Match 1: Tables - Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara vs. Team Rhodes Scholars
Kicking off the show in Brooklyn is a #1 contenders match for the WWE World Tag Team Championships. Tables matches are always fun and putting into perspective the guys in the match, this one should be a dandy. Good pacing in this match and they all played their roles nicely to get the crowd going and set the table for what should be a fun night of action. They used the tables nicely and did not let them dominate the better part of the match until the last few minutes when it looked like Mysterio had the match in the bag until Sandow & Rhodes reverse the tides by putting Mysterio out of the equation and shoving Sin Cara through a table after he tried launching himself onto Team Rhodes Scholars. Awesome ending to the match, Sin Cara took a really cool bump to cap off a nice start to the show. Good win for Team Rhodes Scholars.
Winners: Team Rhodes Scholars
Rating: **¾
Match 2: United States Championship - Antonio Cesaro © vs. R-Truth
Cesaro has been on a role lately, especially after capturing the belt from Santino Marella at Summerslam. WWE gets to feed him R-Truth once more and on PPV for him to display his abilities. Little back and fourth match with the crowd actually really being behind Truth. However, Cesaro lands a sweet Neutralizer to retain his United States Championship in an easy filler of a match.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
Rating: *¼
Match 3: Intercontinental Championship - Kofi Kingston © vs. Wade Barrett
Is it me or are these PPV matches getting recycled over and over again? Barrett has been on a big role as of late and looks to capture the Intercontinental Championship with the momentum. Decent affair that basically resembles anything you could watch Monday nights on Raw. Another filler match to kill time which gets frustrating. Both are great wrestlers but watching the same thing over and over gets repetitive. Kingston retains in a short match which begs the question, where does Barrett go from here?
Winner: Kofi Kingston
Rating: *¼
Match 4: TLC - Team Hell No & Ryback vs. The Shield
For the first time ever, it is a three vs. three TLC match with the only way to win is via pin or submission. This is going to a ton of fun. It is also hard to believe that this is the first match for The Shield on WWE television/PPV, not bad. I was not expecting anything that we used to see in TLC matches from years past, but things did get pretty damn close to it. They exceeding the expectations of the viewers while making the match retain the 2012 type of WWE style. This is just one of those matches that I have no idea where to begin. A beautifully constructed match with huge spots perfectly positioned throughout the match and everyone came out looking better when all was said and done. Off the bat, everyone went after each other to set the tone of the match. Lots of trash talking and much more fighting, the type of action that needs to be established early to let the viewers know just what exactly is going on here. Many big spots to mention including The Shield throwing Ryback through the Spanish announcers table again, Kane jumping off a table set up on the top rope, Kane hitting a Chokeslam through a steel chair, Ryback coming back from the dead to look like a beast, Kane getting buried in all sorts of equipment after a Spear from Roman Reigns through a barricade, and Seth Rollins getting thrown off one of the ladders on the stage by Ryback to which Rollins landed through four tables. The latter being the nastiest spill of them all, maybe even one of the nastiest spills I have ever seen in pro wrestling. However, after that happened, the other two members of The Shield put Daniel Bryan through a table with a bomb off the top rope. Awesome match with an awesome finish, just sucks that Bryan had to be the one to eat the pin. The fallout should be interesting as Ryback’s beef with The Shield will definitely continue.
Winners: The Shield
Rating: ****¼
Match 5: Divas Championship - Eve © vs. Naomi
Naomi won the pre-show battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the Divas Championship and thus, here we are. This is the right match to have to cool down the audience and the viewers at home after the big TLC match before we head on over to other big business. Credit needs to be given where it is due, the two did put on a surprisingly good match and really let their athleticism and charisma shine here. I know that many will disagree with this statement but I really feel like the Divas division looks much better after this. Eve retains and continues to be the top Diva for the WWE. Unfortunately, the match was way too short for me to give this a higher rating.
Winner: Eve
Rating: ¾*
Match 6: World Heavyweight Championship - Chairs - The Big Show © vs. Sheamus
This is their third PPV encounter and looks to be the final chapter in a Chairs match. Taking in the fact that we have two heavyweights going at each other and after the Survivor Series conclusion, this is an easy gimmick choice. As I stated in their previous match, the two have really good chemistry and it managed to carry over onto this match. It is unusual for The Big Show to have one of the best matches on the card but this is the case here versus Sheamus. Let’s face it, this gimmick of a match can be very dull but these two managed to utilize the chairs to enhance the action into another gear. The story behind all the shots with the chairs is very prominent and the announcers did a great job of letting the audience understand it. The action went from one side to another and every pin in the last stretch of the match were big and every time Sheamus or The Big Show got up seemed believable. Show lands the big KO Punch to Sheamus who kicks out, Show brings out a giant steel chair and hammers Sheamus with it to get the win. Fun match that will unfortunately, likely be forgotten by the end of the night. Credit to both men for the storytelling, a live crowd and fun action.
Winner: The Big Show
Rating: ***¾
Match 7: 3MB vs. Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, & The Brooklyn Brawler
Earlier in the night, The Miz hosted Miz TV with 3MB who attacked the Spanish announcers. Ricardo Rodriguez game to their aid until 3MB threatened him which led to Del Rio coming out to team with The Miz to take out 3MB. This led to this match being made in which Del Rio & Miz gained a third partner in New York’s own, Brooklyn Brawler. Another quick match to fill the gap between matches with Brawler putting Jinder Mahal away via submission after Miz hit a Skull-Crushing Finale for the win. Simple squash match, nothing to see here.
Winners: Alberto Del Rio, The Miz, & The Brooklyn Brawler
Rating: ½*
Match 8: World Heavyweight Championship Money in the Bank Contract - Ladder - Dolph Ziggler vs. John Cena
The big scandal going around the WWE focuses upon John Cena’s relationship with AJ Lee. With Vickie Guerrero exposing everything, a match between Cena and Ziggler is formed. The Ladder match has become something in the WWE that is a lock for a good match but at the same time, is a tough effort for the parties involved to create something different. I am going to start off with giving credit to both guys for resiliently doing their best to add a spark to the main event by pulling out some innovative moves we have never seen in this type of match. Ziggler hitting his patented sleeper submission to Cena on top of the ladder which led to them crashing through a table and Cena putting Ziggler and a ladder on top of his shoulders for an Attitude Adjustment were moments to mention. Also, to credit Brooklyn, they have been fantastic tonight and they added another layer to this match. Ziggler looks ready to take on a bigger role in the company and a match against Cena in the main event of the final PPV can only do good. And guess what, Ziggler pulls out the big win. Of course, Cena looked like he was going to win until AJ pushed Cena off the ladder after beating up Guerrero seconds earlier. The ending was predictable but it made for a cool moment and only draws attention to the younger audience for future episodes of Raw. The match was very good, nothing to necessarily write home about but definitely something to watch again down the line.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Rating: ***½
Overall Show Thoughts and Rating:
Pretty average way to cap off the 2012 year. The Shield and Dolph Ziggler end up looking like stars which may ultimately become the reason we remember this show. The big matches delivered but everything else looked a bit out of place. Let’s see how WWE carries this momentum into the new year, especially with Punk vs. Rock.
Rating: 7/10
Monday, September 8, 2014
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
This Week in Wrestling: Never Before, Never Again
From November 20, 2011.
Today is Sunday, November 20, 2011. Later tonight marks the 25th anniversary of the Survivor Series event and will be taking place in New York inside the legendary Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of screaming fans. Tonight, we will see CM Punk challenge Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship, two giants colliding once again for the World Heavyweight Championship, and a classic Survivor Series match that pits Randy Orton's team going up against Wade Barrett's team. However, something bigger is happening tonight. Tonight also marks the return to the ring of The Rock. This will be his first time competing inside a wrestling ring since 2004 when he teamed with Mick Foley against Evolution at Madison Square Garden. Tonight, The Rock will be teaming up against John Cena to take on The Miz & R-Truth! We will find out if The Rock has any ring rust and we'll also find out if he can work alongside John Cena without any problems. The Rock & John Cena team up tonight in a match that is being billed as never before, never again. Together, can they take down The Miz & R-Truth who have been running rampant in the WWE?
What most people have neglected to see is that this past Friday & Saturday, there were two huge independent wrestling events to give us an appetite for tonight's Survivor Series. Those shows were called Survival of the Fittest 2011 & Glory by Honor X. Both events are from the Ring of Honor company and both shows delivered big time! The Survival of the Fittest event was a tournament to see who was the best man to challenge Davey Richards for the ROH World Championship. The tournament featured the very best of Ring of Honor's roster and it was Michael Elgin who came out on top and now has a shot at challenging Davey Richards for his championship belt. The next night was Glory by Honor X, a loaded event that took place in Chicago. Kevin Steen caused mayhem, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team retained their titles, Eddie Edwards beat Kyle O'Reilly in a stiff contest, Davey Richards retained against El Generico, and Kevin Steen caused more mayhem at the conclusion of the show as things get heated for December's Final Batle.
Tonight is the conclusion to one hell of a week in the world of professional wrestling. The WrestleMania weekends always seem to be the best weekends professional wrestling can offer but it's this weekend in late November that things fall in place and the fans are treated to something special. Never before and never again never meant so much. Do yourselves a favor and check out all of these shows.
Today is Sunday, November 20, 2011. Later tonight marks the 25th anniversary of the Survivor Series event and will be taking place in New York inside the legendary Madison Square Garden in front of thousands of screaming fans. Tonight, we will see CM Punk challenge Alberto Del Rio for the WWE Championship, two giants colliding once again for the World Heavyweight Championship, and a classic Survivor Series match that pits Randy Orton's team going up against Wade Barrett's team. However, something bigger is happening tonight. Tonight also marks the return to the ring of The Rock. This will be his first time competing inside a wrestling ring since 2004 when he teamed with Mick Foley against Evolution at Madison Square Garden. Tonight, The Rock will be teaming up against John Cena to take on The Miz & R-Truth! We will find out if The Rock has any ring rust and we'll also find out if he can work alongside John Cena without any problems. The Rock & John Cena team up tonight in a match that is being billed as never before, never again. Together, can they take down The Miz & R-Truth who have been running rampant in the WWE?
What most people have neglected to see is that this past Friday & Saturday, there were two huge independent wrestling events to give us an appetite for tonight's Survivor Series. Those shows were called Survival of the Fittest 2011 & Glory by Honor X. Both events are from the Ring of Honor company and both shows delivered big time! The Survival of the Fittest event was a tournament to see who was the best man to challenge Davey Richards for the ROH World Championship. The tournament featured the very best of Ring of Honor's roster and it was Michael Elgin who came out on top and now has a shot at challenging Davey Richards for his championship belt. The next night was Glory by Honor X, a loaded event that took place in Chicago. Kevin Steen caused mayhem, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team retained their titles, Eddie Edwards beat Kyle O'Reilly in a stiff contest, Davey Richards retained against El Generico, and Kevin Steen caused more mayhem at the conclusion of the show as things get heated for December's Final Batle.
Tonight is the conclusion to one hell of a week in the world of professional wrestling. The WrestleMania weekends always seem to be the best weekends professional wrestling can offer but it's this weekend in late November that things fall in place and the fans are treated to something special. Never before and never again never meant so much. Do yourselves a favor and check out all of these shows.
Christopher Daniels vs. Davey Richards - One Year Later
From October 16, 2011.
One year ago, Davey Richards defeated Christopher Daniels in Chicago, IL. The build, the match, the execution was all there. However, it was the impact we saw through the next 365 days that made things much more interesting. The winds of change swooped in and took Ring of Honor by storm.
The match itself was able to gain notoriety and the event the match took place on was even given it's special title, Richards vs. Daniels. I was personally inspired by the athleticism the two were able to display and the courage they took to give us, the fans, emotional speeches at the end. However, everything changes. That match was one year ago and within that amount of time, we have all gone through some sort of change.
Some of us got married, some of us had kids, some of us graduated school, and some of us grew an inch or two. Small or big, change takes it's course and the best way to take it is to embrace it. Ring of Honor had change forced down their throat, almost as much as me forcing down the word "change" into yours, and they definitely embraced it. Whether or not it was by choice, Ring of Honor went through phases within the past year that both benefited them and hit them hard.
Christopher Daniels has now left the company, Kevin Steen is somewhat gone, there no longer is an HDNet show, and The Kings of Wrestling have moved on to bigger things. However, with negatives come positives and the hardest working wrestling promotion in the world was able to make 2011 one of the most successful years in the company's history. The American Wolves both captured World Championship gold, Best in the World 2011 became the highest purchased iPPV in company history, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team signed with the company and dethroned The Kings, and Ring of Honor was picked up by the Sinclair Broadcast Station and now airs on syndicated television.
Ring of Honor in the last year was a beacon of hope for those who were lost. Through so many negative changes, they were able to embrace them and make the best out of everything. Davey Richards vs. Christopher Daniels was most definitely an amazing match, but the events that transpired afterwards was much more amazing. As Davey stated in his promo before his match against Daniels, "You will not break me. I will get up every single time you knock me down." Maybe he was foreshadowing something... Here's to the next 365 days.
One year ago, Davey Richards defeated Christopher Daniels in Chicago, IL. The build, the match, the execution was all there. However, it was the impact we saw through the next 365 days that made things much more interesting. The winds of change swooped in and took Ring of Honor by storm.
The match itself was able to gain notoriety and the event the match took place on was even given it's special title, Richards vs. Daniels. I was personally inspired by the athleticism the two were able to display and the courage they took to give us, the fans, emotional speeches at the end. However, everything changes. That match was one year ago and within that amount of time, we have all gone through some sort of change.
Some of us got married, some of us had kids, some of us graduated school, and some of us grew an inch or two. Small or big, change takes it's course and the best way to take it is to embrace it. Ring of Honor had change forced down their throat, almost as much as me forcing down the word "change" into yours, and they definitely embraced it. Whether or not it was by choice, Ring of Honor went through phases within the past year that both benefited them and hit them hard.
Christopher Daniels has now left the company, Kevin Steen is somewhat gone, there no longer is an HDNet show, and The Kings of Wrestling have moved on to bigger things. However, with negatives come positives and the hardest working wrestling promotion in the world was able to make 2011 one of the most successful years in the company's history. The American Wolves both captured World Championship gold, Best in the World 2011 became the highest purchased iPPV in company history, Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team signed with the company and dethroned The Kings, and Ring of Honor was picked up by the Sinclair Broadcast Station and now airs on syndicated television.
Ring of Honor in the last year was a beacon of hope for those who were lost. Through so many negative changes, they were able to embrace them and make the best out of everything. Davey Richards vs. Christopher Daniels was most definitely an amazing match, but the events that transpired afterwards was much more amazing. As Davey stated in his promo before his match against Daniels, "You will not break me. I will get up every single time you knock me down." Maybe he was foreshadowing something... Here's to the next 365 days.
Shawn Michaels - Running Up That Hill
From November 20, 2010.
"Sometimes, it's Hell trying to get to Heaven." Over a decade ago, a professional wrestler by the name of Michael Hickenbottom, or better known by his ring name of Shawn Michaels, was forced to leave the art that he so very loved due to nagging injuries and personal problems like his addiction to drugs, alcohol, and partying. Very rarely in the sport of professional wrestling does a man like Shawn Michaels come by. You see, the mix of charisma, athleticism, and passion for the game made him both a household name and a box office draw and that type of combination is something that very few men possess in this sport.
Shawn's biggest foe went by the name of Mark Calaway, or much better known as simply The Undertaker. The two men waged wars in high profile matches and due to his size and strength, The Undertaker easily beat down the smaller and more careless Shawn Michaels. However, Shawn Michaels had made a living out of proving people wrong and being the underdog and this allowed him to pull off outstanding victories. While Shawn won all of these matches, he ultimately paid the price of being legitimately injured and damn near paralyzed. No athlete or wrestler wants to be injured and for Shawn, it happened at the worst possible time because he was at the top of his game as he put on amazing match after amazing match while making vast amounts of money at the same time. Shawn did his best to forego the injuries and continue wrestling across the globe but sadly, his nagging injuries and personal problems made him hang up the boots at the age of 32.
The scoreboard gave Shawn the wins but only at the expense of a shortened career and a possibly shortened life, is that really a win?
Following the tragic end to his wrestling career, Shawn was sent home where he would enjoy the fruits of his labor. However, Shawn would fall in a deep depression and fell into a deep spiral where he would then continue to rely on both drugs and alcohol to wipe away the pain. Throughout his wrestling career, Shawn was a heavy drug user but after his career ended, his use of drugs increased immensely. During this time, Shawn got married and had a son and because of this, Shawn told himself that he needed to free himself of the demons that were manifested inside of him. Shawn later discovered the beauties of religion and then became a born again Christian where he realized that for every good story, there is a downfall and for every storm, there is a sunrise. Shawn's new lifestyle made him correct himself as he surrendered his love for drugs and gained his new found love for people and life.
Shawn's "break" from the sport that he loved so much had become the single greatest thing that could ever happen to a person, he had finally found himself.
Maybe his matches against The Undertaker were more than just wins.
"Sometimes, it's Hell trying to get to Heaven." Over a decade ago, a professional wrestler by the name of Michael Hickenbottom, or better known by his ring name of Shawn Michaels, was forced to leave the art that he so very loved due to nagging injuries and personal problems like his addiction to drugs, alcohol, and partying. Very rarely in the sport of professional wrestling does a man like Shawn Michaels come by. You see, the mix of charisma, athleticism, and passion for the game made him both a household name and a box office draw and that type of combination is something that very few men possess in this sport.
Shawn's biggest foe went by the name of Mark Calaway, or much better known as simply The Undertaker. The two men waged wars in high profile matches and due to his size and strength, The Undertaker easily beat down the smaller and more careless Shawn Michaels. However, Shawn Michaels had made a living out of proving people wrong and being the underdog and this allowed him to pull off outstanding victories. While Shawn won all of these matches, he ultimately paid the price of being legitimately injured and damn near paralyzed. No athlete or wrestler wants to be injured and for Shawn, it happened at the worst possible time because he was at the top of his game as he put on amazing match after amazing match while making vast amounts of money at the same time. Shawn did his best to forego the injuries and continue wrestling across the globe but sadly, his nagging injuries and personal problems made him hang up the boots at the age of 32.
The scoreboard gave Shawn the wins but only at the expense of a shortened career and a possibly shortened life, is that really a win?
Following the tragic end to his wrestling career, Shawn was sent home where he would enjoy the fruits of his labor. However, Shawn would fall in a deep depression and fell into a deep spiral where he would then continue to rely on both drugs and alcohol to wipe away the pain. Throughout his wrestling career, Shawn was a heavy drug user but after his career ended, his use of drugs increased immensely. During this time, Shawn got married and had a son and because of this, Shawn told himself that he needed to free himself of the demons that were manifested inside of him. Shawn later discovered the beauties of religion and then became a born again Christian where he realized that for every good story, there is a downfall and for every storm, there is a sunrise. Shawn's new lifestyle made him correct himself as he surrendered his love for drugs and gained his new found love for people and life.
Shawn's "break" from the sport that he loved so much had become the single greatest thing that could ever happen to a person, he had finally found himself.
Maybe his matches against The Undertaker were more than just wins.
Christopher Daniels vs. Davey Richards - This Has to Deliver
From October 14, 2010.
After returning in April by confronting Davey Richards after a hard fought battle with Kenny King, Christopher Daniels made it known to both the wrestling world and Davey Richards that he is back in Ring of Honor to claim the title of "best in the world." With this huge interruption, it seemed evident that a match between the two would arise in either Chicago a few weeks later or in New York the next month. However, Davey went on to challenge Roderick in Chicago and went out of the country thus missing the New York show which was named Supercard of Honor V. There, Daniels challenged Davey's partner in Eddie Edwards and went on to beat him at that very show. The next chance in which these two would meet eye to eye was in Canada at Death Before Dishonor VIII. However, Davey challenged the then world champion Tyler Black for the belt in a losing effort. At that event, Daniels wrestled against Kenny Omega in a winning effort but only after getting injured which would cause him to miss the ROH July 2010 Triple Shot as well as two other shows in August. Daniels made his return to Ring of Honor in September for both the Plymouth show and Glory by Honor IX. Again, Davey was away from the country and had to miss both shows and had to watch Daniels wrestle against Tyler Black and Austin Aries. I should also note that Daniels did, however, appear at the HDNet tapings in Philadelphia where he would occasionally confront Davey but nothing important of to clarify upon. Now it is October, over six months after Daniels' return and a huge match between the two has finally been booked as Chicago's main event. With both Roderick Strong & Eddie Edwards missing this show and with this show being another A show, this match must be a special one. This is like the situation ROH was in last year when both Danielson & McGuinness left the company which caused them to pull the trigger on a heavily hyped Austin Aries vs. Davey Richards match. The company needed a match that featured two ROH stars who would put on an amazing match that would have fans forget about the two that jumped ships. Fast forward a year later and here we are, Tyler Black is gone from ROH and now that the roster is as slim as ever, two men need to step up and hit one out of the ballpark to get the name of ROH out in the open and make those letters mean something. This, indeed, is that match that has the best chance to do so. It's just quite simple, this has to deliver.
After returning in April by confronting Davey Richards after a hard fought battle with Kenny King, Christopher Daniels made it known to both the wrestling world and Davey Richards that he is back in Ring of Honor to claim the title of "best in the world." With this huge interruption, it seemed evident that a match between the two would arise in either Chicago a few weeks later or in New York the next month. However, Davey went on to challenge Roderick in Chicago and went out of the country thus missing the New York show which was named Supercard of Honor V. There, Daniels challenged Davey's partner in Eddie Edwards and went on to beat him at that very show. The next chance in which these two would meet eye to eye was in Canada at Death Before Dishonor VIII. However, Davey challenged the then world champion Tyler Black for the belt in a losing effort. At that event, Daniels wrestled against Kenny Omega in a winning effort but only after getting injured which would cause him to miss the ROH July 2010 Triple Shot as well as two other shows in August. Daniels made his return to Ring of Honor in September for both the Plymouth show and Glory by Honor IX. Again, Davey was away from the country and had to miss both shows and had to watch Daniels wrestle against Tyler Black and Austin Aries. I should also note that Daniels did, however, appear at the HDNet tapings in Philadelphia where he would occasionally confront Davey but nothing important of to clarify upon. Now it is October, over six months after Daniels' return and a huge match between the two has finally been booked as Chicago's main event. With both Roderick Strong & Eddie Edwards missing this show and with this show being another A show, this match must be a special one. This is like the situation ROH was in last year when both Danielson & McGuinness left the company which caused them to pull the trigger on a heavily hyped Austin Aries vs. Davey Richards match. The company needed a match that featured two ROH stars who would put on an amazing match that would have fans forget about the two that jumped ships. Fast forward a year later and here we are, Tyler Black is gone from ROH and now that the roster is as slim as ever, two men need to step up and hit one out of the ballpark to get the name of ROH out in the open and make those letters mean something. This, indeed, is that match that has the best chance to do so. It's just quite simple, this has to deliver.
Davey Richards - Best in the World
From June 24, 2010.
When I began watching Ring of Honor Wrestling, or ROH for short, in mid 2009, little did I know what kind of impact it would have upon my life. I had always heard of this organization but I never really tried it out because well, I honestly don't even know. Thankfully, ROH got a television deal early that year with HDNet and when I heard of the legendary Ric Flair cutting a promo on the show, I decided to check it out. He came out to a standing ovation where he put over the company and introduced the then ROH World Champion, Jerry Lynn. I can't remember the entire segment from memory but I do know that that segment was a huge factor in making me an ROH fan. Ever since that time, I have become a huge ROH fan to the point where I purchase their DVDs, buy and wear their merchandise, discuss the product in their forums, and just last January, I went to a live show where I saw incredible wrestling matches live and in person. While I was there, I got the privilege to see Mr. Davey Richards in action and let me tell you something, never in my life have I seen anyone with as much intensity as him. He pumped up the crowd, he cussed people out, he punched and kicked the living daylights out of his opponents, and most importantly, he impressed the audience. I've been watching this sport for as long as I can remember but never have I seen anyone with the type of intensity that he brings. The way he talks, the way he walks, and the way he displays his dominance are all factors in making him the most intense wrestler in the world.
But is that all? Is that the only thing that makes him the best wrestler in the world? Hell no. His wrestling ability is comparable to absolutely no one else on this planet. He is able to blend in his relentless martial arts abilities and mix them with his incredible wrestling abilities to create a crafty combination that I swear I have never seen. He can keep a match on the ground, he can keep it in the air, and he can keep it everywhere and he can pull off an astounding match because he is just that damn good. His matches with Kevin Steen, El Generico, Eddie Edwards, and The Young Bucks are some of the most incredible matches that I have ever witnessed. He has established himself as a ring general and because of that, my eyes are always glued to one of his matches. Whether he is wrestling solo or teaming up with Eddie Edwards as The American Wolves, he just has that rare ability to put on an amazing match at any given time. Let's just cut to the point, he is an amazingly gifted professional wrestler.
So he is a tremendous in ring wrestler, what's the point in that if you don't have any charisma? Guess what, no one in this business has as much charisma as Davey Richards. Because of the intensity that he brings to the squared circle, he is able to light up a crowd and bring everyone on their feet. But if Davey doesn't want to light up a crowd with his physicality, then he can do it with his slick mic skills. Everything he says is so convincing and is said with purpose that it's hard to not pay attention to him. If he is not intriguing with his in ring talent, then chances are he is with his charisma and mic skills.
While these factors are important in making a successful wrestler, their role outside of the ring plays a crucial part as well. For Davey Richards, he is an amazing professional wrestler and an even better human being. Instead of being handed everything on a plate, he would rather earn it. Whether that being a big paycheck or a championship, he wants to earn it. All of his accomplishments and labels are things that he has earned and worked hard for. No one has ever handed anything to him because like I said earlier, he would rather earn it.
In a recent interview, Davey Richards stated that while he is only 27 years old, he will be walking away from the sport of professional wrestler at the end of the year. While there is a chance he will continue to wrestle across the globe beyond 2010, the chances are he will be retiring at the end of the year. For me, learning of this news was heartbreaking because I admire this man so much but I understand why he is walking away. Let's just clear the air first, it's his life and he can be able to do whatever he damn well pleases. While I'm disappointed that he will be walking away from this art at the end of this year while at such a young age, I understand that he would like to complete other goals in his life which include becoming a firefighter, an occupation that both allows him to help out other people and his family.
He isn't in it for the money, he isn't in it for the fame, he's in it because he has honor for the name of professional wrestling and for himself. If that isn't something you can't respect, then I don't know what is. I'm sad that Davey might be retiring at the end of the year but again, I completely understand why he is doing it. He is called the best wrestler in the world because he has earned that connotation and for that, I respect him immensely. He is the one man on this planet that I look up to because of what he stands for, everything.
When I began watching Ring of Honor Wrestling, or ROH for short, in mid 2009, little did I know what kind of impact it would have upon my life. I had always heard of this organization but I never really tried it out because well, I honestly don't even know. Thankfully, ROH got a television deal early that year with HDNet and when I heard of the legendary Ric Flair cutting a promo on the show, I decided to check it out. He came out to a standing ovation where he put over the company and introduced the then ROH World Champion, Jerry Lynn. I can't remember the entire segment from memory but I do know that that segment was a huge factor in making me an ROH fan. Ever since that time, I have become a huge ROH fan to the point where I purchase their DVDs, buy and wear their merchandise, discuss the product in their forums, and just last January, I went to a live show where I saw incredible wrestling matches live and in person. While I was there, I got the privilege to see Mr. Davey Richards in action and let me tell you something, never in my life have I seen anyone with as much intensity as him. He pumped up the crowd, he cussed people out, he punched and kicked the living daylights out of his opponents, and most importantly, he impressed the audience. I've been watching this sport for as long as I can remember but never have I seen anyone with the type of intensity that he brings. The way he talks, the way he walks, and the way he displays his dominance are all factors in making him the most intense wrestler in the world.
But is that all? Is that the only thing that makes him the best wrestler in the world? Hell no. His wrestling ability is comparable to absolutely no one else on this planet. He is able to blend in his relentless martial arts abilities and mix them with his incredible wrestling abilities to create a crafty combination that I swear I have never seen. He can keep a match on the ground, he can keep it in the air, and he can keep it everywhere and he can pull off an astounding match because he is just that damn good. His matches with Kevin Steen, El Generico, Eddie Edwards, and The Young Bucks are some of the most incredible matches that I have ever witnessed. He has established himself as a ring general and because of that, my eyes are always glued to one of his matches. Whether he is wrestling solo or teaming up with Eddie Edwards as The American Wolves, he just has that rare ability to put on an amazing match at any given time. Let's just cut to the point, he is an amazingly gifted professional wrestler.
So he is a tremendous in ring wrestler, what's the point in that if you don't have any charisma? Guess what, no one in this business has as much charisma as Davey Richards. Because of the intensity that he brings to the squared circle, he is able to light up a crowd and bring everyone on their feet. But if Davey doesn't want to light up a crowd with his physicality, then he can do it with his slick mic skills. Everything he says is so convincing and is said with purpose that it's hard to not pay attention to him. If he is not intriguing with his in ring talent, then chances are he is with his charisma and mic skills.
While these factors are important in making a successful wrestler, their role outside of the ring plays a crucial part as well. For Davey Richards, he is an amazing professional wrestler and an even better human being. Instead of being handed everything on a plate, he would rather earn it. Whether that being a big paycheck or a championship, he wants to earn it. All of his accomplishments and labels are things that he has earned and worked hard for. No one has ever handed anything to him because like I said earlier, he would rather earn it.
In a recent interview, Davey Richards stated that while he is only 27 years old, he will be walking away from the sport of professional wrestler at the end of the year. While there is a chance he will continue to wrestle across the globe beyond 2010, the chances are he will be retiring at the end of the year. For me, learning of this news was heartbreaking because I admire this man so much but I understand why he is walking away. Let's just clear the air first, it's his life and he can be able to do whatever he damn well pleases. While I'm disappointed that he will be walking away from this art at the end of this year while at such a young age, I understand that he would like to complete other goals in his life which include becoming a firefighter, an occupation that both allows him to help out other people and his family.
He isn't in it for the money, he isn't in it for the fame, he's in it because he has honor for the name of professional wrestling and for himself. If that isn't something you can't respect, then I don't know what is. I'm sad that Davey might be retiring at the end of the year but again, I completely understand why he is doing it. He is called the best wrestler in the world because he has earned that connotation and for that, I respect him immensely. He is the one man on this planet that I look up to because of what he stands for, everything.
Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels Shaking Hands Represents Everything About Professional Wrestling
From January 13, 2010.
At Survivor Series 1997, Shawn Michaels challenged Bret Hart for his WWE Championship in the main event to end their long running feud in Bret Hart's hometown of Montreal, Canada. However, Bret Hart decided that he would be leaving the WWE for the WCW and even though he would be leaving the WWE for the WCW, Bret Hart didn't want to drop the title in Canada. With this, Vince McMahon was legitamately worried that Bret Hart would appear on WCW television with the WWE Championship around his waist.
The event took place as scheduled and the main event between Shawn Michaels & Bret Hart lasted over ten mintutes when it came to an abrupt end after Michaels locked Hart in Hart's finishing move, the Sharpshooter. As soon as Michaels locked in the submission, referee Earl Hebner immediately called for the bell to ring even though Hart didn't tap out. Frustrated and confused, Bret Hart stood up and spit right into the face of Vince McMahon as the show went off the air with the newly crowned WWE Champion Shawn Michaels holding the title high above his head. Just days after the incident took place, the wrestling world referred to it as the "Montreal Screwjob."
Fast forward twelve years later and Bret Hart makes his first appearance in a WWE ring since the Montreal Screwjob as a special guest host in the opening segment of Monday Night Raw. After receiving a massively positive response from the live crowd, Hart called out the man who he faced at Survivor Series 1997, Shawn Michaels. Dressed in DX gear, Shawn Michaels marched down to the ring and stared right into the face of Bret Hart. Hart then asked for a truce as he wanted to bury the hachet with Shawn Michaels. Only after telling Hart that he deserved everything from the Montreal Screwjob, Shawn Michaels shook Bret Hart's hand and hugged him to end the long running grudge.
Although this segment lasted around twelve minutes, there is a lot of meaning behind it. The segment represented everything the sport of professional wrestling is all about, respect. In the wrestling world, the one thing that means more than friendships, titles, and legacies is respect. When Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels stood in the middle of the ring and shook hands, they didn't do it to become friends, they did it because they respect each other and they just didn't want to let one thing that happened over twelve years ago get in the thick of things. To both men, respect means everything in the world and it's the primary reason why they are professional wrestlers. Bret Hart respects the fact that Shawn Michaels is an absolute superstar as he has headlined many WrestleManias and also because he is a professional wrestler. Shawn Michaels respects Bret Hart because Michaels knows that Bret Hart has been through years and years of pain thoughout his career and also because Bret Hart is a professional wrestler. Long story short, Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels shaking hands represents everything that the professional wrestling business is all about, respect.
At Survivor Series 1997, Shawn Michaels challenged Bret Hart for his WWE Championship in the main event to end their long running feud in Bret Hart's hometown of Montreal, Canada. However, Bret Hart decided that he would be leaving the WWE for the WCW and even though he would be leaving the WWE for the WCW, Bret Hart didn't want to drop the title in Canada. With this, Vince McMahon was legitamately worried that Bret Hart would appear on WCW television with the WWE Championship around his waist.
The event took place as scheduled and the main event between Shawn Michaels & Bret Hart lasted over ten mintutes when it came to an abrupt end after Michaels locked Hart in Hart's finishing move, the Sharpshooter. As soon as Michaels locked in the submission, referee Earl Hebner immediately called for the bell to ring even though Hart didn't tap out. Frustrated and confused, Bret Hart stood up and spit right into the face of Vince McMahon as the show went off the air with the newly crowned WWE Champion Shawn Michaels holding the title high above his head. Just days after the incident took place, the wrestling world referred to it as the "Montreal Screwjob."
Fast forward twelve years later and Bret Hart makes his first appearance in a WWE ring since the Montreal Screwjob as a special guest host in the opening segment of Monday Night Raw. After receiving a massively positive response from the live crowd, Hart called out the man who he faced at Survivor Series 1997, Shawn Michaels. Dressed in DX gear, Shawn Michaels marched down to the ring and stared right into the face of Bret Hart. Hart then asked for a truce as he wanted to bury the hachet with Shawn Michaels. Only after telling Hart that he deserved everything from the Montreal Screwjob, Shawn Michaels shook Bret Hart's hand and hugged him to end the long running grudge.
Although this segment lasted around twelve minutes, there is a lot of meaning behind it. The segment represented everything the sport of professional wrestling is all about, respect. In the wrestling world, the one thing that means more than friendships, titles, and legacies is respect. When Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels stood in the middle of the ring and shook hands, they didn't do it to become friends, they did it because they respect each other and they just didn't want to let one thing that happened over twelve years ago get in the thick of things. To both men, respect means everything in the world and it's the primary reason why they are professional wrestlers. Bret Hart respects the fact that Shawn Michaels is an absolute superstar as he has headlined many WrestleManias and also because he is a professional wrestler. Shawn Michaels respects Bret Hart because Michaels knows that Bret Hart has been through years and years of pain thoughout his career and also because Bret Hart is a professional wrestler. Long story short, Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels shaking hands represents everything that the professional wrestling business is all about, respect.
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