Sunday, December 29, 2013
Wrestler of The Week #15 AJ Styles
It's going to be different of course. I used to have a generator randomly pick from a group of 50 wrestlers and tag teams. Well that's out the window. Instead I'm going to pick the wrestler myself. It's going to be someone that's done something newsworthy in the week like it should be. Maybe sometimes it'll be someone that I just want to highlight because he or she is not a house hold name. So here's the continuation of Wrestler of The Week here on The Rants of Wrestling!
Our wrestler of the week is former ROH Pure, TNA X-Division, NWA World Tag Team, TNA Tag Team, NWA World Heavyweight and TNA World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles!
Most of you will know AJ Styles as Mr. TNA, or Mr. Impact Wrestling. Whatever. His their first X-Division Champion. A lot of people will say that he build that division. He along with Low Ki and Jerry Lynn made TNA worth watching in their early days. By TNA's First Anniversary AJ Styles defeated Jeff Jarrett for The NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
You should all know how his run goes. He keeps going from being a main event star to being misused and back and forward. He goes between highs and lows. The reason he's wrestler of the week though is that there's been rumors of him not resigning with TNA. We keep hearing conflicting reports. He has been accepting independent bookings outside TNA. He's even going to do a CZW live internet pay per view.
But the reason he's the wrestler of the week is because he's making a return to Ring of Honor. I think this really shows that Styles and TNA had a falling out in contract negotiations. Styles was in and out of Ring of Honor between 2002 and 2005. He was their first Pure Wrestling Champion, beating CM Punk for the belt. He made a memorable feud with Jimmy Rave over The Styles Clash. In my opinion Styles is the biggest free agent in pro wrestling right now. And ROH was very smart to grab him up.
Styles returns to ROH's Nashville TV Tapping along with Chris Hero, making this a very exciting beginning for 2014. Plus you add in the fact that it's going to be at the old TNA Asylum and you know we're going to get a very special night.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
IPPV Report: Final Battle 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
1. Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Kennedy
Nineteen Days
One Defense
2. Mr. Kennedy defeated Jeff Hardy at WWE Friday Night SmackDown! April 6, 2007.
Mr. Kennedy makes the first ever defense of The Unofficial World Championship at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. No video is available for this match and can not be rated.
3. The Undertaker defeated Mr. Kennedy at WWE SmackDown! April 10th, 2007.
Mr. Kennedy actually lost in a tag team match the week before but the old rules did not allow the title to change hands in tag team matches. I had to look up why Batista wasn't crowned champion.
This first as Mr. Kennedy defends the championship overseas at The DatchForum di Assago in Milan, Italy. And it's another first in that this is the first time The Unofficial World Championship is defended against a true world champion, WWE World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker.
Sorry I couldn't find any footage of this match. The Undertaker defeated Mr. Kennedy by disqualification.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Super Fun Time With Heath Slater/Raw Rant October 21st, 2013
Big E and CM Punk are very fun to watch as a team.
Miz is getting his rear end handed to him by The Wyatt Family.
And Heath Slater lost. Everything is right with WWE right now.
#BoundForGlory
Yeah! Go Bad Influence! #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 20, 2013
I was worried we were going to get a commercial on PPV for a second. #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 20, 2013
Abyss to make the save #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 20, 2013
Abyss didn't make the save :( #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 20, 2013
2012 in the main event. 2013 in the opening match. I guess it's not as bad as Miz @AustinAries @JEFFHARDYBRAND #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Just noticed the only person not a former World Champion is TJP #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Ladders don't belong in Ultimate X #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Not a bad match but probably least exciting Ultimate X of all time #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Daniels using government names now? Lol
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
ABYSS DOES MAKE THE SAVE!!! #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
See? We didn't forget @TherealAbyss works here. #BoundForGlory #BFG
— TNA Creative (@TNACreative) October 21, 2013
Not gonna lie: I am perfectly okay with the Bromans winning the tag titles if it comes down to it
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
Storm sure does have a nasty cut #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
People should have been returned to their corners right now. Ref looking foolish for not getting order.
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
SAX-A-MA-PHOOOOOONE! SAX-A-MA-PHOOOOOONE! #BroMans
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
Angle looking healthy. Awesome to see.
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
Angle turns down Hall of Fame. Not worthy, has let too many down. Yeah. #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Says he'll accept when he's worthy. So we have 1 inductee into Hall of Fame after two years. #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Angle declined because he heard @TripleH was calling. #BoundForGlory #BFG
— TNA Creative (@TNACreative) October 21, 2013
Lei'd Tapa run in leads to Gail winning title. They're buddies now #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
My timeline is full of #BoundForGlory hate save for one guy always need the true believer I guess Like the One Night stand guys for WCW
— JMS Truthslayer (@OGTslay1974) October 21, 2013
and like and Angel @njpw1972 starts tweeting during #BoundForGlory to remind us what good wrestling is
— JMS Truthslayer (@OGTslay1974) October 21, 2013
The pace on this match and the transitions are on point. #RoodeVsAngle
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
OKAY; that was a super clever spot. Never seen that done.
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
Roode beats Angle after Angle KO's himself with top rope Angle slam. Stretcher job #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Derrick Bateman is in TNA! #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Follow the remarkable underdog, Norv Fernum on twitter at @PAvalon. #TNA #BFG #BoundForGlory #Norv
— Joey Ryan (@JoeyRyanOnline) October 21, 2013
STING TAPS!?!?!?!?!?!? #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Magnus beat Sting with Scorpion #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Broke looks way too happy after being attacked and losing a title match #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Exclusive Photo: @AJStylesOrg entering the ring for his Main Event Match at #BoundForGlory pic.twitter.com/LzUQ2n7uTJ
— IMPACT WRESTLING (@IMPACTWRESTLING) October 21, 2013
If there's an endgame where AJ doesn't win the title; not sure how they're gonna get around it. Looking forward to this.
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
You can't Calf Killer the man with the largest calves in the world!! Your submission is moot!!
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
It's hammer time #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
450 TO THE TABLE!!! #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
Good God #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
But where's the trampoline?! You know; cause the padding on a ring is oh so soft! /End Sarcasm
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
OUCH
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
I wouldn't wish that bump on NOBODY.
— Sugar Dunkerton (@SugarDunkerton) October 21, 2013
AJ WINS! AJ WINS! AJ WINS!!! #BoundForGlory
— Josh Hadley (@MooseNugget) October 21, 2013
AJ cheats death and then wins TNA title with spiral tap #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Springboard 450 through table was absolute complete madness #ImpactWrestling #BoundForGlory
— Bryan Alvarez (@bryanalvarez) October 21, 2013
Well, it's was VERY obvious tonight who wanted to "rise to the occasion"... #BoundforGlory
— Jeff Jarrett (@JeffJarrettTNA) October 21, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
PPV Report: Bound For Glory 2013
Gauntlet Match
Friday, October 4, 2013
The Origin of The Unofficial World Championship
Ric Flair always said "To be the man you got to beat the man." Well back in 2007 WWE had three top titles; The WWE Championship, The World Heavyweight Championship and The ECW World Heavyweight Championship. So unlike decades past when a promotion would be dominated by a single man WWE had two or maybe three claiming to be top dog.
So Mr. Shaun Webb decided to step in and create a "Unofficial World Championship." Much like when Ric Flair was "The Real World Champion" in WWE or when Taz was FTW Heavyweight Champion in ECW our Unofficial World Champion would have a claim to be "The Man" wither he or she held a promotion's top title or not.
They hype machine that is WWE of late often calls The Money In The Bank title shot holder a unofficial world champion. The thinking is that a majority of the men who cashed in their title shots have been successful. In fact only John Cena has not won a title with his title shot. Perhaps this was the thinking when Shaun declared Mr. Kennedy the first ever Unofficial World Champion after he won The Money In The Bank briefcase at Wrestlemania 23. Plus there was loads of hype behind the man at that period.
The title since then has gone through a lot of changes. Here's what Shaun laid out for the rules when he started this:
From Wrestlemania, every match Mr Kennedy competes in will be a Championship Match, and his reign will continue until he loses to somebody. Then that somebody will be crowned the Unofficial World Champion! The title will change hands on any kind of victory, be it pinfall, submission, count-out, or disqualification. It will also count for eliminations, so if you eliminate the champion in the Royal Rumble match for instance, you become the champ. In tag team matches, the belt will only change hands IF the champion is pinned, made to submit, counted out, or the one directly responsible for the DQ. If their partner is pinned, the champion retains.
In the event of a 'title vacated' situation. The previous champion will have the oppurtunity to earn the title back in their next match.
Of course there's been changes over the years. I changed it so that a champion does not have to directly loose a match to loose the belt, so it can be lost if a partner takes the fall in a tag team match. Also it's been switched around between WWE and ROH after I took over. Now it's currently in TNA.
Now what I wanted to do for some time is go through the history of this title and detail each championship reign and defense. Understand that some matches will be unavailable but I'll comment on anything I can find. So let's begin with the match that crowned our first champion!
1. Mr. Kennedy defeated CM Punk, Edge, Finlay, Jeff Hardy, King Booker, Matt Hardy and Randy Orton in a Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WWE WrestleMania 23. April 1st, 2007.
All of WWE's Money In The Bank ladder matches have been fun to watch. Highlights include Jeff Hardy jumping off a ladder onto Edge who was laying on a ladder to take both men out of the match. Booker T grabbing a mini ladder for some comedy. Booker saving his wife from Matt Hardy to cost him the match. Hornswoggle interfering to help Finlay only to have Kennedy give him a Green Bay Plunge from the top of a ladder! Mr. Kennedy won the match of course. It was fun to watch but nothing really you need to go out of your way to see. I give it three stars.
Despite being big losers tonight a majority of the men in this match would go onto win the title, the exception being Booker T and Finlay, though both got a chance to win in after this match. Mr. Kennedy and Jeff Hardy would be the only two who would go onto hold the title in both WWE and TNA. Also so far this is the largest crowd to ever see an Unofficial World Title match.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
'Restling Rewind: Mid-South Wrestling 12/3/1981
Well other then Junkyard Dog vs. Terry Orndorff this was an alright show. And at least this made you wonder what was going to happen next week. Everything other then the main event progressed a story. Despite some of the weird commentary from Bob Roop he did his job alright.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Vote! 'Restling Rewind
Obviously that means I don't have a lot of down time. I came to Red Dog with the mind set that I was going to try and do two weekly 'Restling Rewinds, as that's the only thing I'm putting on this blog that has really been commented on. Well I knew that the internet was slow here but it's to long to do one of these.
Rest assured I still want to do this but to do it the way I want to it's going to take at least two or three days for each show I do. So I'm going down from two shows a week to one. I'll still try to do my DVD reviews when I can. 'Restling Rewinds just takes so long because I like include pictures, something I don't really do for anything else.
So here's what I want you to do. Go on XWA Universe using the link below and vote for which show you want me to review each week. I got three I have gotten ready.
http://www.xwa-universe.com/t2142-vote-restling-rewind#18359
TNA iMPACT from mid 2006.
Christian Cage is NWA World Heavyweight Champion. The likes of Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, Raven, Ron Killings, Abyss and Monty Brown are all targeting The World Title. Also Kevin Nash is burring the young talent!
ECW on TNN from late 1999.
Taz is the dominant World Heavyweight Champion of extreme wrestling. Jerry Lynn is chasing Rob Van Dam and The ECW World Television Title. Raven has also made a huge return to win The ECW World Tag Team Championship with his nemesis Tommy Dreamer!
Mid-South Wrestling from late 1981 into early 1982.
Ted DiBiase is The North American Heavyweight Champion. Skandar Akbar and The Iron Sheik battle with "Precious" Paul Ellering.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Fuck Hogan and Easy E
Monday, August 26, 2013
Ring of Honor Wrestling 8/24/13 Report
It's been forever since I tried to watch Ring of Honor's TV show. My internet has really improved and I was able to watch with no problem.
The rules for the first match didn't make since. If you need to tag in to be a legal man it's not fair that it's not elimination. Well all 4 guys were indy guys and they did alright. With WWE looking to grab up more indy guys its a good idea for ROH to get unknowns onto TV. Brain Furry won the match to get a World Television Title match next week. The House of Truth acted like he was a real nobody.
Kevin Kelly being alone on commentary is just really weird. I think he did alright by himself at Killer Instinct but talking down #PartyBoys before they have an open match with C & C Wrestlefactory was stupid. And unless ROH has plans for #PartyBoys they should have just let C & C just squash them.
Steve Corino walking in on Kevin Kelly during Inside Ring of Honor was funny. Kelly didn't announce that reDRagon won The World Tag Team Titles back.
The main event was the opening match to The ROH World Championship Tournament, which was between Sonjay Dutt and Jay Lethal. This match was fun to watch and I think it would be cool to see more of Sonjay in ROH. The crowd did give him a good reaction. Before the match they pushed that ROH was returning to its roots.
This show was alright. We got a good main event for TV and this show is only and hour long so it didn't take too much of my time to get through. I hope they make Death Before Dishonor a live IPPV but with the problems they been having I don't really see that happening.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
'Restling Rewind: ECW on TNN Episode 2
That's right boys and girls! Rants of Wrestling is back with some extreme action. My understanding is that unlike the last show this one was tapped so hopefully this week is better then what we got last week.
Right away he have Taz defending The ECW World Heavyweight Championship against "The Japanese Buzz Saw" Yoshihiro Tajiri!
Tajiri has Steve Corino and Jack Victory in his corner. The crowd begins a "TNN" chant. I thought that was funny. I highly doubt ECW fans see Spike TV in the same light today.
Despite being so short this match is really fun to watch. The crowd is super hot and that just makes everything even more fun. Taz puts Tajiri away with The Tazmission. The Extreme Replay returns and without music! They must have gotten the hint that it was dumb to play music over the announcer. Things are really looking up.
Joey Styles is in the ring introducing everyone to ECW on TNN.
It isn't long before he's joined by "The Quintessential Studmuffin" Joel Gertner who announces that he's the new color commentator for ECW on TNN. Joey is not at all thrilled by the news and stomps his feet and Gertner enters the ring. Of course he comes with all his sexual jokes and rhymes.
Styles announces that they're interviewing Jerry Lynn! Lynn comes out to bash WWF and WCW before demanding that Rob Van Dam come to the ring and defend The ECW World Television Title.
Bill Alfonso comes out and gives credit for taking Van Dam to the limit but there's no way he's going to challenge him for the title yet again.
Well Fonzy slaps Lynn and Lynn going to kill him untill...
Van Dam makes the save and the two brawl it out before we take a commercial break.
Back from commercial we get Team 3D!!! We're told by Styles that this is going to be their last night in ECW.
And they're facing ECW World Tag Team Champions Balls Mahoney & Spike Dudley in a title match!
We get Joey Styles "Oh my God!" moment right away when Balls presses and throws Spike right onto his half brothers.
The match is very fast paced. Balls gets a table and spreads some thumbtacks onto it.
Balls gets ready to put Buh Buh throw the table the the tables get turned on Balls as Devon interferes and The Dudley Boys but Balls throw the table!
Joey and Joel plug Roller Ball before The Dudleys make their way back to the ring to talk down ECW and say how they're going to become legends in WWF and then become gods. He also states that if god could be a heel he'd be The Dudley Boys. Before leaving they want to finish old business and call out Tommy Dreamer to fight them.
Tommy takes out both Dudleys with a ladder.
The crowd goes insane when Raven storms the ring to make the save! Raven DDTs Buh Buh and pins him to crown new ECW World Tag Team Champions!
Tommy finds out that he's now a tag champion with Raven and he's not happy at all. He gives Raven the finger while Raven goes into the crowd.