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December 25, 2009
This Day in Wrestling History
Ric Flair wins his first World title. Flair teams with Greg Valentine to beat Gene and Ole Anderson for the NWA World Tag Team Championship
December 25, 1976
Kevin Von Erich defeated Bruiser Brody to win the NWA American Title and Ernie Ladd defeated Ray Candy by forfeit to win his 4th Mid-South North American title
December 25, 1978
Magnum T.A. & Mr. Wrestling II defeated Butch Reed & Jim Neidhart to win the Mid-South Tag Team Title
December 25, 1983
The Rock 'N' Roll Express defeated Ted DiBiase & Hercules Hernandez to win their 3rd Mid-South Tag Team Title
December 25, 1984
December 24, 2009
WWE Superstars Results: Holiday Hostility
One wouldn’t think The Big Red Monster would be celebrating on Christmas Eve, but after defeating the very vicious Mike Knox, it seems that Kane has a reason to embrace the holiday spirit. It wasn’t easy, but that didn’t seem to bother SmackDown’s resident Red Monster, and in the end, after connecting with a devastating chokeslam, Kane got the 1-2-3. It seems only appropriate that the sadistic one’s trademark red be met with green envy after his win this holiday season. Full results.
source: wwe.com
The Gangsta Rapper Tully Blanchard
An article relating hip hop to wrestling:
I watched Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen with the boy the other night, and it really struck me how Bad Boy/Death Row these dudes were. The whole aesthetic--"private jets...finest women...most expensive cars...biggest house"--is basically what popular hip-hop became as it matured. And then of course emphasis on mike skills (someone in the doc literally called it that, I think it was Triple H) the ability to be able to talk, almost off the dome, and expound on the character your playing.
Likewise, there were all these moments where wall of reality came down. If you listen to Arn Anderson talk, it's really not clear when he's talking himself or when he's talking about the character he's playing. Less interesting, but still with on the same theme, is the Flair v. Bischoff beef. You have a guy basically cursing out his boss in front of millions of viewers, except he means it. Of course a lot of the similarities boil down to the respective target audience for wrestling and hip-hop--young boys. Hip-hop pulls from the post-pubescent angst, and wrestling pulls from post-pubescent fantasies. Of course the "rapping" in wrestling is ultimately centered around an actual fight, and is a little less meta. But while I loved watching, say, the Road Warriors do work, I think I liked listening to Ric Flair rap at least as much as I liked watching him wrestle.
A shout out to Triple-H, Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes. They all had some really sharp points about wrestling and what the Four Horsemen meant. Triple H had a great breakdown on how the Horsemen fit into the whole psychology of the 80s. He talked about how Dusty Rhodes, the son of the plumber, represented the common man going to war against Horsemen, on the representation of villainous, capitalist excess. And capitalist excess almost always won...More?
source: the atlantic.com
George Michael, Famed D.C. Sportscaster, Dies
George Michael, a high-rated and hyperanimated Washington sportscaster whose use of game highlights on his syndicated sports program became the model for successful broadcasters like ESPN, died Thursday morning at Sibley Hospital, according to a statement issued by his former employer, WRC-TV (Channel 4).
Mr. Michael, who became the dean of Washington sportscasters during a 28-year career at the station, had cancer...More?
source: washingtonpost.com
Wrestling's 10 Best Hidden Gems of the Decade
2000: The Rock vs. Triple H (Iron Man Match)
Make no mistake: 2000 was Triple H's year. While his more famous battles with Mick Foley stand out in most people's minds as the cream of the crop that year, his often forgotten classic with The Rock at Judgment Day was about as much fun as a wrestling fan could have in Y2K.
Going into the match, fans were wondering whether two guys with limited ring skill and no experience wrestling past the 40 minute mark could bring the goods the way HBK and Bret Hart has done so four years prior.
They did, delivering a match chocked with enough old school wrestling psychology to make Gordon Solie blush. After 58 minutes, with the pinfalls tied at 5 apiece, the "sports entertainment" beast reared its ugly head in the form of run-ins galore.
Triple H scored the fluke victory over The Rock, 6-5, after a returning Undertaker earned HHH the DQ decision at the bell. Minor blemishes aside, this is the match that both solidified HHH as a main event player, and gave The Rock the instant credibility he'd been lacking from the dwindling "wrestling purist" base. Nine years later, this match is still lacking the love from a DVD release.
Click here for the rest of the list.
source: bleacherreport.com
The final 10 minutes of the iron man match between The Rock and Triple H.
December 23, 2009
UFC & WWE Target Online Piracy
Lorenzo Fertitta, the co-owner of UFC, recently went to Capitol Hill to discuss the problems facing UFC with respect to online piracy. He told the House Judiciary Committee that some 140,000 people watched UFC 106, the company’s November pay-per-view event headline by Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Grifin, online using various streaming sites. UFC had identified 271 unauthorized streams, which is where the 140,000-person estimate comes from.
The WWE started going after illegal online streams earlier this year. The WWE claimed, like Fertitta, that online streams were damaging its bottom line...More?
source: crunchgear.com
Guest of Iron
The self-proclaimed “Baddest Man on the Planet” has never been one to hide his feelings or shy away from the spotlight. One of the most newsworthy and notorious sports celebrities in American history, Tyson will surely be prepared for all challenges on Raw...More?
source: wwe.com
Jim Ross: "Too Many Wrestlers Who Failed to Save Their Money Find it Awfully Convenient to Put the Blame on the Companies That They Worked For..."
I have read so much about the unionizing of pro wrestling, which will never happen by the way in my view, and improving the working conditions for all the talents of which I wholeheartedly endorse by the way. Nonetheless, I know many wrestlers who were toward the end of their careers when I first got in the business in the 70's who were smart enough independent contractors to acquire the info they needed to prepare for their future being independent contractors much like non union carpenters, plumbers, etc. Would I like to see wrestlers with more traditional benefits, etc? Of course. Is it impossible for independent contractors to not be able to establish a quality life because they are independent contractors? Absolutely not.
Yes, in a "perfect world" all performers working for any company being full time employees with the traditional benefits would be ideal but the thought that individuals who are independent contractors cannot create their own benefits and take advantage of independent contractor status is not accurate.
Too many wrestlers who failed to save their money when they were earning good cash, that did not plan for their futures, and never bothered to file their income tax returns find it awfully convenient to put the blame on the companies that they worked for or, more specifically, the WWE because they are still in business after all these decades instead of accepting any responsibility for their own misdeeds and irresponsible lack of planning...More?
Sheamus Comments on Sudden Rise, Triple H, More
"Yes, there are a few stories going around about Triple H, but the deal is that Trip has been fantastic. He's one of the most successful WWE champions of all time. If you are going to learn, then learn from the best."...More?
source: pwtorch.com
Wrestlers Try to Instill Mexican Tradition
If you look as you drive around town, you may see signs for something called, "Lucha Libre." It's a movement driven by Jesus Hernandez to show people that professional wrestling is more than just body slams and karate chops. "It's just a package of entertainment for the Hispanic community," said Hernandez.
Over the past year, hundreds (sometimes thousands) pack into venues like the National Western Complex to see masked men throw each other around the ring. "That's what we do for fun," said Hernandez. "We try to do as many shows as we can."
When Hernandez was growing up in Mexico, he learned the trade of Lucha Libre from some of the best wrestlers of his time. Now, he's teaching a new generation of wrestlers in a ring put together inside of a storage unit in Commerce City.
Hernandez wants to start something in Denver that he says is part of Mexican pop culture...More?
source: 9news.com
Batista and Randy Orton Appearances in Washington, DC
Batista will be appearing at the Washington DC Auto Show on Wednesday, January 27th from 6-8PM. The next day, January 28th, Randy Orton will be appearing at the same show from 6-8PM.
source: impactwrestling.com
December 22, 2009
ECW Results: Losing his Swagger
Former ECW Champion Jack Swagger returned to the Land of the Extreme Tuesday night to participate in the ECW Homecoming. “The All-American American” took on one of ECW’s newest and brightest stars, Yoshi Tatsu.
Despite Swagger’s strong, and dominating effort, he fell to a final buzzsaw kick by the Japanese Superstar, and returns to Raw without a future chance to reclaim the ECW Championship. The exciting young Tatsu celebrated his monumental victory and has qualified for the Homecoming Finale along with Kane, Vance Archer and Ezekiel Jackson, the latter who faces Vladimir Kozlov on “WWE Superstars” Thursday night. Full results.
source: wwe.com
THQ, Jakks, WWE Settle Lawsuit Over Joint Venture
The settlement calls for THQ and Jakks to dissolve their joint venture at year's end, and for THQ to enter into a new, 8-year licensing agreement directly with WWE starting January 1, 2010, the companies said in a press release.
Under the settlement, THQ will pay WWE $13.2 million, and pay Jakks Pacific $20 million over the next four years in addition to royalties due for the period ending December 31.
The three companies had sued each other over enforcement of the contract, which began in 1999 and was set to expire on December 31.
The settlement calls for the companies to withdraw all claims and end all litigation without any party admitting to wrongdoing, the companies said.
Analysts estimated that THQ and Jakks each made about $20 million a year from the WWE deal.
source: reuters.com
2009 WWE Magazine Awards
Triple H's awards:
Finisher of the Year:
Cody Rhodes On Being Sent Face-First Into Triple H's Sledgehammer via Shawn Michaels' Sweet Chin Music at Hell in a Cell
Best Mic Skills:
Triple H - The Game knows how to walk the walk, but he's just as skilled at talking the talk. Whether he's calling out Orton with sledgehammer in hand or dialing HBK, Triple H commands our attention week in, week out as we cling to his every word
source: wwe magazine january 2010
The WWE vs. TNA vs. ROH
The pro wrestling business is in an odd place right now. While everybody has their own opinion of each company's product, the general consensus from those within the industry and those that report on it is that the business of pro wrestling seems to be in a bit of trouble. While company's like the WWE aren't going away any time soon, the lack of forethought and preparing for the next generation has made ripples across the business as a whole, and drastic changes need to be made...More?
source: tv.ign.com
Future Raw Guest Host Revealed
Mike Tyson will be hosting the January 11, 2010 edition of Monday Night Raw.
December 21, 2009
Rumor Mill - Tommy Dreamer Reportedly Gives Notice to Leave WWE
ECW wrestler Tommy Dreamer has given his notice to leave WWE, according to PWInsider.com.
Dreamer wrestled at last night's Smackdown TV taping in Orlando and he will be on Tuesday's night ECW TV show against Zack Ryder. (Read the ECW spoiler report.)
WWE built a storyline around Tommy Dreamer leaving the company this past June, but Dreamer re-signed a long-term contract with WWE and was given a near-two-month run with the ECW Title.
Lately, Dreamer has been used as an enhancement talent on ECW TV. He was booked to lose to Vance Archer the last two weeks on WWE TV.
addiitonal source: pwtorch.com
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
