JBL: The Future of WWE Commentary?

In wrestling, the main aim of every wrestler is to 'get over', get popular, entertain as many people as they can along the way, and make enough money to survive - in most cases, make enough money to be comfortable for the rest of their lives. To a point this is in their hands - after all, it is their responsibility and, hopefully their desire, to succeed. This will be achieved by a combination of in-ring ability and the talent to 'woo' a crowd on the microphone.

There are other, overlooked, factors that can also establish and elevate a wrestler. One of these is the use of commentary and the impression we get of a particular wrestler based on what we are told during a broadcast.

An example of this can be found every Friday night when Smackdown airs. JBL (John 'Bradshaw' Layfield) is currently the 'colour' commentator - a role that traditionally sides with, and defends the actions of, the heel/bad guy wrestler(s). He recently came back to the WWE to help out with commentary duties due to Jerry Lawler's on-air heart attack last year - a strangely serendipitous event.

For those of you that aren't aware of JBL and his previous work, here's a little background:

Justin 'Hawk' Bradshaw w/ Uncle Zebekiah

JBL debuted in the WWE in 1996 as Justin 'Hawk' Bradshaw, a cowboy-type character, sporting long brown hair and carrying a bullrope. During this time he was managed by Uncle Zebekiah (Dutch Mantel; Zeb Colter). This would be followed by having a run as 'Blackjack' Bradshaw with the legendary Barry Windham as part of the 'New Blackjacks'. This was short-lived and unsuccessful as they failed to achieve a Tag Team Championship run.

His first real success would be teaming up with Ron Simmons (Faarooq) to form 'Hell's Henchmen'. Their name was later changed to The Acolytes, as they were introduced as part of The Undertaker's Ministry of Darkness faction. During this time they would become multiple time Tag Team Champions - Bradshaw's greatest achievement to that date. The Acolytes would then change their name again to the APA (Acolyte Protection Agency) - this would be the height of their popularity as they would become babyfaces and be used mainly as a comedy duo in backstage segments. For the next few years they would be somewhat 'enhancement' talent - facing up-and-comers to give them credibility/elevation.

A few months into 2004, there was a need to elevate new stars as several top stars had left - Brock Lesnar, Goldberg (Stone Cold & The Rock the year before) - these voids were filled with the likes of Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero. A new, top heel was also required going forward. This would be when the transformation of APA Bradshaw into John 'Bradshaw' Layfield would take place.

After the storyline 'firing' of Ron Simmons, Bradshaw would come to ring to deliver promos on his real-life involvement, and success, in finance. He would become a villain as a result of these as he would portray a rich, suit wearing, I'm-better-than-you character, instantly raising him into the main event of Smackdown.

The Great American Bash of June 2004 would be JBL's greatest accomplishment in wrestling. This would be where he would defeat the late, great Eddie Guerrero in a Texas Bullrope match and capture the WWE Championship. This would be in a very controversial manner - something that would define a lot of his victories throughout a 280-day title reign. This reign would be the longest in Smackdown history at that time. Some have said that this title run was a disappointment, I have to disagree, though.

For someone that was thrust into the WWE title picture, with a new gimmick, and with the departure of some of the biggest names in wrestling, JBL did an incredible job of pulling off victory after victory throughout his one and only WWE title reign. He gave the title even more prestige (in a time when titles did still mean something).

The most important part of his championship run was probably the end. At Wrestlemania 21, JBL would face the rising star, John Cena. As history has shown us, Cena would go onto beat JBL and become one of the, if not the, biggest stars in wrestling history. I have to give a huge amount of credit to JBL for this. The 280-day title run that he had leading to Wrestlemania meant something, and in turn it meant something when Cena would capture the title from him.

JBL would first begin commentating in mid-2006. Instantly, he was a natural as he had already become a great talker in promos throughout the years. He would again return to the ring before leaving the company in 2009.

And now to the future... As said before, JBL returned to the WWE on a part time basis due to the heart attack suffered by Jerry Lawler. This was a godsend and a breathe of fresh air on commentary. With the return of Lawler to television, JBL would become full time and moved from Raw to Smackdown commentary alongside Josh Matthews (Play-by-play). This would be where he would shine and catch my attention.

Smackdown's scary-looking commentary team

As well as doing the typical colour commentator's 'backing the heel's actions', I have noticed that he really hypes wrestler's that need it. He does this in a way that makes you look and listen. In recent memory, he has given praise to the likes of Dolph Ziggler, Antonio Cesaro and the returning Mark Henry and Jack Swagger. He has also given huge credit to The Shield and their progress - stating that they are possibly the 'greatest three man team in the history of WWE'. He lets you know that these guys are the future, and that they are genuine threats to whoever they may be facing at the time. He also mocks those that need mocking - 3MB are a joke rock band - he emphasises this as well as laughing at them. In a way, he is saying what we're all thinking.

Another example that I noticed recently was that of hyping both wrestlers in a one-on-one match. Jack Swagger faced Zack Ryder in a match that was only ever going to be a squash (one sided affair). Even though Swagger dominated, and won, JBL listed Ryder's credentials as a former US Champion. This then informed us that, despite Ryder being fodder for Swagger, this is a great win for Swagger to obtain. Making Ryder seem relevant makes Swagger look that little stronger.

Something else I've also noticed him do is to refer to the past - legendary competitors from years gone by get a mention. I feel that this is important to the fans as they might then go off and Google such old stars, hopefully gaining a new appreciation and respect for those potential, and actual, Hall of Famers.

And don't worry; I haven't forgotten the past greats of this role I'm focusing on - in my lifetime there have been legends such as Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler gracing the commentary table. Giants amongst men.

Basically, wrestler's need to work extremely hard to get to the top. There's also a lot of luck involved - maybe being in the boss' good books could help? But a factor that surely helps them with the television audience is that of a convincing voice on commentary. Someone that convinces the audience that they believe in the wrestlers that they are speaking of.

In a way, commentators such as JBL, Michael Cole and Josh Matthews have to come across as bigger fans than we are. If they get excited by the action then that will rub off on us, too. Consciously, the wrestlers sell themselves to us; subconsciously, the commentators sell the wrestlers to us with their choice and use of words.

To sum up, as a wrestler, JBL will never go down in history as a John Cena or Hulk Hogan, but he will be remembered as a company man; a man that needed to do a job to help the company progress in, perhaps, hard times. He did an incredible job of leaving his tag-team-specialist roots and became one of the most hated heels in WWE history.

On commentary, JBL is fast becoming an expert - as he is in the business world. He grabs my attention in every episode of WWE television that I watch that he is present on. Much like his character adaption when wrestling, he has successfully adapted his ways to benefit the commentary position. Undoubtedly, a Hall of Famer in the future for his many contributions to WWE programming.

Not only a 'Wrestling God' but also a 'Commentary God'.

@jimmosangle

Mark Henry: Continuing the Dominance

On Monday 4th February, Mark Henry returned to WWE television. This was after a nine month long absence due to injury. This happened to be after a Rey Mysterio vs Daniel Bryan match that also had Elimination Chamber (the up-coming pay-per-view, at that time) implications.

Henry destroys Rey Mysterio, Raw 4/2/2013

He would go onto decimate both competitors as well as Rey's tag team partner, Sin Cara. A statement had been made. This would continue on the following Smackdown (Friday 8th February), where Henry would come to the ring after The Great Khali had just defeated Titus O'Neil. This would be where Henry would show his freakish strength by overpowering Khali and delivering the World's Strongest Slam.

Henry would then call out Smackdown General Manager, Booker T, to explain why he was not included in the Elimination Chamber match - after all, he is a former World Champion. Henry would continue his verbal assault, and threatened to destroy the Smackdown locker room and the Elimination Chamber competitors until there was a space for him in the match. This was a very convincing and to-the-point promo from Henry - letting Booker know that it was a 'critical' mistake overlooking him.

Booker would then make a match between Henry and Randy Orton, whereby if Henry won he would earn a spot in the Chamber match. This was achieved as he would dominate Orton and produce a World's Strongest Slam to gain the clean pinfall victory. This was a great feather in the cap of an already dangerous and serious threat to the other Chamber combatants. The following week on Smackdown; and final show before Elimination Chamber; Henry would face Orton again. This time Orton would have a game plan - to wear Henry down with a steel chair. This gained Henry a disqualification victory. Orton would attempt to wear Henry down further with the chair, but was overcome when Henry caught the chair and delivered another World's Strongest Slam - a very strong build leading into the pay-per-view.

Despite not winning the Chamber match - and not becoming number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship - Henry still came out of the match looking stronger than ever. It took a shot from Jack Swagger, a Codebreaker from Chris Jericho AND an RKO from Orton to dispose of Henry. Prior to this Henry had eliminated both Tag Team Champions - Daniel Bryan and Kane - with World's Strongest Slams.

On elimination, Henry re-entered the Chamber and left a further mark on the match - delivering his devastating finishing maneuver on all three of the remaining Chamber participants. So, despite being eliminated third, he still looked a monster heel - taking three opponents to get the job done. Strong.

So what's next for The World's Strongest Man?

Meaner, Angrier, Hungrier

 Monday Night Raw (18/2) following Elimination Chamber, was business as usual for Mark Henry. Michael Cole would remind us of Henry's path of destruction during the Chamber match. This would lead to a match between Henry and Sin Cara - a simple squash match. Henry looking dominant as always - it's been a joy to watch him deliver World's Strongest Slams to both Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio as them guys are so small in comparison to Henry that it looks truly crushing.

The end of this segment was a little worrying for Henry's future, though. The Great Khali came out to confront Henry - after Henry had attacked, and then beaten him in the space of a week. The worrying thing is that there shouldn't even be a confrontation again - Henry has already chewed Khali up and spat him out. There is no need to revisit this.

If the aim here is to give Henry another win over the giant Khali then I am in favour of that. But if the plan is to make Khali look strong in any way then it should not be happening. If you make Khali strong at the expense of Henry then you water down Henry's threat and momentum. Henry has returned and looks stronger, meaner and more focused than ever. WWE have a genuine monster on their hands here - someone that could become their number one heel if dealt with correctly.

With seven weeks before Wrestlemania, there needs to be a good program worked out for Henry - unless there already is one in the works. He has returned and, other than Brock Lesnar (who will only make sporadic appearances through the year), is the scariest, biggest, most unpredictable threat to the World Champions. He must be utilised in the right way.

Surely, the World Heavyweight Championship is in his future again?

Somebody is going to get their ass kicked.

@jimmosangle

WWE Elimination Chamber 2013 review 17/2/2013

Elimination Chamber 2013 - Sunday 17th February 2013

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Commentators: Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler & JBL

Pre-show

Brodus Clay & Tensai defeated Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow (Team Rhodes Scholars) after big splashes from both Clay and Tensai.

Main Show

World Heavyweight Championship
Alberto Del Rio (c) (w/ Ricardo Rodriguez) vs Big Show
After two Last Man Standing matches, this was the first straight-up one-on-one match between the two. A pin or submission over Big Show from Del Rio was definitely needed to legitimise his standing as World Champion. Leading up to this, Show stated that Del Rio had never pinned him. This would suggest that a pinfall victory would be on the cards to end this match and, in turn, the feud.

In moving forward, Del Rio needed a good showing here - this was produced as the two had another good match. This added to the Last Man Standing matches that the two had already put on. Credit to both guys during this feud - it has been a good elevation for Del Rio after he became a face out-of-the-blue at the end of last year.

More praise should go to Big Show, though. Not only has he put in the best heel performance of his career in the last six months, but he has also elevated Sheamus (further) and Del Rio to be genuinely credible Champions. He has also had some of the best matches of his career in this period.

I did expect a Dolph Ziggler cash-in at the end of this match, which didn't happen. Therefore the Elimination Chamber winner can be narrowed down to either Randy Orton, Mark Henry or Jack Swagger (if Dolph would've cashed in then my pick was Chris Jericho).
Winner (& still World Heavyweight Champion): Alberto Del Rio by submission - Cross-armbreaker

United States Championship
Antonio Cesaro (c) vs The Miz
Until the flat finish, this was a pretty nice, flowing match. The focus was definitely on Miz' injured shoulder (that Cesaro administered on Raw). This was Miz' 'out' if he were to lose and also to gain him sympathy due to trying to fight the odds.

This ended with an accidental knee to the groin, which gave Cesaro the disqualification victory. Therefore, not a definitive end to this feud - there's plenty of time to build these two to Wrestlemania now.
Winner (& still US Champion): Antonio Cesaro by disqualification - low blow

Elimination Chamber match - No. 1 Contendership to the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 29
Jack Swagger (w/ Zeb Colter) vs Kane vs Randy Orton vs Mark Henry vs Chris Jericho vs Daniel Bryan
To start with it should be noted that only four of these guys had a genuine chance of winning this match. Daniel Bryan and Kane have their own issue to deal with heading to Wrestlemania, so were purely here to make up the numbers. This was confirmed when they were the first two to be eliminated from the match.

The other four all had good reasons to win: Chris Jericho, not only has beef with Dolph Ziggler, but also seems to have a history with Del Rio and his family (as discussed on Main Event this past week) - this could've been explored further if Jericho would have won the Chamber. If Ziggler were to have cashed in earlier in the show, then Jericho would've been a genuine contender to win this match. Seeing as Dolph didn't, Jericho was then out of the equation in my eyes. He did, however, put in the performance of the match - lasting thirty minutes and being in the final three.

Randy Orton has been complaining for a while now that he hasn't been in the World Title picture. The stage was set for a possible win for him, and maybe heel turn should he have won.

Mark Henry was a favourite in this match due to his return and reopening of the 'Hall of Pain'. In the last few weeks, Henry has destroyed everyone in his path and has become one of the most dominating monsters again. Unfortunately, his downfall came when Jericho delivered a Codebreaker, followed by an Orton RKO. A positive from this match for Henry is that he decimated everyone when he entered the match. On leaving the Chamber, he returned to deliver World's Strongest Slams to Jericho, Orton and Swagger, before being confronted by referees and GM Booker T. Booked very strong.

The eventual winner, Jack Swagger, entered at number three and put in an impressive showing. He has a new gimmick (Xenophobe), a new manager (Colter) and even new music. There is a genuine mean streak about him, too. These are all positives going forward.

Order of entry: (Started match) Daniel Bryan & Chris Jericho (3) Jack Swagger (4) Kane (5) Randy Orton (6) Mark Henry

Order of elimination: (1) Daniel Bryan (by Henry - WSS) (2) Kane (by Henry - WSS) (3) Mark Henry (by Orton - RKO) (4) Chris Jericho (by Orton - RKO) (5) Randy Orton (by Swagger - roll up)
Winner (& No. 1 Contender to the WHC): Jack Swagger

Note: This is great going forward as Swagger/Colter are Xenophobes and the World Heavyweight Champion is Mexican. Result.

John Cena/Sheamus/Ryback vs The Shield; Reigns/Ambrose/Rollins
Another great showing from The Shield. They look the part and, more importantly, look like they belong in the ring with the three 'Superfaces'. Periods of this match saw them dominate Sheamus and, for the main part, Cena. JBL pointed out again that they are the 'greatest three man team' in the history of WWE.

Chaos ensued towards the end of the match; Roman Reigns delivered an impressive Spear to Sheamus to send him through the safety barrier... shortly after, it seemed that Cena and Ryback were going to deliver stereo-finishers on Ambrose and Rollins, until Reigns entered the ring again to spear Ryback out of his boots, allowing Rollins to fall on him and cover for the three count. A very impressive win for The Shield, solidifying their position. Cena, Ryback and Sheamus were never going to be hurt by this loss - Shield would have been, though - so this was the right result. Ryback really needs something soon, though; he can't keep suffering PPV loss after loss.
Winners: The Shield - Spear from Reigns allowed Rollins to pin Ryback

Dolph Ziggler (w/ AJ & Big E Langston) vs Kofi Kingston
This was an impromptu match set up by Booker T after Dolph complained that he was not booked to compete. Surely, the future of the company should be on every PPV that he can be? I'd have liked a match to have been made leading up to the pay-per-view instead though; not just throwing Ziggler into any old match.

What made this match even more of a last minute thing was the inclusion of everybody's favourite jobber, Kofi Kingston. When he came out I feared that this was going to be the turning point for Kofi - maybe the start of him winning again. I hoped not as Kofi has fallen so far in such a short amount of time that it would have been ridiculous for him to gain a victory over Ziggler. Especially with Ziggler being in the position he is in at the moment.

I was pleased to see that after interference from AJ and Big E, Kofi fell victim to the Zig-Zag. Basically, a drawn out squash match. This could have been saved for a Raw or Smackdown; it was a worthless win for Ziggler as it was thrown in there at the last minute, and was over someone that has lost so much credibility lately that it means absolutely nothing. This segment was concluded when Big E got in the ring and destroyed Kofi. I took great pleasure in this - a good piece of exposure for Langston here, too.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler - Zig-Zag

Diva's Championship
Kaitlyn (c) vs Tamina Snuka
This is probably the best that the Diva's division has - apart from the wasted Natalya. This was my initial thought to this match that was later confirmed when the other divas were shown backstage watching; Aksana, Natalya, Layla and the Funkadactyls; Naomi and Cameron... a sorry looking division compared to years gone by.
Winner (& still Diva's Champion): Kaitlyn - Spear

WWE Championship - If Rock is counted out or disqualified, he loses the title
The Rock (c) vs CM Punk
Not a lot to say here really. The stipulation was put in place to add an element of intrigue into this very predictable match. There was only one time this was utilised, though, with CM Punk Rock Bottoming Rock on the Spanish Announce Table (I say 'on' and not 'through' as the announce table stayed strong for the first time in its career!) before Rock made it back in the ring at the count of nine. As soon as The Rock won at Royal Rumble the inevitable was reality. This match was just to pass the time before the final build-up to Wrestlemania.

A positive to take from this match, and feud, is that CM Punk more than hung with The Rock. He easily won the battle on the microphone and stood up to the challenge in the ring. He also looked strong, especially in this match; kicking out of the Rock Bottom and People's Elbow before succumbing to a second Rock Bottom. He'll also have something to say about not getting the win when he hit a GTS with the referee down. Hopefully, when Rock's left for Hollywood again, Punk will be as strong as ever when he takes up chasing Cena for the belt.
Winner (& still WWE Champion): The Rock - Rock Bottom

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this pay-per-view. The first four matches were very strong and continued stories and builds of certain individuals.

Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry and The Shield came out of this looking better than ever. The Miz and Antonio Cesaro continued their feud and for the first time I can see this feud having legs. Hopefully WWE will use the next seven weeks to build this to its full potential.

I was disappointed that Ziggler didn't cash-in or get involved in the Chamber to screw Jericho. It would've just been nice to get the ball rolling on their feud leading to Wrestlemania. I was also disappointed that they just threw the match with Kingston together. It was a worthless win due to a worthless opponent. Maybe the intention was to give Big E some time in the ring and show what he brings to the table.

By the main event, I was still hanging onto the memories of the first four matches. I had no excitement or expectations from Rock vs Punk. I knew that the stipulation was added to give the impression that Punk could sneak it but this was just NEVER going to happen. Cena vs Rock has been carved in stone for, quite possibly, the last year. A good match still, but it's hard to invest in a match emotionally when you know the ultimate goal and end result.

Still, not to take anything away from this pay-per-view - a very positive showing from WWE leading up to Wrestlemania.

@jimmosangle

Film: Warm Bodies (15) - Why a Zombie Apocalypse might not be the end of the world

I really like films that have a good and unique idea. They might not necessarily be the 'greatest' films ever made but they have a place in my DVD collection. Examples of this include Vanilla Sky (Tom Cruise) and The Butterfly Effect (Ashton Kutcher) - probably not your cup of tea, or not likely to be on the 'greatest movies ever' lists, but amongst my favourites anyway.

A film at the other end of the scale would be the masterpiece 'Inception'. I'd like to think I'm right in thinking that this will eventually be seen as one of the best films ever made. This is a great example of a film that I could never have imagined before I saw it. That, to me, is great film making - something that is such a great idea and captivates you throughout, wondering what's coming next, and how it might pan out.

This leads me to a film that I saw last night - Warm Bodies. This stars Teresa Palmer, and Nicholas Hoult as a zombie, who still has the ability to think. Hoult also narrates throughout the early stages of the film, giving the zombie perspective of an apocalypse. This is something I have never seen before. He attempts to explain why zombies do what they do and the awkwardness that comes with certain things: conversations with his 'best friend', M/Marcus (Rob Corddrey) being nothing more than a grunt-fest.

I really liked this take on the zombie film genre. Every other film involving zombies are always from our (living humans) point of view - our thoughts, feelings, worries and hope for the future; if there will be one, that is. This is the first time I have seen things through their eyes.

When I entered the theatre to watch Warm Bodies, I wasn't sure what to expect. The first five minutes hooked me in, though. Hoult introduced himself (unsure of his 'living' name; only remembering that it started with an 'R') and goes onto explains what it's like to 'live' life as a zombie. He also talks of his desire to 'feel' again and, essentially, live again.

He meets Julie (Palmer), whilst attacking her and a group of friends in an abandoned drugstore. During the fight that ensues, he smears his own 'stink' over her head so that the other zombies can't sense her. After uttering some of the only words he knows, he leads Julie to his home - an abandoned aircraft (at an airport) - where he eventually gains her trust. A surprise to her and to us as the audience, as it would be the norm in any other film for zombie to devour human.

During the opening scene's narration, R has a vision of the airport, with living people walking around:

"It must have been so much better before. When everyone could express themselves and communicate their feelings and just enjoy each others company."

This is accompanied by virtually everybody in that vision on, or looking at, their phones/mobile devices. This is a great example of how things weren't that great before - and something that is extremely wrong with our society today. Even before any apocalypse that may happen in the future, normal, face-to-face conversation is... dead.

This goes nicely with a other examples of 'how things used to be'. Before their meeting, and during their time in the aeroplane, R (Hoult) plays records on his gramophone. This is something that Julie questions him over - why does he use a gramophone over, say, an ipod?

"Better sound... more alive" (whilst rotating his finger like a record).

There are several pieces of music throughout (as there is with every film!), that really encompass the mood of how a zombie might feel. R plays John Waite's 'Missing You' on his gramophone:

"And there's a storm raging,

Through my frozen heart tonight."

To add to this Julie shuffles through his record collection and finds a Bruce Springsteen classic, 'Hungry Heart':

"Everybody wants a place to rest
Everybody wants to have a home
Don't make no difference what nobody says
Ain't nobody like to be alone."

These are great song choices as not only do they convey how a zombie might feel, as well as a human, but they are classic songs - in an apocalyptic world simple pleasures such as records; old classics such as these; would be such a comforting thing to hear. Additionally, there is the use of a Polaroid camera later in the film - showing that old hardware produces and preserves the best lasting memories.

This film is without doubt a comedy. It also has a very serious message (with the examples above) of how we take the things we have for granted - ipods, digital cameras, mobile phones and even the internet. These things also get in the way of true, organic human interaction. It also shows that, as humans, we will always see the good in others - whether that is fellow humans... or even zombies.

The most important message that it has on offer is the importance, and power, of human connection. This is displayed throughout the film, with the use of music, interaction and belief that there is good in everyone. The most important example is that of human touch - holding hands. After seeing R and Julie holding hands, the zombies, led by M/Marcus, feel something. This is later confirmed when they see more hand holding. It gives them hope that they can change. This change then leads M/Marcus to dream. This in turn gives hope for the future - that there can be a different, brighter future for them. It makes them feel more alive.

Ultimately, I don't wish for a zombie apocalypse, but it would make us realise what is important in life. It would open our eyes to what simple things we have at our disposal to make us happy and to connect with others.

Although this film does have a similar message to that of other zombie films - hope for the future; never giving up - it's nice that instead of a cure/antidote to get things back to normal, it shows that simple human emotion is the best medicine.

Here is the first four minutes of the film, just as a taster for you to go and see it:

@jimmosangle

St Valentine's Day Massacre

A Quick Note on Valentine's Day...

Valentine's Day is upon us again and with it comes the usual lovey-dovey messages, cards, presents AND, also, haters. I've only known this to be the case in the last couple of years - people who like to piss over the 'Christmas for Lovers'. They don't just pick on Valentine's Day, either. They also attack Wannabe-Weathermen/women, too.

Here in England, we've had a bit of snow/ice in the last couple of months. Admittedly, BUGGER ALL, but still enough to get people worrying that an inch of snow is going to ruin their lives.

My issue with both situations has changed slightly in the last day, though. I, too, get a little annoyed with the Facebook/Twitter/average Joe on the street updates/complaints on the status of the weather and also the excessive, over-the-top gestures that are swapped on Valentine's Day.

But, today I questioned whether that bothers me as much as the people hating on those people!

The negativity towards these examples seem to be increasing and it's a little worrying how bothered we're getting by a simple show of affection. I've read, and heard, several comments today regarding the efforts made by people in relationships throughout the year; stating that if they're so 'in love', why not show this ALL year round instead of just making a show of it on February 14th. I admit, this is a worthy point. But, if single people are hating on Valentine's Day it could be seen as bitterness. It could also be used as an excuse to look good in front of your partner - saving money in the process! This will, more than likely, lead you to man's biggest relationship enemy - The Doghouse.

Here's my defence of February 14th then; if you're currently in a relationship or have ever been in one, you'll know that the other 364 days of the year aren't necessarily all sweet and plain sailing. It would be ridiculous to say that everyday of the year is going to be great. It would be magical if that was the case but there will ALWAYS be bumps in the road!

Possibly the best point that could be made is that blokes will be blokes - we all need prompting to do the simplest of things. It is just not in a man's nature to be romantic for the whole year. We're far too busy with other stuff...

Therefore, the argument for showing how much you care for your partner the rest of the year is pretty much void. Yes, you can make a pretty good effort - which surely we all do? Otherwise we WOULDN'T be together still, right?

The other thing to consider is that if we did provide Valentine's-Day-level romance the rest of the year, that crazy little thing called 'Love' wouldn't be as special, would it?

Anyway, there's no harm in having a day of the year that emphasises how much we care. AND what about the guys that DO make the effort all year round AND come Valentine's Day they put that extra effort in? Surely they're exempt from any ridicule? Or maybe they should get the most due to showing everyone else up!

Rant over! Enjoy your V-Days - don't choke on your bondage gags too much...

Oh, and sorry to the wrestling fans that thought this article was about that crappy pay-per-view from Feb 1999!!

@jimmosangle

Dexter: Season 7 review: Episode 6

Episode 6 - 'Do the Wrong Thing'
This episode concentrated mainly on the developing relationship between Dexter and Hannah McKay.

Dexter made the mistake of accusing Hannah of killing one of the people that they had found in the previous episode. He would have to get back on her good side to be able to get anywhere near uncovering if she has killed more than this. After all, he wants more evidence so that he has a basis to kill her.

He changes the blood report from the Randall scene so that it only incriminates Randall as being the sole killer. When he shows this to Hannah as a piece offering, she seems happy - I think she likes Dexter and this lets her know that he is a good guy. During this interaction, Dexter wipes dirt from Hannah's face to which she defends with 'I can get pretty dirty' - something that Dexter will find out soon no doubt! To keep the conversation going, he then tells Hannah he wants a plant. This is the first of two examples of Dexter nervously stuttering to get more time in Hannah's presence.

They also share stories of loved ones passing away - Dexter tells of Rita being murdered; Hannah of her husband's heart attack, as well as her mentor and previous owner of the nursery - Beverly Grey - passing away, too. This leads Dexter to question himself as to if Hannah had anything to do with that. After looking into her death, Dexter thinks that there is a motive there for Hannah to have killed her as she had been left everything in Beverly's will.

After copying files (from new character Sal Price - more on him later), Dexter learns about a poisonous plant that could have been used to aid a heart attack for both Beverly Grey and Hannah's deceased husband - Aconite. As he is looking through this, Hannah shows up at his house and they have an interesting exchange where she brings him a new plant - to replace the one he had taken earlier - this one is more fitting to Dexter though; it has spots on it that looks very similar to blood spatter.

In their next meeting (at the nursery), Hannah questions Dexter's motives as he is always coming to see her. In the second example of Dexter panicking for a response, he cleverly responds with a nice double meaning - 'I wanna take you out'. Eventually, after she shares her fears to such an occasion, she agrees. This brings another comedy line from Harry - 'A date? Really?'.

 This 'date' is the final segment of the episode and revolves around a closed amusement park. Is this the setting that Dexter needs to finally dispose of her? They walk along in the dark and Hannah holds Dexter's hand - this is something that, again, makes Dexter uneasy. He's very un-Dexter-like around her. After giving her the chance to reminisce, he drugs her and restrains her to a table ready for his next kill. Dexter gets 'in the zone' before Hannah tells him to 'do what you gotta do'... this results in Dexter cutting the plastic off her, followed by them kissing and having sex. The tension has been there for a few episodes now.

Everything else took a back seat in this episode;

• Isaac continued to show what a dangerous man he is; showing absolutely no fear in prison when a Colombian confronts him. He also talks with George (Novikov) about getting him out and making sure that Joey (Quinn) complies.
• Connected to this, Joey gives the bribe money back to George, who after the above conversation with Isaac, talks Joey into seeing things their way - for Nadia's sake. This ensures that Joey plays ball with them; later taking evidence away that will free Isaac from prison.
• Batista expresses his desire to retire and open up a restaurant. Jamie (sister) wants him to use caution in any decision he makes. Later, he tells Joey of his thoughts which Masuka overhears before blabbing to Deb - this leads to a heart to heart between Deb and Batista; she is clearly upset at the thought of losing such a great friend and colleague.
• Newbie Sal Price - a writer on the original Randall spree - enters the scene with two intentions:(1) to get to the bottom of the new findings in the Hannah McKay situation and (2) to date Deb. On the said date with Deb he reveals that his blood spatter guy found that there was a second, smaller killer involved in the bodies that they had previously found - this incriminates Hannah and shows that Dexter has lied AGAIN to Deb.
• Lastly, LaGuerta digs deeper into the Bay Harbour Butcher case and says that she feels there maybe a link between other missing people/unsolved cases - such as the 'barrel girls' (Lumen Pierce and Jordan Chase situation, Season 5). Deb and Dexter talk about this later and it becomes apparent that Dexter was working with Lumen - and that they were together - this is some more wonderful news for Deb!

Summary
This episode delved further into Dexter and Hannah's growing closeness. By the end the tension boils over and is nearly cut with a knife. After Sal Price's admission to Deb there will be questions asked regarding Dexter's blood work, though. She knows that he had a relationship with Lumen and will soon put two and two together regarding his cover up on behalf of Hannah.

Joey is firmly in the pocket of George and the Koshka brotherhood as a result of caring for Nadia too much. This will undoubtedly lead to the release of Isaac Sirko so that he can try to gain revenge on Dexter.

LaGuerta is getting closer and closer, the more she digs into the Bay Harbour Butcher case. All of these situations will eventually have Dexter feeling that the walls are closing in on him.

Wrestlemania Season

The Royal Rumble has been and gone now and I think we've all settled down and stopped crying after the inevitable happened - The Rock winning the WWE Championship and John Cena winning the Royal Rumble match - which will lead us to their second encounter at Wrestlemania 29. Nothing more needs to be said - Cena will, undoubtedly, get his win back.

As a result of this, they will need to be separated until they can build towards their up coming money-spinner. This will happen with the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. The Rock will face off in a rematch against former champion CM Punk, while Cena will join forces with Ryback and Sheamus to try to get some retribution against The Shield. The separation between Rock and Cena will be made easier as it appears that The Rock won't be on Raw a hell of a lot - this weeks Raw an example of that - I don't even remember an excuse as to why he wasn't present being made, either.

So what will go down at Elimination Chamber? Well, I can't see anything other than a Rock win against Punk - is it even worth watching? As for Team Cena vs The Shield, I'm not so sure.

There seems to be a lot of rumours/talk that this should be an Elimination Chamber match. This baffles me. Why does it have to be that type of match? The WWE are giving us a Chamber match for the number one contendership for the World Heavyweight Title; they've covered their ass there as far as matching up to the name of the pay-per-view? And anyway, it's a ELIMINATION Chamber match - where you, y'know, ELIMINATE each other until there's ONE winner?! Simply doesn't make sense and is not needed.

For me, this will be a simple six-man-tag match that will be an all-out brawl - and if it's on after the WHC number one contender's match, then I expect to see the Chamber lower, trapping The Shield for the beatdown that they have had coming to them. I hope for this but I also hope The Shield don't simply lose - that could be very damaging to them.

So what should we expect from our Wrestlemania build-up? Who should we expect to face off with each other in the next two months? Let's start with our two mid-card champions;

Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, and United States Champion Antonio Cesaro look to be very dominant mid-card champions. Cesaro in particular has been made to look a strong champion, as well as elevating the belt's worth along with his own. As it stands though, they both have somewhat 'nothing' opponents - Barrett is currently having a small rivalry with NXT up-and-comer Bo Dallas. This has been good exposure for Dallas since his Royal Rumble appearance and subsequent surprise win over Barrett the following night on Raw. This will end soon though; I can maybe see it going to the Elimination Chamber where Barrett retains, teaching Dallas a lesson in the process, before he returns to NXT. But then what is next for Barrett? He has disposed of Kofi, who in turn has jobbed to others or not been on tv. There could've been an Intercontinental Cup Tournament on Main Event to determine a new number one contender, but this was scrapped last minute.

Cesaro is currently feuding with The Miz. This is possibly the most credible opponent that he has faced to date. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that this feud has much left in it as Cesaro defeated Miz in the pre-show of Royal Rumble. This can't be a good sign. Cesaro's reign has been so dominant that it is hard to see someone on the roster worthy enough, as well as believable enough, to dethrone him at the moment. With all this Cesaro 'never being beaten by an American' talk, though, surely he should have a surprise US hero to face (and beat) for Wrestlemania? No one springs to mind though...

Along with these rising stars, there is also questions over the futures of Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes. In my eyes, these were the biggest threat to Kane/Daniel Bryan's Tag Team Championship reign. After the Rumble they decided to remain 'best friends' but part ways to pursue singles careers - which hasn't worked out for them - jobbing to John Cena, Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio in the last couple of weeks. Now, some might see this as good exposure; to be seen in the ring with the main event crew; but we've seen this before, haven't we? These talented guys have jobbed to the Cenas and Sheamus' on every outing - most of the time in complete squashes. How is this elevating them?

This brings me to the Tag Team Champions - Kane and Daniel Bryan. It seems very likely that despite the harmony that they have found recently, the end is near for this pair. Maybe it's the right time, too. Recently, the spark and comedy that was once there, is now dying. There's been several examples of tension between the two, and I think this will escalate if both are included in the Elimination Chamber match at the pay-per-view of the same name. There are two shames to this: (1) It feels kind of cheap and predictable that they are going to split-up - the teasing of dissension in the ranks kind of feels like there's no other route to go now that they (WWE) have made the decision. (2) If this was the case, why not keep Rhodes/Sandow together and win the titles to legitimise their team? Then run the Tag Team division with them at the top? If not, who will be the next Tag Team Champions?

The obligatory Elimination Chamber match that the WWE will give us will be for the number one contendership of the World Heavyweight Championship. This match, it seems, will be contested by ONLY former World Champions. So far it seems as though Randy Orton and Fat Rey have been handed spots because they're Booker T's favourites. Daniel Bryan has since been added to the match. This leaves three spots to fill.

It appears that to continue the rift in their tag team, Kane will probably be entered into the match to have a further falling out with Daniel Bryan. The other two spots are still a little debatable. With the returns of Mark Henry and Jack Swagger, it seems that some fresh faces might be added to this match. These are my picks (along with Kane) to fill the remaining spots. I was a little worried that they were going to put Khali in there, but after being disposed of by Henry on the latest Smackdown - hopefully for good - it seems that his chances are over. Good. It would be good to see some dominant heels smash everyone in the Chamber.

Cody Rhodes has also staked his claim at the World Heavyweight Championship. I'm not sure if this is just testing the waters at the moment, though. Although he got put in his place by Alberto Del Rio on Raw, he then went on to beat everyone's favourite jobber; Kofi Kingston, on Smackdown. He also continues to say that he should be in the Chamber match (despite not being a former World Champion); maybe he'll still get in there somehow?

The last two superstars that I'll comment on are possibly two of the most important going forward. Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler.

Chris Jericho returned at the Royal Rumble to a HUGE ovation. It was a well kept secret, for once. This led to he and Ziggler going at it for the best part of 50 minutes before Jericho was eliminated. A great showing by Jericho. And a great return.

It's common knowledge that Jericho is only about until Wrestlemania's done. So where will he be used? The good thing with Jericho, over most 'part timers', is that he's here to invest in the future - he proved this last year by putting over CM Punk, Sheamus and Ziggler before being 'exiled' by Ziggler just after Summerslam. What a perfect excuse to resurrect this rivalry.

To keep Ziggler busy until he cashes in Money in the Bank, and to elevate him further, what better way than to have a well put together program leading to Wrestlemania with a megastar like Jericho. Maybe these two can go at it for the next two months - having a match at Elimination Chamber, before having a epic, 'blow-off' match at Wrestlemania that leads Ziggler to be a legitimate, 'ready' contender to cash in.

The other option that I've heard thrown around is that Jericho will turn heel and feud with Ryback. I'm not sure what worth this has? Yes, Jericho is here to elevate but I think he's way too popular for this potential turn. I don't think people would care enough if he turned on Ryback. Also, it would be a desperate move to bring something new to the table as far as Ryback goes. He's kind of lost that momentum he had lately, and is in need of something to get him back on track. At Wrestlemania, I can see him in some kind of match to finally end the feud with The Shield. Possibly he, Sheamus and 'Partner X' to face off with the former NXTers.

I've been trying to figure out how the Wrestlemania card might play out and so far I've got about nine matches noted down WITHOUT even considering Rhodes/Sandow/Barrett/Cesaro... worrying. Someone will be missing out, that's for sure.

@jimmosangle

Stuck in the Mid-card: Is Kofi Kingston the 'new' Shelton Benjamin?

For a while now I have been thinking that Kofi Kingston and Shelton Benjamin have got a lot in common. And this is not a black thing. Kofi's current predicament and booking is baffling to me. Of everyone I can think of in my time watching wrestling, I can't see anybody that compares as much to him as Benjamin does.

In this post, I'm going to attempt to show that Kofi seems to be stuck in the same 'mid-card obscurity' that Shelton found himself in, pretty much his whole WWE career.

Shelton Benjamin
Shelton 'graduated' from OVW in the same era as future World Champions Brock Lesnar (his former tag team partner in OVW), Randy Orton, Dave Batista and John Cena. He was first introduced to WWE fans at the end of 2002, forming a tag team with Charlie Haas, and aligning themselves with Kurt Angle to form Team Angle.

This would result in them having a high-profile first feud with main event stars Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit and Edge - a hugely trusted first taste of WWE life. Benjamin and Haas would go into their first Wrestlemania (19) as Tag Team Champions, just a short three months after their television debut. They would successfully defend their titles - winning on the grandest stage of the year so early on must have meant that big things were expected of these young men.

After Wrestlemania XX, in 2004, Shelton was thrust into his first big test as a singles competitor - feuding with Triple H and Evolution. He would go onto defeat 'The Game' three times before feuding - unsuccessfully - with Randy Orton for the Intercontinental Championship. A huge step in the early career of Benjamin. This would be the start of something special, no?

Shelton's 1st IC Title win

Through the rest of 2004, Shelton would continue to chase the Intercontinental Title eventually winning it from Chris Jericho at Taboo Tuesday 2004 - his first singles title. This would lead to the longest IC Title reign of the decade; eventually losing it in mid-2005. During this time, and throughout 2006, Benjamin would have interactions with the likes of Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair in what could be seen as an attempt to push him towards the main event scene (this would also involve a time when 'Momma Benjamin' would be a prominent character in Benjamin's feuds).

Benjamin's finest hours have been at Wrestlemania during the Money in the Bank matches. He competed in the inaugural MITB ladder match at Wrestlemania 21 (won by Edge), and would go onto compete in a further four of this match type - failing to win the briefcase/contract on every occasion despite having the standout performance of the match.

From the end of 2007 until his release in April 2010, Shelton would either be used on Smackdown or in the lesser-ECW brand. It was during this time that things would go downhill for him - although he would go onto win the US Title; including a 243 day reign. He would 'put over' several up-and-comers in Sheamus and newbie Kofi Kingston (more on this later).

Since his release, Shelton has enjoyed success on the independent scene as well as another run with Haas in Ring of Honor. There has also been rumours of a return to the WWE.

Championships in WWE:

• 3 time Intercontinental Champion
• 1 time United States Champion
• 2 time WWE Tag Team Champion (w/ Haas)

Kofi Kingston
Kofi debuted on the ECW brand in January 2008 and would go on a winning streak before being drafted to Raw in April of the same year. Clearly, big things were in the future of Kofi if they were moving him to the A-Show.

In late 2008, Kofi would have his first taste of WWE gold when he beat Chris Jericho at Night of Champions for the Intercontinental Championship - repeating Shelton's accomplishment. He would also go onto win World Tag Team gold with CM Punk in October.

2009 would be an eventful year for Kofi, seeing him have some exposure at the top of the card. He would earn an Elimination Chamber spot (No Way Out) but did not compete due to Edge's attack. At Wrestlemania he would follow in Shelton's footsteps and compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match (along with Shelton) in a losing effort. A four month United States Championship reign would happen later in the year, before Kofi would get the best opportunity yet - a feud with a top star.

In late October, Kofi would start a feud with Randy Orton due to Orton feeling that Kofi cost him a WWE Championship opportunity. This would lead to a traditional Survivor Series match between the two and their teams. Kofi would be victorious in this contest - lastly pinning Orton to be the sole survivor. A great achievement in Kofi's short career. The future looked bright, right?

Unfortunately, an opportunity was missed as Orton would end this feud with a victory at the TLC pay-per-view in Decemeber. Kofi would then get a number one contendership match (vs Orton vs John Cena) in January 2010, in which Orton scored the pinfall on him. Just when things were looking up, Kofi's momentum was lost.

After this taster of the main event, the Intercontinental Championship was the trophy that Kofi, once again, would compete for. This would be the case throughout 2010, 2011 and 2012 - with United States and Tag Team success along the way. Kofi could never seem to shake the 'mid-card' tag off.

As of late, Kofi hasn't been spectacular. In the last few months of last year, he was engaged in a feud over the IC Title with The Miz. This was prematurely ended when The Miz began a face run. Kofi's next challenger was Wade Barrett - another guy who was, and is, in desperate need of a main event push. This resulted in Barrett winning the IC Title from Kofi; Barrett has not looked back since. Unlike Kofi, Barrett has, for the most, been a strong Champion.

Unfortunately since this loss, Kofi has gone back to being a nothing; a jobber to those that need it - he's become 'that guy' who it looks good when you beat them. This is not good for Kofi though. Everytime he gets a good run; becomes worth something; he is then knocked back to square one.

As Champion, he looked weak - losing constantly and decisively to Barrett and even losing to Antonio Cesaro (current US Champion) several times whilst being IC Champion. Kofi, along with the belt, took a knock there. In recent weeks, Kofi has either not been on TV or has jobbed to the likes of Big Show and a returning Jack Swagger in squash matches (losing in under a minute to Big Show a few weeks ago).

Championships in WWE:

• 4 time Intercontinental Champion
• 2 time United States Champion
• 1 time World Tag Team Champion (w/ CM Punk)
• 2 time WWE Tag Team Champion (w/ Evan Bourne; R-Truth)

Crossing Paths...
From these profiles, you can see that there was an overlap in their WWE careers (2008-2010). Looking into this further, I found that there seems to be a passing of the torch along the way.

When Kofi debuted in ECW in 2008, his first major feud was against Benjamin. They traded wins (resulting in the end of Kofi's undefeated streak) before Kofi would end the feud with a win in an Extreme Rules match on ECW in June 2008.

They have also competed in two Money in the Bank matches at Wrestlemanias 25 and 26 (won by CM Punk and Jack Swagger). They have both failed in their pursuits of the briefcase/contract that comes with winning that match.

Verdict
It almost feels as though Benjamin has passed on the bad luck/inability to get to the main event scene when the two faced off in Kofi's first major feud. After Shelton's downfall and release, it seems as though Kofi has taken over the job of propping up the mid-card and putting over the up-and-comers in the process.

It's been said that they are both unable to work competently on the mic. This is somewhat true; neither were/are dazzling on the mic; but this shouldn't solely hinder their attack of the main event scene - Jeff Hardy is awful on the mic (in my opinion) and he's been a multiple time World Champion. Each man's ability in the ring is good enough to feature in main event matches. I just can't put my finger on why neither man - Shelton before; Kofi now - can't make that step up.

Both men have been given the opportunities; whether it be against future Hall of Famers Triple H and Randy Orton, or in Money in the Bank ladder matches. For me, the MITB match is the ideal chance to give them the push into the main event - this has been the case with Jack Swagger and The Miz; two such superstars that have since been brought back down to earth after somewhat unsuccessful World Title runs. This test could be placed upon Kofi Kingston and, with the amount of MITB matches to his name; Shelton Benjamin, too.

Could a World Championship be in Kofi's future?

With his release in 2010, it seems that Shelton's opportunity has passed. Kofi, on the other hand, is still fairly young and, with the right direction, could still get himself to the top of the pile - this is if the WWE have enough faith in him to move away from putting people over at the mid-card stage of the card, and give him the strong push that his talents deserve.

My Weekend of (British) Wrestling

This weekend saw me attend my first British Wrestling events for some time. Unfortunately, I live in an area that isn't well catered with a good fix of wrestling! As it stands, the closest organisations that I am aware of are in Gloucester (over an hour and a half's drive) and Wolverhampton/Midlands (around the same journey time). In England this is a fairly long trek! But if you really want to see some top action, this is what is required to get that buzz.

Saturday 2nd February 2013 - Pro EVW - Lydney Town Hall, Gloucester
Saturday saw me, along with three friends - one wrestler, one referee and the ring announcer - go along to the Gloucestershire-based promotion Pro Evolution Wrestling. Along the way, these guys shared wrestling related stories and insight that I found fascinating to hear. I'm always willing to learn something new when it comes to wrestling and I'm always interested in what these guys have to say.

We entered the venue (Lydney Town Hall, Gloucester) and I felt very nervous as I wanted to be respectful but wasn't sure how to conduct myself. It was also extremely cold there! My nerves were eased when I started to meet the crew of guys that were either putting the ring together, or the wrestlers that would be putting the show on later that evening. I then felt very welcome. I still wanted to keep myself to myself until I was told otherwise.

During the afternoon and setting up of things, I was very interested in seeing the guys training and warming up in the ring. Two of the most popular faces in this promotion, Zak Garrett and Justin Sysem, were warming up at one stage and challenging each other with agility exercises/drills. It was really interesting to see their athleticism on display before the show. I had previously seen Garrett at other shows and hadn't given him enough credit. Other wrestlers around, including a well respected veteran, complimented him on his progress; something he was very grateful to hear.

All checks were made, and fans entered the venue as show time approached. My announcer friend [Hank McCoy] and referee Paz made their way to the ring to start proceedings. What happened next was five very entertaining matches; classic 'good guy' vs 'bad guy' encounters that is the beauty and very basic element that I look for in wrestling.

Results

• Zak Garrett pinned Sam Beech
• Pro EVW Tag Team Championship (vacant): The Magnums; 'Filthy' Chris Walker & 'Dirty Dick' Nick Reilly defeated The Lionhearts; Eddie Ryan & Jason Larusso to become new Pro EVW Tag Team Champions
• 'The Saviour' JD Knight pinned 'The Natural' Stevie Jones
• UK Dominator defeated Justin 'The Hammer' Sysem via DQ
• Pro EVW Heavyweight Championship: 'The Shark' Chris Andrews defeated  'Hotshot' Joey Sniper (c) to become new Pro EVW Heavyweight Champion

Comedy of the night - The Magnums' slimey, filthy, tactics along with being caught in a compromising situation early on.

Match of the night - UK Dominator vs Justin Sysem; great heel/face battle with experience shining through for the veteran.


Sunday 3rd February 2013 - AWW - Wolverhampton Civic Hall
On Sunday afternoon, Hank McCoy (doing Colour Commentary on this show) and I travelled up to Wolverhampton to see the AWW (Alternative Wrestling World) show 'Breaking Point'. As we entered the building, I was lucky enough to meet some of the wrestlers, including former WWE and TNA star Brian Kendrick. I introduced myself, as he did - a very polite, nice guy.

Similar to the previous day/evening, I was fortunate to see some of the wrestlers warming up and training in their own unique ways. Around this time, other friends, along with Referee Paz arrived and we all said hello. For this particular show, Paz had brought his friend Jay along to watch - I had the pleasure of talking with him throughout the show and we shared our memories of watching wrestling throughout our lives. It was really encouraging to learn that Jay really wants to get into the wrestling business. I don't think I've ever spoken to someone so adamant that that's what they are going to do.

During the evening of eight matches, we commented on each and got equally excited by the action that was put on for us, and the 250+ crowd, in attendance.

The match of the evening, and possibly the weekend, was a very welcome surprise. Let me share a little background to why: my experience of women/ladies wrestling is limited to either the 'Divas' of the WWE or the 'Knockouts' of TNA. Both, to me, are simply very beautiful women that are awful to watch wrestle - no disrespect to them but they are too much about looks, and a very small amount of wrestling ability. The two ladies on show for us at AWW -Emi Sakura and Shanna - were quite possibly the best I have ever seen. Unlike WWE/TNA, these ladies didn't pull any punches; it was all hard hitting and very exciting to watch. I was shocked by this; my expectations were fairly low going into this - as a result I was proven wrong and very pleasantly surprised; something I am very happy to admit now!

Towards the end of the night, I was asked to film the last match (Andrews vs Kendrick) for one of the wrestlers. This was something I was more than happy to do, but with the hope that I captured everything and didn't mess it up! I'm very pleased with my filming and I hope I did get everything for the wrestler in question.

Results

• T-Bone defeated Robbie Dynamite
• Carnage, Dante & Matt Lightening defeated 'Tomcat' Kevin O'Neil, Rik Van Damage & Tukay (w/ Kaytlyn)
• UK Kid defeated Leon Shah
• AWW British Champion 'Messiah' Brandon Thomas (w/ Violet Vendetta) defeated 'The WonderKid' Jonny Storm in a non-title match
• AWW Tag Team Championship: Team H8; Gideon & Jekyll (c) defeated The Lionhearts; Eddie Ryan & Jason Larusso
• Emi Sakura defeated 'Portugal's Perfect Athlete' Shanna
• Kid Fite defeated Kris Travis
• 'White Lightening' Mark Andrews defeated Brian Kendrick

Comedy of the night - Jonny Storm having his way with Violet Vendetta before his match with Brandon Thomas.

Me and Emi Sakura, AWW, 3/2/2013

Match of the night - as stated earlier; the Emi Sakura vs Shanna match was exciting, captivating and deserved the standing ovation it got. Excellent.

A great night AND weekend overall. I really enjoyed getting back to watching British Wrestling and realised that I don't mind travelling a bit to get to a worthwhile show.

Thank you to Hank McCoy, Ref Paz, MC Leo Orbison, Chris Walker and the promoters of Pro EVW and AWW for allowing me to gain a little more knowledge - it's greatly appreciated and I hope to do it a lot more often.

If you'd like to see some top British wrestling action then please visit the links above for these promotions' latest news and next show dates. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

@jimmosangle

Dexter: Season 7 review: Episode 5

Episode 5 - 'Swim Deep'
This episode started with Dexter cleaning his boat. This leads him to find blood; and not blood that he would have been responsible for. He wonders who would have been on his boat. This is cleared up when he tests the blood and discovers that it was Louis'. But why?

Dexter arrives home and realises that someone has been/is in his apartment (we are shown Isaac Sirko in Dex's apartment awaiting his arrival). To test this theory he leaves a message on his answer phone (in a fake voice). This leads Isaac to leave the apartment - this is seen by Dexter from his car. Dex knows that he has seen this gentleman before - in the Foxhole - and thinks that the Koshka Brotherhood might know that he killed Viktor, and have, therefore, sent a hitman to target him. This then leads Dexter to follow him to a coffee shop where Dexter calls Isaac via the shop's phone. It becomes apparent that Isaac was there to avenge Viktor's death - and he gained Dexter's name due to Louis. Isaac also lets Dexter know that he will get him and anyone else in Miami Metro that is connected to Viktor's murder.

A little later, Dexter realises that Isaac is a powerful man - and one of the bosses of the Koshka Brotherhood. He devises a plan to get Isaac killed - this is as a result of the Koshka's rivalry with a Colombian cartel. Dexter leads Isaac into a bar run by the Colombians and leaves expecting his problem to be solved.

Unfortunately, after Dexter and the team are called to the scene, they realise that Isaac had killed his way out of trouble. The Colombians are slain and Isaac is nowhere to be seen. The silver lining was that whilst Dexter talks everyone through what he thinks happened, they find the blood of the culprit of this slaughter - Isaac Sirko. This then leads to Isaac being brought into custody - followed by prison. Problem solved?

Another key development is between Dexter and Hannah McKay.

She comes into help out with the Wayne Randall killing spree that she was involved in. Batista and Dexter show her some items that were collected along the way on their spree years before. With regards to a toy giraffe, Dexter feels that Hannah is 'nostalgic' when looking at this item.

At the crime scene where they look for bodies connected to this case, Hannah tells Dexter that she 'couldn't move' when Randall committed his first kill. Dexter also shares a story about the first crime scene he was a part of. Hannah compares this interaction to being 'on a date, sharing our first sexual experience'. Is there something between them?

After the discovery of two bodies at the crime scene dig, Dexter describes how they died to the others. At one point he hesitates as he realises that Randall didn't kill both victims - a smaller person seemed to have killed the female of the two. Dexter knows that Hannah would have been the one to do this. When the two of them are away from everyone, he presents his findings to her. She doesn't seem in denial about it too much.

A third situation looked at in this episode is that of Capt. LaGuerta's investigation into the blood slide that she found at the Travis Marshall crime scene at the start of this season.

Masuka is in fear of losing his job after word gets to him that LaGuerta has had an outside forensics team look at evidence (the blood slide). Deb hears of this and asks LaGuerta about this situation; gaining her trust so that she can keep close to this development - LaGuerta even gives the investigation file to Deb 'for her eyes only'. Lucky for Dexter that Deb caught wind of this...

Further to this, LaGuerta wants to interview the families of missing people - some of which Dexter is responsible for their 'disappearances'. They single out one such man who's family are still in the area - Deb makes sure that she is the one to interview the family. This is because the man that Dexter killed was a photographer, and was working a wedding when Dexter got to him - Deb fears that there is a chance that Dexter could be in photos taken at this wedding.

As they interview the son of the family, and look through photos from that wedding, Deb comes across a photo that contains Dexter. She convinces LaGuerta to let her look through the rest of the photos back at the station - she agrees. Dexter's ass is saved again as Deb later gives him the photo so that he can dispose of it. She then informs him that she doesn't want to be part of that side of his life anymore - she even had to lie to Batista to protect Dexter.

Other situations;

• George Novikov informs Isaac that Joey (Quinn) used to 'look the other way' after receiving payments from them in the past. This interests Isaac, as he will have the police off his back then. Money is later left in Joey's car - which he puts in his glove compartment.
• After Isaac's arrest and imprisonment, Dexter goes to visit Isaac so that he can ask why it is so important that he kills him. Isaac replies that he liked Viktor; Dexter says that he killed Mike Anderson so he deserved what he got. After Dexter asks if this is now over, Isaac tells him a story of revenge involving his Grandfather and Great Uncle, which is a clear answer to Dexter's question - No.

Summary
Things heated up in this episode as Isaac is now onto Dexter and will not stop until he avenges Viktor's death. Even though Isaac is behind bars this is far from over.

There seemed to be more sparks between Dexter and Hannah McKay here, too. Dexter now knows that Hannah hasn't told the whole truth. He does, however, lie for her when Deb asks about the blood reports from the Randall-bodies crime scene.

Batista also cannot let it go that he thinks that Alex Dubrovny did not carry out the killings that he 'confessed' to. This has led to a rift between he and Deb.

The British Invasion

After contributing to an American based website (4crwrestling.com) in the last few days, I, along with a fellow Brit, were referred to as a 'British Invasion'. This instantly got me thinking of the British 'assault' on the American leagues of wrestling.

In my lifetime, there hasn't been a huge amount of British influence in American Pro Wrestling, especially at the top of the pay-per-view cards. In the 80s, I remember The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith/Dynamite Kid) being a dominant tag team in the WWF. In the early 90s, Davey would go it alone after the retirement of Dynamite Kid, and would have his biggest moment when facing Bret Hart at Summerslam 1992 in Wembley Stadium. This would be, by far, his greatest achievement - winning the Intercontinental Championship on home turf.

Tragically, Davey Boy passed away on 18th May 2002 at the age of 39. Dynamite is partially paralysed and uses a wheelchair for mobility. In their wrestling careers, these legends never saw the heights of being a World Champion in a top organisation. This is a shame, but hopefully won't continue to be the norm.

Through the 90s and 2000s, we have had some excellent wrestlers populating the rosters of both WWF(E) and WCW. William Regal started in WCW in 1992 and would have two spells before becoming a WWE mainstay in 2000. From everything I read, Regal is a very well respected veteran and deserves his place in the company. Throughout his time in the WWE he has held numerous championships - Intercontinental, European, Hardcore, World Tag Team Champion and most recently the 2008 King of the Ring. This is the mark of this man. The only thing missing has been a World Championship to add to his outstanding achievements. He now does colour commentary on NXT and contributes to the future of the WWE.

In the last ten years we have also had some somewhat failures; Paul Birchill (along with 'sister' Katie Lea) didn't last long in any incarnation and would never reach any note-worthy height; Irishman, (Dave) Finlay, would debut with the WWE in 2005 - after having a 5 year stint in WCW before coming to WWE in 2001 as a trainer - and would go onto be a United States Champion. He, too, is now a respected veteran and valued member of the backstage set-up in WWE.

I'm not too familiar with TNA, but they have given opportunities to British wrestlers; Doug Williams made his biggest impact in America by becoming a two-time X Division Champion and two-time Tag Team Champion. Magnus teamed with Williams and, from what I've read, is doing well and progressing.

I've also come to learn about another man who finally found fame within TNA - Nigel McGuinness (known in TNA as Desmond Wolfe). He was also a prized possession of Ring of Honour, where he was their World Champion for 545 days - the second longest in ROH history (beat that Punk?!). Today, during my research, I proved to myself that you learn something new everyday. I'm man enough to admit that I had no idea that McGuinness was Wolfe. Maybe he could have gone onto greatness but I guess we'll never find out as McGuinness was forced to retire at the end of 2011. I fully intend on looking into his work now.

So what can we expect in the future? Who are our best chances of glory in the coming years?

Drew McIntyre
Scotsman McIntyre made his biggest impression in the WWE in 2009. It was here that he was given Mr McMahon's seal of approval, being billed as 'The Chosen One' - a man that would be a future World Champion. Unfortunately, this has yet to happen and we are nearly four years down the road from that proclamation. McIntyre is now part of the 'Three Man Band' (3MB). This is a comedy threesome at the moment, but maybe there is hope for him in the future? I suppose the positive to take at this stage is that he is on TV quite regularly at the moment.

Oliver Grey (Joel Redman) & Adrian Neville (PAC) - NXT
For those of you that don't know these guys; they are two young English guys that are signed to NXT. And why are they so special? Well, on a recent episode of NXT they were crowned the inaugural NXT Tag Team Champions (along the way they beat 3MB members Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre). This is a great accomplishment for these guys who haven't been in NXT all that long. It's also a sign that there is some belief in them, no?

Wade Barrett
I've blown Wade Barrett's trumpet before and I've got no problem doing it again. Since his debut in 2010, Barrett has been an exciting prospect for British fans.

After winning the first season of NXT, and subsequently becoming the leader of The Nexus (he, along with the runners-up of that competition), Barrett became a main player in his first few months on the main roster. His mic work is possibly the best I've seen from a Brit. He has held the Intercontinental Championship on two occasions and despite being sidelined by an injury early last year, he remains on the fringes of getting the nod to be one of the main players in WWE.

Unlike any Brit I've seen in the past, I genuinely feel that Barrett is our biggest and best hope of finally having a recognised World Champion. He has ALL the tools to get the job done.

Verdict
I'm not really sure why we haven't had an English/British World Champion in my lifetime. The British Bulldog was hugely popular when I was growing up but just couldn't make that step up. Drew McIntyre was given the nod by Vince himself and has still not reached the top of the pile.

As stated above, Wade Barrett is our best hope - I fully expect him to achieve this - whether it's winning the World Heavyweight Championship (more likely to start with) or winning the bigger prize of the WWE Championship.

@jimmosangle