The Iron Side of the Stories

6:03 pm April 28, 2015

Get it?

Ironside?

Iron Side..? Pretty clever, right?

*awkward silence*

Anyhow, in The Iron Side of the Stories, I’m going to run through a few of the current events in wrestling, and give yout my perspective on that particular situation. Here we go!

King of the Ring Finals

Tonight, the King of the Ring Finals air live on the WWE Network. Bad News Barrett takes on R-Truth, and Neville battles Sheamus. My prediction? Neville. I feel like the former NXT Champion can benefit from the KOR win more than any others involved.

Historically, winning King if the Ring propels WWE Superstars to bigger and better things, and maked them bigger stars in the process (let’s forget about the Mabel, Shamrock, and Billy Gunn KOR wins). I can’t see Truth winning, as he probably won’t be moving up the card anytime soon. Sheamus has business to attend to with Ziggler, and while I can see Barrett being a King that delivers “Bad News,” I feel like with Neville being a fresh roster arrival, he will gain the most out of winning this classic tourney tonight.

Verne Gagne Passes Away

If you don’t know who Verne Gagne is, Google him now. Without Gagne, we may have never heard of guys like Ric Flair, Sgt. Slaughter, Iron Sheik, Bob Backlund, Jim Brunzell, Jesse Ventura, Gene Okerlund, Eric Bischoff, or Hulk Hogan. Whether it was training them in the ring or behind a microphone, Verne Gagne’s Minnesota based AWA gave these men and countless others a stage to showcase their talent and abilities. After a long battle with Alzeimer’s Disease, Verne passedan last night at the age of 89.

Gagne’s contributons to the business were endless. If you are subscribed to the WWE Network, I recommend you watch “The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA” to learn about Verne. Triple H tweeted about Gagne’s passing last night, using the hash tag “pioneer.” That word definitely sums Verne Gagne up.

Daniel Bryan Pulled From All Upcoming WWE Events

Professionally, the last 12 months has had to be one of the toughest years in Daniel Bryan’s life. In 2014, he overcame The Authority to become WWE Champion in the main event of WrestleMania XXX. Just as we thought Bryan was going to get the lengthy WWE Title run he deserved, neck issues abruptly ended his championship reign. One year later, Bryan returns to win the Intercontinental Championship in a classic Ladder Match at ‘Mania 31. Just as we think Bryan is about to restore prestige to the title once known behind the scenes as “The Wrestler’s Championship,” Bryan is gone once again.

Rumors are swirling about his injury and it’s severity. As much as I would love to see Bryan back, and I think he will be back, as a wrestler my main concern is Bryan’s health. He’s a smart guy. He’s made and saved his money. Bryan has nothing to prove. If he couldn’t come back for health reasons, Bryan needs to know that it’s okay.

His career defied the odds. At 5′ 7″ and 180 pounds, Daniel Bryan achieved things in the WWE that most wrestlers at that size will only dream about. He’s a true inspiration. With that said, I hope Bryan is okay, as he is one of the most beloved Superstars on the current roster. Here’s hoping for a full recovery!

Matt Hardy’s Go Fund Me Campaign

With the exception of Colt Cabana, there is no one that does better self promotion than “Version 1,” Matt Hardy. In his recent YouTube video, Matt does an incredible spoof on the people that use and abuse Go Fund Me. It’s worth a view.

That’s The Iron Side of the Stories for today!

Do me a favor:

My pal Kenny Johnson just did this incredible 12 minute documentary on myself and Zach Gowen, simply entitied “Handicapped Heroes.” It’s already been viewed and shared by the likes of Matt Hardy, The Young Bucks, The Hurricane, Mickie James, Sonjay Dutt, The Blue Meanie, Diamond Dallas Page, artist Jill Thompson, and many others.

If you enjoy what you see, please share it with your friends and family. Zach and I aren’t asking for your money. We just want twelve minutes of your time so that we can show the world that no matter your circumstances, if you’re willing to endure the hard work, inspire others through your dedication, and fight for the things you truly believe in, all dreams are possible.