Pro Wrestling Respect Showcases What WWE Should
Pro Wrestling Respect is a promotion that involves wrestlers from the Ring Of Honor Wrestling Academy and features a few wrestling veterans on every show. On Sunday, July 18, Pro Wrestling Respect comes back to the Burlington National Guard Armory in Burlington, N.J. for their fourth event.
Going into their fourth event, Respect is hoping to draw their biggest crowd yet as former two-time Ring of Honor World Champion Austin Aries will be featured in the co-main event. Also featured are Ricky Reyes, Delirious, Daizee Haze, Rhett Titus, Bobby Dempsey and many other hungry athletes.
Respect has been showcasing an array of different styles and matches since its inception. Womens wrestling is prominently featured, records actually matter and young competitors get a chance to shine. This concept is something that WWE is truly missing out on with their NXT product. Rather than focusing on a reality show format that helps get current stars over, NXT should feature an array of young talent in an environment where what takes place in the ring is what should be focused on. WWE should get rid of the tacky segments where wrestlers have to carry beer kegs or play joust in front of thousands of fans that have spent their hard earned money to watch some exciting in-ring action.
NXT has been a deplorable show and the ratings have proven that fact. Even with the hottest angle in wrestling featuring the entire roster from the first season, it can't generate any ratings for the show. Put these young lions in the ring and let them wrestle. Let Kaval be Kaval and not the monkey boy for LayCool. This is something that Pro Wrestling Respect has focused on since the first show back in January. These kids get to fine tune their characters and wrestling skills in front of a live audience. An intimate environment really helps these wrestlers understand what is working and what is not working.
Unlike NXT, Pro Wrestling Respect has a goal. Directly from their official website at www.prowrestlingrespect.com :
"Our goal is to allow developing professional wrestlers the opportunity to compete in the ring and in front of a live audience. Pro Wrestling Respect consists exclusively of Ring Of Honor Academy graduates and students with the occasional Ring of Honor and established independent wrestling stars. There will be a strong emphasis on win/loss records and athletic based contests featuring different styles and personalities. Pro Wrestling Respect is an inexpensive event that is performed in a family friendly manner and in a safe environment for everyone involved."
When they say "athletic based contests," they mean wrestling matches and not how fast a man can drink a soda or sell programs. I urge anyone who can make the trip to Burlington, N.J. on July 18 to do so. Pro Wrestling Respect will show you what young, hungry talent looks like. If you can't possibly make it to New Jersey, support the company and purchase their DVDs or downloads. This is what professional wrestling is supposed to be and you can witness the beginning of what will become a prominent promotion in wrestling.
5/18/10
Since WWE has had both titles under their banner, the importance of them both has slowly diminished. Wrestlers seem to wallow in the large pool of mid-card wrestlers for much longer than years past.
The Miz looks like a guy that is on the verge of breaking away from the pack of the mid-card level WWE talent. Although he lost the United States Championship to Bret Hart on this past Monday's RAW, The Miz and the championship have been elevated by "The Hitman." Although Chris Jericho was pretty much dead on when he stated that "Bret is a shell of his former self," there is no denying what The Hitman has accomplished throughout his storied career. The Miz being associated with an all-time great like Bret Hart makes him look that much more important.
The Miz can now possibly take that jump into World Championship contention that he is nearly ready to take. WWE has put the spotlight back on the United State Championship by putting it on Bret Hart. The awareness of the title is larger than it has been in a long time.
The question is, what is next for The United States Championship? It is obvious that Bret is in no condition to defend the belt. A long, King Of The Ring-style tournament could work wonders to crown a new champion. Maybe The Miz will evoke a rematch clause against The Hitman and we can see where that takes the storyline.
Since The Miz has held the United
States Championship, there has been a handful of title defenses. The
championship was put on the back burner for his run with The Unified Tag
Team Championships. This is an opportunity to get the belt away from
The Miz and onto another up and coming talent that needs the push. Either way, The Miz and The United
State Championship will benefit from the first Monday Night RAW victory
from Bret Hart since 1997.
5/13/10
Fortunately, WWE will bring to you a new Pay-Per-View entitled "Over The Limit" which takes the place of multiple different shows in years past, but most notably, "Judgement Day." This year, WWE will attempt to tie up some loose ends and start building towards their second biggest show of the year, "Summerslam."
As of press time, "Over The Limit" will feature the end of a feud involving two of the biggest stars in WWE history, John Cena and Batista. These two always seem to provide an entertaining match and there is no doubt that they will do the same on May 23rd. With the "I Quit" match stipulation and the recent rumblings of Batista's vexation in the WWE Universe, this could be the final time we see Batista for quite a while.
What could be next for the WWE Champion after "Over The Limit?" I see something fresh and new for John Cena. With a new concept June Pay-Per-View, "Fatal 4 Way," chances are Cena will compete in a four-way match. Hopefully, some new, fresh talent is elevated into the spotlight with a chance to win the WWE Champoinship.
Jack Swagger Vs. The Big Show is a very unique altercation between two contrasting styles. Big Show has always been the guy to put over the new World Heavyweight Champion and make him look like a star. Up and down the line, Big Show has wrestled just about every champion that there has been in the last 6 years, and aside from Rob Van Dam, he put over each and every one. This is why Jack Swagger will continue his push and start rolling into this year's "Summerslam" as the World Heavyweight Champion.
The final altercation, more than likely, will also take place for Rey Mysterio and CM Punk. The most intriguing WWE storyline will come to an end at "Over The Limit" and there is no doubt that these two will deliver. With a heavy heart, I must predict that CM Punk will walk out of The Joe Louis Arena completely bald. How will this change his character? What will the ramifications be? I personally see a meaner, more ruthless CM Punk after his final battle with Rey Mysterio at "Over The Limit."
The rivalry between Edge and Randy Orton has just begun and by all indications, will continue throughout the Summer of 2010. I see Edge taking the first victory in this rivalry to continue the program into the next Pay-Per-View. After the split of Rated RKO in 2007, there was never a feud between the two that had the time to build any kind of heat. They had a one-off match on RAW, which was very good, and went their seperate ways with Edge heading to Smackdown. This gives WWE a chance to retrace their steps, so to speak, and give these two a feud that they deserve. On a side note, I pray that WWE Creative keeps Edge and Randy Orton as FAR AWAY from John Cena and Triple H as possible.
And last, but not least, is another make-shift tag team featuring Chris Jericho and The Miz going for the Unified Tag Team Titles against The Hart Dynasty. Now, on paper, The Hart Dynasty doesn't have a chance because The Miz and Chris Jericho are both on the top of their respective games right now. I feel that The Hart Dynasty needs this victory and a solid run with the titles to solidify themselves as the real deal of the tag team division.
I am sure between now and "Over The Limit", more matches will be added. But whether you were a fan of "The Lex Express" or "The Highway to Hell", the Road to Summerslam will officially kick off after the "Over The Limit" Pay-Per-View.
2/16/10
I can still remember the first time I watched ECW on MSG Network in New Jersey at about 1 am on a Saturday night. Up until that point, I never saw someone go through a table. I never saw someone get whipped repeatedly with a Singapore cane. At that age, I was just starting to realize that wrestling wasn't exactly...well, how do I put this? I knew that something was up, but when I watched ECW, I wasn't quite sure. While I still enjoyed watching guys like Duke "The Dumpster" and Doink "The Clown" in the WWF, I really enjoyed watching Raven, Tommy Dreamer, Taz, The Sandman, and Public Enemy. I loved the cutting-edge, alternative style that went hand and hand with the way pop culture was headed. I loved hearing bands like Nirvana, The Offspring, White Zombie, and Alice in Chains play in the background of video packages that paved the way for the brilliant packages put together now by WWE for feuds.
The feeling was bittersweet for me when I heard that the name ECW was going into permanent retirement. Although the real ECW has been gone since 2001, I still watched the WWE version on a semi-regular basis out of loyalty and respect for the brand that was being represented. Paul Heyman, the long-time owner and booker of ECW, gave the wrestling world a product that changed the business forever. Heyman helped open creative doors that didn't even exist up until that point. He deserves more credit than most give him. He will always be the true pioneer & creative genius behind ECW, and what WWE later brilliantly titled "WWF Attitude." I've always liked Paul Heyman and I truly believe that someday he will have a place that he rightfully deserves in the WWE Hall of Fame.
I remember seeing such realism in the matches and storylines that I was immediately intrigued. Without realizing it, I was watching these future superstars and World Champions put their lives on the line inside a small bingo hall in the middle of South Philadelphia which was dubbed the ECW Arena. Guys like Mick Foley, Steve Austin, Rob Van Dam, and The Dudley Boys are just some of the guys that went on to have a huge amount of success in WWE. The one thing I'll never forget about ECW was the crowd. Up until that time, no one ever saw such a passionate wrestling crowd in America.
Since WWE restarted the brand in 2006, there have been few highs and many lows. One of the highs was seeing Tommy Dreamer get a well deserved run as ECW Champion and become one of the most respected men on the WWE roster. Another high was seeing Rob Van Dam defeat John Cena for the WWE title at One Night Stand 2006. These moments will be forever etched in WWE history and there is no doubt in my mind that ECW is a brand that won't soon be forgotten.
ECW will no doubt live on forever in the hearts of the wrestling fans that were able to experience it firsthand.
1/15/10
A Dream Come True for Tommy Dreamer
The first time I saw Tommy Dreamer wrestle live and in person was at the second to last ECW pay-per-view from the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, "Massacre on 34th Street.” It was an awesome experience and Tommy did exactly what he’s done best throughout his entire career. He made a mediocre, young wrestler named CW Anderson look really good. Dreamer put over CW that night by taking a very dangerous spine buster on a chair that made me cringe and that I still vividly remember to this day. From what I’ve seen over the years, Dreamer never had a problem putting anyone over and always made his opponent look tremendous in the process…even when jobbing to guys who will never cement the type of legacy that Tommy Dreamer has.
Dreamer gained his respect from the ECW faithful in a memorable moment at the ECW arena in the early 90’s when The Sandman repeatedly caned him in front of a crowd that became eerily silent. I remember seeing this for the first time on an ECW VHS that I somehow picked up when I was about 11 years old and it was so intense that I could barely believe it. This gave legs to an epic feud with The Sandman that paved the way for the biggest feud of Tommy’s career.
His feud with Raven in the mid 90’s is far and beyond one of the best feuds in the history of pro wrestling. Paul Heyman booked this feud so uniquely that there was no way that you couldn’t get behind Tommy Dreamer. A lot of other wrestlers were brought in during this feud including the late Terry “Bam Bam”Gordy, Dr. Death Steve Williams, Louie Spicoli, Stevie Richards, Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Shane Douglas, and the list goes on and on. The feud was captivating and went on for years. The most unique thing about it was that Tommy Dreamer never scored a pinfall over Raven until Raven left for WCW in 1997. There is some intrigue currently on the rumor mill that if Tommy makes the jump to TNA that this feud may become rekindled in this new decade.
Brock Lesnar At UFC 100
Regardless of the negativity shown towards the post-fight antics of new
Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, the UFC and
Lesnar himself must strike while the iron is hot.
While the UFC prides itself on being a company of respect, honor, and tradition (?),
Brock Lesnar is the anti-hero that Dana White has been looking for
since Tito Ortiz decided to bow out quietly and focus mainly on getting
on top of his wife (the most famous porn star ever, Jenna Jameson). The
die-hard MMA fans are having a tough time adjusting to a guy like
Lesnar. These fans do not understand how this ex-professional wrestler
can just waltz into the biggest mixed martial arts company in the world
and be put in a position to headline UFC Pay-Per-Views. Dana White
knows this, and he is using it to his advantage. My concern is that
after all this negative backlash, will he continue to use it? I believe
that he has no choice, and here is an example why :
Time and time again, Dana White has taken these alleged 'real life
situations' and turned them into entertaining build-ups to his monthly
Pay-Per-View events. Ken Shamrock (a former WWF Superstar) and Tito
Ortiz may have had the most heated rivalry in UFC history. Tito Ortiz
disrespected Shamrock to his face on numerous occassions. At UFC 40,
UFC 61, and a free on Spike Special called "Ortiz vs. Shamrock: The
Final Chapter", Dana White was able to continually sell these fights.
The first fight had most of the country backing the wiley veteran
of Ken Shamrock against the young, cocky champion Tito Ortiz. Ortiz
played the heel, and he did so extremely well. He defeated Shamrock
decisively with excessive strikes. UFC 40 had a certain buzz around it
because of Shamrock's star power from his pro wrestling run and the
curiosity of people who have heard of Ortiz and have never seen him
fight live (like myself at the time). At the time, UFC 40 was the most
successful UFC event to date.
The Ultimate Fighter 3 had gained a fair measure of momentum
after the first two seasons became success stories in their own right.
What better way to set the stage for a future Pay-Per-View then to have
a rematch of a fight that drew more buys than ever before? Dana White
made sure he put Ortiz and Shamrock in situations to make the bad blood
boil over and it worked to perfection. UFC 61 had become the most
successful Pay-Per-View in UFC history once again because of this
build for Shamrock and Ortiz.
The same formula was used for the third fight, free on Spike TV.
This fight once again hit a homerun for Dana White and the UFC. My problem with
this whole issue with Ortiz and Shamrock is that after each and every fight, these two
shook hands, hugged and then went on to tell Joe Rogan how much
they respect one another...
Are you kidding me?
When I witnessed this, I looked back at all the bad blood that was boiling over.
The selling point that made me intrigued to purchase these events were that these two men
outright loathed each other. And now these two expect me to believe
that everything is well and good? I am a die-hard pro wrestling fan, but I couldn't believe
I saw something so damn fake on an Ultimate Fighting Championship show. Until the dominance
of Chuck Lidell and Matt Hughes, the UFC lost me.
Tito Ortiz worked as a heel in the UFC so well that Dana White
himself teased a possible showdown in The Octagon with "The Huntington
Beach Bad Boy." This fight never happened, but what did happen was an
hour long special on Spike TV selling the "real life" beef between
Ortiz and White.
The UFC now has another top heel. A top heel who knows exactly how
to play the heel. Not too long after UFC 100, news broke that Tito
Ortiz is ready to finally return to the UFC. Could the UFC be on the
verge of having TWO top heels? Is this a coincidence?
Dana White is too smart for even the most well educated Mixed
Martial Arts fan. What he does with Lesnar in the next few months
leading up to his next title defense is crucial. White must make sure
that Lesnar is near front row for each Pay-Per-View. White must also
make sure that they give Lesnar some well deserved interview time to
keep this momentum going. There is no doubt in my mind that the next
time Joe Rogan stands next to Lesnar, the boo's will be defeaning.
Brock Lesnar is the UFC's top draw of all time in just 4 fights for
the company. He is the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. He
is a big, dangerous man who has a first hand education in selling
himself in whatever way he sees fit.
The success of the UFC is on the rise. There is no telling just how
big this sport can become. And with Brock Lesnar leading the
way, there may be no way to stop this freight train.
