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http://www.cheap-heat.com/interview-with-famous-b/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/interview-with-famous-b/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2015 11:27:38 +0000 DPM Interviews Bill DeMott Famous B Lucha Underground Santino bros Academy William Regal WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=12172 Welcome back guys! “The Monster” Diego Piacentini and “The Master” Marco Piva-Dittrich, from Italy, call the US… someone answer… We want to be famous, so… nobody better than Famous B could have answered! Famous B, best known today as a wrestler in Lucha Underground, is our guest today. CH: Why did you become a pro […]

Welcome back guys! “The Monster” Diego Piacentini and “The Master” Marco Piva-Dittrich, from Italy, call the US… someone answer…

We want to be famous, so… nobody better than Famous B could have answered!

Famous B, best known today as a wrestler in Lucha Underground, is our guest today.

CH: Why did you become a pro wrestler?

FB: I became a pro wrestler because of a thought I had after attending a WWE Raw at Staples Center in my hometown of Los Angeles, Ca. in 2007. It was there I was given a flyer to train to become a professional wrestler where the thought was triggered and manifested into action. I made the conscious decision to call Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy and train to be the best and that affirmation I gave myself translated into me doing exactly that.

CH: Who were your favourite wrestlers as a child?

FB: I've been a fan of Pro Wrestling since the day I laid eyes on a television set so if I had to answer the question of who my favorite wrestler was growing up I'd have to say the answer varies with what generation we was in at that time.

My perception has changed and evolved throughout the years just like the sport has. Between the ages of infant to 6 or 7 my favorites was Macho Man Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, and of course I was a little Hulkamaniac. 8 to teens my favorites was Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, and Mr. Perfect the more technical guys because at this point I understood the in ring talent better as well as physcology. Early teens my favorites was Rey Mysterio Jr., Eddie Guerrero, and Konnan and late teens my favorite was Triple H without a doubt.

CH: For a wrestler from the Socaval area, with few resources but with a great tradition, it’s always difficult becoming famous without moving to the East Coast. How did you overcome this issue?
FB: I've traveled and worked up and down California of course being from Los Angeles, Ca for every promotion there is such as PWG, Lucha Vavoom, Pro Wrestling Revolution, and APW just to name a few and it is a struggle and a challenge considering there is a stigma that the west coast doesn't produce as good of talent as the east coast does

I just feel you have to work hard, stay humble, and be a master networker in order to overcome. Of course you have to continually train as well and keep your in ring up to par but networking and using your resources is extremely important and I'm not just talking just sending YouTube links of yourself through Facebook or other social sites I'm talking about picking the brains of anyone in the business you know that has a piece of information valuable to you in an effort to obtain contact numbers or email addresses to companies you're seeking to be hired at and then sending a Professional resume with all of your accomplishments and information. Following up and staying persistent and consistent is relevant as well. Acts like this is what's got me work in other places on the East Coast and other Countries.

В

CH: Wrestling in the Socaval area is heavily influenced by Lucha, it’s almost a mix of that style with American wrestling. Would you suggest to an European athlete to train there?

FB: My wrestling style is heavily influenced by Lucha Libre. I'm not a big guy in stature so I definitely gravitated to doing what a lot of guys my size have done and been successful with before me. I was a huge fan of the cruiserweight division once the luchadors arrived on the scene in the mid 90s. I also watched AAA as a kid as well and immediately loved their style of wrestling.

CH: How important was your development at the Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy? What styles of wrestling are most in your blood? What have you learned there as a person?

FB: The great thing about training at Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy is they offered a variety of different techniques to learn from such as American obviously lucha libre, and Japanese strong style. I have learned pieces of all styles and it rounds the worker I am today so I'd like to think of myself as a hybrid wrestler if I had to sum up my in ring abilities. I would suggest to all wrestler to learn different styles from just the one or ones you're comfortable with, for example if you're a luchador and only know lucha try to learn American and Japanese strong style and so on. It's important because you're opening up the door for you to be able to travel and work anywhere in the world and hold your own.

В

CH: Three Italian wrestlers have trained at the Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy: Low G, Tyler Blaze and Kid Kazama. Have you ever met them? If you have, what did you think of them?

FB: I never knew Low G , Blaze, and Kazama.

CH:What’s your background? How many times do you train in a week?

FB: My background in terms of training and wrestling is I started training in March 2008. I graduated and had my first professional match in January 2009 and ever since then I been consistently working just about year around every single weekend and doing in ring training just as I did when I was a student once a week for the first five years in addition to gym workouts. The last year I've slowed down a bit from dojo training to give my body a rest in an effort to protect the longevity of my body and in replace of that time I've become a trainer at Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy.

CH: Do you follow the US indy scene?

FB: I absolutely follow the U.S Indy scene and Pro scene I wouldn't be a professional if I didn't. You have to know who everyone is and what they're doing if you're in the same business of course because if you didn't how would you as a worker know and understand how to evolve and present yourself in a manner that will get you work in places you'd like to work for. I follow WWE, TNA, ROH, and others and I have my opinions and perceptions of how their respective companies are from the past up until now.

I have not had experience working for ROH or TNA I just have friends in the companies so my opinion is only based on their television product and hearsay. I have had experience working for WWE a few times as extra talent once in February 2012 and another last year in August 2014 both times I had tryout matches. My two experiences were like night and day.

The first experience as you could imagine there was a lot of nervousness. I didn't know what to expect and I walked into a multi million dollar juggernaut that was filled with child hood idols of mine that I was meeting for the first time and on the inside I was bursting with joy but as a professional I understood that that's not the way to come off when you're there for business so my demeanor was very quiet as I was taking this all in and not knowing what to expect. I did a few tryout matches in which were decent in my opinion. William Regal, Bill DeMott, Arn Anderson, Dean Malenko, and others were evaluating talent that day.

I got great feedback from Bill DeMott as he was the one who came to me to ask questions he had in an effort to get to know me better. I also soaked up everything William Regal was saying to all like a sponge advice on the little things in wrestling, the one thing that stood out the most is when he stated in my words he couldn't believe how the human nature doesn't take advantage of opportunities for example someone in my position there at that time don't take initiative enough to approach them and ask questions and learn the maximum instead it's the opposite for the most part. I remember asking him what are the company needs at that time in terms of what they're looking for in hiring superstars and he simply replied "Nothing, we have everybody from all walks of life down in developmental" and he spoke highly of one in particular a Samoan who would become known as Roman Reigns after that experience I knew if I ever went back what I would do differently to stand out.

The second time I went in 2014 I went with a different conviction, swag, and overall mindset. I thought heavily on all the things I would do differently from the first to last and I knew I would do great there and stand out. Unfortunately William Regal was not on that tour so I missed him that time but I was eager to display all my qualities to whoever was watching and boy did I I had a couple of fantastic tryout matches that got me fantastic reviews and I utilized what I've always heard in the business to my advantage which is less is more. The end result was I was well liked by everyone evaluating but they wanted me to put on more size.

That same week I ended up signing with Lucha Underground.

В

CH: How did you come up with your ringname?

FB: I came up with my ring name Famous B because I always saw myself as a celebrity before wrestling I wanted to break into the music industry and that was my passion once upon a time so when I got into the wrestling business I said I'd use the name famous and B for my first name Brian.

CH: What effect did your working with Lucha Underground have in other promotions you work for?

FB: I'm not sure if my involvement with Lucha Underground has affected my work with other promotions if anything Lucha Underground inspires me to push myself and work harder than ever before but that's needed and what my expectation of myself is which is always progress with the times and put myself in a position where I have the opportunity to work other talent that pushes me that's how I get better as an overall performer.

CH: You won several titles in different promotions: is there one promotion that feels more like “home”?

FB: I have won a lot of Titles here in California and if I had to distinguish what promotion to me feels more like home I couldn't pinpoint one in particular because they all feel like home. I'm very grateful to be a pro wrestler and I have love for every promotion, promoter, and ring I've been in.

My home is my training school Santino Bros. Wrestling Academy but I've left home and made other places my home very similar to a kid who leaves his/her parent's house and goes off to college.

В

CH: What are your plans for the future?

FB: My plans for the future is to excel in Lucha Underground, train the next generation of wrestlers I come across which is my way of giving back to the business, and travel and showcase my talents in different places I haven't been yet here in the States and overseas as well. I'd love to conquer Europe and Japan are short term goals of mine.

CH: Is there any specific wrestler of the past that particularly inspires you?

FB: All wrestlers of the past inspire me. I know what it takes to be successful in this business and I have the utmost respect for every man and woman who has come before me.

CH: Your message to people who claim that wrestling is fake.

FB: If I had to say something to people who think wrestling is fake I'd say get in the ring and do it yourself and I guarantee it will change your perception but then again the same people who say that are the ones who never have the courage to train themselves so they rather talk and give their opinions because it's safer for them.

CH: Say hello to the Italian fans, and thank you Famous B.

FB: I'd like to thank the Italian fans and all other fans who have took the time out to read this interview in an effort to get to know me better. I couldn't do this without you guys and I truly appreciate each and every one.

Check me out on YouTube, user famousb23; on Twitter @famousb23 and on Facebook В look for FamousBFanpage.

Thank you Cheap-Heat for having me!!!

Extremely interesting! Thanks again to Famous B!

This column was written originally for the website where we two are working in Italy. I hope you enjoy that and most important the best has still to come.

Yours sincerely M& M.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/strange-and-stimulating-superstars-32-random-wwe-facts/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/strange-and-stimulating-superstars-32-random-wwe-facts/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2015 04:45:48 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Adam Rose Aiden English Bad New Barrett Big Cass Bram Byron Saxton Cameron Carmella Charlotte Christian Christian Cage Cody Rhodes Colin Cassady Corey Graves Daniel Bryan Dean Ambrose Dolph Ziggler Erick Rowan Hunico Jerry Lawler John Cone Kane Kevin Owens Mark Henry Maryse Michael Cole NXT Paige Renee Young Sasha Banks Sheamus Sin Cara Summer Rae The Miz The Undertaker TNA Tyson Kidd Wade Barrett William Regal WWE Zeb Coulter http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=10853 Strange and Stimulating Superstars 32 Random WWE Facts Written by Mark Adam Haggerty I'm always compiling countdowns and lists of data for my work here at Cheap-Heat, as well as my podcast "The B+ Players." But there are a lot of random bits of information regarding the current WWE roster that don't seem to fit […]

Strange and Stimulating Superstars
32 Random WWE Facts
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

I'm always compiling countdowns and lists of data for my work here at Cheap-Heat, as well as my podcast "The B+ Players." But there are a lot of random bits of information regarding the current WWE roster that don't seem to fit anywhere in particular. Some are sad, others are funny—but most are just downright surprising. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and these are "Strange and Stimulating Superstars: 32 Random WWE Facts."

Christian
"Christian Cage" is a combination of the names Christian Bale and Nicholas Cage.

Sheamus
When Sheamus was a boy,В he sang in the Palestrina Choir in Ireland until the age of 13 and upon graduating from college worked as an IT technician.В

The Undertaker
The Undertaker has appeared in more video games than any other wrestler—EVER. More than Hulk Hogan, the Rock or even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. And that includes games outside of the WWE Universe.

Summer Rae
Before she became a WWE Diva, Summer Rae was the captain and cornerback for the Chicago Bliss Lingerie football team.

Renee Young
After high school Renee Young began training in improvisational comedy, and moved to Los Angeles at 19 years old to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.

Adam Rose
Adam Rose's theme song was used by the NHL's Ottawa Senators as part of their goal horn during the 2014-2015 season.

Zeb Coulter
In August 2012, Zeb Coulter’s 16 year old grand-daughter Amelia died in a car accident. The other driver, who had drugs in his system, was on parole, and running from the police at the time. Less than one year later, Tennessee legislators signed Amelia’s Law, which requires parolees—whose crimes were related to drugs or alcohol—to wear a monitor that would test the parolees blood every half hour. The law went into effect on July 1, 2014.

Kevin Owens
French-Canadian NXT Champion Kevin Owens credits Jim Ross’s WWE commentary for teaching him how to speak English.

Corey Graves
Cory Graves is aВ professional piercer, having trained under a friend who needed to hire a full time piercer in his tattoo shop.

Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler was involved in a romantic relationship with standup comedian and Comedy Central personality Amy Schumer.
В
Kane
Glen Jacobs, better-known as Kane, is an outspoken libertarian, and was even approached by several Tea Party organizations to run for senate in Tennessee.В

Sasha Banks
Although she’s cousins with Snoop Dogg, Sasha Banks has stated her favorite type of music is “Korean Pop.”

The Miz (and Maryse)
The Miz and Maryse were married at the One & Only Ocean Club in the Bahamas—the same resort featured in James Bonds’ Casino Royale.

Paige
Paige first entered the wrestling ring at 10 years old—training under her mother and father—and made her professional debut at just thirteen.

Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan has Vitiligo, a dermatological condition that alters the level of pigmentation in one's skin.

Sin Cara (Hunico)
Sin Cara AKA Hunico worked as a funeral director before becoming a full-time professional wrestler and even attained his embalming license in Juarez, Mexico.

Cody Rhodes
In addition to being the son of Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes is the nephew of Fred “Shockmaster” Ottman and Jerry “Nasty Boy” Sags.В

Byron Saxton
Byron Saxton was in the same Virginia kindergarten class as his former Raw Pre-show host Alex Riley.

Jerry Lawler
Jerry “The King” Lawler owns a replica Batmobile from 1960s Adam West series.

Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose dropped out of high school a year into his wrestling training.

Referee John Cone
WWE Referee John Cone owns a donut shop called “The Donut King” in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.

Big Cass
After graduating from NYU, Colin “Big Cass” CassidyВ started a ticket brokerage company, specializing in events atВ Yankee StadiumВ andВ Madison Square Garden.

William Regal
William RegalВ was once arrested on a flight from Japan to the United States when he drunkenly urinated on a flight attendant. He claimed to be so drunk that he could not remember the incident and woke up in a cell inВ Anchorage, Alaska.

Erick Rowan
Erick Rowan’s family immigrated to Minneapolis from Norway and in 2010, Erick finished third on the first season of the Norwegian reality series “Alt for Norge.”

Bad News Barrett
Before becoming a wrestler, Bad New Barrett was a celebrated bare knuckle fighter. One night following an especially lucrative prize-fight, Barrett was stabbed with an eight-inch blade by an assailant trying to steal his money. The thief was said to have incurred serious injuries, and Barrett escaped with the cash.

Michael Cole
Before he was the “Voice of the WWE,” Michael Cole was a news reporter and was among those camped outside the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas in 1993.В

Tyson Kidd
In 1996 at the age of sixteen, Tyson Kidd wrestled for the World Wrestling Federation on a house showВ in Calgary that also includedВ Teddy HartВ andВ Harry Smith.В

Cameron
Cameron double-majored at California State University, Northridge with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and a Bachelor's of Arts in Marketing. Before she was signed to the WWE, she worked as a behavioral therapist for autistic children in North Hollywood.

Charlotte
Ashley Flair AKA Charlotte is married to TNA wrestler Thomas Latimer AKA Bram.

Aiden English
Aiden English became involved in professional wrestling after studying stage combat in college.

Mark Henry
Mark Henry was as one of the pallbearers for actorВ Michael Clarke Duncan’s funeral inВ September of 2012.

Carmella
NXT Diva Carmella is the daughter of former wrestler and WWE enhancement talent Paul Von Dale.

There you have it—32 inexplicable facts about the current roster of Superstars, Divas, referees, and broadcasters. Until next time this has been Mark Adam Haggerty reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat, listen to my podcast "The B+ Players," and follow me via social media: @TapeTraderz on Twitter and "The B+ Players" on Facebook.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-february-18th-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-february-18th-2015/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2015 02:51:12 +0000 Scott Hayes Reviews WWE Network Reviews Adrian Neville Aiden English Bayley Becky Lynch Blue Pants Buddy Murphy Carmella CJ Parker Colin Cassady ECW Enzo Amore Finn Balor Kevin Owens NXT Rhyno Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Simon Gotch Solomon Crowe Takeover The Vaudevillains Wesley Blake William Regal WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9831 Its THAT TIME! NXT. IS. LIVE!… if by "Live" I mean taped a week ago! RECAP! We open with a nice video package showing us what happened last week at Takeover: Rival. Lots of awesomeness, that's what happened. REGAL's OFFICE! Regal talks about the shocking show that was Takeover. He states that in NXT a […]

Its THAT TIME! NXT. IS. LIVE!… if by "Live" I mean taped a week ago!

RECAP!

We open with a nice video package showing us what happened last week at Takeover: Rival. Lots of awesomeness, that's what happened.

REGAL's OFFICE!

Regal talks about the shocking show that was Takeover. He states that in NXT a title CAN change hands via pinfall, submission, or Ref Stoppage due to knockout. Just in case you were scratching your head over the lack of pin, or submission in the Owens vs. Zayn Match. He also says Owens fancies himself a "Prize Fighter", who fights for money. Well? Mr. Owens doesn't make the rules here in NXT. Mr. REGAL DOES, SUNSHINE (I added Sunshine cuz its a wonderful word Regal sprinkles in from time to time, and should have used it here.) He announces a match for tonight: Kevin Owens vs. Adrian Neville, in a non-title match. Saying Neville hasn't earned a shot at the champ, but he HAS earned a match with Kevin Owens for Owens' sending Neville to the hospital a few weeks ago.

IN RING!

Kevin Owens is on his way out! He's dressed up for his in ring celebration… no shorts, he's wearing workout pants with his sleeve cut off "KO" shirt. Crowd echo chants "KEVIN OWENS… SAMI ZAYN". Owens talks about people mad at HOW he won the Championship. He says they have NO REASON to be mad. He didn't lie. He'd fight anyone and everyone to make a better life for his family. "What matters now is Sami Zayn is the past." Owens looking to the future, and that future is Finn Balor. Crowd chants "FINN". Probably cuz they're fans of Mark Twain. The ORIGINAL "Smart Mark". Tells Finn to pick a date and place and he'll be there. Says NOBODY is gonna take "THIS" holds up title for effect from him OR his family. I saw the adorable picture of his daughter with the belt, rumor has it her work rate is off the charts!

ANNOUNCERS!

Rich, Graves, and Albert talk about the show. We have Sashsa Banks versus Blue Pants also tonight!

IN RING!

Oh, wow… SURPRISE TIME, if you didn't read the spoilers:

the crowd reaction here is great as Rhyno makes his entrance! Confusion melting into a "What the… holy… FOR REAL" type pop. The crowd chants "HOLY SHIT". Because this is surprising. Huge "GORE" chant. Punches. A huge belly to belly. AND? GORE! GORE! GORE! GORE! 1…2…3! Huge "ECW" and "Welcome Back" chants for Rhyno. That was a fun surprise for sure.

BACKSTAGE!

Finn is asked about Owens'. He too will face Owens anywhere, anyplace, anytime. Says Owens fancies himself a prize fighter, and that he too is a prize fighter, THAT prize? The NXT Championship- only before he can finish that sentiment? Rhyno walks in. Stops. Eyeballs Finn. Smirks. Walks off. That could be fun. Also paints a picture that Rhyno might be around for a little while.

IN RING!

Black and White and grainy projector shot as the Vaudevillains are set for a tag team match. Announcers sell the fact that there is a void for WHO will step up to face Blake and Murphy? Gotch and English pose as we get the intro for Cass and Enzo. At least 5 leopards went into the making of Enzo's jacket and bandanna tonight. Enzo's beard is also insane. Carmella gets booed during Enzo's mic work. Big "HOW YOU DOIN'" chant from the crowd as it feels like a while since we've seen these two. Gotch and Enzo kick us off. Cheap shot from English on the outside gets the Vaudevillains the precious MO. Aggression from the Villains. Enzo makes the diving tag and Cass is in wrecking house. Sidewalk slam to Gotch. Big splash to English. Double team in the corner and then a big boot later and Enzo and Cass get a big win.

On the big screen Blake and Murphy talk trash on Cass and Enzo. Hit on Carmella. Tell her to ditch the sewer rats. Congrats, a bouncing tag team rivalry is born!

BACKSTAGE!

Adrian Neville can tie his boots. Asked about his loss to Balor and his upcoming match with Owens. Says he almost feels relieved because forever he's been hunted, and now he's the hunter, and Kevin Owens is about experience that.

MORE BACKSTAGE!

Quick hit post match interview type dealie with Bayley and Becky. Bayley promises she WILL be Women's Champion. Becky says Bayley cost her the title, and she is kinda sorry happy that Banks could win, but she is VERY Happy Charlotte lost.

IN RING!

CJ Parker is on his way. Jean shorts and a button down shirt informs us that he's not wrestling. CJ Parker is sick and tired. His being left out of Takeover is �BULLCRAP'. Now CJ Parker is taking over the show. Holding it hostage. Today's sign "CJ IS TAKING OVER THE TAKEOVERS". He is now Caution taping the ring. Uh oh. "Technical Difficulties". "This is Not A Test". Solomon Crowe attacks and destroys CJ Parker. The crowd figured out it was Crowe before the announcers.

IN RING!

SASHA BANKS IS OUT! Blue Pants is on her way out. Love they've bottled and used Cass's announcing slash singing for Blue Pants. Blue Pants might be the most over person in NXT. Blue Pants early X-Men color scheme is great. Sasha is giving her the chance to leave the ring, holding open the ropes for her. Blue Pants responds by kicking Sasha out of the ring. Drop Toe Hold! Sasha is angry. Double leg and fists of fury. Backslide gets OBP a solid two. Sasha drives her into the corner and drives a series of shoulders. Does her double knee in the corner. Covers, but pulls OBP up at the two. Crowd BOOS! Drags Pantalones Azul up, backstabber into the Crossface, aka the Banks Statement! OBP does the TAP.

Post Match. Mic Stand asks Sasha what it means to be champion. Sasha gets grabby with the mic. What's it means is Banks is "the baddest Diva in NXT".

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE!

The post match fallout for Sami Zayn. We see doctors working on him and Regal coming out to check on him. So we get an interview with Doctor Chris Amann. Sami got evaluated, and got a CAT Scan. They let Sami go to Abu Dhabi. He'll be back and ready to go! At least the crowd didn't chant "Z-Pack" at him.

IN RING!

Adrian Neville is on his way out! Kevin Owens is next. Owens bails much like the start of his match with Zayn. Neville gets to him quickly. Big quick, but the tide is quickly turned with a gut buster and then standing senton from Owens. Owens with an elbow drop. Then a chop in the corner. He goes into methodical pummeling mode. Clubbing blows. Stomps. Forearm. Some cheer. Some boo. Rich tries to name Owens' fans "OWENS-IACS", Graves then hits a home run with, "Lets NEVER call them that." So far this is the match we got at Rival, only with Neville playing the role of Zayn. Neville trying to fight his way out of a REVERSE… CHINLOCK… O'… DOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!! Owens yelling "who's the champ", and crowd chants back "NOT FOR LONG". Owens rag dolls Neville over the top rope to the outside. Man… they are making him look like the most dominant dominator that ever dominated. Owens interplays with the crowd, ramping up his douche-ness to 11. Snap mare and a boot to the shoulder blades gets a ONE PLUS! Neville tries to stage a comeback. Slingshots, but Owens catches him into fireman's carry. Neville spikes Owens with a DDT. Owens first up. Crowd getting live. Exchanging forearms. Neville gets the upper hand. Forearms. Chops. Flying forearm and then kicks. Owens gets outta dodge. Neville with a moonsault to the outside takes out Owens! Two kicks to the chest and an enzugiri. Missile dropkick gets Neville the TWO PLUS! Owens again gets outta dodge. "You're a Coward" chant from FULL SAIL. Baseball dropkick from Neville! OH MY… 450 OFF THE APRON TO THE FLOOR! THREE MINUS!!!! Albert asks if we've seen Owens in this much trouble? … uH… JASON? Its his fourth TV match. Great german, and then the DEADLIFT german with a bridge from Neville. High speed European, but as Neville goes in Owens lashes out with a HUGE running flying forearm. Neville in the corner. Owens charges for the cannonball… SUPERKICK. Reverse �RANA… that looked NASTY, almost botchy. OWENS KICKS OUT AT THREE MINUS! Neville drags and Climbs… Red Arrow, Owens rolls outta the way, and when both men are back up? Pop Up Powerbomb! One… Two… THREE! That. Was. AWESOME!

Owens celebrates we get replays of the awesomeness. Rich gives us the tag line "Kevin Owens Ferocious, UNYIELDING" … damn right he is. As the show comes to a close.

OVERVIEW!

Another excellent edition of NXT. We had groundwork laid for the Reign of Owens, and it got off to a rousing start with his non-title bout with Adrian Neville. We got a budding tag feud between the Champs and Cass and Enzo. Sadly, no clue where this leaves the Vaudevillains. Sasha Banks also made an impressive statement in her first televised appearance as reigning Women's Champion. PLUS we got a surprise return/NXT Debut of the War Machine, Rhyno. Plus his little tease face to face with Balor. Hit the ground running, NXT continues to be the fastest 60 minutes in Pro Wrestling! I URGE YOU TO WATCH OWENS NEVILLE, if you haven't. If you have? REWATCH IT!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-takeoverview-nxt-takeover-rival-february-11th-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-takeoverview-nxt-takeover-rival-february-11th-2015/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2015 04:24:59 +0000 Scott Hayes Blogs Other Blogs Reviews WWE Network Reviews Adrian Neville Baron Corbin Bayley Becky Lynch Buddy Murphy Bull Dempsey Charlotte Finn Balor Hideo Itami Kalisto Kevin Owens Lucha Dragons NXT Rival Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Sin Cara Takeover Tyler Breeze Wesley Blake William Regal WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9700 Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girl… WRESTLING Fans of All Ages… well the literate ones at least. Welcome to another Whizz-Bang Edition of the NXT Recap slash Review slash Something. This a SPECIAL edition as this week's NXT was a SPECIAL TWO HOUR TAKEOVER: RIVAL. Five matches were officially announced with a sixth being added […]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girl… WRESTLING Fans of All Ages… well the literate ones at least. Welcome to another Whizz-Bang Edition of the NXT Recap slash Review slash Something. This a SPECIAL edition as this week's NXT was a SPECIAL TWO HOUR TAKEOVER: RIVAL. Five matches were officially announced with a sixth being added via twitter and then the pre show. So that's a whole lot of recappening (it is TOO a word!)

Good hype video. Paying special attention to Balor vs. Neville, Women's Fourway, and Zayn vs. Owens. Foreshadowing on which three matches would be my top three for this show.

IN RING!

Itami's music hits, as the twitter slash WWE.com match against Tyler Breeze.

ANNOUNCE TABLE! Rich, Corey and Albert welcome us to the show. They put over the action which is something they excel at doing. Throw to the replay of Breeze attacking Itami. "YOU BLEW IT… YOU RUINED IT. YOU RUIN EVERYTHING." – That is a hissy fit line that always makes me giggle.

BACK IN RING!

Breeze is out with a selfie stick. A "fan" then jumps the barricade and she jumps onto Tyler. Security takes the lady fan away. That is a quality selfie stick.. At least 3 muppets gave their lives to cover that selfie stick in their pelts. Bell rings. Itami is on the quick offensive. Itami gets the momentum with a nice knee to the midsection and then a vicious kick to Tyler's chest. Educated feet and going for the drop kick to a seated Breeze in the corner, but Breeze smartly gets outta dodge. Breeze gets on the offensive focusing on the bum knee of Itami. Wraps it around the ring post a few times, and… RING POST FIGURE FOUR! NICE! Breeze with a nice cloverleaf styled submission. Breeze hits the Super Model Kick for a TWO PLUS! Breeze can't believe it and the crowd gets loud for this. Tyler starts throwing hard rights, but Itami is like �NUH UH', and gets all hulked. Quick flurry of strikes: palms, forearms, kicks galore. Breeze in the corner. Stalling dropkick… RUNNING KICK TO THE HEAD! That's all they wrote. Solid opener. Breeze impressed me. I wonder what they'll do with Itami moving forward?

BACKSTAGE!

Referee and Regal are discussing something with Owens. He seems unimpressed with their talking and goes back to his phone, cuz that Candy ain't gonna Crush itself!

IN RING!

BULL! BULL! BULL! Out comes Bull Dempsey, who judging from my friend who doesn't watch NXT religiously, but pointed out that Dempsey's look teeters between "80s throwback" and "slob". Engines rev. Corbin is out and B-Lines it for Bull. Baron sporting his new t-shirt. Brawling all over the floor. Bull tries to flee. Baron chases. Bull turns the tide with a push into the apron and suplex onto the ramp. Crowd wants tables. Bull teases it but is all like, "PSYCH!" Full Sail not happy with that. More brawling. Stomps. Fists. Smashes. Bludgeons. And various What-Nottery. Huge Arn Anderson styled spine buster and Baron nearly gets the win. Graves says Dempsey was 10 feet in the air… uh… really Core? Corbin goes for a running clothesline to send Dempsey over the top rope. Corbin goes, but Dempsey doesn't… until like 4 seconds later than he should have. Oops-town Population: YOU, Bull. Dempsey hits the diving headbutt for a TWO PLUS! Stays on the attack. goes for a chair. Slides in. Charges. Corbin snatches him. End of Days. Ballgame. This was pretty average. A few botches. Didn't really find a groove. Didn't really make use of the NO DQ Stip. Post match Corbin sets up the chair and takes a seat and catches his breath and dismissively shoves Bull away with his boot. This was hindered by the fact this was their third match, in my opinion. And it was longer than the other two combined. I think Bull should've been using that No DQ stip to its FULLEST potential.

BACKSTAGE!

Becky Lynch is doing pushups on the steps. Bayley is looking nervous and that works its way into a confident nod.

IN RING!

LU! CHA! LU! CHA! LU! CHA! Sin Cara and Kalisto are out. They have a new camera set up next to the apron so we get a neat view of them trampolining into the ring. That was nifty. Next out are our tag champs. Who's music I find dreadful. Text from a buddy pointed out their tights were VERY American Wolves-y. Bell Rings. Cara and Murphy to start (Thank the wrestling gods they have their names on their tights tonight, so your humble writer can tell them apart with certainty.) – Uh oh botches are contagious early in this one. Not sure what happened. Arm drag gone awry? Crowd noticeably flat for this… and these people usually cheer and chant EVERYTHING. See:

Oh man another bit of sloppiness. Kalisto slips while running to the ring looking to do something. Cara gets the TWO PLUS with the victory roll from the top… SUPER VICTORY ROLL? Name will be a work in process. Double team pop up neck breaker is a nice move from Murphy and Blake. A kick gets Sin Cara free, and Kalisto in. Corkscrew cross body. Kalisto kick. The hurracanrana on a kneeling murphy was NICE. Kalisto has the SDS countered, A bunch of near falls. Trading two counts. Inventive double bridge where both guys had their shoulders down. Two Pluses all over the place…

YOU GET A TWO COUNT! YOU GET A TWO COUNT! YOU GET A TWO COUNT!

Cara hits the hoist one arm power bomb. Murphy hits a running suplex almost brain buster, and Blake hits a frog splash. Three Count. and STILL Our NXT Tag Team Champions! First half the match had some sloppiness and it took a while to find a rhythm. Last 5-7 minutes were pretty enjoyable. Lots of chain wrestling. During the celebration someone is coming next week. His hype video interrupts and looks like the last few where I've seen the names "Solomon" and "Crowe" at different times. Hint. and HINT!

HYPE! NXT #1 Contendership tournament is recapped and our next matchup is hyped.

IN RING!

Neville is out first because… well we all know why. Lights out, and Balor is crawling his way to the ring. Paint job is slightly different. A tongue sticking out of the mouth on his chest. Added what appears to be wings and a tail to his back. Add some smoke in the corner to his entrance. Its go time. I can't wait for this. Crowd chants Finn. Neville puts his mouthpiece in. Fast start with some chain wrestling. Crisp. Clean. These two might be the best combination of pure athlete AND wrestling ability. Neville's athleticism almost gets lost in the shuffle with all the talent in NXT. A couple early ONE! counts. Neville scores a spring board dropkick then lock in the… ahem… REVERSE CHIN LOCK… O'… DOOOOOOOOOM!!! To jump back, good work by the announce crew to explain Balor's entrance. The not only psychological warfare on his opponent but to psych himself up. They should also put the layer of "currying favor" with the crowd. Take notes, Cole and Company when you're talking about Bray Wyatt's "Creepy" entrance. Neville dominates for a spell. Balor tries to turn the tide with a chop so hard it welted MY chest. Neville keeps on it though with a dropkick and stalling vertical suplex. Neville nails some 12 to 6 elbows to Balor's head, and somewhere a UFC official is screeching "STOP THE FIGHT!" Back to the RCLO'D! Balor fights out. Whip. Balor eats a boot, Neville goes to the top rope and Finn nails an enziguri. Neville to the outside. Balor nails a huge Tope. Crowd chants NXT. Neville is on the move! Finn is stalking, and then drop kicks him into/through a ringside barricade. Crowd goes with a expletive laced chant of surprise. Back in the ring. Balor with a double stomp to the back of the HEAD?!?! WHAT?! I was SURE that was it. That was a THREE MINUS! WOW. That was an amazing move. First this is awesome chant. Neville nails a forearm and a bunch of kicks. Balor with the Pele! And Neville with a desperation Superkick! (Picks up jaw off floor) Germans from Neville. One of them stalled was amazing and into a bridge! THREE MINUS!!! Neville to the middle rope… ARE YOU KIDDING?! Was that a Phoenix Splash from the middle rope?! Done flawlessly. Dude is a mutant of athletic ability. High velocity European Uppercut. Balor with a desperation Sling Blade! HUGE Clothesline turns Neville inside out. Lifting to vertical reverse DDT! My fingers can't keep up with this. Balor going to the top, but Neville grabs the leg to avoid the double stomp. He hits a kick. Then a slam. Looking for the Red Arrow, but Balor lifts the knees, AND then turns it into a roll up, and they got me AGAIN! I was sure this was done. High velocity dropkick shots Neville into the corner violently. COUP DE GRAICE! Rich asks "Have you ever seen anything like it?!" Hyperbole, sure, but that was a DAMN AMAZING match. Standing Ovation rightly deserved, fellas. *Writers Note: It was my third time watching this match 3 times when I wrote this.

Its scary the guy was NXT Champion for how long, is one of the guys they use on the road for Raw/Smackdown, but Neville still is somehow underrated. Also can we get two outta three falls for these two?

BACKSTAGE! +HYPE!

Charlotte and Sasha are getting ready! Goes right into the video package for the Women's Championship Match.

IN RING!

Bayley is out first. Banks is second. Becky third. And in the sake of alliteration: Bram's wife third. Lets go! We hit the ground running. Bayley with a roll up on Charlotte. Team BAE team up early. They break the LED board by throwing Charlotte into it. Then they go at Bayley. Nice double team moves from BAE as they violently throw Bayley into the turnbuckles. That was unique. Both of them make the cover on Bayley. Alliance dissolved. Becky with a nice pump handle suplex. Now Becky is in control. She works on Bayley with a dragon screw leg whip and then a nice submission, but Banks is back to break it up. Banks with a nice series of shoulders into the corner. High velocity as she channels her inner Lesnar. Charlotte back in and attacking. Ends up hitting a neck breaker for a two plus. Then hits Banks with a leg drape neck breaker in the corner. Now Charlotte and Banks exchanging violent forearms. Charlotte goes for a spear, but Banks moves. Charlotte spears Becky. Bayley back in and wheel barrows Banks, and Bayley comes in and hits a codebreaker of sorts. Charlotte big boots Bayley out of the ring.Banks ends up back in control. Double knee drops in the corner to both Charlotte, who was across the middle ropes, and Becky who was on the bottom ropes. Bayley is back with a suplex! Bayley hits a series of three running reverse elbows into the corner. She hoists Charlotte to the top rope. Top Rope �Rana! Crowd firmly behind Bayley. Bayley to Belly! Lynch breaks it up. Bayley with a nice baseball drop kick from the floor up under the bottom rope. Nifty. BANKS SUICIDE DIVE! Three are down. Charlotte in ring. "WOMEN'S WRESTLING" chant melts into "THIS IS WRESTLING", and Charlotte sling shot over the top to the outside onto the other three! Charlotte throws Becky into the ring. But Becky nails a running knee lift and a T-Bone Suplex. Man the shots in this are so high velocity and landing. Chaos in the corner. Charlotte on the top. Bayley German's Lynch. Then TOP ROPE BAYLEY TO BELL! ONE TWO… BANKS! Banks throws Bayley out violently. Gets a three minus. Then locks in a nasty cross face. Really pulls back. Becky starts to get in, but Banks kicks Becky INTO Bayley. Back to the cross face. Stretching her. Keeps pulling back. Charlotte is not tapping, but is fading. Banks pulls back even harder and then turns it into a roll up! THREE SLAP OF THE MAT LATER…

AND… NNNNNNEEEEEEEWWWWWWWW!! NXT WOMEN'S CHAMPION!!!!

This was spectacular. Awesome story, and action bell to bell. These ladies got put in the "spot of death" between the two huge main events and OWNED it. The velocity of moves and the WRESTLING was as good as anything we see on a weekly basis, ladies, or gents. Women's MotY can be handed out, as who knows if anything will approach this on the main roster, and I could absolutely see this being on many a top ten list at year's end. MIGHT be the best Women's match I've ever seen… but that might be me being to wrapped up in the immediacy.

HYPE!

Zayn and Owens video package is where the awesome in ring product meets the awesome WWE Production values and things like this is where we get the melding of these worlds.

IN RING!

We see Owens backstage as the "drop the cage" music kind of plays before he storms through the curtain and heads out. Same thing for Zayn. This is a neat twist. Zayn sporting nifty new tights. Crowd really into the "LETS GO!" Part of Zayn's theme. Owens is ready rocking in the corner… random thing I noticed yesterday, his armpits looks like Abdullah the Butcher's forehead. What the hell is going on there? Stare down. Owens standing and leaning in the corner. Sami crouching. Big Fight announcement. "FIGHT OWENS FIGHT" followed by boos and then "SAMI" chant. They stare. Crowd "OLE's". They circle, Sami advances. Owens bails. This continues. More stalling, but eventually, Sami flies over the ref and nails a somersault onto Owens on the outside. Zayn punching and kicking. Mounted punches into the corner. Owens hoists and drops him across the top turnbuckle. A couple NASTY running clotheslines into the corner where Zayn does his best Shawn Michaels. The whip into the corner was a looney tunes sell. Owens goes on the grind offensive. Wearing down Zayn. Punishing with holds and slams. Driving his knee into his back. Owens continues to punish making occasional covers and yelling at the referee. Zayn tries to fire back with fists to the gut, starts to get some momentum, but Owens drops him gut first onto the top rope which sling shots him back into the ring, Zayn crashing onto his face/upper body. Owens locks in the Reverse Chin Lock O' DOOOOOOM! Match totally at Owens' pace. Back suplex gets a two count. On the outside its violent. Owens is dominating. Crowd starts up a "Kill Owens Kill" chant. Back in the ring. Two PLUS on Sami. Zayn looks "woozy". VIOLENT forearms and stomps into Zayn. This is a methodical dissection. Gut buster, and senton. TWO PLUS!

Forearms and Sami with a slap! Now Sami fires up with three clotheslines! Owens spills to the outside. Owens takes a bite out of the ring steps. Now Sami is brawling. He's throwing haymakers. Owens tries to rolls Sami in, but Sami rolls right back out to the other side, runs around and NAILS a clothesline. Back inside. Blue Thunder Bomb! TWO.. PLUS PLUS! each man in a corner.. Sami charges… OUCH! SUPERKICK. Sami is out on his feet! Collapses into the corner. Running CANNONBALL! THREE MINUS! Owens pump handles Sami and drops him neck first onto his knee! Whoa. THREE MINUS.. MINUS!!! Whip going for a pop up power bomb. Zayn dropkicks out of it. Half and Half by Zayn. TWO PLUS! Zayn doesn't believe it. Zayn gets dropped throat first across the top rope. Owens up top… Zayn meets him in the high rent district. They exchange up top. Owens gets the upper hand. SWANTON-NO! KNEES UP! Exploder into the corner. Sami looking for the Heluva… Owens gets outta dodge. Sami chases. Outside Owens looks for the powerbomb into the ring apron, but Sami grabs the ropes, and stops it. Sami kicks and then hits that seated spring board moonsault to the outside, but his head hit the ramp. He's woozy. Sami staggers and stumbles back in the ring. Tries to come out of the corner, but stumbles and falls feeling the effects. Charges again, pop up powerbomb nearly ends it for Owens. Ref checking on Sami. Owens goes in with nasty forearms. European uppercuts.. Rabbit punches. Basically just wailing away on Zayn. Ref trying to get Owens off. Trainers are out to check on Sami. A few smart asses chant "Z-Pac" at this. Powerbomb number TWO. AND THREE! Owens with the cocky cover. Two Zayn fans are near tears. Trainers are still checking on him. They're in ring now. Owens decides he has his OWN medical advice… three MORE Powerbombs. Oh, nope ref stops him at the third one, and calls the match. Crowd starts a bullshit chant. Stunned. Some confusion, but the crowd roars when Owens is handed the NXT Championship. Owens wins due to Ref Stoppage. A fewf and are inconsolable. Owens is bouncing between laughing and crying. He points at someone in the audience. Announcers do a great job laying out. Selling the shocked nature of this. Clearly they LOVE Owens. He celebrates, and eventually stands over the prone Zayn. Very good match, that was intense and super story based, and REALLY puts Kevin Owens over in a big way and shows how much fight Zayn has. This felt like a first chapter to what could and should be an amazing saga. Sprinkle in Balor's #1 contendership and there is a lot they can do moving forward.

OVERVIEW!

ANOTHER excellent outing for the NXT Brand and their quarterly Takeovers. Top to bottom not as good as R Evolution, in my opinion, which is understandable, seeing as that show was about as perfect a wrestling show I've seen. There was one very average match: Bull and Baron. Two decent to good matches: Breeze/Itami, and Tag Titles. And three awesome matches that were unique and fun and told good stories and had amazing in ring action. And now we set off down the road to the NEXT Takeover. If you have wrestling fan friends who don't subscribe to the Network? You should invite them over and start doing NXT Viewing Parties. If they DO have the Network and DON'T watch NXT? Man… I don't know… rig them up to that contraption from Clockwork Orange, maybe?

Bottom line, if you're not, or they're not watching? You and they should be.

Till NXT time.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-over-under-wwe-nxt-takever-rival-odds/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/the-over-under-wwe-nxt-takever-rival-odds/#comments Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:44:49 +0000 Scott Hayes Blogs Other Blogs Adrian Neville Baron Corbin Bayley Becky Lynch Buddy Murphy Bull Dempsey Charlotte Curtis Axel Finn Balor Kevin Owens Lucha Dragons NXT Rival Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Takeover The Vaudevillains Tyson Kidd Wesley Blake William Regal WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9522 Ladies and Degenerates- NO! Not you guys! I'm talking about GAMBLERS! Welcome to another installment of the "Over/Under" this Cheap Heat's author's attempt at bring the sports book to the squared circle. Admittedly I have no experience handicapping, and from a betting standpoint I have little… actually… err… no… I have NO experience in any […]

Ladies and Degenerates-

NO! Not you guys! I'm talking about GAMBLERS! Welcome to another installment of the "Over/Under" this Cheap Heat's author's attempt at bring the sports book to the squared circle. Admittedly I have no experience handicapping, and from a betting standpoint I have little… actually… err… no… I have NO experience in any form of sports betting. Yeah… ya know… in case someone's watching. SO?

OVER/UNDER!

Disclaimer: The Over/Under is an entertainment slash hype slash super terrific fun time article. The author does not look up any possible "Lines" for wrestling matches, and suggests you not bet on a scripted contest. Though if you're at a party and your friend has had too many adult beverages and Raw is taped and you read spoilers and want to make five bucks at said friend's expense because someone upsets Kane in a match? FEEL FREE! (Hayes fact 814: Did that a party. Gonna totally send the link to this to said buddy.)

Overview: For the last few months these two have been all up in each other's bidness. What started out as a contest to see who could mash a random sack of potatoes faster? With Baron mashing so hard that it led to Bull's jealousy. Which led to a match. Which Baron won. Which led to a second match. Which Baron won. Which led to Bull costing Baron in his #1 Contendership Match. And now? These two "Hosses" will battle it out in a NO DQ Match. Their first two contests didn't last a combined 5 minutes. Baron dominated.

Favorite: Corbin -450 He's a huge favorite. He just lost and it was Bull that cost him. Violent revenge for NXT's Lone Wolf.

Underdog: Dempsey +300 Big Dog. Only way I see this win is if they really REALLY want to try hard to swerve us.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Over/Under 7 minutes. (That's bell to bell. No entrances included, or post match shenanigans included.)

Overview: This is easily the match I'm least looking forward to. I'm probably not alone, but there isn't a ton of investment in it for me. The story falls a little flat, but lets take a look at that story. The Lucha Dragons beat the Ascension and then… well… "Meh". They have a nice move set. A decent amount of support from the crowd, but something has felt flat with their reign. They dispatched the Vaudevillains easily. Were rolling, albeit, unspectacularly. Buddy and Blake appeared to fill a need as Tag Team on the Roster. Their win/loss record drove that point home. Then? They beat the Vaudevillains. THEN? They challenged the Lucha Dragons, cuz if you beat, basically the only OTHER full time tag team that isn't the champs? Boom. Title shot. AND.. THEN?!?!

AND… NNNNNEEEEEWWWWWWWWW… NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!!!!! They shocked the world. Okay, the portion of the world who A) Follow Pro Wrestling 2) Know that there is an WWE Network iii) WATCH NXT FOURTH) or at LEAST read spoilers slash results. (I hear the results guy HERE kicks 14 kinds of ass… Just sayin'.)

Favorite: Murphy and Blake -120. A slight favorite. They just scored the upset win. I wonder if they want to bolster the Main Roster's tag ranks, and so I wonder if the Dragons are a way to add another team to the tag division. Especiallly with two teams recently having or in the process of splitting (Miz/Mizdow, and Dust Bros).

Underdog: Lucha Dragons +110. Its not a huge instance of her being an Underdog. I won't be surprised if they walk out of Rival two time tag champions. I will be interested to see how this plays out and hopefully coming out of Rival we'll see a little more shine/interest in the tag division.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Will the NXT Crowd Chant "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE… Oi Oi Oi"! (due to Murphy's Nationality) Yes -400 No +400.

Overview: Charlotte has been dominating the Women's division. She beat Bayley. Sasha Banks on the rise, and along with Team BAE (Best At Everything, for anyone unaware) bestie, Becky Lynch took out Bayley. Then Banks set off on a series of awesome Women's title matches. The stories did a nice job staying intertwined. Banks got one more shot, Lynch ended up jumping in and attacking Charlotte. <— Insert DQ Bell Ringing here. Bayley rushes to the ring to make the save. When Bayley takes too long gazing at the title lustily. Charlotte is like "HAND OFF". Bayley hits the Bayley to Bell! Regal makes the women's title match a fatal four way. They did a tag match the next week Of COURSE, chaos ensued. I'm really looking forward to this, and we could be seeing the Women's match of the year at Rival. Favorite: Charlotte -200. She's a dominant champion. Unless they're thinking "Call Up" for her, and really she is plenty ready, though I'd be sad to see her talents leave and be shuffled off into 3 minute matches centered around the cast of Total Divas? Eventually they grow up and leave the nest.

Even Money: I'm putting both Bayley and Sasha Banks here. Both have great stories and momentum behind them. This is a great match for someone (i.e. Charlotte) to lose and not get pinned and still lose the Championship. Bayley the plucky underdog/Little Engine that Could, with the most funnest entrance in the bidness! Banks, someone who is an amazing talent. Who has improved so much its mind boggling. She's a heel who is getting a "you deserve it" vibe from the crowd in her past title matches.

Underdog: Becky Lynch +600. Easily makes the least sense. Treading water as a face and then being paired with Banks almost as added muscle. Its not Lynch's time… YET.

Prop Bet of the Match:
Who takes the Tower of Doom Spot? Bayley -300. Banks -150. There is none even money. Lynch +100. Charlotte +200.

Overview: Back when we kicked off this trip toward Rival, Commissioner Regal announced a Number One Contendership Tournament. Balor beat Curtis Axel in the first round and Hideo Itami in the second round, which was a spectacularly physical encounter and almost made my prediction that "Itami hits his FIRST GTS on Balor" come true. I STILL think the first has Balor's name written all over it. Neville beat Tyson Kidd in the first round, another fantastic match, and took down the undefeated Baron Corbin in the Semi's sing it: "He got by with a little help from the Bull". So this sets up between two well traveled world class wrestlers. Both are super popular with the crowd. Neville a former NXT Champion and Balor a future NXT Champion… that is unless the WWE doesn't come calling. This has Match of the Year Contender written all over it. Don't blink. Sit back. And bathe in the excellence this contest can, and hopefully WILL, produce.

Favorite: Finn Balor -250. Crowd is behind him. Momentum is on his side. He's been awesome, and continues to entertain. A win here would be excellent as he continues rocketing up the NXT Ranks.

Underdog: Adrian Neville +100. Won't be shocked if he wins, but he certainly doesn't need a victory. Long rumored to be one of the next in line to get the call. Makes sense to elevate Balor if that rumor is true.

Prop Bets of the Match (two main events get multiple)
Balor Paints Up: Yes -300 No +300
"This is Awesome Chants": Over/Under 3.5
Post Match Attack: None -200 Tyler Breeze -100 Hideo Itami +100.

Overview: OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG… breathe Hayes… BREATHE. Inhales… Exhales… I assumed we would see this. Didn't think it'd be THIS fast, and for the NXT Championship already. Sami Zayn had a long trip to the summit. At NXT R-Evolution he beat Adrian Neville in a fantastic match. The crowd, the story, the finish, the celebration. It was excellent. He and Owens hugged. He and Neville Hugged. This was all the feels we can feel watching this crazy form of entertainment! Then it lingered… and lingered… but they showed the closing graphic, and THEN Owens decided… "I'm happy for you, but I'm no THAT happy for you." Nasty pull down onto the ramp. Nastier power bomb onto the apron and the man who had debuted 114 minutes earlier just made a massive statement. Like he said in his hype videos. He was in NXT to fight, to better his and his family's life, AND its not lost on him that so many guys who he wrestled with and against across the globe got the call from WWE before he did. No wrestler was safe. No Friend. No CHAMPION. Sami begged for a match with Owens. Regal didn't want to reward Owens for his behavior, because it establishes a dangerous precedent. So it was to be non title… except… yeah Owens wasn't going to fight non title. The title is a PRIZE. One he wants. One that gets him more money. More prestige. More EVERYTHING. So in a contract signing the only thing that got broken TABLE LIVED! Were Regal and Zayn's wills. Zayn, in a self admitted lapse in judgement pleads with Regal to make the match, which he does, and here we are. Like the match for #1 Contendership? This could easily find itself on all kinds of Year End Lists.

Favorite: Kevin Owens -150. A slight favorite. Not many have walked into NXT/WWE and ended up where he is in such a short period of time. His THIRD TV Match will be for the NXT Championship. He's has promised to "take" the NXT Championship. Which is an interesting phrasing that has stuck in my mind since he used it.

Underdog: Sami Zayn -125. His chase was epic and super fulfilling. Imagine him losing the championship. The dejection, but also the realization that WHO will be able to stop Kevin Owens. Sami chasing is right in his wheelhouse, and really Owens winning really kicks off them going back and forth, if Zayn isn't destined for Monday and Thursdays? This could be the start of something incredibly beautiful. ESPECIALLY considering that a #1 Contender will be named as well.

Prop Bets of the Match:
Duration of first Hockey Styled Brawl #CrazyCanadians : Over/Under 14 seconds
Long Live the Streamers (Will any fans throw streamers) : No -350. Yes +200
There will be Blood: NO -200. THE HARD WAY – +100. Holy S. Holy S. Holy S. BLADE – +650.

So there you have it. Place your bets, I'm betting (see what I did there)

Takes action. No matter if you're dropping coin, or not on NXT Rival? You SHOULD be investing your time. The last show I was THIS excited for was R Evolution, and my geek out level is SKY HIGH. I'll see y'all for the Recap.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-february-4th-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-february-4th-2015/#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2015 03:26:25 +0000 Scott Hayes Reviews WWE Network Reviews Adrian Neville Baron Corbin Bayley Becky Lynch Big Cass Bull Dempsey Carmella Charlotte Colin Cassady Emma Enzo Amore Finn Balor Hideo Itami Kevin Owens NXT Rival Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Take Over William Regal WWE WWE Network http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9488 It is time for another edition of NXT. Its a “go home show” with some big matches and lots of intrigue for WHO will earn #1 Contendership for the NXT Championship. Plus what will our Fatal Fourway combatants do, and what of our NEW Tag Team Champs?! All this and much much MUCH more… or […]

It is time for another edition of NXT. Its a “go home show” with some big matches and lots of intrigue for WHO will earn #1 Contendership for the NXT Championship. Plus what will our Fatal Fourway combatants do, and what of our NEW Tag Team Champs?! All this and much much MUCH more… or maybe a little bit more.

IN THE RING!

I’m a hair late, and as I log into the WWE Network for another NXT? Emma and Carmella are in the ring. Cass and Enzo are ring side. Feels like a while since we’ve seen Cass and Enzo. We open with a little jaw jacking. Emma showing a little more an edge. Emma hits a dissmissive boot to Carmella’s backside. Locks in the Dil-EMMA (Tarantula) – and the ref breaks the hold. My feed freezes and Carmella has her Triangle Camel Clutch on Emma. Emma taps. The NY Crew celebrates. Emma stews.

HYPE!

Neville vs. Corbin and Balor vs. Itami still to come!

HYPE!

NXT RIVAL – NEXT WEDNESDAY! 2 HOURS! OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG… *BREATH, HAYES. BREATH!*

IN RING!

Neville is in on his way. Motocycles rev. Here comes Corbin. Tie up and Baron goes all “I’m more bigger” and drives Neville back. Quick exchange and Neville goes all “I’m more FASTER” and nails some boots. A dropkick rocks the lone wolf into the ropes, and then Baron LEVELS Neville with a clothesline. Ouchtown, Population: Neville! Baron has the advantage. Overwhelming Neville. Keeping it grounded and methodical. Crowd pretty split. Maybe slightly pro Neville. I’m pretty sure this is ALREADY Corbin’s longest match. Neville with the low dropkick. Baron eats middle turnbuckle. Tide=TURNED! Neville tries a slingshot cross body to the outside… CAUGHT! And then Corbin hotshots him into the barricade. NASTY! Corbin rolls Adrian in, and the ref is “checking on Neville”, and UH OH… Bull! BULL! BULL! Bull runs Corbin into the ringpost on the outside. Corbin barely makes it in before the 10 count. Low dropkick. Red Arrow. Boom! Neville wins. I like that. I think a longer match for these two down the road will be really good.

HYPE!

Sami talked about last week’s contract signing. Said Owens played him and Regal. Saying he tricked Regal and “Regal has seen every dirty trick in the book!” I like Sami having some “buyer’s remorse” about signing the contract and giving into Owen’s demands. It so refreshing seeing wrestlers act and react like real people.

They announced that Bull and Baron will Battle in a No DQ match at Rival.

SLOBBERKNOCKER!

IN RING!

Bayley is out and she is gonna HUG YOU! Becky Lynch out next as this fills our “hype the Women’s Championship match”. Becky does a series of leg drops. She works the leg, but this sets Bayley off. Bayley returns the favor and wails away on Becky’s leg. Becky gets frustrated with the flurry of offense. Sasha Banks has gotten ringside. She’s admonishing Becky and rolls her back in the ring. Bayley to Belly and boom. Bayley wins. Charlotte’s music hits and she stands at the top of the ramp to remind us all who exactly is the Champ, or something.

BACKSTAGE!

Owens says he got what he wanted last week. ANd next week? He’s TAKING the NXT Championship. Trust him. Uh Kev, I like you… like… a lot, but TRUST? You powerbomb besties on the apron and strong arm title shots. You don’t exactly OOZE “trustworthiness.

IN RING!

OH GOODNESS There’s a lotta time for these two. THANK YOU! Neville joins the announce team. Itami out first. Balor does his thing next. They circle. Crowd chants “this is awesome” before they tie up. Good mat wrestling exchanges. Smooth and crisp. Crowd chants “better than Raw”. Whips, leapfrogs, and a nice dropkick from Finn takes us to a comercial break. Hey, did you know Wrestlemania is a THING? We come back and Itami is in control. Crowd firmly pro-Finn. Itami locks in the Reverse.. CHINLOCK…O’ DOOOOOOOOOM!!!! They exchange forearms. Whip, Itami with a sunset flip, but Finn rolls through and hits a low dropkick. Balor with an abdominal stretch variation. Even working the hands/wrist while doing so. But then quickly lets that go for roll up and the old “TWO PLUS!” Balor’s turn ot lock in the Reverse Chin Lock O’DOOOOOOOM! Yes I did it like that on purpose cuz “O’Doom” is like an Irish last name, and Finn is IRISH! More good submission stuff. Roll up and Finn gets another two.

ANOTHER Commercial BREAK! – The Rival commercial with quotes from media outlets and overlayed with crowd chants is great.

BACK IN THE RING!

Huge chop by Balor is a fine “welcome back”. Followed by a running chop. His chops are great. At some point in time, Balor’s mouth got busted. Itami gets a flurry in. Crowd chants “GTS”. He hoists Balor and the crowd loses their MIND. Balor fights out. A crazy stiff flurry from Itami. Palm strikes and a spinning backhand. OUCH. Balor ends up hitting a violent running dropkick that Itami sells like he got gored by a rhino… not Rhyno, not the wrestling move, but legit run over by a beast. He flies back into the corner with crazy high velocity. Back of his head hit middle turnbuckle. Balor ascends and delivers the Coup De Gracie. One. TWO. THREE! Balor faces Neville at Rival! We get replays of stuff they really highlight that high velocity dropkick. Back in the ring Itami looks completely incosoleable. Frustration oozes from him. Balor offers him a hand. Itami looks unwilling to shake, but takes his hand. Crowd roars their approval and chants “NXT”. Balor celebrates a bit, and heads up the ramp. On the table clapping. Comes off a little heely. He jumps down they meet at the top of the ramp. Intense handshake. Can’t WAIT for that match.

HYPE!

GREAT… GREAT… AMAZING hype video for Zayn/Owens. This is where the WWE influence really pays off. their hype videos and music pieces and that is ALWAYS top notch. So you put this cherry on top of this sunday and I can’t wait. Next wednesday I’m waking up and one of my first thoughts will be “OOOH GOODY, NXT RIVAL TONIGHT!” – Can’t wait. Wrestling Christmas.

FINAL THOUGHTS!

The bar is mighty high for Rival. These last 3 shows have been excellent. My only gripe is some guys are slipping through the cracks because their roster is too damn deep and insanely talented! Its a good problem to have. Ladies and Gentlemen we could very well be watching of the best wrestling shows of the year in 7 days.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-january-21st-2015/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/wwe-nxt-review-january-21st-2015/#comments Sat, 24 Jan 2015 04:09:14 +0000 Scott Hayes Reviews WWE Network Reviews Adrian Neville Aiden English Baron Corbin Bayley Becky Lynch Buddy Murphy Bull Dempsey Charlotte Curtis Axel Finn Balor HBK Hideo Itami Kevin Owens Lucha Dragons NXT Sami Zayn Sasha Banks Simon Gotch The Vaudevillains Tye Dillenger Tyler Breeze Tyson Kidd Vader Wesley Blake William Regal WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9203 Sometimes stuff happens and so recap columns happen 2 days late. Well? Better late than never, right? What time is it? VADER TIME? Clobberin' Time?! Its TIME for the best weekly wrestling show! RECAP! A few weeks ago we learned that Kevin Owens = a bit of a jerk. Jump ahead: Last week Zayn and […]

Sometimes stuff happens and so recap columns happen 2 days late. Well? Better late than never, right?

What time is it?

VADER TIME?

Clobberin' Time?!

Its TIME for the best weekly wrestling show!

RECAP!

A few weeks ago we learned that Kevin Owens = a bit of a jerk.

Jump ahead: Last week Zayn and Neville tore the house down.

Also last week? Kevin Owens: really really intent on displaying his jerkdom.

REGAL!

He's backstage in his incredibly middle management office. He announces the next NXT special will take place on February 11th! Giddyup! Also we'll have a tournament to establish a Number One Contender, AND Sasha Banks gets another shot at Charlotte since she pinned her last week!

OPENING VIDEO!

IN RING!

Sami's music hits. Crowd Roars. No dancing. No joy. No smile from the NXT Champion. He's AAAALLLLLLLLLL Bidness as he stomps to the ring in his gear. Slides under the ring and starts WAILING away on Tye Dillenger. Throws Dillenger out of the ring and gets a mic. Sami isn't happy and is screaming "OWENS!"

No Owens as Regal's music hits. Regal admonishes Sami's behavior. Sami is like "I do WHATEVA I WANT! Gimme OWENS!" Regal answers with "Owens isn't going to take short cuts and jump people to climb above people to get title shots." Sami is like "It can be non title. I just need it." He even asks nicely. Regal mulls it over and says, Sami can have his match with Owens at the next Takeover. And… Good luck Fastlane competing with THAT. Crowd chants "Thank you Regal". Couldn't agree more.

HYPE! Later tonight we have Charlotte vs. Sasha (we knew that) – Also Axel vs. Balor and Itami vs. Breeze are first round #1 Contender matches… TONIGHT!

BACKSTAGE!

More REGAL! Next week there will be a contract signing between Owens and Zayn! … Sure that will go smoothly…. no violence or tables being broken. You can bet the house on it!

IN RING!

Curtis Axel's music hits and he's on his way to lose. I mean… well… yeah the match ups are fun, but the first round of this tourney is pretty predictable. Balor's music hits. Crowd chants FINN-FINN-FINN-FINN. Some smoke and awesome lights later. Finn is in ring. They feel each other out (keep your heads out of the gutter…) Axel gets the early advantage. But a big Balor Dropkick and a somersault plancha later Finn Balor is in control. Match a little more methodical. Axel lures Finn in and kicks out the knee. Then a nasty clothesline to the back of Balor's head and Lil' Perfect is back control. Axel hits a nice dropkick, crowd chants "YOU SUCK". Nasty knee lift from Curtis got 2 and change. Axel went for second rope axe handle smash, but… NOBODY HOME! Balor on the offensive. Pele. Slingblade (Shouldna-done that- he's juss a boy… mmmm hhmmmm…) Double stomp called Coupe de Grace by PbP Rich… I think its Rich. So they've named his double stomp. I dig the name. Works with his theatrics for sure. Balor moves on.

ANNOUNCE TABLE!

RICH! ALBERT! GRAVES! Hyping the rest of the field. Itami/Breeze. Neville/Kidd. and Corbin/Dempsey.

RECAP!

Women's tag team match from last week. Sasha wins with a first full of tights. C"mon Charlotte. You're dad's the Dirtiest Player in the game. You gotta see that coming!

BACKSTAGE!

Sasha silences a question. Then says she's gonna beat Charlotte and be the new NXT Women's Champion. One dismissive hair flip later? She walks off.

BACKSTAGE?

Or wherever Bull Dempsey is. He's looking at his hands. His hands are gonna do something and people are gonna chant "BULL! BULL! BULL!" and that means bad news for Baron Corbin.

IN RING!

Banks is out with Becky Lynch in tow. Charlotte out second. Championship Ring Intros. Jaw jacking and a shove kick us off. Charlotte flaunts her size and strength advantage. Collar and elbow with some nice mat grappling. I like how each time these two are in the ring there is a different feel. They stay in the collar and elbow and end up falling through the ropes. Charlotte stays on the attack. Lynch comes in for an attack, but Charlotte is like, "NUH UH!" Back in the ring. Knee drop gets two. Sasha reversed a whip into a Thesz Press and right hands. Then Charlotte hits a Thesz Press of her own and goes to brawl, but Lynch is in and attacks Charlotte. Bell rings. Sasha shoves Becky in frustration, but then the two on one beat down is on. Bayley is out for the save! Bayley spends a little TOO long holding and ogling Charlotte's title. So Ms Flair gets grabby and snatches the belt back. This doesn't sit well with Bayley who spins Charlotte around into a big Bayley to Belly!

REGAL!

Regal is back. As this special addition of NXT: Regal continues! He makes a fatal four way between Charlotte, Bayley, Becky, and Sasha. Huge Women's title match that should be excellent. A second "THANK YOU REGAL" Chant from Full Sail. Once again, I agree.

BACKSTAGE!

Owens is on his phone. I assume KO is playing Angry Birds. He seems like an Angry Birds dude man. Some guy walks and wants Owen's time and thoughts and words and whatnot. Owens eyeballs this suited mic stand and gets a hearty chuckle from your humble recapped with this line "DO YOU WORK HERE?!" Owens barely suffers this fool. Says whatever he has to say to Sami he'll say to him at the contract signing NEXT week. Hopefully Suited Mic Stand's second interview goes better.

IN RING!

Black and White and the sound of a projector can only mean ONE Thing. Time to get MANLY! Vaudevillains are on the way. Graves lets us know Gotch and English are doing "Dinosaur Training". Yyyyeah… I'm just gonna let that one go. Already in the ring are the Vaudevillains' Victims, Buddy Murphy and uhh… Something something… Blake? ooh… Wesley! That's right. Music-less entrances aren't a good sign for Murphy and Blake. Dig Wes and Buddy's matching tights. [/red carpet comentary] English in control early. Hits a nice back kick in the corner. Gotch in. Quick tags and working over Buddy. English backbreaker sends him nicely into Gotch who hits a nice vertical suplex and floats over for two. English keeps wearing on Murphy. Blake should make the most of his time by selling popcorn. They try the back breaker into a vertical suplex double team, but Murphy flips out of English's attempt and makes the desperate tag! Good thing Blake wasn't out slinging popcorn, after all! House of fire. Spring board forearm. Kips up. Hits a big power slam. Gets two and change. Gotch breaks it up. Murphy and Gotch brawl a bit and Murphy ends up on the outside. Blake reverses a whip into the ropes and ducks and as English follows in and ends up between the ropes he eats a kick from Murphy from the outside. Blake makes a cover… ONE… TWO… THREE?!?! Whoa upset!

BACKSTAGE!

Prince Pretty is gonna move on in this tournament no matter what the Uggos think.

BACKSTAGE!

Blake and Murphy are celebrating. And… SUITED MIC STAND WANTS MORE THOUGHTS! Oh Buddy is Australian…

Pretty standard promo. Not great. Not awful. They want to challenge the Lucha Dragons next week. We'll see about that, fellas.

HYPE!

Next week's Contender tourney matches. AND CONTRACT SIGNING!

IN RING!

LOOK EVERYONE ITS TYLER! Announcers sell that someone/something was behind Tyler on the ramp. I wonder if it was Marcus Louis. Breeze lounges in the corner, HBK style.

Hideo's music hits. Breeze runs and hides from Itami's kicks. Uses the ref as a human shield and hits a nice kick. Knee to the gut and vicious kick to Breeze's chest puts Hideo in the driver's seat. Breeze grabs some tights and pulls Itami into the corner. TIDE…TURNED!!!! Breeze punts Itami's ribs. Breeze showing a mean streak. Working Itami over with stomps. Kicks. A snap mare, and now… REVERSE CHINLOCK… O' … .DOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!! A neck breaker gets Breeze a two plus count. They take a break. Come back. The RCOD is still locked in.

Announcers let us know the tag titles will be on the line NEXT WEEK!

Itami starts to fire up. Three clothesline. Nice leg sweep. Running knee in the corner. Tornado Hot Shot and flying clothesline. He gets the TWO PLUS! Breeze teases hitting a piledriver?! Itami reverses with a knee and a fisherman's suplex. They wrestle and counter wrestle and Breeze hits a WONDERFUL Superkick! TWO PLUS that bordered on THREE MINUS! They struggle to get up. Crowd chanting their approval. Tyler goes aggro in the corner. Has to be pulled off Hideo two different times. Breeze puts Itami up on the top rope. Kick caught by Breeze. Then a crucifix driver by Breeze! Nice!!! He got two plus outta that. Breeze starts yelling at Itami while wailing away on Itami who starts hulking up, so to speak. Series of open palm strikes, kicks, a back hand drives Breeze back into the corner. Stalling dropkick into the corner. Running high speed kick to Breeze and BOOM! Itami wins!

IN CLOSING!

This kicked off an amazing road to their next live special. The tournament set up is amazing. We already have two matches for the next Takeover both of which can be amazing, and once again NXT will be lined up to out perform the WWE PPV that it shares a month with. Main Event was match of the night. Breeze had a great match with Itami. He really impressed me. I was STUNNED by the Vaudevillains loss. I liked it, though. Everything else, while entertaining was pretty predictable and this added some spice/surprise to the show. Plus the tag division is a little stagnant. Hopefully Buddy and Wes can spice it up a bit.

I saw in a tweet that Itami/Balor have never had a one on one contest… ANYWHERE. So that immediately makes that semifinal so insanely special. I hope it gets twenty or forty or the whole damn show. I'm already insanely stoked for the next Takeover!

See ya next week!

http://www.cheap-heat.com/doubleshot-2-in-1-wrestling-ppv-reviews-march-2001-wrestlemania-17-vs-greed/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/doubleshot-2-in-1-wrestling-ppv-reviews-march-2001-wrestlemania-17-vs-greed/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2015 17:51:15 +0000 Mark Adam Haggerty Blogs Other Blogs Reviews WWE Network Reviews Animal APA Bam Bam Bigelow Big Show Bill Goldberg Billy Kidman Bobby Hennan Booker T Bradshaw Bubba Ray Buff Bagwell Buff Daddy Bull Buchanon Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chris Benoit Chris Jericho Chris Kanyon Christian Chuck Palumbo Chyna DDP Devon Diamond Dallas Page Duke The Dumpster Droese Dustin Rhodes Dusty Rhodes Eddie Guerrero Edge Elix Skipper Eric Bischoff Ernest Miller Farooq Garrett Bischoff Goldberg Greed Hardy Boyz HHH Hugh Morrus Ivory Jason Jett JBL Jeff Hardy Jeff Jarrett Jim Crockett Kane Kevin Nash Kid Romeo Kidman Konnan Kurt Angle Kwee-Wee Lance Storm Lex Luger Macho Man Matt Hardy Mean Gene Michael Hayes Mick Foley Mickey Rourke Mike Awesome Natural Born Thrillers Nature Boy Nick Patrick NWA Paul Heyman Raven Rey Mysterio Jr. Ric Flair Rick Steiner Right to Censor Road Warrior Road Warrior Animal Ron Simmons Scott Hudson Scott Steiner Sean O'Haire Sgt. Slaughter Shane Helms Shane McMahon Shawn Stasiak Stacy Keibler Starrcade Stephanie McMahon Steve Austin Stevie Richards Stone Cold Tazz Team Canada Test The Cat The Dudley Boyz The Iron Sheik The Magnificent Seven The Rock The Undertaker The Wrestler TLC Tony Schiavone Totally Buff Triple H Vince McMahon WCW William Regal World Championship Wrestling Wrestlemania Wrestlemania 17 WWE WWF http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=9121 Doubleshot: 2-in-1 Wrestling Reviews March 2001 – Wrestlemania vs. Greed Featuring Mark Adam Haggerty & Gary Mastriano Welcome to the official premier of Doubleshot, the twice-monthly once-over of some of the best, the worst, and the wildest events in sports entertainment. I'm Mark Adam Haggerty joined as always by Gary Mastriano as we get set […]

Doubleshot: 2-in-1 Wrestling Reviews
March 2001 – Wrestlemania vs. Greed
Featuring Mark Adam Haggerty & Gary Mastriano

Welcome to the official premier of Doubleshot , the twice-monthly once-over of some of the best, the worst, and the wildest events in sports entertainment. I'm Mark Adam Haggerty joined as always by Gary Mastriano as we get set to discuss the dueling pay-per-view events that made March 2001, perhaps one of the most explosive months in professional wrestling history. I'll kick things off talking about WCW Greed, followed by Gary's thorough examination of Wrestlemania 17. Could WCW's final attempt at drawing a big-money audience even compete with what's been called "the greatest Wrestlemania of all time?" We'll find out in this week's edition of Doubleshot !

"If it's professional wrestling, it's gotta' be GREED!"
Written by Mark Adam Haggerty

Growing up in New Jersey and living just a quick train ride from Madison Square Garden, I was definitely more inundated with the WWE product than I ever was with WCW. Therefore when the Turner extension of Crockett Promotions collapsed, I felt little sympathy and instead rejoiced for the home team. Fast forward fourteen years to where I'm twice as old at 28, and presumably twice-the-wiser. In 2015 I'm far more concerned with what goes on between the ropes than I am with what happens on the mic, and thanks to the WWE Network I've been able to discover a litany of new moments to treasure from the early days of WCW up until its final hour. Today I'm taking a look at the very last pay per view from WCW, the aptly named Greed. World Championship Wrestling had started straying from its usual set of monthly event titles, and along with January’s Sin, Greed was to be the dawning of a new day in WCW. In fact the plans to reboot the company were much larger than one pay-per-view and didn't even include a March event. But the decision makers demanded a final show and thus Greed was born, perhaps serving as the final nail in the proverbial coffin for WWE's longtime rival.

Once the show hit the air live from the Jacksonville Coliseum, Tony Schiavone proceeded to introduce audiences to the newest tradition in World Championship Wrestling, “Welcome to the first ever Greed!” Alongside Scott Hudson, the perpetual voice of WCW Schiavone wished everyone a belated Saint Patrick’s Day on this March 18th and the show was off and running.

Opening Contest
Kwee Wee vs. Jason Jett
So if you aren’t aware of who Kwee-Wee is, that’s perfectly fine. A Cruiserweight during the dying days of WCW, Kwee-Wee wore loose fitting pink pants and styled his hair in sort of a vertical blowout. His opponent is Jason Jett, an equally unknown yet radically less ridiculous competitor. The match is in Kwee-Wee’s favor for much of the onset until Jett earns the upper hand and delivers an onslaught of impact moves along with an inventive submission described by Hudson as a “pendulum surfboard.” The two battle what becomes a series of reversals that culminate atop the turnbuckle for a suplex reversed into a powerbomb reversed into a hazardous release-hurricanrana that drops both men square in the center of the ring. Various pin attempts on both sides until Kwee-Wee finds himself on the floor; Jason Jett makes a play to the audience, letting them know that he’s going to “play possum.” As Kwee-Wee makes it back into the ring, he goes for an ill-fated high risk maneuver that’s well-scouted by the well aware Jason Jett. Jett lifts Kwee-Wee for the “Crash Landing,” his throwaway suplex finishing move. 1-2-3 and Jason Jett picks up the victory.
Winner: Jason Jett – 12:17
Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

Cruiserweight Tag Team Finals
Elix Skipper & Kid Romeo vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. & Billy Kidman
It’s the final match in the tournament to crown the first ever WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions. Only eight days before the company closes, might as well outfit some new guys with some new leather straps. Out first is “Primetime” Elix Skipper who’s teaming with the sensational Kid Romeo against Rey Mysterio sans the mask alongside a much trimmer-than-recent Billy Kidman. Phenomenal contest featuring four high-caliber talents, and yes I’m including the lesser-known Kid Romeo in that lineup. The first thing I noticed was the uncanny teamwork on display from two teams that are comprised of singles competitors. I wish the cruiserweight tag division had the chance to get up and running because some of the double team offense in this match was faster and more fluid than the stale heavyweight tag title scene during the same event. The action in the ring soon spilled onto the floor and down toward the entrance way, where the team of Skipper and Romeo were met with twin cross body attacks courtesy of Mysterio and Kidman. The match returns to the ring where the heels take control before the match turns into utter tornado pandemonium once again and is soon punctuated by a springboard shooting star press by Kidman to his opponents on the outside. Amidst the madness, Rey and Romeo are left alone in the ring. The usual array of rope tricks and high flying tactics win Rey the advantage for a moment, but the future WWE World Champion is soon caught midway through an Asai moonsault and driven head first into the mat by Kid Romeo. He goes for the pin, and we have our inaugural WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Champions.
Winner: Skipper & Romeo – 13:46
Rating: 3 Stars

Shawn Stasiak vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
We’re first privy to the beautiful Stacy Keibler, who’s appearing under her real name rather than her former alias “Miss Hancock.” She introduces the individual whom she declares “The Mecca of Manhood"—Shawn Stasiak. Stasiak enters the arena and proceeds to insult his opponent Bam Bam Bigelow, as well as the fans in Jacksonville. Stacy and Shawn throw numerous 8″x10” photographs of Stasiak into the crowd, and are soon interrupted by the legendary "Beast from the East." Stasiak works this match just the way any squirrelly heel should, always escaping to the outside so as to avoid confronting the tattooed head butt of Bigelow. Bam Bam dominates the match, minus a few lucky shots from Stasiak. Almost as soon as Stasiak begins to mount a formidable offense, Bam Bam returns fire with more shots to weaken the man formerly known as "Meat." Bigelow hits the flying head butt and signals for the "Greetings from Asbury Park." Just as Bam Bam is ready to finish Stasiak, Stacy Keibler climbs to the apron in an attempt at distracting the Beast. Sean Stasiak seizes the opportunity and a can of hairspray from the diabolically clever Keibler, temporarily blinding Bam Bam Bigelow and winning the match with a hangman's noose neck breaker. A terrible match with enough star power to keep me from hitting fast forward.
Winner: Shawn Stasiak – 5:55
Rating: 1 Вј Stars

Backstage, the newly crowned cruiserweight champions are still celebrating their historic win over Rey Mysterio and Kidman and are just now getting around to strapping the belts around their waists. But whereas 99.9% of professional wrestlers have no trouble in accomplishing this rather mundane task alone, Kid Romeo and Elix Skipper insist upon helping one another. In fact they insist on doing a whole lot of touching. This makes me wonder what kind of program was to develop between these exceptionally talented cruiserweights, considering Romeo's South Beach gimmick and their apparent common penchant to embrace.

Team Canada (Lance Storm & Mike Awesome) vs. Konnan & Hugh Morrus
WCW's Team Canada is comprised of several villainous wrestlers, some of which were even born right here in America. Tampa's own Mike Awesome is one such individual whose imposing ring presence is the perfect addition to Lance Storm's technical workrate. Storm takes the microphone and utters his timeless catchphrase, "If I can be serious for a minute." Storm and Awesome are getting set to deal with a personal problem, but the next thing on Team Canada's agenda are the tag team title belts, according to Lance Storm. They ask that the Canadian national anthem be played and demand the audience stand to show their respect. Rather than "O' Canada," the fans in Jacksonville instead hear the hideous laughter of a perennial mid-carder, signaling the arrival of both Hugh Morrus and Konnan. As the music began to play in lieu of Storm's request, Scott Hudson said the whitest thing in history: "This must be some Puff Daddy remix." While Hudson was being hip, Schiavone was overselling the significance of Bill Demott, referring to him as, "The legendary Hugh Morrus." The match begins with utter chaos but pandemonium soon gives way to a match with Team Canada on the offensive. These were perhaps four of the best workers on the entire roster at this time, every movement was well choreographed without losing any semblance of spontaneity. But much the same as many matches on the card, the contest never hit that climactic point of urgency that makes for dramatic professional wrestling. The end came when Morrus's high risk offense put him in the trajectory of Mike Awesome's most dreaded weapon—the Awesome Bomb. Morrus was drilled into the canvas and Team Canada won the contest.
Winner: Team Canada – 11:28
Rating: 2 Stars

Backstage once again and we see the Rhodes boys, Dusty and Dustin getting set for their tag team encounter with Ric Flair and Jeff Jarrett. Dustin insists on getting ready for the match and strategizing, but the only strategizing Dusty plans on doing involves 240 burritos—his secret weapon in the upcoming, "Kiss My Ass Match." Elsewhere members of the Magnificent Seven are working on Buff Bagwell's "Ric Flair documentary," interviewing Rick Steiner about his match with Booker T later in the night. I would have liked to see the footage Buff compiled while shooting that documentary as it was of course scrapped days later when Vince McMahon took over the promotion.

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero Jr. (c) vs. Shane Helms
It should come as no surprise that Chavo Guerrero and Shane Helms put on what was undoubtedly the match of the night for the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. The cruiserweight division is one of the defining elements that made World Championship Wrestling recognizable, whose legacy can be traced back to the days of Flyin' Brian Pillman and his light heavyweight battles with Jushin Thunder Liger. So it was only fitting that this last WCW pay-per-view feature two of the most talented in-ring performers at the time, competing for perhaps the most prestigious junior heavyweight belt in American wrestling. Shane recently split from his Three Count "bandmates," Shannon Moore and Evan Karagias and had debuted a solo hip-hop themed gimmick dubbed the "Vertebreaker." Vertebreaker was also the name of Helms' crippling finishing hold, a modified back to back double underhook piledriver that he hoped would earn him a victory over the tenacious Chavo Guerrero Jr. The match spills onto the outside, prompting Chavo to execute a beautiful cross-body frog splash onto the floor, showcasing the veteran grace of the young Guerrero at just 30 years old. The tactful rookie from North Carolina was not to be outdone, coaxing the cruiserweight champion into a lengthy bout of chain wrestling ending with Helms on the offensive. Pragmatic execution gave way to innovative submissions by Chavo Guerrero, placing Shane Helms in a precarious spot far away from becoming the new champion. In a moment where confidence gave way to hubris, "Sugar" Shane was able to get the upper hand on Chavo, leading to a death-defying Vertebreaker and a final decision in favor of Helms. Shane Helms would go on to be the final WCW Cruiserweight Champion ever, bringing the title with him to WWE TV in the coming weeks.
Winner: Shane Helms – 13:57
Rating: 4 Stars

The Ric Flair documentary continues backstage with "Double J" and the "Nature Boy" preparing for their no holds barred battle with the Rhodes family in just under an hours' time. Buff should perhaps put the camerawork on hold for a moment as his title match with the WCW Tag Team Champions is up next. Meanwhile the challenger for the US World Heavyweight title is on hand to deliver the most stereotypically 90s rap promo in the history of 2001 professional wrestling. This must be where Scott Hudson is learning how to be cool, because Booker T not only says, "Save the drama for your mama," but also delivers a nice, "Don't hate the player, hate the game." Now, before anyone starts firing away with, "Those were his catch phrases!" No they were not. While Google can't tell me where the �Player' line originated, I can tell you that there was an episode of the Jamie Foxx Show in 1997 called, "Save the Drama for Your Mama." That was 1997; back when nobody let Booker T on the mic for fear that he'd call Hulk Hogan the "n-word" again. Moving on.

WCW Tag Team Championship
Sean O’Haire & Chuck Palumbo (c) vs. Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell
Could this even be called a match? Lex Luger and Buff Bagwell make their way to the ring at their own leisure, in no way prepared for any sort of athletic interaction. Once inside the ring both Lex and Buff cut unbelievably hilarious promos where Lex insists, "Buff is the Stuff." This event took place mere days before the fall of WCW, so I have to assume a main event level talent such as Lex Luger was aware of the impending fate of the company. So what better way to say goodbye to the only promotion willing to outfit you with their world title belt, than to cop out of your final moment in the spotlight—bravo Lex Luger. As funny as "The Total Package" was, I would have much preferred to see Lex show up in peak condition one last time, without a "bro-stitute" like Bagwell reaping the rewards of someone else's career. The members of the Magnificent Seven are soon interrupted by the Tag Team Champions, a team that was soon demolished once they debuted in the WWE—the duo of Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo. At the time I was a WWE fan who watched Nitro on a delay and read what I could at the newsstand, so I'll always remember "The Natural Born Thrillers" as the powerful yet agile tag team who took over the pages in the final issues of WCW Magazine. The tag team champions O'Haire and Palumbo make short work of the Monday Night War veterans Luger and Bagwell, performing a double Swanton attack into a double cover. The �Thrillers retain the titles and subsequently invade the WWE as champions.
Winner: O’Haire & Palumbo – :54
Rating: 1 Star

Chris Kanyon vs. Ernest “The Cat” Miller
Believe it or not both of these dynamic individuals went on to enjoy brief stints as WWE Superstars, but not without first becoming WCW household names. The late Chris Kanyon had become involved in some sort of love-triangle involving Ernest "The Cat" Miller and his valet Miss Jones. Or at least that's the way it would appear, as Kanyon's infatuation with Jones seemed to be his only Achilles heel in this alteration with the "world karate champion." As an outsider watching this match out of context, I had trouble understanding who was playing what role—heel or babyface? Kanyon broke the cardinal rule of "Bros before Hoes," when he turned on his friend M.I. Smooth, otherwise known as Ice Train. Still in attendance, however not alongside Kanyon, Smooth would instead stand in support of Ernest Miller. The brawling would soon segue into blatant chicanery when Ms. Jones hit the apron, directly interfering in the match and thus getting an accidental boot on behalf of the Cat in the process. With the distraction in place, Kanyon would now have time to hit the "Flatliner" face plant on Miller. However it was M.I. Smooth who would turn the tables once more, coming to the Cat's aid and helping the former uh—nothing champion, Ernest Miller never won anything—get the victory! Serious side note though, he was Eric Bischoff's son Garrett's karate instructor and Bischoff was like, "Hey I'm sort of in the business of hiring my friends for more money than their worth, is that something you'd be interested in?" He did appear in the 2008 Oscar-nominated film "The Wrestler" alongside Mickey Rourke, so that's something to be proud of.
Winner: Ernest “The Cat” Miller – 10:31
Rating: 1 Вѕ Stars

Once again in the dressing room the dastardly duo of Buff Bagwell and Lex Luger seemingly implode following their disastrous loss to The Natural Born Thrillers. Speaking of imploding, a certain "American Dream" is set to explode in just a short while as Dusty Rhodes is hard at work devouring 240 burritos.

US World Heavyweight Championship
Rick Steiner (c) vs. Booker T
I feel like if I'm going to make fun of Booker T for his outdated catchphrases, I'd be out-of-line had I failed to mention Rick Steiner's, "You want some, come get some; if you don't like me, bite me!" Geeze Louise, those two lines are the cat's pajamas—absolutely absurd. I admire the way in which WCW remained faithful to the United States championship over the years, always presenting it as a near-main event level title without allowing it to fall into the wrong hands. Rick Steiner is dedicated to defending his championship regardless of what obstacle may lay before him. The intensity of Steiner comes face to face with the bravado of the former WCW World Champion, "You think you can take my belt," Rick asked? "You ain't takin' shit!" And the match is underway. The initial interplay involves the two veterans colliding in a series of no holds barred shots around the ringside area, until finally the action is contained within the squared-circle. Rick Steiner might go forever overlooked as the "other Steiner," but only a week removed from his 40th birthday in 2001, the United States champion still looked as good as he did in 1983. Steiner continued his reign of domination on the former Harlem Heat member with a catastrophic double under hook powerbomb, rattling Booker and leading to a near-three count. Managing to thwart each of Booker's advances, Steiner remained in control by implementing an arsenal of ground-based choke-holds, until the tragically titled "ghetto blaster" bought Book' enough time to catch up to the Dog Faced Gremlin. In a moment of spontaneous action, Booker's educated kick missed Steiner and instead found the face of referee Mickie Jay. Steiner would then capitalize on Booker's concern for the referee, delivering a textbook German suplex, but the referee was in too much pain to make the count. As victory was within sight for the current title holder, Steiner's rival Shane Douglas made a surprise appearance from the audience and attacked Rick with his right arm, sealed inside a rock-solid plaster cast. Steiner fell into the clutches of Booker T and his Rock Bottom knock-off, "The Bookend." By this point, Mickie Jay was back in action and able to count the pin fall for the final WCW US World Heavyweight Champion in history—Booker T!
Winner: Booker T – 7:31
Rating: 2 Вѕ Stars

The Magnificent Seven has been the most visible entity in backstage shenanigans this evening and once again the cameras head toward the dressing room where Road Warrior Animal is screaming for help, and screaming at the floor where his fellow stablemate Buff Bagwell is laid out unconscious. Lex Luger appears on the scene to ascertain that Animal is responsible for whatever happened. Animal argues that he wants to find "this guy" as bad as anybody, which makes me wonder where that angle was going? Let's examine the members of the Magnificent Seven for a Moment: Ric Flair, Jeff Jarrett, Rick and Scott Steiner, Lex Luger, Buff Bagwell, and Road Warrior Animal. By this point Hulk Hogan was gone, Macho Man was gone, Nash had taken his ball back to Detroit. There was only one man left on the WCW roster with enough star power to take down each member of the Magnificent Seven, a man who had been feuding with Lex and Bagwell just two months earlier—Bill Goldberg. The formerly undefeated world heavyweight champion was out for surgery following a questionable loss to "Totally Buffed" at Sin earlier that year. Of course Creative scrapped the surprise attack storyline due to the demise of WCW, but I'm willing to bet it was Goldberg that attacked Buff Daddy at Greed, and Road Warrior Animal just one week before.

“Kiss My Ass” Match
Dusty & Dustin Rhodes vs. Ric Flair & Jeff Jarrett
Dusty Rhodes is an exemplary figure in the wrestling industry having sold-out arenas from Texas to New York City. The "son of a plumber" was an especially vital cog in the intricate machine of World Championship Wrestling from its infancy with Jim Crockett to its last night in Panama City Beach, Florida. He headlined Starrcade and invented The Great American Bash—and Dusty Rhodes goes out in a "Kiss My Ass" match where he prepared by eating 240 burritos. Never mind forcing the man to wearing polka dots, he made it work! This was far more humiliating than anything Vince McMahon ever did, and he did it to himself. What can be said about this match? It featured two of the biggest stars in NWA/WCW history, alongside two of the most revered talents of the 1990s in Dustin Rhodes and Jeff Jarrett. But when it came down to it, this was a match about people farting on one another, and isn't that what really killed WCW? Ric Flair flat out refused to compete in the match, and then joined Jeff Jarrett halfway through only to finish the fight in less than ten minutes when Dusty Rhodes proceeded to humiliate the highly decorated "Nature Boy." This must have really sucked for Jeff Jarrett who left one company after losing his championship in a "Good Housekeeping Match" to a woman, only to finish his tenure with another by kissing Dusty Rhodes' ass.
Winner: Dusty & Dustin Rhodes – 9:58
Rating: 2 Stars

WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Scott Steiner (c) vs. Diamond Dallas Page
The inclusion of internationally renowned ring announcer Michael Buffer has always given WCW's main events a sense of importance. Even in matches such as this, Buffer commands respect for the bout by captivating crowds with a trademark tambour in every word he says. The competitors in contention for the world heavyweight title this evening are both fine wrestlers capable of working within their means but neither DDP nor Scott Steiner were ever quite capable of exceeding expectations. Like almost every other match that came before it, the main event makes use of the ringside surroundings, but these two combatants take it further—into the audience. It's at this point that Tony Shiavone decides to remind the crowd that this is a falls count anywhere match. Steiner pulls a crutch from the crowd that according to Scott Hudson was stolen from a young child in a DDP shirt. The action soon makes its way back to the ringside area where this hardcore collision decelerates to a slow-paced battle of rest holds. Hudson continues to sell this spectacle as the WCW's "last chance against the tyrannical reign of Ric Flair and the monstrous Scott Steiner." Leading into their battle, Steiner has been responsible for defeating everyone from Goldberg to Kevin Nash, with Diamond Dallas Page next on his list of former champions to retire. Steiner raised Page for the running power slam but was reversed, shoved into the turnbuckle and caught by the "Diamond Cutter" on the rebound. Page covered Scott for the win, but referee Nick Patrick was interrupted mid-count when former US Champion and brother to the world title holder Rick Steiner emerged to save Scott's title. Steiner pulled Patrick from the ring, but was soon met by Diamond Dallas Page who leapt over the top rope and onto the �Gremlin below. So much for DDP not exceeding expectations, huh? Back inside the squared-circle, DDP's on the offense and looking for his fourth WCW title, until the raucous pandemonium catches Patrick off guard, giving Steiner the opportunity to hit Page with the belt. DDP's face erupted from the artery, blood flowing from his head into his hair as Steiner made the cover just in time for Nick Patrick to regain his senses. Your winner and still the WCW World Heavyweight Champion—"Big Poppa Pump" Scott Steiner.
Winner: Scott Steiner – 14:14
Rating: 2 Вѕ Stars

Final Thoughts
When the dust had settled and Greed was at an end, so too was the historic lineage of NWA and WCW. For a final show I would have hoped for more, but that's what the final Nitro in Panama City aimed to be, a "Night of Champions," so it was dubbed which saw Booker T capture the WCW World title from the villainous Scott Steiner. The business-as-usual booking had been abandoned on that final night in Florida, so as absurd as Greed was, it wasn't the last hurrah and therefore has to be judged just as any other pay-per-view event. Like many WCW shows from the late �90s and early 2000s, the highlights came from the midcard matches most notably the cruiserweight title bouts, both the singles match between Chavo and Helms, as well as the finals of the cruiserweight tag tournament. It was matches such as these that went on to help inspire TNA and its X Division the following year, and I think any fan of modern day wrestling might enjoy seeing some of the early �Impact Players' like Elix Skipper in his �rookie year.' Overall not a fantastic show minus the aforementioned bright spots; with ten matches, the average score was around two and a half stars.

"Where it All Begins, and Ends, Again… for real…"
Written by Gary Mastriano

Writing a review of Wrestlemania 17 is an extremely daunting task. I am not going to lie- I have been putting off this review for a few weeks. How can one rate and review what is unanimously viewed at the greatest Wrestlemania of all time, and arguably the single best wrestling card in history. To have this be the first review in our Doubleshot look back at WCW vs WWF PPVs is even more daunting. To start at the end of an era is extremely awkward. And believe me, this is the end of an era. Wrestlemania 17 has an heir of celebration more than any other event put on by Vince and Co. And why not? He won. He took out his biggest competition after a heated rivalry that produced the most financially successful era in pro wrestling history.

The celebration starts right from the insanely good opening video package, a theme you will see throughout the night. As the video package subtly tells us- this is it folks. People around the world are watching Wrestlemania tonight. All eyes are on the WWF. Even homeless couples will be watching this event from the back of their broken down car in a junkyard… somehow. Wrestlemani 17 would go on to be the 5th most purchased PPV of all time. It had almost 100,000 more buys than the �Mania's immediately before and after it. Clearly this was the apex of Pro Wrestling's salad days.

I would be short sighted if I failed to mention what took place just a few short days before Wrestlemania 17- the Purchase of WCW by Vince McMahon. While I won't go into the historical immplications of that event, I will mention that it is something that hangs very awkwardly over the entirety of Wrestlemania 17. It always seems to steal the attention from the card itself. I have always wondered if Vince should have saved that announcement for the night AFTER Wrestlemania 17. If creative was so set on turning Stone Cold heel (more about that decision later), than what better celebration would Vince have on Raw the next night having finally tamed his two biggest enemies- Stone Cold Steve Austin and WCW? Well anyway- on with the show:

WWF Intercontinental Championship
Chris Jericho (c) vs. William Regal
I have already documented my huge man crush on Chris Jericho in other columns. It was a great move to have him start the show. Jericho was red hot as a face, and about to enter the finest year of his first run in WWE. Before the year was up Jericho will have won the WCW title, and go onto defeat Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night. I have always believed whoever's music you hear first at a Mania will go onto to do big things (ie Cena at Mania 20). The opening contest is almost as important as the main event. This match between Jericho and Regal, while a little too short to be considered a classic, is a terrific match that often gets lost on a stacked card. It is worth a rewatch for sure. Jericho picks up the victory, via Lionsault, which was surprising to me because I never considered that as finishing move.
Winner: Chris Jericho – 7:08
Rating: 3 Stars

Tazz & the APA vs. Right to Censor
Tazz and the APA defeat Right to Censor in 3:52
Tons of talent litter this match. Seriously every wrestler in this match could go, including the underrated Bull Buchanon. What should have been a hard hitting smash mouth match turns out to be… a hard hitting smash mouth match. Very odd booking for Tazz and he plays the face in peril the majority of the match until getting the hot tag to the APA for the win. Did WWF just not know what to do with Tazz? He gets the first huge pop of the night. The WHAT IF scenario's with Tazz are endless in WWE. While this may have been a throwaway match at Mania 17, it is a match that shows how deep the roster was at the time. Right to Censor would be a huge faction if they debuted in 2014, while here they are just relegated to fodder for the incredibly over APA.
Winner: Tazz & the APA – 7:08
Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

WWF Hardcore Triple Threat Match
Kane vs. Raven (c) vs. Big Show
Man this was a weird match. What was Raven doing here? When did Raven arrive in the WWF? Did he ever wrestle another match other than this one? Sorry if I don't remember, but some parts of this era of WWF are hazy to me. My initial interest was waning at the time, and I honestly stopped watching altogether for a while after Mania 17. Some cool moments highlight this match- the glass window spot was cool. Kane legit ran over Raven's leg. And give it to Paul Heyman on commentary (more on him later I promise) with the funniest line of the night- "Peach Snapple, that's my favorite kind!" This match was basically Raven getting his ass kicked for 10 minutes and Kane and Big Show trading off who was dealing the punishment. A very unique match up that spent too much time in the backstage area and not enough time in the ring.
Winner: Kane – 9:17
Rating: 2 Stars

We get a few backstage segments including Kurt Angle hamming it up with Edge and Christian. These guys were just gold together. Jimmy Snuka's at WWF New York. No one cared about Jimmy Snuka in 2001, 2015, or 1985. Sorry. And finally a shot of the Rock "arriving" to the arena. I recall WWE doing a ton of these "arriving" moments- in fact they do one later with Austin, and did one at the start of the show with Shane. I have never been a fan. Do you want me to believe that they started the show without the WWF Champion even being present? And that there are no penalties for being late to work in WWF? Wouldn't the Rock want to be on time for the biggest match of his career?

WWF European Championship
Test (c) vs. Eddie Guerrero
Test never really seemed like he fit in with the WWF/WWE. Of course everyone knows that he was a bodyguard for Motley Crue before being recruited to join the WWF, but I am no sure he belonged. He wasn't offensive in the ring and was a part of some pretty high profile programs. I am not sure if I imagined this or not- but did Test REALLY date Stephanie McMahon? Like in real life? I don't know why I thought I heard that somewhere. Eddie does what Eddie usually does in this match- puts on solid match with whoever he is in there with. Saturn does what Saturn does best- creeps around awkwardly on the outside of the ring. Half a star because I miss the European title.
Winner: Eddie Guerrero – 8:30
Rating: 2 ВЅ Stars

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit
Kurt Angle. Chris Benoit. Two of the greatest in ring performers of all time. I wonder if we will ever see two wrestlers with as much intensity as these two in the same company at the same time. I have always preferred Angle out of the two. Not only do I think he's the better wrestler (and slightly better human being… only slightly though) he also had SO much more personality than Benoit. This match was built all around their respective submission holds. Paul Heyman kicked us off with a terrific line about this match- "I am as excited for this match as a man can be with his clothes on." With these guys together in a ring, you know what you are going to get. Pure athleticism from two masters of sports entertainment. The match starts off exactly how you would expect it to, with mat wrestling and early submission teases. Benoit starts to get the upper hand in these exchanges, so Angle turns this into an Attitude era brawl with some stiff right hands, a table spot, and an Irish whip into the steps. Angle gains the upper hand and then this match turns into a suplex fest, from the two masters of the move. Angle and Benoit trade each other's finishers in a preview of tonight's main event. Heyman sums it up- "I have never in my life seen a better display of hold and counter hold in my life." A ref bump proves to be important as Angle taps while in the crossface. Once the ref is back up (rather quickly) the action picks up even more. Benoit blocks Angle's moonsault (I feel there should be an entire column dedicated to the beauty that is a Kurt Angle moonsault). Benoit connects with the headbutt, but Angle rolls him up with a handful of tights to score a win with a great piece of storyline. Neither man looked weak, and Angle's heel character got more dastardly. JR sells the match by saying "this is not the end of this rivalry." And he was right. This wasn't the last match these two would have, nor was it the best. That distinction goes to their Royal Rumble match a few years later. As it is, this match is a great 4 star match between two ring generals that could have benefited from a few more minutes as well.
Winner: Kurt Angle – 14:04
Rating: 4 Stars

WWF Women's Championship
Chyna vs. Ivory (c)
Again I cannot talk about how cool Right to Censor was. Ivory was the perfect female member of the group and worked so well as a heel. I really enjoyed her mannerisms during her entrance. She really sold the "better than you" female heel. Chyna comes out shooting a bazooka…? Great psychology in this match, with Ivory focusing on Chyna's "injured" neck early on until Chyna takes complete control and squashes Ivory for the remainder of the match. Chyna even picks Ivory up after a huge power bomb only to embarrass her more by casually pinning her. I get the appeal of Chyna as the 9th Wonder of the World, and she deserves her kudos for the surprisingly solid in ring work she did with Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero, but Ivory deserved better than this.
Winner: Chyna – 2:39
Rating: 1 Star

Street Fight w/ Mick Foley as Referee
Vince McMahon vs. Shane McMahon
Another terrific video package sums up the feud… Seeing Shane show up on Nitro was so surreal and completely AWESOME that it added another layer to what was already a heated feud. Shane comes out first to the familiar sounds of No Chance in Hell sporting a Mania 17 jersey with "Vince we Have a Problem" on the back. Remember when Shane used to have customized shirts like that? That was really really cool. Shane shouts out to his new WCW employees. The crowd has NO IDEA how to react to the WCW guys. Shane is the face in this feud, as the son standing up to his father, but are we supposed to like the WCW employees? Aren't they the enemy? Again some confusing booking with the WCW angle. Clearly the WWF wasn't sure how to handle the purchase yet, and thinks are awkward accordingly.

As for the match, it is exactly what you would expect if you have ever seen a Shane or Vince match. Shane brings the high spots, Vince gets his ass kicked. And everyone here plays their part to the T. Trish as the scorned mistress finally turning on Vince was a great moment. Stephanie plays it up as the Billion Dollar Princess Daddy's girl character that she had perfected by then. And what can be said about Linda? For someone with no acting/wrestling experience or training, she does a great job being completely catatonic. I don't think anyone gives her enough props for being able to sit still without blinking or moving. And my God that pop she gets when she sits up in the corner. Seriously if you want to hear a GIGANTIC POP, watch that moment on YouTube. Or better yet- watch this match. It is so silly and over booked and fun.
Winner: Shane McMahon – 14:12
Rating: 3 Stars

TLC 2 for the WWF Tag Team Championship
The Dudley Boyz (c) vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge & Christian
This match is kind of the elephant in the room when discussing Wrestlemania 17. IGN lists this match #5 on their all- time Wrestlemania matches, and WWE.com ranked it in their top 20 matches ever. I don't think I am going to go that far, as super insane spot fests aren't always for me. Don't get me wrong- I'm not going to hate on this match. Sure it is pretty much 15 minutes of spots with no psychology in between, but it sure is fun as hell. I have always preferred my gimmick matches with a little bit more eb and flow and purpose (see Shawn Razor ladder match, Shawn Taker Cell match, Shawn Jericho ladder match, Shawn Michaels in any gimmick match ever). However one cannot deny how impressive this match is. Who can forget the great moments like Jeff's suicide dive off of the gigantic ladder? How about Edge's spear off the ladder to Jeff Hardy? Or the multiple run ins from Spike Dudley, Rhino, and ultimately Lita that led to some great moments. The exciting conclusion comes when Matt Hardy and Bubba Ray fall through 19 tables stacked high on the outside of the ring in a completely insane spot. Everyone in this match put their bodies on the line to put on a classic that pretty much defined each of their careers afterwards. Other than Edge, I don't think anyone involved in this match has ever stepped out of the shadow of this match. Pure insanity in a gimmick match that hasn't been topped since, despite multiple attempts, that spawned its own PPV.
Winner: Edge & Christian – 15:47
Rating: 4 Stars

The Gimmick Battle Royal
Duke the Dumpster Droese is honestly one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. The New Generation has always been my favorite era of wrestling and the goofy gimmick that came along with it were awesome. This match, while unnecessary, was super fun and goofy. Great to see a lot of fun gimmicks. More of WWF celebrating their past. Having Mene Gene and Bobby Hennan call the match was an absolute treat. I've said it before, but it needs repeating- Bobby Hennan is the SINGLE GREATEST COLOR COMMENTARTOR OF ALL TIME. Fans of today's product will never be able to appreciate how incredible Hennan was. Imagine if Paul Heyman had a bit more comedy in his promo style- that's Hennan. Hennan's cracks on Sgt Slaughter are worth the price of the PPV (or $9.99 for the Network) alone. The Gimmick Battle Royal sums up a lot of what was great about Wrestlemania 17. For all the seriousness of matches like Austin vs Rock and the McMahon family drama, the WWF could still have fun. Was this the only match that Michael Hayes ever wrestled at Wrestlemania? I could be wrong about that, but that would be an interesting fact. And I tell you what—Droese looks like he could still go.
Winner: The Iron Sheik – 3:07
Rating: 2 Stars

The Undertaker vs. Triple H
This was one of my favorite matches for a long time. Time hasn't been fair to this match, especially after these two men topped it 10 and 11 years later, but for a long time this stood as one of my top 5 matches of all time. This was, by far, the best match of Undertaker's career up to this point. Undertaker never had a great in ring performance before the switch to the Biker Taker gimmick. This was also the first time I can remember Taker's undefeated streak being mentioned as well. Triple H was on the tail end of the single best heel run in company history from 1999-early 2001.

It's interesting to note that this feud was very similar to the one they would have 10 years later at Wrestlemania 27- Triple H claimed he had beaten everyone there is to beat, except the Undertaker. Motorhead plays a live version of the best theme song in wrestling and out comes Helmsley. Limp Bizkit ushers in the American Badass, and shit is about to go down. Houston's own Undertaker takes it to Triple H early on the outside. All bets are off in this one, as the action spends little time in the ring. The first great spot happens when Taker lifts HHH up for a monstrous back body drop. A ref bump leads the action to the outside again and into crowd. A lot of brawls during the attitude era spilled into the crowd, but I cannot think of one as memorable as this. The sigh of Triple H and the Undertaker battling on a lighting structure amongst 65,000 is as iconic as they com 28:07 e. Taker chokeslamming Trips right into the crowd is hokey when you see the pads the Hunter lands on, but at first viewing, it is an amazing moment. The action eventually finds its way back to the ring, where the equalizing sledgehammer is brought into play. Triple H goes for a tombstone pile driver, but it is reversed by Undertaker, but unfortunately the referee is still down. A sledgehammer shot by Triple H during a last ride leads to an incredibly close 2 count. Trips fights a bloodied Dead Man into the corner, which leads into a Last Ride for the finish.

Upon viewing this match again for the first time in a while, I can say that it still holds up. It is nowhere near as good as their second and third Wrestlemania chapters, but it is a great semi-main event to this card. Triple H showed once again his versatility by being able to go into an all-out brawl with the Undertaker. Both men seemed incredibly motivated to steal the show. This match, like this overall card, never slows down to breathe. It is incredible that these two would go on to get even better and produce two better matches than this 10 years later.
Winner: The Undertaker – 18:57
Rating: 4 ВЅ Stars

No Disqualification Match for the WWF Championship
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Rock (c)
A few months ago Steve Austin did a running commentary of this match on his podcast. If you haven't listened to it yet I strongly recommend it. The amount of insight he provides is amazing. Austin says going into this match that he was more confident than he had ever been. He describes how he and Rock constructed the match. How they called it on the fly. And his only regret of his career being the ending of the match. I highly recommend giving it a listen.

Much has been made of the pre match video package featuring Limp Bizkit's My Way. Many have called it the greatest video package of all time. It would be hard to argue that. WWE consistently produces terrific video packages, and this one is near the top of the list.
As soon as Austin's music hits, the crowd becomes unglued. Another gigantic pop from the 65,000 Houston fans. JR delivers one of my all-time favorite lines calling Austin a "folk hero". Rock hits the ring second, as a champion always should. JR makes me feel bad about myself by reminding me that Rock is only 28 years old at the time of this match, headlining his third Wrestlemania. Overachiever.

When looking back at this match, the conclusion shouldn't have been such a surprise. Austin wrestles the entire match as a heel. I understand the storyline that he needs to win the match and the title back so desperately. But Austin is the constant aggressor. Rock is almost always the face in peril, while he clearly isn't the fan favorite here in Houston. Austin even jaws off to the referee when things aren't going his way. Rock continues to preserve even when all of his offense is booed by the crowd. Such amazing character work done by both men.

Rock is busted open early as much of this match spills outside. The ring bell plays a significant part of the match when both Rock and Austin's faces are painted on it. Both men also taste the exposed turnbuckle, which leads to Austin being busted open. One thing to remember about this match- it isn't pretty. Austin and Rock create a brutal masterpiece. This is the best brawl match the Attitude era ever produced. My favorite spot of the match comes when Austin tries to apply the million dollar dream. That call back was incredible. Rock sloppy delivery of the sharpshooter has never bothered me either. Both spots should be commended for their relationships to Austin's Wrestlemania 13 match with Bret Hart, arguably the match that kick started the Attitude era. Only fitting the Attitude era would come to close in almost a full circle fashion.

Now let's talk about the finish. Turning Austin heel wasn't a terrible move. It made sense to the character's journey. Austin had missed almost a year due to injury, during which he saw the Rock climb to the top of the card and take his spot. Austin's road to redemption had to go through the Rock. And he would do whatever it took to get there. It made sense. Now I am not sure it was the wisest business decision knowing that the Rock was leaving. Essentially there was no number 1 face anymore, with Austin as a top heel, along with Triple H and Kurt Angle right behind him. WWF would try the Invasion angle to mixed results, but one can only wonder how much of that was affected by Austin's heel turn. It also probably wasn't wise to turn Austin heel in Houston, where he was the "folk hero" JR spoke of. Again, I think turning Austin heel was a GOOD move, but the WWF probably wanted more of a reaction than they received.

One thing that has always bothered me about this match is Vince's involvement. I have no problem with him being involved in the finish, he should have. Austin and the Rock were his two greatest adversaries and it is just right that he shows up. However the timing of Vince's involvement is strangely paced. First he shows up and just stands around a bit. Than he saves Austin after the People's Elbow. We should have seen kick to the gut, stunner, new champ. Instead we get an awkward 5 minutes of uncertainty. Instead of one shocking heel turn, we get an awkward slow turn, ref bump, and endless chair shots before it's over. Steve Austin says he regrets turning heel that night. He wishes he would've just called an audible and stunned Vince. I am not sure that was the right move either. Just a spot of Austin selling his soul. I don't think this takes away much from the match, but I do wish it was a clean and obvious heel turn, instead of being a little bit over booked at the end.

As it stands this match is a classic. There have been better matches at Wrestlemania, but this the best final match ever. No one deserved to headline the biggest Wrestlemania ever, or put an end to the attitude era, more than Austin and the Rock. Of their many encounters, and 3 Wrestlemania matches, this is easily the best. It is the darkest, hardest hitting, most brutal title match I can ever remember at Wrestlemania. Part of me wants to knock the awkward ending, but every single moment leading up to the ending is so perfect that it is impossible not to rate this match as five star match.
Winner: Steve Austin – 28:07
Rating: 5 Stars

Final thoughts
Wrestlemania 17 will forever be known as one of the best wrestling cards of all time. Looking at the roster and matches shows how stacked WWF was at the time. After the purchase of WCW, Wrestlemania 17 was Vince McMahon pounding his chest in victory. He had won the Monday Night Wars. He had the top two stars of all time headline a titanic card. He even went out and produced a memorable event that will stand the test of time. I can't decisively call Mania 17 the greatest Mania of all time. I think Mania 19, 22, 24, and 28 can each make an argument for that title. But from top to bottom Wrestlemania 17 delivers. Every person contributes and plays their part perfectly. The video packages are second to none. Every talent seems hungry to prove themselves, especially in light of the coming uncertainty and arrival of WCW talent. And enough cannot be said for the commentary work of JR and Paul Heyman. They sold every match as being important and delivered the best play by play/color commentary for a single event I have ever heard. You can have you iconic JR calls all you want, for my money this was the best work he ever did. And Heyman shows that he is truly one of a kind. Wrestlemania 17 has a few flaws, namely the awkward ending and the strange timing of the WCW purchase hanging over it. It sometimes feels like there is too much going on, and everything is a little too rushed. However it is a great call back to the older Mania cards, with 11 matches and little to no filler. It will certainly be interested recounting our steps through the WWF and WCW PPV history to see how we got to this point- the true highpoint in professional wrestling history "Where it All Begins, and Ends, Again."

Ladies and gentlemen that's it for our premiere edition of "Doubleshot: 2-in-1 Wrestling Reviews." Join us next time as Gary and I head back to 1995 before the Monday Night War had even started. Until then my name is Mark Adam Haggerty alongside Gary Mastriano, reminding you to keep checking out Cheap-Heat, your number one source for original columns, countdowns and coverage of the wide world of professional wrestling.

http://www.cheap-heat.com/njpw-star-kenny-omega-talks-about-time-in-wwe-developmental-japanese-fans-tna-bob-holly-and-more/ http://www.cheap-heat.com/njpw-star-kenny-omega-talks-about-time-in-wwe-developmental-japanese-fans-tna-bob-holly-and-more/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2014 15:44:02 +0000 Cassidy Haynes Indy/Puro/Lucha Bill DeMott Bob Holly Chris Benoit Dean Malenko Deep South Wrestling Kenny Omega New Japan Pro Wrestling NJPW TNA William Regal WWE http://www.cheap-heat.com/?p=5209 In an interview with Under The Mat Radio, New Japan Pro Wrestling Superstar Kenny Omega commented on his WWE developmental days as part of Deep South Wrestling, requesting his release from WWE developmental, Bob "Hardcore" Holly, Japan, TNA Wrestling and more. Highlights of the interview are below: On his time in WWE's developmental system: "I […]

In an interview with Under The Mat Radio, New Japan Pro Wrestling Superstar Kenny Omega commented on his WWE developmental days as part of Deep South Wrestling, requesting his release from WWE developmental, Bob "Hardcore" Holly, Japan, TNA Wrestling and more.

Highlights of the interview are below:

On his time in WWE's developmental system: "I went there and it was like really grueling physical training. We were training to be MMA fighters, not professional wrestlers. I liked it and enjoyed it because that's the kind of training that I like to do. The problem with Deep South to me is that there was a group that were tight with the boss and they would always go out and drink and have barbeques, then when WWE would say, who should we look at, Bill DeMott would say, oh look at this guy and this guy. Of course, those were his buddies."

On Bob "Hardcore" Holly: "We had guests come in at times like Chris Benoit, William Regal, Dean Malenko and then Bob Holly would come and kick our a**. I don't know what the guy's problem was, he was always grumpy. I remember one time, he got mad at one of the guys and kept punching him in the face."

On the Japanese fan base and TNA's style of wrestling: "Not to knock TNA Wrestling, but there's too much hokey talking and segments that don't really involve wrestling, of course everyone in TNA speaks English, so if there's an angle going on, they won't be able to understand it. TNA has a talented roster, but when I looked at it, it seems as if everyone was rushing, it's like the time is given to the talking and when it happens in the ring, everyone rushes to the finish. In Japan, it's the opposite, when you talk, make it quick and tell your story in the match."

The interview is available in full at this link .