Wrestling News - Wrestling Forums, WWE News, WrestleMania 26 » Columns http://wrestleclubnews.com Wrestling Forums, Wrestling Spoilers, WWE News, RAW, WWE WrestleMania Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:58:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Why TNA Can Still Beat WWE In The Ratings http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5424 http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5424#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:30:55 +0000 Killswitch http://wrestleclubnews.com/?p=5424 The following is the debut column from the newest exclusive opinionist, Michael Sullivan.

Last week’s episode of TNA Impact scored a 1.0 cable rating, per Nielsen Media Research. Monday Night Raw dominated them with a 3.4 rating, ensuring that we’ll spend another week reading slides about how males in the 25-39 year old demographic prefer WWE to the NBA. Vince McMahon’s organization seems to have all of the advantages right now: they employ the biggest names, garner more airtime, have their own film division and an upcoming cable channel, and even win the bulk of media attention (I haven’t seen any TNA performers on ESPN’s SportsCenter, for example).

While that gap in the ratings indicates a significant head start, it would be a mistake to declare this race over. TNA has amassed an impressive array of talent (both in the ring and behind the scenes), and they’re poised to make a hell of a run over the next couple of years.

Sure, there’s still plenty to criticize — Mark Madden ripped TNA pretty effectively just a couple of weeks ago. But Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan are in an incredible position to sling a couple of stones at Goliath. It’s easy to point out their inadequacies, but let’s take a few moments to consider some of TNA’s major advantages.

First, the talent is there. I know what you’re thinking: “But WWE has all the biggest names! John Cena and Undertaker and Degeneration X!” And while this is true, those same names are also the biggest albatross around Mr. McMahon’s neck. You see, John Cena does incredible things for your buy rates and your merchandise sales, but he’s a nightmare for continued creativity. You can’t plan a pay-per-view without factoring him into the main event in some way. And he swallows up mid-carders without even chewing. On last week’s Raw, he kicked out of pins after five separate finishing moves (including two from Jack Swagger alone).

TNA has the ability to truly be a meritocracy. There’s no room for an Undertaker to hold a belt for half a year while only wrestling once or twice each month. And there’s no single wrestler so popular and important that he can refuse to be pinned by anyone else. When you see a guy like Elijah Burke (who has always had talent) finally get the chance to develop a character and develop crowd support, you KNOW that other wrestlers on the roster have to see opportunity there.

Instead of having about 6 huge names that dominate 90% of every episode of Raw, TNA has the luxury of knowing they can push anyone at any time. There are more potential match combinations, more feuds that can spring out of nowhere, and more chances for the writing team to surprise and awe us.

Second, TNA doesn’t have to abide by a PG-rating. I feel that the WWE crossed the lines of decency for a long time — I don’t want to watch storylines about Lita having a miscarriage or Mae Young giving birth to a hand. But now they’ve completely over-corrected. My ability to suspend disbelief snaps like a Slim Jim when I see officials call timeout during a match if a wrestler gets cut open. While I don’t need rampant sexuality or excessive use of foul language, I can certainly handle it in moderation. Ideally, professional wrestling organizations toe the line between being violent, but not grotesque; sexy, but not obscene. Right now, TNA has found that balance. WWE, on the other hand… well, sometimes it feels just a bit too antiseptic for my tastes.

On a related note, WWE’s fear of blood allows TNA to appeal to fans of the hardcore wrestling style. Unfortunately, at the moment this has only resulted in 60-year-old legends cutting each other open and the unexpected reemergence of the Nasty Boys after a decade of obscurity, so let’s just move on.

I never thought I’d say this about a Bischoff-led creative team, but TNA has a better ability right now to spotlight their cruiserweights. Sure, the X Division doesn’t have a weight limit, but it gives guys like Brian Kendrick and Amazing Red an automatic motivation and meaningful storylines. Contrast this with someone like Matt Bourne, who’s respected by knowledgeable fans and popular every time he shows up in the ring… yet completely incapable of even being a legitimate mid-carder in the WWE. Instead I have to watch him get sacrificed to the Squash Gods against giant tools like Sheamus; Bourne was selling Sheamus’ offense so hard on the January 4th episode of Raw that it looked like he was performing kabuki theater.

When their contracts come up, Vince McMahon will have to expend resources on guys like Bourne and Shelton Benjamin, even though he knows he can’t give them legitimate pushes. Why? Because he’s terrified that they’ll go to TNA and shine.

While the big wrestling organizations have never lived and died by the ratings garnered during women’s fights, it seems undeniable to me that the Knockout Division is head and shoulders above the Divas at the moment. I have nothing against the WWE’s current collection of lingerie models: I can barely get through an episode of Raw without looking up Maryse’s studio photos. But the quality of the in-ring work simply is better over at TNA. ODB might not be good-looking enough to score airtime on WWE, but she’s a hell of a worker. I’m pretty sure you could put together an entire episode of Botchamania from about six Melina matches.

Speaking of niches that appeal to a number of fans, how about tag team wrestling? TNA features it: the Motor City Machine Guns and Beer Money, Inc. have been allowed to grow as organic teams and develop dynamic storylines. In the WWE, tag team just means “pair of solo wrestlers we can’t figure out what else to do with.” It’s bad enough that I had to watch Degeneration X perform the same spots against Jeri-Show for like five weeks in a row simply because there weren’t any other contenders for the tag team titles. Then I had to watch them perform the exact same spots against Sho-Miz.

Now the #1 contender for tag team gold is the team of R-Truth and John Morrison. Wait… seriously? R-Truth and John Morrison? That’s not even an attempt at a coherent story. That’s Dusty Rhodes walking into the back and throwing darts at a list of names who aren’t currently involved in a feud.

Finally, TNA has room for expansion. Did you know that they already have nearly as many wrestlers on the active roster as WWE? Oh, it’s true, it’s true. Soon they’re going to have to expand to a second weekly show just to showcase all of their talent. I can easily envision a future in which they tape one show at the Impact Zone, then send the other show touring around the country in various arenas. It goes without saying that this will increase their visibility and give them much-needed national exposure.

The WWE, on the other hand, isn’t expanding — they’re contracting. They’re releasing talent (some of which is likely to be gobbled up by TNA), they’ve consolidated rosters, and they waste valuable wrestling time each Monday with lame hosts and awkward jokes about Chris Masters’ breasts.

I’m not saying that the road ahead is going to be easy. Hell, the show that Vince McMahon just canceled (ECW) was pulling the same ratings that Impact did last Monday night. But I think Eric Bischoff has a solid game plan in place. Amass as much young talent as you can. Stockpile names that people recognize from the past, and use them to help get the young talent over. Overbid for a few prominent free agents.

Sure, they’ve got a few bruises. Bubba’s a cypher. Hulk is inserting himself into the storyline too much. Scott Hall may actually disintegrate in the ring if anyone asks him to wrestle. But I’d rather watch RVD fight Sting than Santino selling Criss Angel’s parlor tricks any day. And seeing AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle beats the hell out of watching Batista knee John Cena in the balls and glower over him for 15 minutes. For most of us, it will probably be gradual. First you’re flipping over during every commercial break, then you’re sticking around a few extra minutes to see if Jeff Hardy’s going to show up.

Eventually you’ll decide to stick around for a match or two, because you know the only thing you’re going to miss on Raw is a short skit implying that the Bella twins want to sleep with that week’s co-host. And that, my friends, is how TNA win can win the new Monday Night Wars.

]]> http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5424/feed 0 Detailed WWE DVD Review Of “Shawn Michaels: My Journey” http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5412 http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5412#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:51:01 +0000 Killswitch http://wrestleclubnews.com/?p=5412 Courtesy: www.MondayNightMayhem.com

Monday Night Mayhem DVD Review: “Shawn Michaels: My Journey”

Produced By WWE Home Video

Written By “Wild” Bill Brown

****

Content: 9.5

One of the strongest productions put out on DVD has got to be “Shawn Michaels: My Journey” from WWE Home Video. This three-disc set features over twenty classic wrestling matches that will blow away almost anything put out there when it comes to professional wrestling matches. The skills, the ability, charisma, & energy are all shown at maximum levels here in many moments during this fantastic journey through the times & trials of “the Heartbreak Kid.”

Hosted by Michael Cole, Shawn Michaels is also put into a “hot seat” style interview throughout the breaks of every match shown, and talks about his career as the matches go through from being a green kid in the locker rooms in Kansas City, Texas, & Las Vegas to hitting the big time and making all the adjustments necessary to survive with his peers. In the early days, it was party hard, and everything happened so fast that all of the sudden he is in the ring with grizzled veterans in the WWE rings across the entire world and picking up tons of knowledge & serious confidence. Listen to Shawn as he transitions from a rookie to the world of tag team wrestling, then singles competition, & to the top of the WWE. Shawn will take you through the stress, the difficulty, the pressures, & anxiety that ultimately burned him out, as he was always in a war with himself to achieve the monarch of being the greatest entertainer that ever lived. Shawn will share candid stories and be asked about the challenges that he went through in his life that ultimately metamorphosed himself from the crazy teenager to a father that loves his wife, kids, & lifestyle away from the ring. A true transition will be detailed throughout the nine hours of footage shown, which tributes whom we now call “Mr. WrestleMania,” as he gets ready to ride off into the sunset and possibly end a storied career in the very near future. The flow of these segments with the matches inserted throughout really blends perfectly.

****

Audio/Video: 10

Nothing better can be produced the way it already has. The WWE sets the bar for the most magnificent, well-produced, & perfectly clear video productions in high-definition & Dolby surround sound that you can rarely find better anywhere else.

****

Special Features: 9.0

There are no special features really in the latest WWE Home Video, but there are three options with alternate commentary with Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels that really provide a different look & understanding of some of the greatest wrestling matches in the WWE ring. These are definitely worth taking a listen to with your free time.

****

Moments & Matches:

Disc I

A Boy In A Man’s World

Shawn Michaels vs. One Man Gang
World Class Championship Wrestling — January 11, 1985

The Gang gives Shawn a World Class beating.

Our Big Event

The Midnight Rockers vs. “Playboy” Buddy Rose & “Pretty Boy” Doug Summers
AWA WrestleRock — April 20, 1986

The veterans bring out the best in the charismatic tag team.

Rockin’ All Night

AWA World Tag Team Title Match
The Midnight Rockers vs. The Nasty Boys
AWA Championship Wrestling — March 5, 1988

Best friends & party animals in Vegas take the fun in the ring together.

“They Wanted Us”

The Rockers vs. The Brain Busters
Boston Garden — March 18, 1989

An absolute clinic in tag team wrestling.

Tag Team Success

The Rockers vs. The Hart Foundation
Madison Square Garden — November 25, 1989

The legendary Hart Foundation show The Rockers all about tag team wrestling.

Going Solo

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Bret “Hitman” Hart
Ottawa , Ontario — June 2, 1992
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole/Shawn Michaels

An unseen match that is a lot of fun to see for the first time ever.

Always Having Fun With Davey

Shawn Michaels vs. “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith
WWE Monday Night RAW — March 6, 1995

Another great match that you would forget about, but displayed for you here.

Contrasting Styles

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Sid Vicious
WWE Monday Night RAW — September 11, 1995

Shawn shows us no matter what the style of his opponent, he still makes the best out of any situation he’s put into.

High Flyers

Shawn Michaels vs. The 1-2-3 Kid
WWE Monday Night RAW — March 4, 1996

The Kliq members go all out.

Disc II

The Champion

Shawn Michaels vs. Mankind
WWE Monday Night RAW — August 11, 1997

Another unique blend of wrestling styles that compliment one another greatly.

D-Generation X

WWE European Championship Match
“The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith vs. Shawn Michaels
WWE One Night Only — September 20, 1997

The heat in this match back in England is incredible.

This Is Going To Be Art

WWE Championship Casket Match
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
WWE Royal Rumble — January 18, 1998

A great match, but Kane wants to make sure his brother doesn’t get the gold.

Ups & Downs

Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
WrestleMania XIX — March 30, 2003

Michaels is back on track after a lengthy hiatus away from the ring.

My Friend

Shawn Michaels vs. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair
WWE Bad Blood — June 15, 2003
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels

Anytime Shawn & Ric are in the ring the respect & satisfaction are easily displayed.

High Expectations

Shawn Michaels vs. Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 21 — April 3, 2005

What a match…One to remember! Totally a classic WRESTLING match.

Montreal & “The Hulkster”

Shawn Michaels Promo In Montreal On Hulk Hogan
WWE Monday Night RAW — August 15, 2005

And we also find out how difficult it was to work with “The Immortal One”

Disc III

Tribute To The Troops

Boot Camp Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H
WWE Monday Night RAW — December 19, 2005
Alternate Commentary: Michael Cole & Shawn Michaels

Shawn came from a military background, so he dedicates this one to all those who serve like no other man can do.

The Veteran

WWE Championship Fatal Four-Way Match
John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. “The Rated-R Superstar” Edge vs. Randy Orton
WWE Backlash — April 29, 2007

Michaels gets close, but not enough to prevail with the gold here.

Legend Killer

WWE Championship Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton
WWE Survivor Series — November 18, 2007

Orton gives Michaels a run for the money here.

The Family Man

Unsanctioned Match
Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho
WWE Unforgiven — September 7, 2008

A great wrestling feud that culminated with a fantastic wrestling match.

Mr. WrestleMania

The Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels
WrestleMania XXV — April 5, 2009

Who can forget one of the most recent historical ring classics ever witnessed in the squared circle in the biggest wrestling event of them all.

Greatest Ever?

Final thoughts & lasting memories coming directly from “The Showstopper” himself.

****

The Verdict:

Solid Wrestling, great analyzing, & in-depth interviewing make this one of the strongest choices out there for any true wrestling fan of the last 25 years. This DVD not only takes you through the evolution of the all-time greatest entertainer ever, but perhaps provides closure to the final chapter possibly upcoming in the professional career of “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels.

****

Overall Recommendation:

Buy this DVD & absolutely enjoy what you have purchased. There is no need for a remote control to skip around here: just watch, listen, & be entertained.

****

Final Thoughts:

We all remember many great classic matches with “The Icon” and the likes of Mankind, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, Triple H, “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith, & Bret “Hitman” Hart among others, but this DVD will dig up some unique matches that they may have had that you do not necessarily remember, as well which are great calls. Surely everyone might remember Survivor Series ‘97 (where “The Hitman” got screwed out of the WWE Championship with Shawn Michaels), or maybe even Survivor Series ‘92 (where Bret wrestled Shawn in an incredible WWE Title defense), but in this DVD you will be treated to matches just as good, but not really seen. The match chosen is a dark match from Ottawa , Ontario, Canada on June 2, 1992 for the WWE Intercontinental Championship between Shawn & Bret. The fact that you are getting many rare, yet just as exciting wrestling matches instead of the more memorable, already-seen bouts makes this even better, simply because you are not getting as many rehashes of previously-seen HBK matches. There are plenty of what I would call “gems” here that will be truly exciting to once again witness that you may have surely forgotten about from yesteryear.

Overall Rating: 9.0

This DVD was reviewed By “Wild” Bill Brown. Visit the official website, Facebook, & MySpace pages of The Mayhem’s official DVD reviewer at BBrownVideo.com, Facebook.com/BBrownVideo, & MySpace.com/BBrownVideo

]]> http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5412/feed 0 The Miz On Why He Can Mentor “Bland” Bryan Danielson http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5319 http://wrestleclubnews.com/archives/5319#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:56:04 +0000 Killswitch http://wrestleclubnews.com/?p=5319 In an effort to get fans buzzing ahead of the WWE NXT premiere, series “pro” Mike “The Miz” Mizanin took to his WWE Universe blog to respond to a wave of criticism for his mentoring assignment.

The Miz, a relatively inexperienced albeit successful WWE Superstar, will be mentoring Bryan “Daniel Bryan” Danielson, an acclaimed and experienced industry veteran who many consider the best technical wrestler in the world.

While the assignment was meant to be treated as a positive–The Miz has been getting over as a heel and should consequently help Bryan develop a rapport with the WWE fans–a number of wrestling critics have ripped WWE for the “comical” pairing.

“It’s come to my knowledge that some members of the WWE Universe think they know everything about WWE and what it takes to be a WWE Superstar,” writes Miz. “They think that if a guy does well in the independent minor leagues, then all of a sudden he should be in the WWE.”

He adds, “What the WWE Universe doesn’t understand is there is so much more [than] I can describe in a single blog involved in being successful in the WWE.

“My job is to make Daniel Bryan a star in the WWE, because let’s face it, if you look at a picture of him right now, do you think STAR? No, Daniel Bryan looks like my accountant … ordinary and bland.”

Planting the seeds for a worked on-air conflict between “pro” and “rookie,” Miz distances himself from Bryan on the basis of charisma.

Miz writes, “Maybe if he had The Miz’s charisma and look, he would have been in the WWE by now. Don’t hate on me because it didn’t take me a decade to get a WWE contract and go down in WWE history to be the first Superstar to win the United States Title and Unified Tag Team Titles.

Don’t get me wrong, Daniel Bryan has all the talent in the world, but every wrestler has weaknesses. And that’s what my job is, to find his weakness and make him the biggest star possible.

I just hope Daniel Bryan doesn’t believe himself what these ignorant members of the WWE Universe believe about him, or WWE NXT is going to be a nightmare for him.”

WWE NXT, a reality-driven show featuring eight WWE Superstars ‘mentoring’ eight “rookie” wrestlers, premieres on SyFy this coming Tuesday.