Optimusmastro TNA opinion...

TNA is an embarassment to pro wrestling, I wish I knew what the hell everybody is marking out over because frankly, its horrible!! Diesel, Hogan, Sting, etc,..That stuff was relevant and 'cool' over 12 years ago! Are they freakin serious???

Wrestling Sucks,..

Raw, Smackdown, Nxt,..whatever. So I get in-undated (that a word?) with emails regarding why I haven't posted in a while,..(at least on this blog). Well because wrestling has become mediocre. The storylines are lame, or at the very least disorganized and thus wrestling as a whole is suffering.

I will be attending T.O.W. event at Centre Pierre Charbonneau this coming 24th of September and thus be promoting Project Infinity, Peter Berardi and company...

Daniel Bryan = Matt Hardy circa 2005

Moonlighting my split personality shifts between Catholic apologist and pro wrestling nutjob,..I often find myself without the time to blog about pro wrestling,..err sports entertainment. Hopefully a new company will be starting soon in Montreal or as my american friends call it 'Mahntreeall.' Has wrestling been good? Let's just say within the analogy of peaks and valleys, wrestling is definetly in a valley!

My last post regarded the NXT/Nexus invasion. It was awesome. Nuff said,.or is it? You see, the WWE being PG as well as being a publically traded company must answer to shareholders and thus, the angles from the attitude era that many of us remember, will be relegated for the time being to the backround. Remember Wrestlemania? IF you do, you'll remember that there was no blood. IT was still entertaining, but that 'oumphh factor' was missing. This brings me to Daniel Bryan Danielson, whatever the suits want to call him. After choking the ring annoucer with his tie, the most over guy in the NXT group was given the boot! Apparently not by Johnny Ace, but by McMahon himself via phone. I smeelllllllaaaaaaa a Matt Hardy angle, do you,..Remember when he was involved in an affair (as the victim) between him and Edge? Well, the crowd wanted Matt back and Vince obliged. I believe the same will happen with Bryan Danielson,..the 'Final Countdown' to his return is underway! (Yes pun intended!)

NXT Invasion

Yes I know, please save your 'where have you been?' questions for somebody who actually cares! I'm back, that's all you need to know. What brought me back was that this past Monday's Raw, I saw the beginning of probably what will be the hottest angle on TV. The NXT rookies came out of the stands with the exception of Wade Berrett and proceeded to beat the holy hell out of poster boy John Cena. (Yes, they beat up the entire crew, then destroyed the ring,..) The symbolism was unbelievable and I can't wait to see where they go with this angle. Its fresh, new, exciting,..I just can't wait!

Post Wrestlemania

Just thought I'd let everyone in the blogosphere universe know that I am still alive and still very much into the pro wrestling scene. Because this blog is about the wrestling scene in Montreal as well as the WWE and the pimple known as TNA, I thought I'd let everyone in on a secret,..there will be a new company soon, and yours truly will be involved! How remains a mystery, but I can assure you that the people behind this company are indeed awesome and can deliver what they promise!

Now on to the business at hand. We are now in that awkward post-Wrestlemania, pre draft period with regards to the WWE. Some initial thoughts on the show are as follows.

Show/Miz vs Truth/Morrison: A throwaway match, because frankly not sure whether or not the WWE has cared about its tag team division since the days of Demolition.

Orton/Dibiase/Rhodes: Randy Orton reeks of awesomeness!!! (sorry Edge.)

MITB: Because there were way too many people, I found the match choppy at best and hard to watch. Everyone was trying to get their token 'bump' in. Sheldon didn't get his Wreslemania moment, perhaps the chopping block isn't too far in his near future?

Triple H vs Sheamus: Can you believe Triple H won? And a clean finish to boot! What a shock! Triple H probably books his own matches. Anyway solid match, Sheamus is gonna be huge!

Edge vs Jericho. Old school match well done!

Bret vs McMahon: This was laborius, cheesy and felt like watching a wounded animal die. I love Bret and knew that he would be limited physically, but this was almost akin to watching a live abortion. Too long, but kinda cool when McMahon was caught in the sharpshooter.

Batista vs Cena: Cena won, I can't believe it! (To be read with the same sarcasm as the Triple H post) A surprisingly good match!!!

Divas: They all look great. Does anyone really care who wins?

Undertaker vs Michaels: Awesome. A different match from last year, what with WWE going PG. The Streak lives,..so long HBK

I'm gonna try to post more often on this site, and of course I do apologize for my inconsistent posting,..time is a factor!

So long

Optimusmastro

RVD to TNA

So apparently its official,..Rob Van Dam has officially flushed his car...oops sorry my bias is showing again. TNA going live next Monday and thereby every Monday! Well I'm gonna be watching RAW! Wrestlemania is too close for anything that TNA brings out which by the way is nothing but older wrestlers looking for a lighter schedule..I will do more of a blog post on this event later,..(Way to go Hogan for ruining the surprise!)

Hulk is gonna get in the ring? C'mon!

So its official,..the autopilot is set to self destruct and Vince McMahon, if my initial theory is not wrong, (see previous post...) must be laughing his ass off. With the announcement that TNA Impact will now be broadcast on Monday Nights, again splitting the audience,.(marketing anyone?), On the re-debut March 8th, Hulk Hogan and the Sell-out,..I mean Nature Boy will wrestle live, thank God its only in a tag team match! Meanwhile over at Raw, the scheduled host is supposed to be Criss Angel,.(maybe if Vince gives him enough money he'll make Flair and Hogan vanish...oh well dare to dream..)

In other news, RVD was mentioned by Jim Ross in a recent blog entry, the hottest free agent in the business,.(I tend to agree...)The question begs itself, which company will he sign with? The answer, IMHO, will be TNA, simply because of the reduced travel schedule. Oh yeah, money will play a factor too. TNA has become more appealing to the wreslers ever since Hulk brought in a normal ring! In the end, I believe WWE will do just fine. They are setting up Wreslemania, angles with Edge, Triple H, Michaels, Batista, Cena, Undertaker, and CM Punk. More than enough star power plus they have the hottest heel in the biz, Randy Orton!

I think it will be fun to be a wrestling fan again. Of course if TNA, doesn't screw it up!

Yes,...Yes,..I know I'm Overdue,..Read to the End...

Okay its been a while! Now that we got that out of the way, we can get down to some business as it regards to the state of professional wrestling. Well, I think we are in for some big entertainment going into the summer. First off, in WWE, they prove consistantly why they are at the top of the mountain and in my humble opinion are not going to be knocked off anytime soon. You see, the creative with WWE, builds storylines more along the traditional NWA formula that was used in the 1980's. Back then, the irony is that WWE did use that methodology as well, but had larger than life characters with limited in ring ability. (ie Hogan, Warrior...) Sooo, we had a Wrestlemania card with 12 matches all under 10 mins, with the exception of Steamboat, Savage,..etc,...you get my point. During the attitude era, the business went faster and in many respects built upon society's need for instant gratification. Fueds lasted maybe two payperviews if you were lucky...After the WCW buyout, we are now experiencing a return towards a more psychological build which will culminate at Wrestlemania. It makes sense considering that the road agents in WWE are guys like Fit Finley and Dean Malenko. The Raws are more and more entertaining and younger stars are starting to bloom,..(Sheamus,.Drew McIntyre, Kofi..to name a few...) The veterans on the other hand consistantly draw, Undertaker, Michaels, Triple H...while the summit guys are going strong, Orton, Cena. The match potential is amazing and with Edge returning and winning a very exiting Royal Rumble, it seems the formula is back! Here is the kicker...I think this positive programming from WWE (I didn't forget the Bret angle!)is all thanks to TNA making some waves...Yes, I too can't believe I just said that!

Well,..here comes an honest to God assessment of what I see in TNA. Remember that I do marketing as well, so I'm going to try to analize this while being as neutral as could possibly be. As my readership knows, in the past I have been harshly critical of TNA,..their 6 sided ring and their weird attempts and building a match with no psychology. So in the interests of fairness, I will say that I have been entertained. Yes,.TNA wrestling entertained me. Then again so did WCW. This, I feel is where the problem lies. Hogan, Bischoff, Nash, Hall, X-Pac/Syxx/kid/Waltman,..we've seen all these guys before. It was during a time when WCW hemoraged more money than the Titanic took in water. While it was nice as a nostalgia act,..I felt okay, now I've seen it, it was cool,.now what? Honestly Sean Morley,..aka Val f'n Venis! C'mon TNA brass! We can do better! Then the Jeff Hardy brainfart. This guy signs with TNA despite the fact that WWE solidified his main event persona and tried to find a classy way of letting him go so he could take care of his issues. Talk about screwing/biting the hand that feeds you! But then again, what does that say about TNA,.as a company?

Okay, here it comes,..conspiracy theory # 7042...especially within the wrestling industry! It would seem that I remember an episode of 'Hogan Knows Best'whereby, the Hulk signed a 20yr contract with WWE, in order to act as the Babe Ruth of Sports entertainment. Consequently, I've been paying attention and Hulk's Hulkamania logo looks very WWEesque. Do they not own the way the way the logo is written? Perhaps, Vince owns a piece of the company and sent Hogan to run it. It is possible because this would not be the first time. You see, WWE used to finance ECW back in the 1990s. Think about it,...Linda McMahon quits to run for the US Senate (Republican), then the company goes PG. Next Shane and shows up backstage at UFC,(which is indirectly linked to TNA...) and finally those freakin' Hulkamania logos! I smell a rat! Tell me what you think!

Peace.

TNA Nitro!!!

It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong,..well,..I was wrong. It would seem to me that TNA delivered with what was an incredible show, featuring above all the surprise return of Jeff Hardy. Oh yeah, IT also showcased Scott Hall(he showed up!) Sean Waltman (X-pac), Ric Flair (he needs money...),Eric Bischoff(he carries Hogan's luggage!) Shannon Moore, and ratings attractors Val Venis and Orlando Jordan (the guy who acted as Bradshaw's bitch, then jobbed himself to the 'returning' Ultimate Warrior last June.

Over at WWE, they countered with the return of Bret the Hitman Hart, and finally brought closure to the Montreal Survivor Series of 1997. Seeing Hart and Michaels hug, much less shake hands was probably woth the price of admission. Either way, it was a victory for TNA wrestling. You see, before last night, they were known as the guys who wrestled in a hexagon ring, lacked psychology and put together matches based on ill timed spot fests cultiminating with bodyslam finishers. Oh, well...Now they have life, but can they sustain it? That will be the question. Remember all that 'talent' translates into all those egos. Jeff Hardy, argually their biggest surprise lost his job at WWE over the wellness program. How does this reflect upon TNA?

The old adage is simply put,...'only time will tell.'

The Return of the Monday Night War,...errr,..sorta.

Okay, I admit I am intrigued and somewhat surprised that after more than 10years, Bret the Hitman Hart will make his triumphant return to WWE guest hosting RAW and hanging around for a potential Wrestlemania angle. If you check out WWE universe/optimusmastro you'll see my thoughts as to why I'm very exited about this reality. Raw should be amazing, think of the possibilities, you'll have potential confrontations between Hart/McMahon, Hart/Michaels, or better still Hart/Michaels/McMahon. Let's not forget the potential interplay between the Hart Dynasty and Bret,..oooohhhh, so many possibilities.

Over on the Hulk Hogan show which is essentially what TNA should be renamed(that or WCW: the Sequel) we can look for them to pull out all the stops, perhaps the hinted return of Scott Hall and X-Pac, RVD, maybe even Mr. Kennedy,.(err Anderson...)Will TNA win the ratings? Highly unlikely, but what boggles the mind even further is why they would put on a show which would divide the audience? WCW already tried this technique, and frankly it reaks of marketing stupidity! Why not put on an Impact show on a different night and be unincumbered, at least as far as pro wrestling is concerned. It doesn't make sense,.plain and simple! I for one as a fan would watch both shows if they were on different nights, but I guess that's too much of a smart move for Hogan-Bischoff and their ilk.

Oh well,..have a happy monday,..see you on the other side of the ratings!

Peace.

BRET HART RETURNS!!!!! Signs short term WWE deal!

All I can say is wow! So all the marks for total crappy wrestling (TNA) with their geriatric poster boy Hulk Hogan can go suck a lemon. Vincent Kennedy McMahon pulled it off yet again! The return of the best there is, was, and ever will be! So far it is a short term deal that expires after Wrestlemania,..so stay tuned! WWE rules!

Surviver Series Review

Well,...this past weekend was the annual Surviver Series, the one PPV whereby back in the day, every match was contested by either teams of 4 or 5 eliminations style tag team matches. Needless to say it has since amended itself, which in a way makes sense. Back in the 1980s, the WWE(WWF) style was characterized by short matches put on by bodybuilders and cartoon characters. The matches were kept short for the simple reason that guys like Ultimate Warrior were not exactly known for their mat skills or 'Catch as Catch can' style. As it stands today, there are still the traditional matches, (usually two) and in my opinion they served as launching pads for two new careers, namely Sheamus and Drew McEntire. (is that how you spell it?)

Undertaker took on Big Show and Chris Jericho and retained, which still puzzles me. Why does 'Taker need a belt? He's already over, and only works part-time. A side note,..Surviver Series 1990 is where 'Taker made his debut. John Cena retained in his match with both Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Shawn shocked everyone by superkicking Triple H from the onset thereby setting a tone for the match, which was really great.

In all, wrestling is starting to get good again, which is a good thing. From both the wrestling perspective as well as the entertainment one, so it'll satisfy both ends of the spectrum. (BTW, Hogan ratings in TNA sucked! Too funny!)

My Personal Top Five Wrestlers,....(of all time!!!!)

In following the theme from my other blog, I would like to contribute my two cents of who I feel should be the top five wrestlers of all time. Of course this takes into account many factors, not just marketability, but also ability and ring psychology.

Sooo, without further adue,..

1. Ric Flair. Is there really a doubt? This guy had it all, charisma, ability, you name it. Ric Flair had a match in 2003 with Kevin Nash and made him look good! Now that takes talent.

2. Hulk Hogan. Yes, yes, I know, he can't wrestle. Nevertheless, Hogan got by on charisma alone with limited ability. People who say outright that he had no talent forget his matches in Japan. Don't get me wrong, he's not Ricky Steamboat but...

3. Undertaker. Often called the 'madonna' of pro wrestling because of is ability to constantly change his image thereby keeping it fresh. He pulls out his big moves (spots) once or twice a year and they mean something. Reduced to competing part-time, but well worth it, if only for his elaborate entrances.

4. Shawn Michaels. What can you say? The Icon. The Showstopper. The Main Event. Blends a mexican style, with american storytelling. Definetely earned his nicknames.

5. Steve Austin. The guy who drove WWE(f) back to the top beating out merchandising sales rivaled by Hulk Hogan. After he got injured in 1997, still managed to amplify his character by using a believable brawling style. And that's the bottom line, cause I said so!

There you have it. Disagree with me? Fine. But show me your list and we'll compare!

See ya!

Hogan hinting at Austin,...Macho Man...

So in yet another post on TNA wrestling, I will need to cover the recent rumors of Hulk Hogan on Bubba the love sponge telling people that Austin and Macho might be on their way to TNA. Here is my two cents. As far as Austin is concerned, that is highly unlikely to say the least. Steve Austin had an amazing send-off with last year's HOF, but then again Ric Flair did too the year before. Wow it truly is amazing how the human capacity for money can make anybody do anything. Stone Cold is finished wrestling and I doubt that he would have any desire to continue a career in TNA with all his injuries. As far as Macho Man is concerned,..doesn't he have heat with Hogan? I mean along with his age of 93 years (sarcasm)what can he bring to the table? I used to criticize TNA's wrestling style,..now, I don't know. Haven't we all seen this stuff before? What about Samoa Joe?, AJ Styles? or Eric Young? I guess eventually they'll end up with Vince. I hope so.

Hulk Hogan's Brain Fart,...

First off, everyone knows that I am not a mark for TNA 'wrestling' so it pains me to report this and actually give them some sort of publicity. TNA is nothing more than an organized 'spot' fest with a few real wrestlers just waiting for their chance to go to New York. Here it is,..this past week TNA signed Hulk Hogan. Whewww, I said it and instinctively felt the need for a bowel movement. Hogan's knees are shot, his back out of back and he's suffering from personal problems equating his life to a future D- list celebrity kind of like Todd Bridges or Donnie Osmond. Well TNA, you reap what you sow, so I hope Hogan bankrupts your pseudo-wrestling crap. Imagine an 'X' division match where Hogan faces AJ Styles and forces him to do a clean job. (This won't happen as he'll probably try to main event with Kamala or Brutus Beefcake.) We can finally rename TNA,...WCW!

Shane O'Mac gives notice...

In a surprising move last week, Shane McMahon gave his notice to WWE that he will leave the company in January 2010. Sources are speculating that it is not because of a fallout with his father, but more because his mother's bid to run for the US Republican Senate seat. Shane has never shyed away from being an active competitor and when the situation called for it, would risk his own body to entertain the fans. His last major storyline was when he 'bought' WCW from under his father thus culminating in a match at Wrestlemania Seventeen.

Captain Lou Albano,...Farewell.

A short post, today Captain Lou Albano passed away at the age of 76. Forever, he will be remembered as one of the key characters along with Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper and Cyndi Lauper who ushered in the Rock'n wrestling connection way back in 1985. Wrestling was only then becoming mainstream, with the advent of Wrestlemania being Vince McMahon's big gamble. Aside from that, Captain Lou helped manage the Headshrinkers, George the animal Steele and the British Bulldogs.

Rest in Peace

THE T.O.W.

Last Friday, I had the priviledge of attending the T.O.W. event hosted and promoted by Marc Blondin. T.O.W. stands for Top of the World Wrestling, so the question remains, did it live up to its name? The answer is,.....no. Nevertheless, a great time was head especially the tribute for Pat Patterson acknowledging his contribution to 'Sports Entertainment.' The main event saw La Resistance(former WWE Tag Champs) vs Pierre Carl Ouellet and a mystery partner,....AL SNOW!!!(Yessss...!) The other main event saw Jay Phenomenon, a talent from NCW take on the one and only Honky Tonk Man. (A six minute classic, whereby Honky didn't bump on his back...).

Sarcasm aside, it was a lot of fun. Matt Morgan is huge, and future WWE developmental talent Darkko really impressed me,.especially his character whereby he's a type of coroner. (Imagine a Wrestlemania where he squares off against the Undertaker!!!,..Oh wait, then he'll lose and be relegated to opening matches before suffering the same Giant Gonzales like fate...lol!!!) All in all, a lot of fun.

Can Pro Wrestling be Redeemed...

The question most often asked by self righteous pundits trying to pin the latest steroid scandal on the wrestling industry. Back a few years ago, New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick launched an unrelenting unapologetic attack against the wrestling industry and its loyal followers. Needless to say individual responsibility is never an issue as because the liberal left wing agenda is simple,..eliminate freedom of speech in the name of tolerance and poltical correctness.

In 2007, a tragedy occured, Chris Benoit murdered his wife and child before killing himself. The aftermath produced a hailstorm of controversy as lefties came out of the wood work to show that steroids were the cause. Along comes Chris Nowinski, himself a former pro wrestler (and Harvard graduate BTW)with a more conclusive rational. Benoit had the brain of an eighty-something alzeimers patient, the result of taking too many bumps to the head as well as undiagnosed concussions. If people took more responsibility for themselves instead of scapegoating a problem, the wrestling industry would not be under the microscope as much. Then again,..that's blog of a different sort.

TOW wrestling will be presenting a show this coming Sept 25 in Montreal. Scheduled to appear are La Resistance, PCO, Honky Tonk Man , and a special tribute to Pat Patterson.

All for now.

Breaking Point...very lackluster...

I find it truly sad when one has to wait in order to find the best words that describe a mediocre PPV. Well,.that being said, I'll go with lackluster. This PPV was a throwback to the 'throwaway fillers' there called 'In your House.' You remember, they filled the gaps between the major events and apart from the 'Hell in the Cell' debut (Oct 1997) nothing substantial ever happened. Let's do a little bit of a breadown shall we?.,..

First off, Jericho and Big Show vs MVP and Mark Henry. Chris Jericho has to be one of the best talents in wrestling. He is the consistant 'go to' guy when the roster becomes plagued with injuries. Big Show is looking more like a Big 'Slob' if anything and his singlet does not really sell his atheleticism for me. MVP is definetely a break out star, while Mark Henry still having a job suspends my active intellect. Final result, a good match, with Show and Jericho retaining.

Next up,.Kofi Kingston vs The Miz. Very good match between two undercard guys. Please turn Kofi heel,..(I believe it would be great!) Some mic work from Miz in french,.Kofi retains, smiling his way back to the dressing room.

DX vs Legacy. What's to say? Great fight which probably didn't come off well for the live crowd. Great mic work from Triple H, despite some 'You screwed Bret!' chants directed at Michaels which 'H' acknowledged and played to the crowd with absolving himself from any wrong doing. In the end Michaels taps with class giving a rub to Legacy setting up next month's Hell in the Cell.

John Cena vs Randy Orton. This begs the question,..Why in the blue hell did Cena win? Orton's character is amazing, his psycho/disturbed persona really is starting to come together. An emotional match, with lots of psychology saw Cena win,..(Why?) How many shirts does Cena sell?

CM Punk vs Undertaker. The crappiest way to end the PPV with a wink to the Montreal Scewjob of 1997. A false finnish led to a restart where the ref rang the bell on undertaker while he was fighting off the 'Anaconda vice..' Words cannot describe how lame this was,..as I suddenly felt the need to go to the bathroom and take a massive third degree dump!....nuff said!

Anything else isn't even worth mentioning,..