tons of voiceovers in a studio. Sometimes you’d voiceover the same match three, four, five times in a week, because it went on different shows and to different markets. I became accustomed to it, so it was not an adjustment for me, it was part of what I had done for years.

    Quite frankly when I came to WWE in the early going, I was kind of that third team guy — there was Vince and Gorilla and then me — and so I got a lot of the extra voiceover work. You voice over this for the UK, and voice over this for South Africa, and voice over this for Canada – and it’s the same show. That was no transition for me at all. I still like wrestling, and I still love broadcasting so letting it all come together in an audio booth was not that challenging at all. It was like riding a bike.

    You’ve been part of many great announcing teams, including a legendary friendship and partnership with Jerry Lawler in WWE. How does working with Josh Barnett compare?

    I don’t think I could find a more perfect partner than Josh Barnett. He’s the perfect broadcast partner for me on this project. He has been calling that brand since the start on AXS, he has competed in New Japan, his first pro match was in New Japan in the main event of the Tokyo Dome against Yuji Nagata. He’s had many many fights in Japan so he understands the culture. He has great hold recognition, he understands why holds are being utilized, why they’re effective if applied correctly.

    You notice the New Japan guys apply a hold, they don’t just grab a hold. You hear that slang in wrestling a lot ‘Grab a hold,’ and literally that’s what guys do — they just grab a hold. They don’t apply a hold, they just grab an arm or a leg or whatever. If you use any logic, you can see right through it oftentimes. Guys in New Japan seem to be more fundamentally sound than a lot their peers on a lot of other TV broadcasts around the world, so Josh is perfect to identify these holds in these scenarios.

    We would like to have a more realistic sports like presentation, so at least for that one hour, maybe you can let your guard down and let the story take over.

    Can the sport of professional wrestling still thrive in an era where the curtain may have been pulled back too far on the machinations going on behind it?

    I think it can if the in-ring product is focused on, and if the in-ring product is fundamentally sound and logically booked. Guys with the sensationalistic knee jerk in-ring content has a propensity of forcing people to tune out because what they’re seeing is not believable. You see guys crash and burn and not sell. All of a sudden, you eliminate the most crucial emotional element in a wrestling match, the selling, because it exudes all kinds of emotion. Selling becomes the heartbeat of a match and unfortunately a lot of guys are working so rapidly, no matter if they got a four minute match they’re gonna do eight minutes of material, that they rush things.

    When you rush things in a pro wrestling match, you’re bound to leave some fundamental aspects of it out. When that happens the perception of the match begins to erode.

    *****

    In addition to J.R.’s debut Friday night for New Japan on AXS TV at 9 PM EST, check out a special edition of “The Voice Versus” before that debut where Michael Schiavello interviews him. Here’s a preview.