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http://www.cheap-heat.com WWE, TNA, ROH, NJPW - Blogs, Reviews, Top Lists, Indy News & Results Sun, 20 Sep 2015 01:35:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.3.1

http://www.cheap-heat.com/and-im-like-reviewing-raw-august-25th-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/and-im-like-reviewing-raw-august-25th-2015/#comments Wed, 26 Aug 2015 00:39:31 +0000 Jake Drury Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Reviews and I'm like Big E Big Show Bo Dallas Braun Stowman Bray Wyatt Brock Lesnar Byron Saxton Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler JBL John Cena Jon Stewart Kevin Owens Kofi Kingston Lana Luke Harper Michael Cole Miz New Day Paul Heyman RAW Ric Flair Roman Reigns Ryback Seth Rollins Sheamus Undertaker WWE Wyatt Family Xavier Woods http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13788 What is with Tuesdays? I was at the restaurant today, like everyday, and today beat the daily total of Saturday which is our normal busiest day. I happened to have a former WWF Tag Team champion come in today, but I was so busy I didn’t get a chance to talk wrestling!!! Maybe next time […]

What is with Tuesdays? I was at the restaurant today, like everyday, and today beat the daily total of Saturday which is our normal busiest day. I happened to have a former WWF Tag Team champion come in today, but I was so busy I didn’t get a chance to talk wrestling!!! Maybe next time right?

This weekend sure felt like a marathon. The more I thought about it though, the more I think the production crew of WWE is happy. They had the same arena for 3 nights in a row! That has got to be a lighter workload than normal. Season 1 of the Waltons is on while I queue up the DVR, this famous actress needed the Walton’s to help her put on a show so she can afford a train ticket to New York.. Enough chatting onto Monday Night Raw!!

Show Opening- В We start off in WWE Headquarters with HHH getting ready to present Seth Rollins with a statue in his honor. “Seth your not the future of WWE, you are the man”- HHH. We see statues of Bruno Sammartino, Ultimate Warrior, and Andre The Giant.

And I’m Like… wondering what the statue criteria is?

Show opens with its typical crappy song intro, I can’t wait until tonight is the night we change this song. We go over highlights of Summerslam, but not NXT!?!? and then

Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman-

As Brock walks out, I notice the Suplex City sign on his shirt says south. I’m not trying to throw snow here, but shouldn’t it be north? Maybe the suplex brings you down so thats why its south?
“Suplex City” chants from the crowd as we look at a battered Brock Lesnar.
Brock is very subdued, its way scarier to me than when he is all bouncy.
This finish really grinds my gears, cause like, when has the time keeper ever rang the bell without command? Even during Montreal ’97 Vince had to say ring the damn bell like 4 times. I’ll take a wait and see approach, but how can we interview the referee and not the time keeper?
Brock does not blame the referee or the time keeper, because they understood that when Undertaker was tapping, ‘Taker knew his arm was gonna break off.
Paul Heyman brings up Undertaker collapsed again, he said he has enough material to last all 3 hours of Raw and the crowd Yes!’s?
Undertaker got that dick kick on lock though, that is Brock’s kryptonite. By the way, I personally still don’t know who gave me that head of cabbage from a few Raw’s back..
Paul Heyman said Undertaker looks likeВ The Gunslinger , he also says Brock challenges him to a fight tonight
BO DALLAS’ music hits!!! Quick side bar here again.. I have a regular named Danny that is a wrestling fan, he will come in everyday and do wrestling catchphrases. He will do them call and response style like this, “It’s Simply Positively..” and I’ll go “A New Day” he says “all you gotta do is..” I say “Bo-Lieve”. Sometimes he does Paul Heyman promos, he always tries to do the Million Dollar Dance with my server too. Bo just reminded me of Danny so I thought I would throw that in there.
Bo told Brock he had good and bad news. Bad news is he passed out, Good news is he woke up and had a dream he actually beat Undertaker. Bo said Brocks dreams can come true if he Bo-Lieves!!
Brock laughs and then DECIMATES Bo Dalls with suplexes from Germany. The crowd chants one more time, Brock adheres to them. They chant it again as he is leaving, he does it again. He tries to leave again and Paul says “an F5 just for me!!?” Brock goes back in and yup F-5.

And I’m Like… That was the main story going into tonight, having Brock just kick someones ass really cleanses the palate of what happened last night. I don’t know where the story is headed, it might be over who knows. That segment was fun though.

Lucha Dragons vs. New Day

Holy Shit!!! New Day is gaining so much crowd support, they are so creative too. This is fun
Xavier Woods playing background music to New Day inspired lyrics to “New York, New York” is something I never knew I needed!!!
Can you cover all the songs New Day?!?! I Love this JBL says “Xavier was trained by Chief Jay Strongbow” Y’all KILLED IT NEW DAY!!! KILLED IT!!
NEW DAYROCKS NEW DAYROCKS!!!
The fun thing about New Day is they are entertaining wrestlers, and their gimmick is still MAD ENTERTAINING you know? Everything you see seems to be amazing, they are even putting Titus in his place while Prime Time Players are on commentary.
How long is Kalisto going to be in a tag? He should be lighting the world on fire with lucha moves soon right?
As the New Day hits their finishing move Xavier Woods does amazing work playingВ Military Taps

And I’m Like… Surprised that the Prime Time Players were not as entertaining as the New Day. That’s how the tag division should be, put the straps on whoever is making the most entertainment with theВ allottedВ time. As I say that THE DUDLEY BOYZ come back!! That is pretty crazy, I don’t think they are needed as full-time tag regulars though, just saw all their signature moves, what more do we need? Tables? Just saw that too! These guys should go do that NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic or whatever. It doesn’t matter, this shit was fun, the whole segment.

That Make-a-Wish video had me in tears.. Bayley/Sasha at Takeover tears… fucking Connor The Crusher tears. For real this shit is so cool. People suffer so much you know, they just go through shit all day. They eat a bowl of shit for breakfast and once it’s done it’s breakfast time.It’s amazing that WWE has the power to make children forget about breakfast and escape the hell that is the hospital, John Cena legit can not turn heel, those kids need him, they really do. They need a super-hero, cause some times, real life is not enough to get you by. Wrestling is great.

HHH and Stephanie- They are in the back looking at Seth’s statue, I wouldn’t comment on this but Seth said something important. “This place is just better with you running it” SEEDS PLANTED, where is ourВ 70 year old farmer ?

Summerslam Rematch: Wyatts vs. Shield

LOL! Last night this was my smoke break match… now we are having it again… WWE will make me watch this no matter what huh? What is really funny is, there is one of those anti-smoking commercials right when they cut to break mid Shield entrance.
There are so many “suicide dives” to the outside in WWE recently, its like become a necessity to dive at someone when they go outside at least once in a match.
Good thing they had that match last night to settle the score right? If they didn’t then this match would no consequences or story, we would watch this match for the sake of wrestling.
Let’s remember this whole feud started cause Bray pushed a ladder that Roman was on over, in a match Wyatt wasn’t in, 3 months ago…. You know how many damn matches have happened since then? I don’t but we both know its alot, yet Roman is still super peeved about that ONE NIGHT!!!
Roman doing fake drinking beer taunts is the Frattiest thing…
JBL says “superkick party” he must watchВ The Young Bucks
A NEW WYATT SHOWS UP!?!? He has a black mask on too!! Please don’t mean Minnesota’s own Erick Rowan is out the family now.. Let’s hope Harper is the mid-card act, Bray is the main act, and the sheep tag.
Since this is the first non-NXT debut in a while, it’s weird to hear the crowd just murmur or be quiet.
New Wyatt is no selling all the offense, he is choking out the Shield while Luke and Bray smile.

And I’m Like… If this doesn’t bring Sting into this feud or at least add a little flavor to this, it will get old fast. This was new fresh and exciting, I hope it doesn’t just happen for four weeks until another turn of events.

There will be a special with Brock in Madison Square Garden on the night of my baby shower!! Guess what I’ll try and make the family watch??!?

Miz TV- PCB

I kept wondering why PCB was such a familiar acronym, turns out I noticed it on my Fish Oil container.В PCB В is a probable human carcinogen… I LOVE IT
I am not into PCB they are the fakes of the division. Bellas are bitches and veterans and they know it and brag. Team B.A.D. seem real when they speak.
Bella’s come out and all we hear is WE WANT SASHA!!! It’s Daniel Bryan chants all over again.
Alicia Fox says she has been here for 9 years and seen em all come and go. It’s true, Becky quit trying to be crazy, just break arms. Charlotte quit leaning on Flair for everything WE KNOW HE WAS IN THE HORSEMEN! and Paige, not everybody wants everything sexualized.
For a Divas revolution, Miz getting cheers when he says “When my hand goes up your mouth goes shut” It does show how we as viewers receive these Diva’s compared to NXT’s women. It sucks that when they made the jump to the main show, they lost all their qualities that made them respectable women.
There is a six diva brawl that is leading to a six diva tag match… Sasha Banks is not in the mix, yet all the crowd says is WE WANT SASHA!!

And I’m Like… If WWE wanted me to not like six women and like three more, they did a great job. What’s bad is that the six I don’t like were on the screen making me not like them more. I am a Charlotte fan when she is real, when she is nerdy and awkward, not when she tries to be cool. Charlotte is tall and lanky, Becky is weird and annoyingly bubbly, Paige is immature. Paige was trying to get Team Freakshow over before PCB stuck, and I’m starting to lean on her side with that name. That would have added a dynamic this 3 team feud needs. The hot bunch (Bella’s) The bad bunch (team B.A.D.) and instead of the “wrestlers? other hot bunch? what is PCB anyways?” they could have been the misfit bunch.В

As I was And I’m Liking the Miz TV segment a Six Diva Tag match started… The crowd was the fun part… They wanted SASHA they did want this match.. I didn’t want this match. What I had to say was said up above. Give us stories that we can relate to please. Team Bella won if you care! Alicia fox looked like she was in pain or mad f’d up…

It was supposed to be Stardust and Cosmic King Barrett teaming but Stardust beat up The Cosmic King. Neville came out and the ref bailed as the brawl started… Neville went for Red Arrow, Stardust ran away.

And I’m Like… WHAAAAT???

Jon Stewart Promo-

His Theme song is the Daily Show theme song haha. That is so not his character for wrestling, just a happy bouncy guitar riff.
Stewart is showered in “Thank You Stewart” chants
Stewart said he apparently upset some people, to those parents who comforted their children, I’ll tell you why I did that.
Jon Stewart said in his heart, he could not let John Cena tie Ric Flair. The crowd was What’ing him until he said he did it for Flair, instacheers. “NOT ON MY WATCH”-Jon Stewart
Flair then styles and profiles his way to the ring, my buddy sent a text last night “I Fuckin Love Jon Stewart” I think I know why now!
Flair tells Stewart he was pulling for John Cena, Stewart sells shock…..
Ric Flair says the record will be broken sooner than later, he wants it to be from someone he respects. “Don’t forget Gods in the house tonight” – Ric Flair He tells people you don’t gotta like it, you gotta love it cause it is coming out of my mouth,
Flair told Stewart he messed up everything… like it was some giant plan that Flair had Cena beat his record…. Stewart is as confused as we are…
John Cena tells Stewart they need to talk, he said “What do you wanna talk about? and *you can’t see me’s him”
The crowd chants Ce NaSUCKS and Cena did something I found interesting, he was talking to either Stewart or Flair and he said “no let them get it out”. Cena has been in front of loud unrespectful crowds for over a decade. It’s amazing what he has learned in crowd control, every crowd will fatigue of any chant, if he let’s them ride it out he will be more impactful in his words when they are spoken.
Cena says that Stewart ended the ability to let new stars shine… That is crazy!!! Why would he think that having a late twenties superstar winning the title ends the ability for new stars? Man is a narcissistic sociopath.
He hits Jon Stewart with an AA too, John said I understand that that’s what you have to do and then just beat him up, that’s some Bully type shit.

And I’m Like… I’m with Stewart, he helped the future. Rollins was right Cena IS a disease. You could tell from Flairs face he felt that the segment fell flat… Oh well, Jon Stewart is totally gonna be in the WWE Hall of Fame Celebrity wing.

Ziggler, Orton, Ryback, Cesaro vs. Owens, Sheamus, Big Show, Rusev

This could be a match, like 5 years from now, we look back on like “WOW they had some stars in that match this should be fun!”, or we could look at it like we do now, “WOW they have some stars in this match, I’ve seen everyone wrestle everyone a bunch this summer, glad its all packed in this eight man instead of an hour of Raw”
Byron says Cesaro is “like the Chuck Norris of Raw” that is beauty.
Ziggler is wearing tights!! He has his Sherri Martel now in Lana, his transformation to Shawn Michael’s complete. I compared Ziggler to Ricky Steamboat and Lana to George “The Animal” Steel last week, maybe this comparing thing is a trend?
Big Show on his Mark Henry Trash Talk game real hard tonight. I’ve grown to re-appreciate Big Show, he will be gone soon, might as well enjoy him while he is on TV.
As Ziggler gets his ass kicked by every guy on the other team, I am really digging his new tights.
A commercial for Subway??? Too Soon you guys.. Too Soon.
My mind is made up on Lana.. She ain’t good. She stands there emotionless, she smiles when she does offense, her character is crap. She is forced as hell like Byrons excitement for Cesaro’s “Uppercut TRAAIINN!!”
The Ryback/Owens match-up seems real fun.. yeah GIVE OWENS THE INTERCONTINENTAL BELT!!! He is Canadian, they know how to represent that belt best!
All the good guys notice Show is all alone so they decide to pick on him.

And I’m Like… The bad guys beat up Big Show, they left Sheamus. The good guys beat up Big Show, they left Sheamus. That’s funny. This meant nothing I’m sure, unless Owens and Rusev team up, they both beat on Show and looked damn good doing it!

Bray Wyatt is in his dark room cutting promos. When Bray rolls his eyes and says heart, his voice dragged and it sounded so eerie, I love his cadence. Bray introduces Braun Strowman the “Black Sheep of Sister Abigail”

The Authority is talking to John Cena about how he is a sore loser and that it is trending, then Security throws him out of the building.

Seth Rollins Statue Presentation-

I just feel like something is in that box besides the statue!!
Steph calls out that Vince turned 70 during Raw and she gets all cry baby like. They sing Happy Birthday shittly too but it was great, which makes me think… Is Happy Birthday allowed to be sung without paying copyright?
I seriously zone out when HHH talks, plus there are two cops talking to my caretaker right now and I’m super nosy… My wife went to investigate, but I’m all wondering what is going on.
I hear something about the Mount Rushmore of wrestling and I am like… what is going on outside my patio? Both squad cars drove away.
ok so I paused it, found out what the deal was, some guy down on the other end of the complex broke into an apartment and the caretaker caught him running out. When I was on my smoke break earlier, I picked some weeds by the apartment and instead of throwing them away, I threw them into the parking lot. She went into the parking lot a bit later to throw the weeds away and saw the guy. So good thing I’m lazy huh??
Rollins is spouting stuff about being the cure, he puts over the fact the for a decade Cena was the man, he then said that ended last night,
Rollins dropped the “to be the man, you gotta beat the man.” Then told ‘Trips’ to unveil the statue
He just keeps talking, THERE HAS GOT TO BE SOMEONE IN THERE!!!
They are taking too long, I almost lost interest….. drum roll…. and STING!!
That is pretty dope.. HAHA I just jumped cause I was startled because my caretaker just opened the door and said some woman broke the window in the bar a quarter mile away, haha this heightened my mood, Sting held the belt up too the WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP!
Stings music hit and everyone went crazy, that was really cool, plus WHERE DID STING PUT THE STATUE?!??

And I’m Like… What the hell, that was very fun for me, with the craziness outside my house and on my television, Raw next week will be fun I hope!! Thank you for reading

Y’all have a good one.

-Jake

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/mark-matts-top-5-wrestling-entrance-themes/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/mark-matts-top-5-wrestling-entrance-themes/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2015 14:13:45 +0000 B+ Players Reviews AJ Styles Bill Cosby Countdown Entrance Music Entrance Themes Hollywood Hulk Hogan Jim Johnston John Cena Macho Man Randy Savage Music NJPW Pro Wrestling Ric Flair ROH Themes TNA Top 5 Top List Tunes WCW wrestling Wrestling List WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13356 If the media player doesn't work – CLICK HERE – for our official page at YourListen! The smartest of marks and the dirtiest of �mats' are back with a Top 5 Countdown featuring the best and the WORST of professional wrestling music. Mark Adam Haggerty and "PG" Matt S present a total of twenty tunes, […]

If the media player doesn't work – CLICK HERE – for our official page at YourListen!

The smartest of marks and the dirtiest of �mats' are back with a Top 5 Countdown featuring the best and the WORST of professional wrestling music. Mark Adam Haggerty and "PG" Matt S present a total of twenty tunes, starting with five of their most favorite entrance themes. There's no order to the soundtrack and no method to the madness. So gear up for one of the most entertaining episodes of the B+ Player Podcast ever .

You can follow all of the B+ Players on Twitter!
В В В В В В В В В В В В В Mark Adam Haggerty – @TapeTraderz
В В В В В В В В В В В В В Gary Mastriano – @BPlayerPodcast
"PG" Matt S – @theMattSloyan
James Thorpey – @jamesthorpey

Please LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook for new episodes of the B+ Players; constant coverage courtesy of DailyWrestlingNews.com, and lots of laughs thanks to Gutbusterwrestling.com!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/best-of-bash-at-the-beach/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/best-of-bash-at-the-beach/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2015 18:27:08 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Other Blogs Reviews Top Lists Bash at the Beach Beach Blast Cage Match Chris Jericho Dave Meltzer DDP DDP Yoga Dennis Rodman ECW Hulk Hogan Karl Malone Randy Savage Rey Mysterio Ric Flair Rick Rude Star Ratings Sting The Giant Top Matches Ultimo Dragon Vader WCW wrestling WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13305 Summer is in full swing so let's celebrate with a WCW Classic—Bash at the Beach! The Bash—formerly known as Beach Blast—was a wrestling tradition for nine years and hosted some of the most definitive moments in World Championship Wrestling history. The NWO formed, Hulk Hogan debuted, the late Roddy Piper wrestled Ric Flair! I've been […]

Summer is in full swing so let's celebrate with a WCW Classic— Bash at the Beach! The Bash—formerly known as Beach Blast—was a wrestling tradition for nine years and hosted some of the most definitive moments in World Championship Wrestling history. The NWO formed, Hulk Hogan debuted , the late Roddy Piper wrestled Ric Flair! I've been doing a ton of research for an upcoming analysis I think you'll all really enjoy, and have thus been paying particularly close attention to Dave Meltzer's Star Ratings. Instead of writing about why you should watch each Bash at the Beach extravaganza, I've listed Dave's highest rated match and my favorite match, to give you an idea of what kind of action went down at these particular shows.

Note: The "Combined Star Rating" is the average for each show based on match ratings and number of bouts.

Beach Blast 1992 – Mobile Alabama 6/20/92
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Sting versus Cactus Jack – Falls Count Anywhere – 4 ½ Stars
Mark's Favorite Match: Rick Rude versus Ricky Steamboat – Iron Man Match – 3 ½ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 3 Stars

Beach Blast 1993 – Biloxi Mississippi 7/18/93
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: TIED

The Hollywood Blondes vs. The Four Horsemen – NWA/WCW Tag Titles – 3 ¾ Stars

Sid Vicious & Big Van Vader vs. the British Bulldog & Sting – 3 ¾ Stars

Mark's Favorite Match: Ric Flair vs. Barry Windham – NWA World Heavyweight Title – 2 ½ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

Bash at the Beach 1994 – Orlando Florida 7/17/94
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Steve Austin vs. Ricky Steamboat – U.S. Title– 3 ¾ Stars
Mark's Favorite Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair – WCW World Heavyweight Title – 3 ¼ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

Bash at the Beach 1995 – Huntington Beach California 7/16/95
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Ric Flair vs. Macho Man – Lifeguard Match – 2 ¾ Stars
Mark's Favorite Match: Hulk Hogan vs. Vader – Cage Match World Title – 2 ½ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 1 Star

Bash at the Beach 1996 – Daytona Beach Florida 7/7/96
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Psychosis – 4 ¼ Stars
Mark's Top Match: The Outsiders & Hulk Hogan vs. Sting, Macho Man, & Lex Luger – 3 Stars
Combined Star Rating: 2 Вј Stars

Bash at the Beach 1997 – Daytona Beach Florida 7/13/97
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: TIED

Chris Jericho vs. Ultimo Dragon – Cruiserweight Title – 4 ¼ Stars

Hector Garza, Juventud Guerrera & Lizmark Jr. vs. La Parka, Psychosis & Villano IV – 4 ¼ Stars

Mark's Top Match: Roddy Piper vs. Ric Flair 3 ¼ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

Bash at the Beach 1998 – San Diego California 7/12/98
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero – Hair vs. Hair – 3 ¼ Stars
Mark's Top Match: Hulk Hogan & Dennis Rodman vs. DDP & Karl Malone – -1 ¼ Stars
Combined Star Rating: 1 ВЅ Stars

Bash at the Beach 1999 – Fort Lauderdale Florida 7/11/99
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: The Triad vs. Chris Benoit & Perry Saturn – 3 ½ Stars
Mark's Top Match: Hardcore Junkyard Battle Royal – N/A
Combined Star Rating: ВЅ Star

Bash at the Beach 2000 – Dayton Beach Florida 7/9/00
Dave Meltzer's Top Match: Mike Awesome vs. Scott Steiner – U.S. Title – 3 ¼ Stars
Mark's Top Match: Booker T vs. Jeff Jarrett – World Heavyweight Title – 3 Stars
Combined Star Rating: 1 Вѕ Stars

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat and Daily Wrestling News !

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/7-potential-superstars-tna-on-nxt/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/7-potential-superstars-tna-on-nxt/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2015 19:30:52 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Top Lists Bram Charlotte Davey Richards Eddie Edwards Impact Jessie Godderz Kenny King Khoya Mahabali Shera NXT RAW Ric Flair Robbie E. Rockstar Spud The American Wolves The Revolution TNA TNA Impact WWE Wwe Raw http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=13045 The word broke several months back that Impact Wrestling might cease to be come September, an ironic twist for a company branded as "Total Nonstop Action." I remember reading a billion blog posts about who the WWE might pick up once TNA has gone the way of so many other promotions. At the time, it […]

The word broke several months back that Impact Wrestling might cease to be come September, an ironic twist for a company branded as " Total Nonstop Action." I remember reading a billion blog posts about who the WWE might pick up once TNA has gone the way of so many other promotions. At the time, it seemed premature, especially with the immediate future of NXT in question. If you'll remember, Kevin Owens has only recently made an impact—no pun intended—on the WWE's main roster. Before Neville, there were questions as to how an NXT wrestler might successfully transition into a WWE Superstar , but now the WWE appears to be an ever evolving entity. We're going to see Tyler Breeze versus JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER, for crying out loud! Now that NXT is touring the country, and set to debut in New York City, it would seem that anybody worth marketing is a possible prospect for the hottest promotion in professional wrestling. I read down the roster and came up with seven guys I could honestly see in NXT.

Jessie Godderz
Before he was one half of the Bro-Mans, "Mr. Pectacular" was a Big Brother contestant. He proved to be so popular that he returned for a second season, and was eventually signed by TNA. Now, I know that sounds shady. Where's the wrestling come into play with this guy? Well—it doesn't. Didn't I say I was going to keep this list honest? In addition to recognizable independent talent, the WWE likes to stack its developmental system with potential superstars from various walks of life. You have your power lifters like Dana Brooke, the football players like Baron Corbin, and even soccer players like Hugo Knox. Every once in a while you'll also get a few actors, a couple stunt men, and yes—male models. Jessie has a great look in terms of what Vince likes to see, and his character work within TNA since turning on his partner Robbie E has been acceptable.

Kenny King
Kenny King is 33-years old and is the oldest person on this list. The WWE isn't looking to sign talent over 30 unless there's money to be made on their name. Samoa Joe would have never been signed if he hadn't made such a lasting impression on the sport of professional wrestling. Kenny King might not be a household name but he's made his rounds in the last thirteen years, working with companies like Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro. In fact, Kenny King's foray into the industry began in 2002 as a second season cast member on Tough Enough. Kenny King might be a long-shot, but a try-out shouldn't be out of the question.

Rockstar Spud
Rockstar Spud is unlike anyone the WWE has ever hired. Daniel Bryan is often considered one of the smaller-statured Superstars in the WWE, and he stands just shy of 5'10". Rockstar Spud is 5'4", and weighs a whopping 140 pounds. Despite his size, Spud has proven his worth inside the squared circle—and the six sided ring! The subtle choices he's made since turning babyface are spectacular, but they're nothing compared to the exaggerated lunacy he exuded while working with EC3 and Dixie Carter. Sami Zayn might one day get called up to the main roster, and when that day comes, NXT will need a new underdog.

Mahabali Shera
When Rey and Alberto left WWE, everyone shouted to the high heavens about how there needs a new Mexican wrestler. Now that Kevin Owens is coming into focus on the main roster, people are nitpicking about the lack of marketable Canadian Superstars. It's clear the WWE likes to have an assortment of multicultural talents to help sell tickets both in the �States and abroad. The Great Khali was India's most recent homegrown representative—all due respect to Jindar Mahal. According to a recent episode of "Talk is Jericho," Pro Wrestling and Cricket are the two most popular sports in India. Mahabali Shera was part of Jeff Jarrett's Ring Ka King, and has since been rechristened "Khoya" on Impact. He's not a great wrestler, but that's what the performance center is there for. Plus, he's 24-years old and he's got a barrel chest unlike any Indian athlete I've ever seen.

Robbie E
You'll notice there aren't any former WWE Superstars on this list. There are a handful of "developmental defects," but nobody that ever broke through to the main roster, or even television for that matter. No EC3? No EC3— but Robbie E! Robbie E is from my home state of New Jersey and actually trained with a few friends of mine. He was tag team partners with the "Chop Daddy" Biggie Biggs, and eventually got noticed enough to become a longtime fixture on the TNA roster. I have a soft spot for Robbie E, but I also feel that—just like Jessie Godderz—he's coming into his own since the break-up. Robbie plays a perfectly believable sympathetic babyface, and has flipped the script on his character in just a matter of weeks.

Bram
I think it's only a matter of time before we see Bram in the WWE. I want to say that right here and now. Let's look at the facts, and not bury the lead: he's married to Charlotte, one of the newest WWE Divas, who just so happens to be the daughter of the only two time WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair. He's got the size and look of a WWE Superstar; he's six-foot-three and has long greasy hair. Bram gave it a go in WWE developmental back in 2010, and found certain success as a tag team competitor, until a few run-ins with police landed him in hot water. Bram is only 28—in fact he's just about one month older than I am, so I feel like I can accurately gauge his temperament when this all went down in 2011. I'm not making an excuses for his behavior—that you can research on your own—I'm just saying people grow up. And if he's good enough for Charlotte and the "Nature Boy," I'm certain he's good enough for Triple H.

The American Wolves
Coming in at number one, we have a tandem, a twosome, and the current TNA World tag team champions, the American Wolves. Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards are both celebrated professional wrestlers, both in singles, and tag team action. It's sort of a cop out, listing them as one entry, but they are— for my money— the most desirable act left in TNA. Think about it. Who's still there? Austin Aries is gone, otherwise A-Double might have been listed at or near the top. Bobby Roode has never proven to be a draw, neither has Magnus. And how many shows has Eric Young sold out? Triple H has said that he's willing to sign anyone that can get over and has gotten over in other promotions. Everyone I've listed has gotten over in some way or another, whether it was in TNA, or as part of Ring of Honor, or even Ring Ka King. They're 31 and 32 years old respectfully, and according to William Regal's interview with Fighting Spirit : "Wrestlers only start to get really good when they're around thirty, thirty one." As singles' competitors, Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards are both former ROH World Champions; Eddie Edwards holds the record for 13 ^th longest title reign, whereas Davey is seventh with 321 days. But the WWE shouldn't discount the �Wolves value as a team. It's become clear that NXT—and the main roster for that matter—is sorely lacking in tag team talent. Securing someone like the American Wolves could not only jumpstart that division once and for all, but inspire other accredited teams to give it a go down at Full Sail University.

Until next time, please LIKE "The B+ Players Podcast" on Facebook , and FOLLOW me on Twitter for all the latest and greatest updates courtesy of Cheap-Heat , Gutbusters , and Daily Wrestling News !

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-5-times-wrestling-fans-got-what-they-wanted-and-hated-it/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-5-times-wrestling-fans-got-what-they-wanted-and-hated-it/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2015 03:23:44 +0000 Robi Vio Top Lists Bill Goldberg Brock Lesnar ECW Goldberg HBK RAW Ric Flair Rob Van Dam Roman Reigns RVD Shane Douglas Shawn Michaels WCW Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10503 From matches years in the making to companies that should have stayed dead and buried. This is 5 times that wrestling fans got what they wanted, and hated it. 5) Shane Douglas Vs Ric Flair During the end of WCW many things were falling apart at the seams in storylines, and most of the angles […]

From matches years in the making to companies that should have stayed dead and buried. This is 5 times that wrestling fans got what they wanted, and hated it.

5) Shane Douglas Vs Ric Flair

During the end of WCW many things were falling apart at the seams in storylines, and most of the angles were mostly, if not completely, based on some element of reality. This was a strategy that proved to be akin to shooting yourself in the foot long term, but it did provide an instance of fans getting something they never thought they would and had been pining for, for almost a decade. The two had hated each other since the companies inception and Douglas felt that Flair was to blame for having his push shut down, and Flair just found Douglas to be an intolerable young upstart who didn’t have any respect. The two would bury each other any change they got publicly, In the world of wrestling, the fans wanted to see this one just because of how long it had been coming. To the surprise of many the man who would get them to work together was none other than Vince Russo. Vince Russo, receives a lot of flack, but he was able to book and get these two to do the match. Douglas and Flair had a short bout on “Slamboree 2001”, We won’t spoil finishes but the fact that these two were actually in a ring together should have been enough to be a classic, but fans were just not receptive to anything from WCW at this point and frequent run ins and no kind of real rules in place did little to help this. Ultimately it goes down as one of the not so greatest ends to a rivalry that we would have just been better off letting be a war of words.

4) Rob Van Dam Vs. Shawn Michaels

In the post invasion era WWE, there were so many dream matchups to make that it seemed you would have to be actively trying to mess it up as the stories wrote themselves. This period of time ended up being a disappointment to most because of how it was handled. A fine example of this is on an edition of RAW, Rob Van Dam was to face Shawn Michaels for the World championship. Michaels had recently won it in the elimination chamber putting the cherry on top of his recent comeback and a bout with Rob Van Dam was just the thing to get fans jacked. Rob Van Dam had adopted the moniker of being “The Whole F’n show” in response to Shawn Michaels using the moniker of being the “Show stealer”, and comparisons between the two went on for years. Properly booked this match could have headlined any major PPV card, but it was given to us on RAW, and boy was it lackluster. The high drama fight that many expected was nothing more than a throw away match in the never ending feud between Shawn and Triple H at the time and RVD was little more than an afterthought at the end of the bout.

3) Goldberg Vs Brock Lesnar

Throughout Brock Lesnar’s first run in the WWE, fans were always wanting to see him face another monster that could compare. Brock had ran through legends, giants, and young lions alike and they needed someone who could compare to have an end all battle where brock would face someone who was equal to him. Brock is such a rare specimen that this was next to impossible to have a person with both the physically imposing features, scary athleticism, and resume to make this count. Except it wasn’t impossible and was right there on their own roster. Bill Goldberg came over shortly after the invasion was finished and had been one of the few WCW creations that still had credibility with the fans at this point. Goldberg had torn through the WCW roster and became their biggest player in their last years, and did it convincingly. When he came to WWE he had a reign with the world championship, and was established as a top guy. With these two set to face off most expected one of the best and most hard hitting bouts ever. What we got was something that can only be described as “disappointing”. Both men weren’t into the match, the crowd turned on the match because they knew that it was both men’s final bout with the company, and the injection of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as referee did little to calm the crowds frustration. Most people just block this entire bout out of their memories as not too many things have ever been such a letdown.

2) The rise of Roman Reigns

in the year 2014, there were few people more over with the fans than Roman Reigns. He was in the most popular group in the WWE, had a big impact moveset, and his silent demeanor made him the most dangerous seeming of the trio. Fast forward to the 2015 “Royal Rumble” build up and it was a whole new story. Fans seem to want anything other than him and blame it on everything from him being handed his spot, to him being bad on the mic, to even going as far to say that he is now being pushed just because he is “pretty”. No matter the reasoning, it just seems that the fans either didn’t know what they wanted, or the WWE struck too long after the iron had cooled off.

1) Bring Back ECW!

The brand known as ECW had some of the most rabid fans and most loyal of fans in all of pro wrestling. Even though they were a much smaller group than most, their fanbase had managed to grow even after they had been shut down for several years as you would hear “ECW! ECW! ECW!” chants anytime someone wen through a table or took a chair shot. The WWE noticed this and released some ECW nostalgia DVDs, and the sales were insane. Fans were begging for more ECW, and WWE was going to deliver. The first step was a PPV entitled “One Night Stand” where ECW stars from the past came and put on several matches with no story or buildup and they knocked it out of the park with it being one of the best selling PPVs of that entire year. The WWE took note and set up for one more PPV the next year to kick off a brand new weekly TV show for the Brand. It was originally going to air on WWE.com, but when they found out that the Sci-Fi channel would pay for it, they were willing to let them air it. The second PPV was a fine kickoff for the brand as Rob Van Dam would win the WWE championship and become the first ECW champion. The show kicked off and what we got was probably the worst bastardization of a franchise or license the wrestling world had ever seen. Wrestling Zombies, Vampires, and an unrecognizable feel from the original led fans to turn on the show and begin calling it the worst thing in wrestling at the time. This is still easily seen today as you will NEVER hear fans chanting those three letters at events anymore.

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/ring-dissection-ring-dissection-brock-lesnar-2-0-year-2/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/ring-dissection-ring-dissection-brock-lesnar-2-0-year-2/#comments Sun, 15 Mar 2015 22:24:59 +0000 Scott Hayes Blogs Other Blogs Big Show Brock Lesnar CM Punk Extreme Rules HHH MMA Paul Heyman Ric Flair Royal Rumble SummerSlam Triple H UFC Undertaker Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10440 Welcome back to the Lab. Where we slice and dice all things pro wrestling. This is another installment of the "Lesnar Dissection". For those of you curious you can see the dissection of "Year 1" right here: Just a reminder I am taking my scalpel to closer examine Lesnar's 3 year run since returning to […]

Welcome back to the Lab. Where we slice and dice all things pro wrestling. This is another installment of the "Lesnar Dissection". For those of you curious you can see the dissection of "Year 1" right here:

Just a reminder I am taking my scalpel to closer examine Lesnar's 3 year run since returning to the WWE the night after Wrestlemania 28. A quick overview. Lesnar came back. Crowd went crazy. F-5'd Cena. Lost the big PPV match. Broke HHH's arm. Won that big PPV match. Lost that PPV rematch at Mania… which leads us to?

The build to this saw a ramp up of some intensity. The story being Brock had made HHH tap out, at Summerslam. Hunter had KO'd Lesnar at Mania with a pedigree on the steps. Lesnar destroyed Trips office at WWE headquarters. The two brawled in a cage on Raw, too. So this is to settle it. A rubber match.

Lesnar came out first, but before he could finish entering, HHH attacked. Driving him into the cage. Hunter dominated the early going, until Brock went for a flying knee, but HHH got out of the way and Brock's knee crashed into the cage which became a focal point for the match. Brock complaining about the knee to Paul. It buckling during an F-5 attempt midway through the match. HHH hitting chop blocks, and using a chair against it… oh yeah… Paul slid a chair into the ring at the behest of the Beast. See… Brock had hit an F-5 and Hunter kicked out. So? They needed to up the ante, so to speak. Back to the action, Hunter continued to work that knee. Again I notice the crowd really isn't into this match… HHH's working of the knee and Brock's selling is great during the middle section of this match. Of course Trips locks in a figure four. Because…

Brock isn't tapping… Hunter is now punching the knee while he has the Figure Four in… BRILLIANT! Lesnar eventually turns it over. Hold gets broke. Brock gets up. Goes to climb out. Gets AAAAAALMOST there and Triple H hits the wounded knee with a chair. Ouchtown: Population, YOU, Brock. In that corner Triple H had hid a sledge up at the top of the cage. Spray painted silver! Lesnar is able to thwart that attempt and gets the sledge in HIS possession, that also goes poorly and Brock ends up in a Sharpshooter. Paul ends up in the ring trying to break it up, and eats a Pedigree! Lesnar also eats a Pedigree and kicks out at Two… PLUS! Heyman low blows Triple H. Lesnar regroups and then nails HHH with the sledgehammer. Hits the F-5 which was just a formality, and scores the pinfall. He places the sledge next to HHH for a little symbolism and limps his way to the back. Easily their best of the three matches. Good story and action throughout. From a booking standpoint I feel they leaned too much on Paul being involved physically and interfering. Heyman slammed the cage door into HHH's head, low blowed him, and was very involved in distracting HHH. Still… brought Brock's record to an even 2-2 since his return.

Brock's next match was to be one for the ages. The story starts with CM Punk and Paul Heyman. Their friendship over the years and Paul managing Punk during his 434 day reign as WWE Champion. At Money in the Bank that year, Paul Heyman turned on Punk (Side note, I was there! Four rows behind the announce table… LOOK FOR ME, in a Cesaro shirt and with a Switzerland Soccer Scarf.) So Punk fought his way through the Heyman Guy B-Team. Axel and Ryback. Working like crazy to get his hands on Paul. Eventually Paul yells "ITS CLOBBERIN' TIME", and we set off for this match at Summerslam.

Hype video for this match was amazing. The match was made No DQ, which they announced on the pre show. That's a head scratcher. Why not hype that up more? Lesnar out first. Punk out second and crowd going CRAZY. I miss "Cult of Personality" as an entrance song. Already this crowd is more live and hype than the three HHH/Lesnar matches COMBINED. Punk tries to come out firing, but gets thrown into the corner and eats shoulders and stomps. Early story was Punk trying to come out hard. Being tenacious, but it not working as Lesnar just manhandling Punk. Eventually Punk hits a big kick and a couple knees and a suicide dive to get some momentum. Punk tried to use the top half of the entrance steps, but Lesnar just shoulder tackles them into Punk… side note: WHY when a HUGE dude snatches up the ring steps the announcers freak out about "THEIR POWER AND STRENGTH", and yet Punk grabs them with relative ease and now one says a word? Don't answer that, it was rhetorical.

Punk dominates on the outside. Hits a diving clothesline off the table, and then notices Heyman. He stalks Heyman, and gets run over by the Beast for his troubles. Lesnar rag dolls Punk across the Spanish Announce Table. Then over the main table… his back hit awkwardly on one of the monitors. Brock overhead belly to belly's Punk, before this match final gets back in the ring. Lesnar clobbers. Punk tries to rally, before Lesnar snuffs it out. Punk's back is bleeding due to the early spot on the announce tables. Lesnar lots of trash talk during this match is great. Him calling himself the Best int he World, and dismissively yelling out to the crowd, "THIS IS YOUR BOY, HUH?"

This match is physical. Brock's knees to the ribs, or Punk's forearm smashes. Lesnar bear hugs Punk and I would immediately tap out at that move… not because of the pain, though I'm sure it could hurt like hell… but cuz Lesnar is so sweaty. I'd just tap out and yell "GET IT OFF ME!" Punk goes for an axe handle smash off the top. Gets caught… clearly Brock forgot his NFL training because nary a fair catch signal was made! Huge fall away slam. Punk fights out and ends up biting Lesnar. Then starts in with kicks galore. Forearms get Lesnar wobbly, and Punk hits a flying knee off the top rope. Then his trademark running high knee into the corner x2… NOPE! x3 – caught by Lesnar – but Punk hits a head kick, and the Macho Man elbow, which was really more splash than elbow. That got a 2… PLUS! Punk signals for the GTS. Lesnar gets out, hoists Punk for the F-5, but Punk gets out and hits a head kick. More great counter wrestling. As Punk again hoists him for the GTS, but Lesnar reverses THAT into the Kimura. Punk tuns that into an arm bar, and eventually gets Lesnar into a triangle. That becomes a deadlift power bomb, but Punk keeps the triangle on. SECOND deadlift, and then running power bomb. "This is Awesome" chant is well deserved. Lesnar hits the Three Amigos. Or… ya know… his version. Which is more raw brute power less smooth when rolling to keep it going.

Lesnar goes to the outside to get a chair. Punk climbs to the top rope and dives onto chair/Lesnar. That one hurt both of them. Chair then used across the brick wall that is Lesnar's back. Match back inside the ropes, Lesnar gets the chair, but then eats a low blow. Punk does a chair assisted elbow drop off the top. I was sure that was it the first time I saw it. Three Minus as Lesnar BARELY kicked out in time. Punk wears out that chair on Lesnar's back some more, UNTIL? Heyman snatches it from him. Now Punk is able to grab Heyaman, but again Lesnar makes the save. Lesnar hoists Punk up, but Punk has Heyman's tie. Which led to a great exchange between Heyman and Lesnar with Lesnar telling Paul to "LET GO!" Punk hit the GTS on Lesnar, but between Paul breaking it up and Lesnar kicking out the match CONTINUES. Punk reversed the F-5 into a DDT, and then locked in the Anaconda Vice. Heyman slid in with a chair, but is cut off. Punk punches Paul and then locks in the Vice. Paul tapping away frantically then a SUPER high velocity chair shot to Punk breaks that up. Nasty shots. Then an F-5 onto that chair puts an end to a spectacular match.

EASILY Lesnar's best match since his return. Great match. Great story. No surprise this was on many a "Year End" list that year.

So then Lesnar went away… for a while. A… LONG… WHILE. Lesnar did a couple appearances leading into Royal Rumble "dislocating" Mark Henry's elbow. Lesnar also started calling himself, or Heyman called him the #1 contender to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Anyway, back to him and Show. At the time Henry and Big Show were besties. This being Big Show's "face" season… cuz Big Show turns like the seasons. So Big Show wanted revenge for his buddy. Lesnar being physically dominated in the run ins with Show leading to:

Lesnar attacks before the bell. Takes Show down. Gets a chair, cuz what is a Lesnar match without weaponry? So he sets off in destroying Show. To give a play by play: Chair shot. Chair shot. Chair shot. Chair shot. Chair Shot. Chair shot. etc. etc. etc. Heyman actually goes to give Brock a NEW chair because the original has taken too much of a beating. Bell finally rings. Lesnar charges in for another chair shot and eats the KO Punch. Each man stumbles around on the outside. Show works the body. Crowd okay for this… clearly they were about to be crazy loud with the insanity that followed in the Rumble. Lesnar ends up F-5ing show… though it was more F-U styled. Quick match. Just a beat down squash type match. Post match Lesnar continued to destroy Show with chair shots. He breaks another chair over Big Show, and Heyman tosses him a THIRD chair. Clearly this was setting up to make Lesnar look as dangerous as possible for his Mania match.

You know I didn't know if we would get to a second Wrestlemania match with Lesnar. Clearly this second year of Lesnar has gone a lot better than the first. Going into Wrestlemania he was on a three match winning streak. Had a Match of the Year contender under his belt, and finally we were lined up to get the match that had been rumored and talked about since Lesnar and Taker crossed paths in an arena at a UFC show. The story for Taker's Mania matches have pretty much been the same for the last 6 or 7 years. "Wrestler X" wants to break the Undertaker's streak. WHAT is the "Undertaker's Streak", you ask? Going into the match the Undertaker had never been defeated at Wrestlemania. He was 21-0. As impressive as that is… that they never had him lose a random match? What's MORE impressive is the Deadman's longevity. This would be his 22nd appearance at the Grandaddy of them all. When it would take 14 Mania's without a Taker appearance to be able to say "Taker appeared at half of all Wrestlemanias?" That's saying something.

Ultimately Lesnar and Heyman were moving forward saying that Lesnar was the Number One Contender. McMahonagement was like, sorry Brock. Here you can have a contract for a match of ANYONE of your choosing. Brock and Heyman were very sad panda'd about this. So they were content to not fight at Mania, but Taker returned. Choke slammed him through a table and boom.

Hype video for this match was stellar, but if there is ONE Thing the WWE does consistently well its these video packages. Heyman saying "He IS the �ONE'"… "All good things DO come to an END." He's more prophet than advocate there. JBL actually mentioned Lesnar's IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Can't remember THAT One being mentioned before.

Entrances end… man that was LLLLLLONG. I love Taker's entrance, but that one felt so long. Brawling to begin. Lesnar overhead belly to belly's the Deadman. Brock clothesline Taker over the top rope, but Taker lands on his feet. Little more brawling. Taker focusing on Brock's shoulder. Slow start with Taker controlling. VINTAGE leg drop on the apron! [/Michael Cole] Snake eyes. Taker goes for a chokeslam, but Lesnar gets out, hoists for the F-5. Taker gets out. Taker misses a running big boot into the corner, and gets hung up on the top rope. Giving Lesnar a body part to work. I notice the crowd is pretty dead for this. I'm guessing its because everyone thought this was a foregone conclusion. Lesnar dominates this for a while. Methodical destruction. Taker turns the tide with a big DDT. He gets rolling. Big running corner splash. Snake eyes. Big Boot. Taker calling for the chokeslam. GREAT chokeslam. Lesnar jumped outta his shoes on that one. TWO… PLUS!

Taker goes for the Tombstone… Brock out F-5! Taker kicks out. Brock stares in disbelief. Crowd starts to come to life. Taker can't get up, but lures in Lesnar and locks in the Hell's Gate. Deadlift power bomb. Not a full lift, but Taker is a big dude. Still impressive. Back to the Hell's Gate. ANOTHER deadlift power bomb. This one Lesnar gets him up. JBL makes a good point. Taker has been on his back for five minutes of this match. Locked in two Hell's Gates, but hasn't been off the mat. Lesnar locks in the kimura. Taker reverses it and locks in a kimura of his own. They battle in the corner after the ring break. Taker goes for old school. Lesnar pulls him down onto his shoulder. F-5… the sequel! Taker kicks out. Lesnar goes into German mode. Hits two. Mounted punches in the corner for Lesnar means Brock is about to go for a LAST RIDE! Taker collapses. Rewatching this Taker legit looks out of it. Tombstone! Cross armed cover… THREE – MINUS!!! Taker sits up. Crowd meekly reacts. Signals for another Tombstone. Hoists him, Lesnar counters that, and gets Taker into F-5 position. That was impressive. Lets make it F-5 the trilogy! And… cue… THIS:

Crowd was stunned. Total disbelief, then grumbling. Booing. A decent "bullshit" chant. No ONE saw this coming. Match was affected by Taker's concussion. It was good, not great, but that finish was so memorable. Also the first match that wasn't filled with weapons or Paul running in, or distracting. The huge standing ovation at the end was touching. Legit concern for if this was the Undertaker's last match especially as the reports filed in about him spending the night in the hospital. Whether or not the finish was called on the fly. Even the ref count felt weird when I watched it live. Watching it THIS time, it was normal. They just booked it so there was no reaction. Bell didn't ring, Brock's music didn't start. They even took a few beats before announcing a winner. They sold the shock so well people at first were thinking someone screwed up. But the production with the crowd shots right after, and the graphic say otherwise.

In Review!

What a difference a year makes. Year one saw Brock's return and was super underwhelming. Year two? Whoa. The best of the Brock vs. Triple H trilogy. A Match of the Year contender with CM Punk at Summerslam. A pretty forgetful, throw away "match" with Big Show, which served its final purpose which was building up to a huge clash against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. I can't imagine many people were up on thinking Lesnar would end the streak. Hell… I can't recall anyone thinking Lesnar hand any kind of shot. He capped this year in the WWE with a win that trumps any WWE World Championship win. He did something no one thought would happen and most didn't want to happen. The WWE really solidified Lesnar in this campaign. They had a plan for him. They built him well and executed that incredibly well. He was able to put on memorable matches and really cemented himself. I was very on the fence about him returning. I'm not a fan of the part timers. Even if its a "heavier" schedule like Lesnar does, than say when the Rock was around leading into Mania 29. This year helped bring me around. At the very least you have the opportunity to book enthralling matches and have this once in a generation attraction. A legitimate fighter and a great pro wrestler who really found his groove melding those worlds together during this year. They course corrected after year one and came out with a bigger star and box office draw. I look forward to taking a look to his third year. Where we know he had bigger and better things in store!

Scalpels down.

…To Be…CONCLUDED!

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-20-world-champions-longest-combined-title-reigns/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/top-20-world-champions-longest-combined-title-reigns/#comments Mon, 09 Mar 2015 05:09:27 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Top Lists Andre the Giant AWA Batista Bob Backlund Bret Hart Brock Lesnar bruno sammartino Buddy Rogers Chris Benoit CM Punk Dave Batista Dick Hutton Dory Funk Jr. Dusty Rhodes Eric Bischoff GCW Gene Kiniski Georgia Championship Wrestling Harley Race HHH Hulk Hogan Iron Sheik Jack Brisco Jim Neidhart John Cena Lou Thesz Macho Man Mick Foley National Wrestling Alliance Nature Boy NWA Orville Brown Pat O'Connor Randy Orton Randy Savage Ric Flair Sonny Myers Ted DiBiase The Hitman Triple H WCW Wrestlemania WWE WWF WWWF http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10279 Top 20 World Champions: Longest Combined Title Reigns Written by Mark Adam Haggerty Nowadays you'll hear wrestling superstars throughout various promotions tout unrivaled success as their title reigns grow longer by the day. The WWE keeps a record of who's held their world championship the longest, however that list includes neither the WCW nor NWA […]

Top 20 World Champions:
Longest Combined Title Reigns
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Nowadays you'll hear wrestling superstars throughout various promotions tout unrivaled success as their title reigns grow longer by the day. The WWE keeps a record of who's held their world championship the longest, however that list includes neither the WCW nor NWA World Heavyweight titles. In some cases, it doesn't even include the WWE's own retired big gold belt, the world heavyweight championship. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and after I added the missing championships to the WWE's current list, I came up with a surprising "Top 20 World Champions: Longest Combined Title Reigns."

Note: This list includes all WWE world titles including but not limited to: WWWF Championship, WWF Championship, WWF Undisputed Championship, WWE Championship, World Heavyweight Championship, and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It also includes the WCW World Heavyweight Championship, as well as the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from its inception in 1948 until September 13, 1993 when World Championship Wrestling left the National Wrestling Alliance. I do not include any TNA/NWA world title reigns, nor current NWA activities involving wrestlers like Rob Conway or Adam Pearce. Sorry.

20. Dave Batista – 544 Days
"The Animal" made his wrestling debut in 2000 and after defeating Triple H at Wrestlemania 21 in 2005, embarked on a championship career that would include six world title reigns. With (2) WWE and (4) WWE World titles to his name, Dave Batista's combined 544 days as champion is just three days shy of exactly one and a half years. He might be last on our list, but he'll go down in history for his longevity as champion.

19. Brock Lesnar – 558 Days and counting…
Brock Lesnar is a highly-decorated multi-sport athlete who entered the WWE in 2002. He became the youngest champion in history, and left the company shortly thereafter to pursue other interests. He returned to the WWE in 2012, where he is currently the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. "The Beast" Brock Lesnar never held the "Big Gold Belt," but his (4) distinct WWE title runs have helped earn him a lasting place in history. Just 15 days shy of #18, it is assumed that Brock Lesnar will move up the ranks regardless of what happens at Wrestlemania 31.

18. "Macho Man" Randy Savage – 573 Days
Randy "Macho Man" Savage won his first world championship after defeating Ted DiBiase in a one-night tournament at Wrestlemania IV. He would lose the gold after a year to Hulk Hogan, and go on to capture it once more before leaving the WWE for supposedly greener pastures. While signed to WCW, the "Macho Man" was positioned as the champion on a number of occasions, winning his first title at World War 3 in 1995. Over the course of his twenty years in the ring, the Macho Man amassed six world titles, (2) in the WWE and (4) in WCW.

17. "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers – 595 Days
Vince McMahon's favorite wrestler is Buddy Rogers, but unfortunately, the first-ever WWE World Heavyweight Champion only held his title for a measly 22 days before being vanquished by Bruno Sammartino. But when taking his reign as NWA World Champion into account, suddenly the original "Nature Boy" is back in the game. For over a year and a half, Buddy Rogers controlled the most prestigious world title in wrestling, and set his 573-day record with just (1) NWA championship run.

16. CM Punk – 622 Days
The longest reigning champion in modern WWE would most certainly be CM Punk who held onto his WWE Heavyweight title for an unprecedented 434 days. While lasting so long without losing one's belt is groundbreaking in itself, added to his (3) world championships, the (2-time) WWE champion has been at the top of the WWE for 622 days. Although no longer competing in the squared circle, it could be quite some time before anybody, past or present, surpasses the leader of the "Straight Edge Society."

15. Orville Brown – 692 Days
Orville Brown defeated Sonny Myers in January 1948 to become the first-ever NWA World Heavyweight Champion. He grew up on a farm in Kansas where he only attended school for one year, because his family couldn't afford anything else. An amateur wrestling manager noticed Orville toward the end of the 1920s, and thought he might have a future as a professional. Orville debuted in 1929 and after nearly 20 years of success, was honored by the newly established National Wrestling Alliance. Orville was just a (1-time) champion, but held onto the strap for 692 days before dropping it to Lou Thesz in November 1949.

14. Bret "The Hitman" Hart – 710 Days
The most prolific championship contender of my childhood was none other than "The Hitman" himself. Bret Hart entered the WWE as an afterthought and quickly climbed the tag team ranks alongside his brother-in-law Jim Neidhart. By 1992, Bret was already a 2-time intercontinental champion and well on his way to winning the world title. He captured the WWE World Heavyweight Champion for the first time in 1992 after defeating Ric Flair, and would go on to become a (5-time) WWE champion, as well as (2-time) world champion with WCW.

13. Randy Orton – 748 Days
The first competitor on our countdown to reach 2-years as champion is the "Legend Killer" Randy Orton. Randy Orton won his first World Heavyweight Champion in 2004 by defeating Chris Benoit to become the youngest World Champion up until that time. Orton has surpassed all expectations during his 15-year career on top of the WWE. He has headlined countless events as a twelve-time heavyweight champion—a (4-time) recipient of the Big Gold Belt, and (8-time) WWE heavyweight title holder.

12. Jack Brisco – 866 Days
The Hall of Fame Brisco Brothers were a formidable tag team and pair of promotors who ran Georgia Championship Wrestling. While the WWE Universe is far more familiar with Gerry, his big brother Jack was the one who held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship an astonishing 866 days. Brisco won the belt from Harley Race after some questionable politics from the Funk Family, but went on to prove himself worthy as a (2-time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

11. Pat O'Connor – 903 Days
Throughout the storied legacy of the National Wrestling Alliance, New Zealand-native Pat O'Connor was only the fifth man to be trusted enough to carry the championship belt. He defeated Dick Hutton on January 9, 1959 and proceeded to hold his championship until dropping it to Buddy Rogers in the summer of 1961. O'Connor was caught between promotors in 1960 when Verne Gagne withdrew from the NWA and named O'Connor his champion. Pat O'Connor never defended the AWA belt, and maintained his loyalty as (1-time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

10. Gene Kiniski – 1,131 Days
Gene Kiniski spent forty years inside the squared-circle and is still one of the most recognizable wrestlers in the history of the business. What's most impressive about Kiniski's unprecedented 1,131 days as champion, is that he did it without losing his title once. That's right—Gene Kiniski is a (1-time) NWA World Heavyweight title holder and the first man on our countdown to break three years as champion. Gene beat Lou Thesz on January 7, 1966 in St. Louis, Missouri. Thesz would never hold the championship again, but Gene Kiniski successfully defended it until being bested by Dory Funk Jr. on February 11, 1969.

9. Triple H – 1,155 Days
Former (13-time) World Heavyweight Champion Triple H has more to worry about these days than winning and losing matches, as he was recently elected to the WWE Board of Directors. But that's not to say his 1,155 days as champion weren't something to be proud of. Triple H first won the WWF World Heavyweight Champion in August of 1999 from Mick Foley, and has since set the record for third-most title reigns with thirteen. He was gifted the "Big Gold Belt" by Eric Bischoff and became a (5-time) World Heavyweight Champion; along with being a former (8-time) WWE title holder, Triple H has ruled as WWE champion for more than three years.

8. John Cena – 1,394 Days
Despite his divisive effect on wrestling fans around the world, nobody can deny the success John Cena has enjoyed over the past ten years. Coming in at number eight, Cena is the highest-ranking current wrestler on our countdown and holds the record for second-most title reigns with fifteen. His first championship came at Wrestlemania 21 in 2005 and his most recent run as title holder was during the summer of 2015. He is a (3-time) World Heavyweight Champion AKA the "Big Gold Belt," as well as a (12-time) WWE World Heavyweight Champion. It's safe to assume John Cena will be champion again, and if he can hang onto the belt for 169 days, he'll be sure to move up to number seven.

7. Dory Funk Jr. – 1,563 Days
Another man who earned his hallowed reputation as a (1-time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion was the man who defeated the record-setting Gene Kiniski in 1969, the incomparable Dory Funk Jr. The Funk Family is noted for having the only set of sibling champions in NWA history, Dory and his younger brother Terry. The Family was led by beloved patriarch Dory Sr. who sought to establish his sons as the premiere professional wrestlers in the industry. Dory's 1,563 days as champion lasted from 1969 to 1973, and is the second-longest uninterrupted NWA title reign in history.

6. Harley Race – 1,799 Days
Commonly regarded as the toughest man in the business, Harley Race is also among the most decorated and respected individuals to ever enter a wrestling ring. Former (8-time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Harley Race managed to maintain his rule as leader of the locker room for 1,799 days. He was contributory in passing the torch to deserving new stars throughout his career such as Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, and Ric Flair. Harley will be fondly remembered for his stint as "King Harley Race" in the WWE, but it's the tattooed, gravelly-voiced ass-kicker from Kansas City that will leave the most-lasting impression.

5. Bob Backlund – 2,138 Days
Bob Backlund came about during a time when professional wrestling had hit an all-time low. The "Bruno-Era" was long-gone and Hulkamania was still six years away. Bob Backlund is a (2-time) WWE World Heavyweight Champion, who first won the honor by defeating "Superstar" Billy Graham in 1978. Backlund won the belt again sixteen years later when he defeated Bret Hart under questionable circumstances, but only managed to hold the championship for three days. Therefore it's his unbroken 2,135 days as champion from 1978 to 1983 that earned Bob Backlund a place in the WWE Hall of Fame.

4. Hulk Hogan – 3,362 Days
Hulk Hogan is perhaps the most successful professional wrestler in history, as his career spanned nearly 30 years and included a dozen world championship honors. Hulk Hogan's first run as WWE World Heavyweight Champion began in 1984 when he defeated the dastardly Iron Sheik. His first reign would last over four years, culminating in a storyline with Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase. Hogan was a (6-time) WWE World Heavyweight Champion including a final run when he returned in 2002. In addition, Hogan is a (6-time) WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and is the longest reigning WCW champion in history.

3. "Nature Boy" Ric Flar – 3,722 Days
He's not just a "Jet-Flyin' Limousine Rider," he's the record-setting 20-time World Heavyweight Champion, the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Contrary to WWE documentation, Ric Flair's (10) NWA (8) WCW and (2) WWE World Heavyweight Championship titles total TWENTY—not SIXTEEN. Ric Flair is perhaps the most decorated wrestler in all of professional wrestling—in addition to his championship accolades, his career has spanned over 40-years, and he is currently the only 2-time WWE Hall of Famer. His (20) World Heavyweight Championships have totaled 3,722 days—nearly 7 times-as-many days as the last person on our list.

2. Lou Thesz – 3,749 Days
Just 291 days shy of the all-time record, Lou Thesz is the second-longest reigning World Heavyweight Champion in professional wrestling history. As (3-time) NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Lou Thesz was on top of the industry for an astronomical 3,749 days—or just over ten years. He holds the record for both combined championship title reigns as well as single uninterrupted periods as champion for the National Wrestling Alliance. Thesz influenced an entire generation of performers and transcended the "Golden Age" of the sport to help establish a new era for professional wrestling.

1. Bruno Sammartino – 4,040 Days
The WWE is right about one thing—Bruno Sammartino is without question the longest reigning World Heavyweight Champion in history. Sammartino immigrated to the United States from Italy in the hopes of capturing the "American Dream," and instead won the world title, which he held for over eleven years. Bruno entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013—fifty years removed from first becoming world champion in 1963. Bruno's historic 4,040 day record is comprised of only (2) WWE World Heavyweight title reigns, the first of which lasted 2,803 days.

Will anybody ever come close to Bruno's record, or is Dave Batista's 544-days more attainable for today's Superstars? I think it's interesting that while there are only a handful of modern-day wrestlers on the countdown, all four members of Evolution made the cut. I hope you enjoyed this leisurely stroll through history—until next time this has been Mark Adam Haggerty, reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat and to follow me on Facebook by LIKING "Mark Haggerty's Pro Wrestling."

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-4/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-highlight-of-the-night-the-top-moments-from-raw-4/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2015 04:08:41 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Other Reviews Bray Wyatt Brock Lesnar Cody Rhodes Damien Sandow Daniel Bryan Darren Young Goldust HHH MizDow Monday Night RAW NWA Prime Time Players RAW Ric Flair Stardust Sting The Ascension The Miz Titus O'Neil TNA Triple H Undertaker WCW Wrestlemania WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9794 The Highlight of the Night The Top Moments from Raw Written by Mark Adam Haggerty "In 80 countries, in seven languages, to over a half-billion viewers each week—the World Wrestling Federation, the world-wide leader in Sports Entertainment." If you were a fan of the WWE during the "New Generation," odds are you remember hearing those […]

The Highlight of the Night
The Top Moments from Raw
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

"In 80 countries, in seven languages, to over a half-billion viewers each week—the World Wrestling Federation , the world-wide leader in Sports Entertainment." If you were a fan of the WWE during the "New Generation," odds are you remember hearing those words spoken at the beginning of each and every broadcast. Twenty years later and things are a bit different—instead of boasting with company pride, the slogan "Then, Now, and Forever" implies a casual approach to business and no real desire to evolve. This evening's installment of Monday Night Raw was not without its enjoyable moments, but offered little in the way of provocative in-ring storytelling. The show moved at a slower pace than usual, and seemed to focus on mid-level feuds instead of main event rivalries—strange for the "go-home" show a mere six days away from "Fastlane." Oftentimes the hardest part of writing these reviews is seguing away from my introduction, so for lack of a smoother transition, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and this is "Highlight of the Night."

5. "Limbo is No Place for a Soul Like Yours"
About three weeks ago, we began seeing backstage promos from the "Eater of Worlds" Bray Wyatt. Bray has been spouting rhetoric riddled with hidden messages since his debut, but it appears as though he finally has something worth talking about. Over the course of three separate videos, Wyatt fiddled with tools—a hammer and nails, challenging some unnamed entity to find him, before he finds them. Of course Bray Wyatt is looking for a fight with the Undertaker, and while generally shrouded beneath a veil of mystery, there was no use in mincing words tonight. Bray warned, "Limbo is no place for a soul like yours," as he continually prodded the "Dead Man," begging him to return. I've said before that I was never really interested in seeing Bray Wyatt versus the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 31, particularly after the Undertaker's streak ended last year in New Orleans. While I wasn't feeling the Sting scenario either, the idea of �Taker wrestling anyone on the current roster seems to pale in comparison to his last several years battling the best in the business. How does "Husky Harris" follow Brock Lesnar, and every other Superstar who's come before? The theatrics beyond what Bray is saying make me think that this could actually be the Undertaker's last battle at Wrestlemania. Although clearly backstage, standing on top of a fog machine, the imagery harkens back to the Undertaker's initial babyface run, so I choose to believe Bray is in his own "wood shed." At first he was just holding a nail, making me think of the obvious phrase, "final nail in the coffin." But later in the show, Bray was actually building something. Is he constructing a COFFIN for the Undertaker? Will this be the symbolic passing of the torch in terms of supernatural Superstars in the WWE, or will Bray Wyatt be the Undertaker's redemption after failing to defeat Brock Lesnar last year? If Bray Wyatt truly has the WORLD in his hands, he still must contend with the hellfire and brimstone possessed by the Undertaker.

4. "Millions of Dollars! Millions of Dollars!"
When I was a young irresponsible 20-something, I had a friend who happened to be dating a professional wrestler. His name is Chris Steeler, and he is still a very active athlete on the East Coast Indie circuit. Through Chris I was able to meet a lot of other young hopefuls, one of whom went under the name "Bone Crusher" Fred Sampson. Sampson was a big, bald, black guy who wore a chain around his neck. Entering each contest at over six feet tall and nearly 230 pounds, he dwarfed the majority of his smaller-sized opponents and earned the IWF heavyweight champion. I was lucky enough to meet and get to know Fred—fast forward six years later and "Bone Crusher" is standing alongside the rest of the Nexus running rough-shod on Raw. That's right, I have a bit of a sentimental-spot when it comes to Darren "Millions of Dollars" Young. I'm incredibly proud of him for overcoming such adversity and becoming the world-class star that he is today. Last week Darren posted a Tweet, expressing his feelings about the WWE's tour of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's treatment of gays and women. So when Darren Young appeared on Raw to face the Ascension, partnered with an unnamed jobber, I expected the worst. But low-and-behold the WWE surprised a lot of people by salvaging an enormously popular tag team, and thus allowing two incredibly talented professional wrestlers the chance to work. Listen, my admiration for D-Young aside, Titus O'Neill is a really phenomenal athlete with a huge upside in terms of charism and overall potential. The roof is so high for both of these WWE Superstars and I'd venture a guess that their shelf-life might be extended through their partnership. Maybe the "Primetime Players" might even win gold to go with their MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!

3. "Bell Means Stop!"
As weeks progress it would see only fitting that Damian Sandow could be on the verge of breaking away from The Miz. Two weeks ago, the Miz demoted Sandow to "personal assistant," and has since proceeded to make his life miserable. Despite being fortunate enough to take on the intercontinental champion, Sandow must also contend with the Miz sitting at ringside. As opposed to this shtick as I've been in the past, I chuckled whole-heartedly every time the Miz shook his bell into the microphone. The verbiage and excuses employed by the Miz were priceless, rattling his bell so that Sandow might leave the match to polish the Miz's shoes. "I can't see myself in my shoes," the Miz yelled! "Bell means stop! BELL MEANS STOP!" By this point in the progression of their overall story, Damian doesn't appear to be anything more than just a prop designed to highlight the arrogance of the Miz. It's hard to tell who will come out of this program the better; Will the former "Mizdow" get his comeuppance on his tyrannical employer, or will the "Hollywood A-Lister" defy the odds per usual, and escape the situation unscathed? The "Intergalactic Goofballs" known as Gold and Stardust appeared to have come to a "Cross Roads" in their relationship—what could that mean for other tag teams on the brink of destruction? At the rate in which the program is building, we could see Sandow make the turn next Monday, or very well wait until after Wrestlemania. These two could steal the show in Santa Clara, however they could just as easily slow-burn until summer, allowing for "A-List" antics of the highest degree on the "Grandest Stage of Them All."

2. "Cody Rhodes is Dead."
Since 2011 the WWE Universe has been asking every question imaginable relating to the Rhodes Brothers: When will we get the inevitable split between Dustin and Cody; who will be the turncoat; where can we expect the subsequent blow-off? This evening's episode of Raw answered all but one of those questions, although the third is pretty clear considering we're just 40 days away from Wrestlemania. A few weeks back, Goldust made the mistake of calling his brother "Cody," rather than his stage-name "Stardust." Stardust snapped, which led to weeks of questionable conduct on behalf of the former intercontinental champion. Backstage the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes dances into frame to offer his boys some last minute advice before their contest with the New Day. Despite everything Cody's been going through, Dusty reminds him that without family, he's got nothing. The match was what it was with plenty of impressive work by both teams, before dysfunction would lead the Rhodes duo to defeat. Goldust was miserable after costing his team the victory, and refused to stand up and leave the ring. Stardust initially attempted to help, but soon gave in to frustration, blind-siding his brother with a wicked "Cross Rhodes." Backstage, the Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes was in shock in response to what just happened. He attempted to reason with his son, who responded by saying, "Cody Rhodes is dead. And so is his father." I think this could be a step in the right direction for Cody. I've NEVER been fond of the Stardust character. I thought it was kind of funny the first time out, but has morphed into something that could potentially taint Cody Rhodes' entire legacy. I think if he drops the dumb body suit in favor of something less ridiculous, he could keep the paint and do another "Dr. Doom-type" character. I was hoping that the finishing hold on Goldust, named for his famous family, could mean the end of the Stardust character for good—but I guess not. I'll be interested to see how Cody Rhodes might evolve from here, and I'm excited at the prospect of finally seeing Rhodes vs. Rhodes at Wrestlemania.

1. "Mark My Words: I Am the WWE."
For the second week in a row, the number one program on Monday Night Raw is that which is developing between the 13-time world heavyweight champion Triple H and the 12-time world heavyweight champion Sting. That's right folks—count up his WCW, NWA, and TNA title runs, and the "Vigilante" is just one belt shy of tying the "King of Kings." Last week's particular brand of mind games featured a Sting look-alike and a jarring video package that concluded with the words, "I accept." Sting would be in Memphis at "Fastlane." This week, the "Game" laughed about the way in which he fell to his feet. He assured the fans in Orlando that he was in no way afraid of Sting, but before he could continue, Triple H was joined by a man who knows Sting better than anyone—the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Flair entered the squared-circle and warned his friend that "a wrestler's worst enemy is time off," citing his skepticism as to how successful Hunter will be. Hunter laughed again, cutting Flair off at every turn, which made sense because Ric was doing a whole lot of rambling by this point. Triple H told the WWE Hall of Famer, "Sting is the WCW—but mark my words: I am the WWE." The "Nature Boy" seemed to get the hint, but stressed the importance of going into this confrontation as a wrestler and not a business man. Triple chuckle once more, and proceeded to shove the 65-year old Flair to the mat—Sting would be getting Triple H the wrestler all right. I said last week that this has the potential to be Sting's greatest match ever, and although I know that makes me sound like Tony Schiavone, I said it with absolutely no hyperbolic intentions. Everybody has something to say about Paul Levesque, but unless you're talking about the greatest wrestlers of the past fifteen years, there's not much more to talk about in terms of Triple H. Sting has had tremendous bouts over the past three decades, but never against someone as motivated, as conditioned, and as intelligent as the COO of the WWE. Sting is going to go into Santa Clara a WCW Icon, and will emerge a WWE Legend.

For the first time since I started counting down the Top Five Moments of Raw, neither the opening segment nor the main event portion of the show were featured anywhere on my list. While some could argue the top five moments were just so exciting that I didn't need to fall back on the top-drawing stars of the company, the truth is that those first and final moments of Raw were nothing to be proud of. John Cena beat up Rusev and yelled, "Every man feels pain!" That sounds like a line from the 1987 G.I. Joe Movie . "Be my eyes snake man!" As for the last match, I don't need to bore anyone with another rant about the Big Show. Instead I'll just say I'm glad the fans are getting behind Roman Reigns—I think he deserves it and although he's only been wrestling for five years, I'm confident he's got the growth potential to bring the WWE out of the "Dark Ages." Until next week, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty, and this has been "Highlight of the Night."

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-super-star-wars-wrestlers-as-rebels/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-super-star-wars-wrestlers-as-rebels/#comments Sun, 15 Feb 2015 21:32:11 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Artoo Boba Fett Brock Lesnar C-3PO Cactus Jack Chewbacca CM Punk Darth Maul Darth Vader Dwayne Johnson Emperor Palpatine Han Solo HHH Hornswaggle Jabba the Hutt John Cena Lando Calrissian Luke Skywalker Mankind Mick Foley Obi-Wan Obi-Wan Kenobi Princess Leia R2-D2 RAW Ric Flair Santino Santino Marella Smackdown Star Wars Steve Austin Stone Cold Ted DiBiase The Rock Threepio Triple H Trish Stratus Undertaker Vince McMahon WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9733 WWE Super Star Wars: Wrestlers as Rebels Written by Mark Adam Haggerty From a galaxy far, far away to the most exciting in-ring action on this planet, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm here to bring you the most thrilling mash-up since 50 Cent traded tunes with Nine Inch Nails. Aside from my […]

WWE Super Star Wars:
Wrestlers as Rebels
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

From a galaxy far, far away to the most exciting in-ring action on this planet, my name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I'm here to bring you the most thrilling mash-up since 50 Cent traded tunes with Nine Inch Nails. Aside from my tireless devotion to the sport of Sports Entertainment, I’ve always been a big Star Wars fanatic as well. I probably started believing in Hulkamania about the same time I began learning the ways of The Force. Just as wrestling is starting to appear again on various cable channels, so too has Star Wars returned but in a much larger way. With the new Marvel comic series, Rebels on Disney XD, and of course the highly anticipated Episode VII: “The Force Awakens,” I thought it might be a fun time to cast our favorite Superstars of the WWE Universe as some of the most iconic characters from the Star Wars Universe ! Who’s good and who’s evil? Who uses a lightsaber, and who prefers a ‘trusty blaster?’ Let’s find out!

John Cena – Luke Skywalker
Two small town kids with dashing good looks and dreams outside of their immediate surroundings, both John Cena and Luke Skywalker started from humble beginnings. For Cena it was outside the city of Boston, born to a family with little in the way of influence outside their twenty-six square mile town of Newbury. Luke Skywalker grew up an orphan so-to-speak, raised by his aunt and uncle on a moisture farm on the far away desert planet of Tatooine. For Cena and Skywalker, the thought of competing on WWE television or training at the Imperial Navy seemed miles, if not entire star-systems away from where they were. But despite the odds, both John Cena and Luke Skywalker prevailed in their respective quests; Cena debuted with the WWE and Skywalker cast off from Tatooine and joined the Rebel Alliance. Both Luke Skywalker and John Cena are proven, selfless and respectable members of their teams and among their communities, each having more than once put their own well-being on the line to help someone else. Luke Skywalker is considered the lead protagonist of the original Star Wars Trilogy, and in many ways, the consummate hero John Cena has been the same for the WWE since 2004.

Ric Flair – Obi-wan Kenobi
When the Emperor opted to enact "Order #66," the cue that would see almost every Jedi massacred, the entire Galaxy changed and Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the lucky few who managed to escape certain doom. Just like "Old Ben" Kenobi, Ric Flair was brought up in a different era where those of his ilk were far more prevalent and free to practice their craft in a number of locations without fear of extinction. But then Vince McMahon's WWF took over, putting dozens of territories out of business, and thousands of wrestlers out of work. In addition to the longevity they each endured albeit living lifestyles with exceptionally limited expectancies, Flair and Kenobi were instrumental in influencing the future through both teaching directly, and leading by example. Even at their accelerated ages, both The Nature Boy and Kenobi are considered masters of their respective arts, and despite the oftentimes dated-delivery, many fans prefer Ben Kenobi's sword fighting and Ric Flair's wrestling to whatever the modern alternative might be.

Trish Stratus – Princess Leia
The hardest part of finding one woman to fill the shoes of perhaps the most esteemed member of the Alliance is that every female in wrestling appears to possess at least one of the qualities required to run the Rebellion. When you look at Princess Leia's impressive list of attributes, you realize that anyone lacking in said categories would have a hard time keeping up any sort of consistent career in the wrestling industry. Princess Leia is beautiful, yet cunning with the ability to curtail her character to better fit her surroundings; she speaks in a clear transcontinental accent to Grand Moff Tarkin, while reverting to her regular sassy disposition around the rag tag renegades come to rescue her. Leia has proven time and again that she doesn't mind mixing it up with the men, even suffering a blaster wound on the Forest Moon of Endor. As I racked my brain for someone nearly as tough, I had a list of about fifteen legendary ladies' wrestlers but only one made sense. Trish Stratus is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, and earned that right through hard work and tremendous dedication. Trish is the definitive Diva, a fitness model-turned pro wrestler who paved the way for the modern age of woman who look pretty but can also kick ass.

Steve Austin – Han Solo
Few outlaws have ever been known to "Fly Casual" quite like "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Whether it be piloting a cement truck or riding along on the back of a Zamboni, the Texas Rattlesnake could captain just about anything without much more than a six-pack of beer and a plain black vest. The similarities between Solo and Austin are numerous, and go beyond their choice of sleeveless wardrobe, including their shared disdain for authority. As a youth, Han Solo quickly learned to forgo his own ethics in exchange for cold hard credits, spending his formidable years traveling the galaxy, performing questionable tasks for ruthless individuals. "Stone Cold" appeared in the WWF under the tutelage of the "Million Dollar Man," just another �Corporation' lackey to do Ted DiBiase's bidding—a MERCENARY if you will. Just like General Solo, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin sacrificed common decency on a regular basis for the betterment of his career, however both men would see the light, finishing their respective runs on the side of good, rather than evil.

Chewbacca – Mick Foley
You may think I chose Mick Foley to co-pilot the Millennium Falcon based solely on his disheveled appearance, and while that's certainly part of it, the similarities between Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy and the Mr. Itchy's Baby Boy are numerous and go much deeper than fur-level. We all know that Wookies are "known to pull people's arms out of their sockets when they lose," but colorful Cactus Jack's brand of violence was most potent when he was WINNING . Both Chewbacca and Mick Foley are hardened warriors, willing to risk their own lives for the bigger picture—a title belt or a life debt, both beings fight tooth-and-nail for what they believe in. Whether they were raised on Kashyyyk or Long Island, each individual possesses a ruthless intensity that can only be quieted by the warmth of friends and family. In addition to their personality traits, Foley and Chewie have comparable mannerisms, including the way they walk and the nonsensical noises they are known to emit during battle. In the end the most endearing aspect of both Mick Foley and Chewbacca is their overwhelming sense of uncompromised loyalty to their loved ones; Mankind was always there for the Rock and Chewbacca will always be there for Han Solo—unless he a MOON falls on him again.

Threepio & R2 – Santino & Hornswoggle
The Star Wars Universe is a dark place to live, regardless of �Era or political climate. There is a perpetual �War' going on throughout the entire saga, without but a single rotation between each catastrophic crises. Wars wage on a weekly-basis inside the WWE Universe as well, an equally scary place to be when every issue is settled inside the squared-circle. But even amidst the animosity, audiences like to laugh and forget about the violence—if only for a moment. C-3PO and R2-D2, otherwise known as "Threepio and Artoo," are the only two characters to have appeared in all six Star Wars movies so far, providing much of the comic relief during the darkest moments of the franchise. Monday Night Raw and Smackdown have always worked hard to provide laughter without going too far; two of the most entertaining characters in recent memory are Santino Marella and Hornswoggle. Not only are the two Superstars anatomically comparable to their Droid-counterparts, but they also prove that looks can be deceiving. Both sets of unlikely heroes might look timid, but when push-comes-to-shove, their strength is in their courage and resilience.

Lando Calrissian – The Rock
Well, we might as well match the first-and-only black WWE Champion with the only black character in the Original Trilogy—it'd be weird if I cast HEATH SLATER as Lando, right? But Dwayne Johnson and Lando Calrissian equate several other parallels beyond their complexion—they're both Smooth Operators who walk the line between good and evil if only to make the dark side look foolish. The Rock was aligned with Vince McMahon as his corporate title holder before finally submitting to the adoration of the audience, earning his spot on top as the "People's Champion." Lando, although a seasoned smuggler and mercenary, was responsible for the welfare of an entire civilization in "Cloud City," and therefore signed a deal with the devil—Darth Vader. Of course Lando turned babyface just like the Rock, and has since remained loyal to the people who mean the most. When Han Solo was encased in carbonite, Lando took it upon himself to infiltrate Jabba's palace to save his friend; when Mick Foley was all alone on Raw, standing toe-to-toe with Evolution, the Rock returned to the WWE to save his friend.

Jabba the Hutt – Brock Lesnar
Living in the Outer Rim certainly has its advantages, and regardless of whether you're located in the Dune Sea or the Great White North, the key to a low-profile appears to be privacy. It might seem strange, pairing the muscle-bound "Beast" Brock Lesnar with the slimy space slug Jabba the Hutt. But ignoring their outward appearances, Brock could have more in common with the intergalactic gangster than anyone might realize. Of course both "monsters" choose to make residence off the grid and away from the celebrity-lifestyle. Brock Lesnar is perhaps the most powerful Superstar, politically-speaking, in the WWE—without having any real sort of stroke whatsoever. He has been able to make his own schedule and seems to dictate the course of where his own career might be heading. The same can be said for the leader of the Hutt Clan, who doesn't have any power in the Senate, but still wields considerable sway in the criminal underworld. Both Jabba and Brock are huge parts of their respective Universes, but neither character makes more than but a handful of appearances, making their time on screen something to behold. Of course no criminal mastermind could feel complete without surrounding himself the most vile and reprehensible scum imaginable—Jabba spends his days with mercenaries and assassins, while Brock Lesnar needs but one advisor, Paul Heyman.

Boba Fett – CM Punk
Without question, two of the most recognizable characters in pop culture are Boba Fett and CM Punk. Boba Fett comes from hazy beginnings. Born in a laboratory on Kamino and raised to adolescence by Jango Fett, he spent his teenage years under the watchful eye of bounty hunters such as Aurra Sing and Cad Bane. CM Punk was born into a broken home, and made a place for himself with friends that would later become his extended family, and soon found wrestling as a way to escape the reality of his surroundings. Boba and Punk each overcame the tremendous adversity with which they had to contend and continued to play by their own rules until both reached the pinnacle of their individual professional success. In 2006, CM Punk debuted on ECW for the WWE and managed to become a household name after eight years of main event-caliber contests. Boba had his share of disappointments, but ultimately honed his abilities to become the most deadly bounty hunter in the galaxy. Despite appearing very briefly in the overall canon of their separate sagas, both Boba Fett and CM Punk still maintain an enthusiastic following. Punk is now retired and Boba Fett is technically dead, but you'd be hard-pressed to find two more "over" individuals in either the Star Wars or WWE Universe.

Darth Maul – The Undertaker
There has never been a more enigmatic entity in the world of Sports Entertainment than the "Dead Man" the Undertaker. The wrestling ring is already a dangerous place, wrought with some of the meanest and toughest men on the planet. But the Undertaker introduced a different kind of terror, never before seen inside a squared-circle. In 1999 George Lucas premiered another kind of terror, "The Phantom Menace," which featured a character unlike anything we had come to expect to see in the Star Wars Universe. Darth Maul wasn't mean and mysterious like Darth Vader; he wasn't evil and eccentric like the Emperor—Darth Maul was a terrifying warrior with red and black skin, wielding a double-bladed red lightsaber. When the Undertaker debuted, he single-handedly dismantled an entire Survivor Series team and within one year would capture the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Maul proved equally valuable by executing one of the most revered members of the Jedi Order, Qui-Gon Jinn. Both the Undertaker and Maul have younger half-brothers with whom they've each shared an alliance. Finally, the Dead Man and the Dothomirian each seem to possess �unearthly' abilities, as both men met their end on multiple occasions, and were both resurrected by some sort of sorcery.

Darth Vader – Triple H
Possibly the most polarizing figure in any Universe is the dominant face of the government who must rule with an iron-fist. Coming from the same suburban beginnings as John Cena, Triple H was raised in New England and never dreamed that he might one day be in charge of the most prolific "Empire" in wrestling. Darth Vader was born into a life of servitude, hoping against hope to one-day escape the squalor and travel the galaxy. While tragedy and triumph would make for heroic figures in Cena and Skywalker, the dark side would manifest in both Darth Vader and Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Triple H was the leader of the "DX Army," a group of individuals going to battle in the WWE Universe. Across the galaxy, Anakin Skywalker led the Galactic Military against the Separatists during a conflict that would be known as the "Clone Wars." Triple H could have become the biggest babyface in the industry, but as fear led to anger, and anger led to hate, hate would eventually lead to suffering for anyone standing between Triple H and his thirteen world titles. Similarly Anakin allowed his own selfish insecurities to lead him down a dark path toward pure evil. Perhaps Triple H might learn from Anakin Skywalker before it's too late, as Darth Vader's role as the "Authority" in the Empire would eventually be his downfall.

Emperor Palpatine – Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon was born amongst the rolling green hills of North Carolina, while Sheev Palpatine was born on the lush garden planet of Naboo. Neither man was entirely satisfied with the current state of their environment; McMahon had a vision for a global wrestling enterprise, while Palpatine hungered for a central government that didn't back down from the bureaucrats. Vince began by securing established talent from around the country, as he built his World Wrestling Federation. Palpatine became the Senator of Naboo, representing his planet in the Galactic Senate, while orchestrating his own agenda in secret. Vince's "secret plan" involved taking over his competition and their local broadcast affiliates, rendering their product useless without the weekly ratings. Palpatine was eventually elected Supreme Chancellor and managed to play his own clone troopers against the droid army, with whom he was also in league. Just as Palpatine used two warring factions to his benefit, Vince McMahon chose to invest in several smaller promotions to create competition in his own locker room. The "Clone Wars" came to a close when Palpatine named himself Emperor of the "First Galactic Empire," while the Monday Night Wars ended and Vince McMahon was declared the undisputed "King of Pro Wrestling." Whether their methods are manipulative or sheer madness, both Palpatine and McMahon will forever be considered master architects of their own respective Universes.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this article as it was my pleasure to mix-and-match my two favorite things in the WORLD. Star Wars and the WWE have always been two major constants in my life—no matter where I live or what I'm doing, I can always rely on either franchise to bring a smile to my face. Please feel free to share this with your friends on social media, as well as podcasts and fan pages that might be interested in this crazy little comparison. Until next time, this has been Mark Adam Haggerty with Cheap-Heat.com, reminding you that we're only 42 days away from Wrestlemania, and 303 days away from Star Wars Episode VII: "The Force Awakens."

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http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-royal-rumble-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/educated-guess-royal-rumble-2015/#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:10:54 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Adam Rose Bad News Barrett Bella Twins Big E Big Show Billy Gunn Bray Wyatt Brie Bella Brock Lesnar Cesaro Cody Rhodes Damien Sandow Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Fandango Goldust J&J Security Jey Uso Jimmy Uso John Cena Kane Kidd Kofi Kingston Konnor Luke Harper Mike Chioda MizDow Money in the Bank Natalya New Age Outlaws New Day Night of Champions Nikki Bella NXT Paige R-Truth Randy Orton Rey Mysterio Ric Flair Rick Rude Ring of Honor Road Dogg Royal Rumble Rusev Ryback Seth Rollins Smackdown Stardust Ted DiBiase The Ascension The Miz The Usos TLC Total Divas Tyson Kidd Viktor Vince McMahon Wrestlemania WWE Xavier Woods http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9209 Educated Guess: Royal Rumble 2015 Written by Mark Adam Haggerty It's the most wonderful time of the year! When the belt is defended—the mayhem is splendid! As �Mania draws near! It's the most wonderful time of the year! Ladies and gentlemen we are approaching our first stop on the "Road to Wrestlemania." Please gather your […]

Educated Guess:
Royal Rumble 2015
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

It's the most wonderful time of the year!
When the belt is defended—the mayhem is splendid!
As �Mania draws near! It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Ladies and gentlemen we are approaching our first stop on the "Road to Wrestlemania." Please gather your belongings as we head into the home of hardcore wrestling. Philadelphia has been the site of some magnificent moments in the history of this great sport, and this Sunday the "City of Brotherly Love" will once again host a groundbreaking event like none other. This will be the 28th annual Royal Rumble extravaganza, and for some the stakes couldn't be higher. Brock Lesnar will walk into the Wells Fargo Center with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but who will be in possession of the title by the end of the night? And what's more intriguing—who will challenge the champion for the precious prize once we're out of the "Fast Lane," and safely inside Levi's Stadium? There are six scheduled matches this weekend, including a preliminary six-man tag and the Royal Rumble battle royal. Who's going to win? Well I can't predict the future, but I can most certainly venture an Educated Guess.

New Day vs. Cesaro, Tyson Kidd, & Adam Rose
Before I begin, there are quite a few tag matches this evening, huh? Everything outside of the �Rumble and the triple threat are tag team bouts. Seems mildly excessive, although I guess this could be Vince's answer to critics claiming tag team wrestling is dead. "Then we'll give �em four tag matches, damn it!" This match will go on during what use to be known as the Free-for-All, the preshow exclusively available on the WWE Network. Last month I watched TLC from a local tavern that was playing the event over regular old cable TV. I was dumbfounded to discover the preshow for pay-per-view audiences features Scott Stanford in the WWE's Connecticut Headquarters, versus the live panel and opening contest you see on the WWE Network. Here we will have the chance to watch the highly talented trio known as the New Day head up against the hodgepodge conglomeration of Cesaro, Tyson Kidd and Adam Rose. I really like the latter three, especially Adam Rose as I think now is the time for Leo Kruger to make his violent return. He's been teasing nuances of his former persona for weeks, and since teaming with Tyson and Cesaro we've seen a ruthless side of Adam Rose, the likes of which we've not be privy since the early days of NXT. Although my favorite team is that belonging to the Swiss Superman, I'll have to go with Big E, Xavier Woods, and Kofi Kingston inside a quick 5 minute match. I don't expect it to go much longer than that, as the Royal Rumble panel is promised to be quite an affair in itself.
Educated Guess: The New Day

The New Age Outlaws vs. The Ascension
It's hard to tell what's going on with Konnor and Viktor. The Ascension appear completely clueless on TV each week, lacking any self-awareness as to how ridiculous and outdated their entire gimmick truly is. What was it they said to a ring full of Legends and Hall of Famers? "Born and bred to rip and shred?" Something like that? Come on—this has to be a rib! Could this be the most tongue-in-cheek booking the WWE's attempted since the Attitude Era? Allow the Ascension to demolish each and every enhancement talent on their way to the top, only to lose whenever they face a legitimate team. And I don't mean a physically imposing team, I mean like… Los Matadores. Or have Too Cool come back again only to snap the Ascension back into shape. But where does that lead? Unfortunately I think the Ascension has fallen victim to an all-too-common ailment known colloquially as "Not Having It"—according to Vince McMahon. I mentioned in a previous article the rumors circulating regarding Vince's hidden agenda to dismiss Triple H's NXT all-stars; since arriving in the WWE the Ascension seems to have gotten goofier by the week. I don't think there's any way the Ascension walks away with a victory. I think this will be a short match with Road Dogg's usual dancing spiel and Billy Gunn's "Fame-Asser" for the win. If the Ascension does happen to emerge with their hands held high, I'll be surprised and highly impressed with the WWE for putting a younger gamble ahead of a worn-out guarantee.
Educated Guess: The New Age Outlaws

The Bella Twins vs. Paige & Natalya
As far as the main roster, there aren't two Divas more formidable than the duo of Paige and Natalya. Both come from decorated wrestling royalty in Canada and the UK respectively, and are without question the most technically-sound women the WWE features on either Raw or Smackdown. I don't think there's any Diva in the locker room who could tangle with either woman in a shoot fight, but this isn't fighting, this is professional wrestling—that's why Nikki Bella is the champion. And what a magnificent champion she really is. Both Bellas have come an extraordinarily long way since starting with no wrestling credentials to their name, but especially Nikki. This time last year I think we'd all agree that Brie is the more mat-savvy of the two, but within the last twelve months Nikki has found herself and hit her stride between the ropes. She plays the classic heel archetype perfectly, the same as Ted DiBiase or even Ric Flair. She has a defined skillset that she puts on display when it's at her advantage, but would much rather win a match through trickery and deceit. I see her cower when her opponents loom near, and it makes me think of how many times Rick Rude would walk around the ring before he was finally set to meet his adversary head-on. I think Nikki is one of the most successful female heels in modern WWE history because the heat she garners comes from a genuine place. While I don't think either Brie or her championship twin sister could hold a candle to their thoroughbred rivals, I imagine the Diva's title holder will be on the winning side of this encounter when the night is through.
Educated Guess: The Bella Twins

WWE Tag Team Championship
The Usos (c) vs. Miz & Mizdow
In case you haven't had your share of comradery and team-work, the next match is—another tag match! This time however, the gold is on the line. Or the bronze. Can we talk about this for a moment? How hideous are those tag team titles. I'm hoping Cody Rhodes returns to his �Dashing' former self, wins the tag titles with someone equally tailored, and proceeds to exchange another gaudy piece of shit for the classic design. Seriously, I don't like to use profanity in my writing but those belts are just the worst. Absolutely dreadful, why would anyone want them? They're not even the real tag titles that can be traced back to 1971, they're apart of the fake lineage started in 2002 with Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit. That's complete and utter horse-shit. So about this match—I really do love tag team wrestling; I think we can all agree that tag matches tend to be faster paced thanks to the various combatants involved. I heard a stat courtesy of Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Radio, stating that this will be twenty-some-odd times that these two teams have battled since the beginning of their rivalry. I imagine this has to be the final blow-off, because their feud has reached a point where options are limited. The Usos need to start working with another tag team, perhaps Cesaro and Kidd, while the Miz and Mizdow focus on the inevitable break-up program they'll work heading into �Mania.
Educated Guess: The Usos

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat
Brock Lesnar (c) vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins
Brock Lesnar has only wrestled five matches in the past year, four of which he won, the other he lost by disqualification. Outside of his lackluster blowout with the Big Show at last year's �Rumble, each of Brock's matches has been marred with uncertainty. Of course nobody expected the "Beast" to break the Streak at Wrestlemania in New Orleans. And who could have predicted the way he demolished John Cena at both Summerslam and Night of Champions? This match is just as precarious but brings with it the added element of a third participant—Seth Rollins. I wrote a feature article here at Cheap-Heat, in which I explored the three most plausible outcomes for this match, with a different man emerging victorious in each scenario. While I could make a case for anybody to leave Philadelphia with the championship belt, I think the smart bet is with Mr. Money in the Bank. The only strike Seth has against him is never having held the world title before. Otherwise I think he'd be a much stronger favorite amongst odds makers. I think the most likely situation would feature Seth as a sacrificial lamb, slaughtered from bell to bell by both John Cena and Brock Lesnar, until Cena pulls out an upset by pinning Rollins rather than Lesnar. As any Beast would do, Brock loses his mind and decimates Cena for stealing the championship that nobody could beat him for. Brock then walk out, leaving Seth inside the squared-circle standing across from a dismantled 16-time world champion. With J&J screaming from the sidelines, Seth hands his briefcase to Mike Chioda, and then Lilian Garcia lets us know that Seth Rollins is cashing in his Money in the Bank. It's a predictable proposal that everybody's already pitched, but outside of a clean victory for either John Cena or Brock Lesnar, I think this is Seth's best shot.
Educated Guess: John Cena and then Seth Rollins

The 2015 Royal Rumble
As of my writing this on Friday January 23rd, there have only been seventeen of a total thirty competitors announced for the �Rumble including: Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, Rusev, Bad News Barrett, Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Goldust, Stardust, Big Show, Kane, The Miz, Mizdow, R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback, Fandango, and Luke Harper. Not among those listed is of course Erick Rowan who failed to defeat Luke Harper in his qualifying match on Smackdown. Who might fill the additional thirteen empty spots? I'd guess a handful of legends, probably one if not all of the commentators, and potentially the return of Randy Orton. In the mystical fantasy that is my everyday thinking, I'd really like to see some surprise returns from Superstars long-since gone. Maybe Rey Mysterio will be met with more jubilant fanfare this year, as long as he doesn't "steal" Daniel Bryan's spot again. I guess I might as well get down to my prediction as to who's going to win the Royal Rumble and headline Wrestlemania in Santa Clara. After much consideration and weighing the options, I think we will see a final four consisting of Daniel Bryan, Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, and Kane. The final two, after having vanquished the diabolical heels, will be Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan. Now I could definitely see a Royal Rumble 1994 situation, whereby both individuals fall out of the ring simultaneously, therefore each getting a shot at the belt in the Bay Area. But if I had to choose one winner—I say, "Yes! Yes Yes!" to Daniel Bryan winning the Royal Rumble. As the moments wane and the battle wages, Bryan will use his size and agility to outwrestle and outwit the imposing Samoan with the Superman Punch. Daniel Bryan might also present the greatest number of possibilities as far as championship opponents. If Brock retains, Daniel can play David to his Goliath and overcome the odds. If Cena becomes a 16-time champion, the WWE can play on their real life friendship that's already been exhibited on Total Divas. And if Seth wins his first WWE World Heavyweight title, we'll see two former Ring of Honor champions wrestling on the biggest platform in the entire sport. I think Bryan and Brock would have a phenomenal match; I think Bryan and Cena would have an interesting program; but I can't come up with anything more intense than Daniel Bryan challenging Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event at Wrestlemania 31.
Educated Guess: Daniel Bryan

Though the �Rumble might seem fairly predictable, the outcome of the title match is still anybody's guess. And just because we assume to know who's walking out of Philly the winner, there's always the chance Batista could come back and win it instead. Seriously though, Bryan and Reigns have been tapped for success, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the high octane excitement of a 30-man battle royal. I'm very much looking forward to this Sunday's event as the Royal Rumble is usually one of the best pay-per-views of the year. Remember you can catch all the action through your local cable or satellite providers, or by signing up for the WWE Network for just $9.99. I'm fairly certain the �Network is available in most places, so nobody has an excuse not to check out the 28th annual Royal Rumble. Thank you for joining me again, and I'll see you next month with my Educated Guess about "Fast Lane!"

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