How WWE Brings In New Talent

The big news in wrestling this past week is that of WWE signing Prince (Fergal) Devitt. Obviously, with his following in the UK and, probably more-so, Japan, there was always going to be a buzz about him signing with WWE and how great that can potentially be, but it really surprised me that it was an actual story on WWE.com. Maybe I don't check that site too often, but I don't recall any other signings getting that type of news article by WWE, themselves. Kenta is also a notable signing in the last few weeks that falls under this same surprise.

It got me thinking that despite there being no competition to WWE these days, they still made a fuss over someone that is seen as a potential star of the future. It seems that over the years they have signed the best that the indys have to offer and just, quietly, implemented them into the developmental system. There never seems to be any hype made about any signings apart from amongst the fans themselves.

The Way We Were...

This got me thinking of the some of the most high-profile signings that WWE have acquired in the past. Maybe WWE have signed people since but the biggest names that come to mind were Chris Jericho in 1999 and the four 'Radicalz' (Benoit, Guerrero, Malenko and Saturn) in 2000. 'High profile' if you're a wrestling fan, of course.

Perry Saturn, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko

My point here is that when these guys moved across from WCW, I didn't know too much about them. Other fans that watched both WWF and WCW would know who all these guys were, but I was, and still am, a WWF-only kid, so these guys were kind of strangers and unknown quantities to me. The same could be said of Prince Devitt and Kenta.

When Jericho was brought in, he interrupted The Rock - the biggest WWF star at the time - and went onto capture the Intercontinental title not too long after. A little over two years later he would become the FIRST undisputed champion. The four Radicalz all made their mark on their debuts and would be involved in high-level feuds straight away. All four would also be champions not long after joining. Not only were they champions, but highly regarded champions in their individual divisions.

What's Changed?

Obviously, the death of WCW was going to change things. While they were around, WWF talents could jump ship to them and cause a stir and vice versa. After Vince bought them, where would that excitement of new talent coming in come from? Obviously, former WCW guys that were still under contract with Time Warner could wait it out and then make waves down the road - as was the case with Hogan, Nash, Hall, Goldberg, Steiner etc etc - but eventually that would dry up and WWE would become (have become) the only 'place to work'. Them guys weren't exactly 'new', anyway.

OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) produced a pretty impressive class of 2002, when the likes of John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista and Brock Lesnar graduated and, over the course of the next two years, became the future of the WWE that we still see today. These were all young, WWE-bred guys and would be the last crop of truly 'big' stars.

Lesnar with another 2002 graduate, Shelton Benjamin

In the late-2000s, WWE would start to recruit the best that the indys had to offer in Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Cesaro etc. The difference with these guys was that they had to have a name change, as well as being sent to a developmental area - to 'learn' how to wrestle the WWE way. I'm not saying that that's necessarily a bad thing, as I'm sure they were more than happy to learn a new style(s). More importantly, they had a job in the big-time; whatever sh*t came their way, they would eat, I suppose.

The Performance Centre And The Way It Is

In 2014, the WWE Performance Centre is just over a year old. It has loads and loads of potential 'stars of the future' coming and going all the time. I can imagine that it's THE place to learn and train. In turn, NXT is where hopefuls go to try their luck and see if they can make it on that first rung of the ladder. But should everyone have to go through this process?

The main thing that I want to point out in this post is why should the likes of Devitt and Kenta have to start out in NXT? I love NXT, but it is the part of wrestling where you learn and take part in your apprenticeship. Surely, guys like Devitt and Kenta have travelled the world, they have picked up experience along the way (that will, undoubtedly, be invaluable to the future guys coming through the ranks), and could quite easily make an impact on the main WWE roster just like Jericho, Benoit and co. did fifteen years ago?

Fergal Devitt

Why can't this 'developmental system' way of doing things be changed up so that the standout stars, such as Devitt or Kenta have vignettes aired and then be showcased on the main WWE roster; WWE have made the effort of advertising these guys as 'important' by announcing their signings, so why not continue that hype on their major TV slots instead of the show that is only on the WWE Network... or maybe I've just answered my own question...

The Realisation...

Whether this is a business move to get people watching NXT, and in-turn, SUBSCRIBE to the WWE Network or not, the way in which talent is introduced to the 'WWE Universe' (I hate that term for 'fans'!) should be decided by a case-by-case system. If someone has the experience and talent when you sign them - such as the hyped, advertised Devitt or Kenta - then get them on your MAIN TV show. Let the ex-football players, models and others fill up the lower ranks with the second generation guys and lesser indy wrestlers.

Devitt and Kenta are 33-years-old. A couple of years in developmental means that you bring them up to the main roster when they're 35. They THEN have to go through sh*tty gimmicks for a while before finding their feet (Devitt will probably be lumbered with some crappy, racist Irish gimmick or be Sheamus' little buddy!)... they're not 24 like Orton or Lesnar were when they got their break so highlight their talents NOW!

@jimmosangle

The Positives of PROGRESS Wrestling

I'm sorry, but there just aren't enough negatives to make this a 'positives and negatives' column. In fact, there's probably about one and that's a minor one...

Yesterday, Sunday 27th July, was my third PROGRESS wrestling show. Again, it was at the spacious, air-conditioned Electric Ballroom in Camden Town, London; the new home of PROGRESS wrestling after their farewell to The Garage, Islington about a month ago. I understand that at The Garage, PROGRESS would draw about 400 (give or take; I'm sure I'll be corrected on this?!) and now they are easily selling out 700 in their new home. Progress indeed.

This was a special chapter in the story of the company as they would welcome the biggest star to grace their ring, Samoa Joe. Obviously, this was a huge deal to Jim, Jon and Glen; three huge wrestling fans who are building and continuing to grow their own baby in the form of PROGRESS. This huge reward, for them and the fans, has been just over two years in the making - that's how successful this company has been thus far. And unlike most wrestling shows out there, they weren't relying on Joe to sell-out the show; that would've happened regardless. Therefore, his addition was more of a 'thank you' than anything else. How many wrestling shows in this country can say that?

So far, all three PROGRESS shows that I've attended have wowed me and left me wanting more and this show may have topped the previous two for one reason alone: The talent of tomorrow.

Chapter 14 - Thunderbastard - showcased several of the PROGRESS training school - the Projo. Unlike a lot of shows that have their trainees compete on their shows as 'stars', PROGRESS announced that these guys were trainees; they didn't cover this up in any way. Leading up to the show, I got to thinking that Jim and co. wouldn't have had these lads on the show unless they were ready to impress 700 expectant fans. Not only were they on the show but they had the goal, and reward, of progressing in the Natural Progression tournament. 'Pastor' William Eaver, Chuck Mambo and the winner, Ali Armstrong, all put on a decent match and should be proud of themselves. Whoever the trainers at PROGRESS are should be proud, too, as they seem to have some top talents on their hands and that's credit to them.

The PROGRESS fans also played their part and supported these guys above and beyond what was probably expected. I think it was a given that they would get behind the future of PROGRESS wrestling, but the cheers, and chants, that started were both hilarious and [hopefully] a boost to the guys in the ring. William Eaver, in particular, got a variety of Jesus-themed chants his way!

'Pastor' William Eaver

Another Projo graduate, Joey Lakeside, had an impressive showing in the opening 'Thunderbastard' match that pitted eight guys against each other in an elimination style match that would earn the victor a title shot at a later date. Everyone did a great job, with Will Ospreay taking the win. During the match, Ospreay would perform the move of the night when he dived to the outside to take out his opponents. Impressive stuff.

Whilst I'm talking about 'dives to the outside', I'll get my one complaint out of the way. And as I said earlier, it's a minor one. On the way home, I couldn't help but pick up on all the dives to the outside. I'm thinking that there was at least one dive to the outside in at least four of the seven matches. Similarly to my review of HOP:E last week (with all the spears), I can't help but think that dives were a little overdone at PROGRESS yesterday. Ultimately and more importantly, the fans loved every one of them. They got the pops that they were looking for... this is why it's a minor thing in this case.

Now I've got that out of my system, I'll get back to the positives...

At first I, kind of, hated the Mad Man Manson 'Open Challenge'. I'd watched his promo video on Youtube earlier in the week on the matter (and you should, too) and it was the usual, funny stuff from him. It basically said that he was issuing an open challenge... except for any heavyweights. He then went onto eliminate anyone that he didn't really fancy wrestling, either. I suppose that this, along with the start of his match, was going to be the 'comedy' part of the bout. When his opponent, Michael Gilbert (along with his gimmick of not needing gimmicks) came to ringside, things got serious very quickly. There were signs of comedy here and there, but generally Gilbert was the perfect 'straight man' to Manson's comedy. Actually, Gilbert completely cancelled out the comedy of Manson and gave a no-nonsense, no-frills beating to Manson before tapping him out.

Youtube: Mad Man Manson issues Open Challenge

I think I wanted loads of comedy because it was Manson, but instead I really appreciated what (I think) they were trying to do in showing how dangerous and serious Gilbert can be.

Match of the night would have to be the Tag Team Championship match between Mark Andrews and Eddie Dennis against The London Riots. This had everything. The match looked over in the first couple of minutes as Jimmy Havoc and Paul Robinson would give the advantage to the Riots courtesy of an ambush. The Riots hit their finish on Andrews only to have him kick out - this would be the first of many near falls that would have me believing that the Riots would win.

I think that's why I loved this match so much - I couldn't see who was going to win. The smart-arse in me was thinking that the Riots were undefeated and Havoc has the PROGRESS title, so why not complete a clean sweep in having all the titles? The other side of me was thinking that this is Andrews and Dennis' first title defence, so surely they can't lose first time out. This was a great dilemma to have as you genuinely lose your sh*t with every near fall - every believable near fall - and that's what this match had.

The thing that backs up my claim is the reaction that Andrews and Dennis got when they won. That was possibly the loudest cheer to a win all night; the fans literally erupted when the three-count was complete. If it was a combination of Andrews and Dennis' popularity and the fans' hatred of the Riots then how many positives is that?! Great stuff and I particularly like 'Party Hard' as a victory theme - I was singing along and everybody was completely into the champions win as a result.

Will Ospreay; Thunderbastard

As I said before, the trainees of PROGRESS made a great first impression earlier in the night and when the main event was over, the other end of British wrestling was also offered a great opportunity.

Samoa Joe and Rampage Brown put on a top match. It was hard hitting, as you'd expect. It made Rampage look like a killer at times and also reminded you that Joe is a hard obstacle to move. Despite Rampage losing the match, he gained a tonne of credibility by kicking out of Joe's Muscle Buster. Seeing that Joe is an active member of the TNA roster and, no less, their X-Division Champion, this was easily the best case scenario for this match.

The inevitable speech from Joe at the end of the night came with a nice surprise for the hugely talented Rampage. TNA are currently doing a second British Boot Camp to scout out the best that we have in this country. Despite WWE recruiting talents from this country, you have to tip your hat to TNA for doing it in a more obvious way. This in turn gives them a better reputation in this country, so fair play to that strategy. Joe would extend an invitation to Rampage to be a part of this year's edition of the process. That's well deserved in my opinion.

Samoa Joe (photo credit: Impact Wrestling)

Everybody deserves a mention; Results:

• THUNDERBASTARD match: Will Ospreay defeated Marty Scurll, Stixx, 'Wild Boar' Mike Hitchman, Joey Lakeside, Darrell Allen, Paul Robinson and Danny Garnell to earn a future title shot
• Mad Man Manson Open Challenge: 'No Gimmicks Required' Michael Gilbert defeated Mad Man Manson
• Mark Haskins defeated Martin Kirby
• PROGRESS Tag Team Championship: FSU (Mark Andrews & Eddie Dennis) (c) defeated The London Riots (James Davis & Rob Lynch)
• Natural Progression: Ali Armstrong defeated 'Pastor' William Eaver and Chuck Mambo
• PROGRESS Championship: Jimmy Havoc (c) defeated Noam Dar
• Samoa Joe defeated Rampage Brown

Bottom line, I may not have had any complaints or negatives from this show but that's because it is one of, if not, the best shows in this country. This show was the exception, but a usual show has 100% British talent (Tommy End is here so often he counts as British talent, right?!), they have their own identity and bring a different brand of wrestling than other promotions in this country.

I don't need to tell you to go to one of their shows, because you should already know that. I don't need to tell you to check them out on Facebook or Twitter (@ThisIsProgress) because you should already be doing that. The only thing I will say is good luck getting a ticket! They sell out every show, without fail, so do the appropriate things to ensure you get one for a future show!

Last, but certainly not least, a shout out to Darrell Allen who was injured in the opening match. Hopefully it's not a repeat of a previous injury, and hopefully it's nothing too serious whatever the diagnosis. As Jim (Smallman) rightly pointed out; these guys do put their bodies on the line to entertain and this is a great example of that. That effort is appreciated and a speedy recovery is definitely hoped for from everyone that has seen Darrell perform... and beyond.

Support British Wrestling

@jimmosangle

THAT Heyman promo...

When Brock Lesnar returns for a run or match, and is flanked by Paul Heyman, we see how mediocre WWE really is from week to week. Heyman is a genius and from a time when you wouldn't just get your promo handed to you on a piece of paper.

For as long as I've seen him, he has probably been one of the best 'promo guys', as they're known, that there ever has been.

For those that didn't see this from Monday night, or aren't into WWE, or whatever, take a look at the best promo in a VERY LONG TIME...

He makes all the points needed heading towards Lesnar's Summerslam match with Cena. He, unlike anyone else in the company today, hits the nail on the head with everything that he says.

This video is missing the couple of minutes before, when Heyman explains why 'Plans A & B' aren't working and the need for 'Plan C'... if you can, find this bit, too, as it just adds to his arguement.

Oh, and one of the best bits, for me, was when Brock's music hits: look at the smile that takes over Heyman's face as his master plan starts to take shape...

Promos like these make the [rumoured] inevitability of him beating Cena worth it; sometimes, if the story is good then predictability isn't the worse thing in the world.

@jimmosangle

Match of the Day: Lance Storm vs Edge (Summerslam 2001)

I've been watching the Invasion angle from 2001 lately, and it's some of the only stuff that has kept me hooked from my random picking of the WWE Network. There's been some really good stuff so far, with matches between guys that you wouldn't have thought about before Vince bought WCW.

With Summerslam coming up next on the PPV calendar, I started watching Summerslam 2001. This was in the middle of the Invasion era and had WWF playing catch up due to them losing the Inaugural Brawl (thanks to Stone Cold turning on them in favour of the Alliance).

Edge was first up, challenging Lance Storm for the Intercontinental Championship, hoping to bring the title back 'home' to the WWF. After hearing Storm on a few podcasts lately, and having a much bigger appreciation for his work, I was eager to get immersed in one of his matches. The tag match that he and Mike Awesome had with Edge and Christian at the Invasion PPV was decent, but the one-on-one match between he and Edge was pleasing just to see him do his thing on his own.

Summerslam 2001 - IC title: Lance Storm vs Edge (part 1)

Summerslam 2001 - IC title: Lance Storm vs Edge (part 2)

Note: Both videos are from Dailymotion. Alternatively, you can find these on the WWE Network.

@jimmosangle

WWE Battleground thoughts

Battleground wasn't that bad really. A few, nice little surprises, if I'm honest.

The Usos and The Wyatts had the match of the night in the opener, but it surprised me that Jimmy and Jey retained. Surely, the script should have been different, given that they've been feuding a while and The Usos retained at Money in the Bank. Next should've been a title change, right? It's kind of due, isn't it?

It was a great match, and The Wyatts have a pinfall - as part of the 2 out of 3 falls stipulation - but that type of match is kind of a feud-ender, no? If so, The Usos have just done to Harper and Rowan what Cena did to Wyatt... yes, he's better for the opportunity of working with Cena, but he was outshined and owned when it was all said and done. Same kind of thing goes for Harper and Rowan.

They're probably drawing this out until Summerslam, though. The wrong Uso probably got the pin or something.

I loved the encounters throughout the night between Rollins and Ambrose. People were a little p*ssed that they didn't have a match but we all need to look at a bigger picture: sometimes the story progresses without a match. With Ambrose crazy-attacking Rollins, even when it was thought that he was gone for the night, and no match happening, it all points towards a Summerslam meeting; a much bigger stage to showcase the most interesting feud that there is at the moment. Now we get a few more weeks of these two and that can only be a good thing - I like long feuds because more layers can be added and more fuel can be added to the fire, which equals more investment into this feud - that's missing WAY TOO MUCH these days so I'm all for it.

Another match that now has some more legs is Rusev and Swagger. They really went out of their way to protect Swagger here, having him lose by countout. Nobody's gotten that close to blemishing Rusev's record yet and Swagger seems to be gaining support each week (even though he's an awkward looking face!). I know that they wanted to feed guys to Rusev and you can't give everyone that countout protection, but I feel that Big E deserved that type of deal against Rusev.

Who'd have thought it would be the less-popular one of the Real Americans to get the main gig against Rusev? AGAIN, these guys will bring the USA vs Russia feud to a bigger stage in Summerslam, where Swagger now has a better chance than we'd have given him before. Ultimately, Rusev will probably CRUSH him to move onto bigger things (a US title quest?).

The Intercontinental title battle royal annoyed me a bit. Loads of people in one match for the sake of getting them TV time. Zack Ryder, Diego, Khali, Woods and R-Truth (amongst other jobbers) were in this match with ABSOLUTELY no chance of winning. Surely they could've gotten enough mileage out of having JUST the main contenders; the ones that are relevant and have been presented as having a chance: Miz has just returned, is a former champ and seems to have a new character that they're getting behind. Sheamus is the current US champ and why not hint that there's a chance of unification? Rybaxel are borderline here, but Axel is a former, cr*p IC champion and Ryback has had feuds with WWE champions; both are still on TV every week. Cesaro is a win away from being something special. Big E is the last former IC champion, so why not? Alberto Del Rio has been pottering around the mid-to-upper card for a couple of years now so why not use his threat? And Dolph Ziggler has such a following of people that think he'll get a chance... one day. Bo Dallas has been getting loads of time lately, too. That's nine guys, who all have a credible claim to the title without putting all these jobbers in that we KNOW will NOT win that title! Nine credible guys only would mean that there'd be a much better chance of unpredictability.

Anyway, it was nice once it got whittled down to the actual contenders. Heath Slater did well to stay and get a pop. AND the ending leaves the door open to giving Ziggler something credible to aim for... hmmmm...

ANNNNNNDDDDD Cena won LOL (and I hate using 'LOL'...)

@jimmosangle

The Positives and Negatives of House of Pain: Evolution XI

After my previous positives and negatives post from two weeks ago, I received lots of feedback both good and bad. One of the people to contact me was Harvey Dale, who has been a manager and authority figure at times, and also runs his own show up in the Nottinghamshire area, House of Pain: Evolution (HOP:E). Harvey, very kindly, invited me up to this show to offer my opinion.

As I write that I can imagine many would think "what the f*ck does it matter what you think?", and to a point, you would be right. I don't claim to know everything about wrestling but I've been lucky enough to get an insight into the happenings before and after several shows, and have come up with my own opinions regarding shows, talent and how matches are constructed. More importantly, and probably more relevant, I have my own opinions of whether I liked or didn't like a particular show that I paid to see.

Harvey Dale appreciates that and understands that one of the ways to grow is to listen to your audience to understand what they want and what will improve your show.

Positive: Harvey Dale... Manager; Authority Figure; Commentator; Promoter; Doorman...
Now, Harvey isn't the first guy to be on the door of his own show, but I felt that this was a nice touch from what little I know of HOP:E. Harvey had invited me up and he was on hand to welcome me and my mates at the door. Not only was he collecting the admission charge, but he also runs HOP:E, manages a few of the heels, is part of one of the main storylines AND commentates up on the stage for the three hours that the show was on for. This is clearly his baby and he's looking after and managing it well!

Positive/Negative: Lots of talking... but it is the anniversary, I suppose
I'm not a fan of lots of talking and opening promos at shows. I'd rather get straight into the wrestling. But, after a little research, I realise that this talking led to a match stemming from a year long feud between Harvey and Ruffneck. It was also the anniversary show and that achievement needed to be addressed at the start from Harvey, MC Georgy and a guy who would get involved in the opening match, but would then sit at ringside the remainder of the show.

Negative: The Main Event that happened to open the show
I understand that Ruffneck vs Harvey (and the 'heavy' in his corner) is an important storyline in HOP:E, but I felt like having it as the opener felt like they raised the bar too soon. This was clearly an important match due to all the outside factors and the response from the audience (who were HOT all night!). It was a little worrying to see a ref bump in this opening match as well as the ref being pulled from the ring to no consequence (more on that later...).

Positive: Robert Redface vs Sebastian Radclaw
This was match of the night, for me. I've seen Robbie/Robert X a few times now and he always seems to impress. He instantly connected with the PROGRESS fans at their last show and is popular at the Kamikaze Pro shows that I have attended. This was a joy to watch and the flow kept you interested from start to finish.

Positive: I finally got to see Sebastian Radclaw!
I think I have wanted to see the Radclaw character for about a year now. I remember seeing him in a Magnums 'Sleaze TV', where he was talking about his Uncle Eggbert, and I was instantly won over. I'd seen him in another persona previously and knew that the wrestling ability wasn't in doubt. Seeing him live was hilarious; the twitching and craziness is pure comedy, the way he enters the ring (climing over the ropes, in the corner, as if it was a fence on a country walk) is a nice touch, too. Massively entertained and can't wait to catch him at other shows in the future.

Positive/Negative: Attractive Referees
I'm still on the fence about this one. I want to call her Fern, but I'm not sure where I heard that or if it's correct. Fern is a very attractive female referee and this is something different to a wrestling show - I don't recall seeing any other female referees before. The thing that I'm still not sure about is that she might be too attractive. You find yourself watching her more than the wrestlers and this is an unnecessary distraction from the wrestling. Sorry if Fern isn't your name...

Positive: Rampage Brown debuts
Rampage Brown is what I'm talking about when I say 'you should look like a wrestler to wrestle'. Yes, there should be a variety of looks, shapes and sizes, but Rampage is an intimidating, strong, impressive looking HEAVYWEIGHT. His debut showed all of this against a guy who looked as if he could match the power and strength, Paul Malen. After the high-flying and quickness of the previous match, this was a great change of pace as these two had, what I would say, a 'throwing bombs', heavyweight bout.

Negative: I could have drank a six-pack quicker...
I really wasn't a fan of the six-pack challenge. Don't get me wrong, all six guys put on great spots at times, but it just went on WAY TOO LONG. I almost feel that it took so long to get to the first elimination due to justifying everyone's booking. Everyone certainly got their stuff in in this match, but ten minutes before the first elimination, we were PRAYING for an elimination to change things up. I think this match may have gone on (with entrances) for about forty-five minutes... an interval was definitely needed after!

Negative: Repetitiveness
LJ Heron would go onto win the six-pack challenge... with a spear (I have a feeling that it's probably called something else due to the 'Pounce'-type look to it). My issue with this is that it was the fifth(?) spear of the evening in only four matches of the first half of the show. Ruffneck did two spears in his match (one of which got him the win), and Heron did about three...

The same could be said of moonsaults and moves of very similar nature. Radclaw vs Robbert X had a couple and that should've maybe been it for the night. The six-pack challenge then had a few more thrown in there. I realise that in both matches there were a lot of flippy, high-flyers, but each match should look and feel different.

Positive: Ashton Smith
I gather that Ashton is another local lad, as is Harvey's objective with HOP:E and the cheers and loyalty from the audience that he received was nice to see. He and Nathan Cruz put on a decent match, that might've gone on a little long, which made both he and the debuting Cruz look good.

Negative: No consequences
The women's match between Violet Vendetta and Nixon highlighted something that had been happening all night. It seemed normal and consequence-free to shove the referee around whenever a heel saw fit to. In the first match the referee was pulled from the ring during a pin attempt to no consequence, Robert X pushed his luck with the referee during his match (earning him a slap that he wouldn't have received from a male ref), Violet pushed the referee of her match SEVERAL times, and I believe that there was more pushing and intimidation of the ref in the main event between Joseph Connors and CJ Banks. Throughout all of this, there were absolutely no repercussions. None of the matches were thrown out due to disqualification and nobody really got reprimanded for abusing and disrespecting the person who is there to keep order.

Negative: "You don't make the rules! If they wanna fight; let them fight!"
This was Harvey Dale's battle cry as the women's match went to a double countout. From where we were sat, it appeared that this situation shouldn't have happened and the match shouldn't have gone to a countout. But unfortunately it did and that result should've been preserved. The referee might not make the rules, but they definitely enforce them, so if two people don't answer a ten count then that should be that. Not a good night for referees...

Positive: Joseph Connors vs CJ Banks
The main event would see these two guys battle it out in a best-of-five series to, ultimately, see who is the better wrestler in HOP:E. With his showings here and elsewhere, there is clearly a lot of faith in Joseph Connors in and around the Nottinghamshire area. This match was a war - as it should be - with both men clawing and biting to get the victory that they needed.

Negative: Maybe a little too predictable?
I completely understand that you need to stack the deck against the hero of the people, but going into this Joseph Connors was 2-0 down. In a best-of-five series, unless you intend to kill someone's momentum, the other guy IS going to make the comeback and get a couple of wins back, right? I would say that this will eventually go to 2-2 and then whoever wins, BOTH guys can come away smelling of roses. Having a 2-0 lead just makes the next two matches a little predictable in result. I suppose as long as the story progresses and you have a different match each time, it'll still be worth the investment that you and the fans put in.

Positive/Negative: It cuts like a knife...
Another 'new' thing that I saw, to go along with the female referee, was a female MC. Georgy is the HOP:E MC/Ring Announcer and she does a fine job. She even has a few digs at Harvey here and there, and that's a nice touch that gets a laugh. The only downside was that, due to the volume of the mic, her voice cut straight through me! Added to this, I couldn't hear a lot of the announcements... so really, not a knock on her, just the ear shattering volume!

Positive/Negative: The HOP:E fans
This would have been a resounding POSITIVE had it not been for the lads behind us. I don't want to come across as an old man, but there was really no need for the stuff they were shouting ringside. I get that if you pay for your ticket then you can say what you want, but make sure that it's suitable for the audience that you're sharing the show with. I believe that this was a family show as there were several kids dotted around ringside. Therefore "F*CK HIM UP ASHTON, F*CK HIM UP!" isn't really appropriate, is it?

There was worse than that, too, but there you go. I always remember being at shows when Marty Scurll as good as broke character to inform some idiots in the front row that there were kids in attendance after being called a c*nt.

The rest of the HOP:E regulars were tremendous, though. They were noisy from the start and that volume never really dropped. This must be credit to Harvey and HOP:E that they have gotten a local crowd so invested in what they bring every show. There was one guy with a megaphone and someone with Ultimate Warrior face-paint - how 'into' it were these guys??! Great stuff.

Positive: Wrestlers looking like wrestlers and being able to wrestle
This is in no way a dig at any other promotions...

Or maybe it is...

Anyway, as most people would expect from their wrestling fandom and show-going expectations, HOP:E is full of guys that, simply, LOOK like wrestlers (whether you're chiselled, a clear-to-see gym goer, a larger chap or a high-flyer) and can ACTUALLY wrestle and do moves and stuff = happy Jimmo.

How hard is it, eh?

Positive: Harvey sticking to his 'promise to the fans'
During the lead-up to this show, I looked into a few matches of HOP:E and came across Harvey's mission statement. He stated that HOP:E would be a mix of Nottingham-based guys and the best from around the country. This show exemplified that with the additions of Rampage Brown, Nathan Cruz and Sebastian Radclaw amongst others. I love it that this is close to Harvey's heart and you can see that with the efforts from him and everyone that was on the show. I know that Harvey's big on his wrestling and I think, and hope, that he continues to grow HOP:E and make it bigger and better as the months go on.


Huge thank you to Harvey for inviting me up. It was a bit of a trek from Oxford but I'm glad we did it. I hope Harvey appreciates this post and finds it helpful in moving forward. At the same time, this can be taken or left - that's the beauty with one fan's opinion; there are a sh*t-tonne of opinions out there and none of us are necessarily right or wrong; we just like what we like!

Check out House of Pain: Evolution on Facebook and Twitter and GET YOURSELF TO ONE OF THEIR SHOWS and enjoy the British wrestling that they put on!

Support British Wrestling

@jimmosangle

The Stuff That You Hated; I Liked

The WWE Network seems to have tonnes of stuff on, but nothing that keeps my attention for very long. I get five, ten, maybe even fifteen minutes into most stuff and find myself doing other things, so turn whatever I attempted to watch off.

This morning I find myself giving Invasion 2001 a chance, and so far it has my full attention. In fact, it got me thinking about that angle, in general.

Over the years, I've heard a lot of people bitch and moan about that angle, but I remember it very fondly. I was about eighteen at the time and remember being on holiday for a two week period of it, where I would find a TV to watch the Raw or Smackdown that was on that week (and, I believe, a PPV might have been around that time, too).

Most people's beef with the angle is that it didn't involve some of the big-time WCW players; your Goldbergs, Hogans, Lugers etc... this never really bothered me. I never really watched WCW anyway, so Booker T or DDP were more than good enough for me. Ultimately, they were WCW guys no matter how you look at it. To me it felt like an invasion; surely that was the point?

I'm not saying that heel turns should happen all the time, but around that time there seemed to be heel turns happening all over the place and I loved that the most: it was so unpredictable; you didn't know when someone would switch allegiances. Off the top of my head, Regal turned and became the WCW Commissioner, Kurt Angle switched to The Coalition, Christian did, too (although his was coming for a long time due to his uneasy situation with Edge). Obvously, the biggest turn that really started the war was when Stone Cold Steve Austin joined Shane and Stephanie after a short-lived face turn.

There are only about two eras, or long-term angles, that I remember with a smile. My return to wrestling at Wrestlemania XV in 1999 and the attitude that followed that year will always stay with me, and the Invasion angle was a rollercoaster ride that I LOVED. Yes, it could've been better with the addition of all the big boys of WCW, but that's easy to say looking back thirteen years. AT THE TIME, it was completely satisfying watching week after week; the bottom line for me was that WCW and ECW (a decent ECW roster, by the way) were 'invading' and that was the best thing that could've happened after the previous few years of the Monday Night Wars.

Let's face it, that was the end of any competition that WWE ever had. So saviour it for what it was!

I'll finish where I started: If anyone can point me in the direction of something on the Network that WILL keep me interested, please tweet me suggestions!

@jimmosangle

Match of the Day: Cesaro vs Regal

William Regal vs Antonio Cesaro - NXT, 25/12/2013

This week I've picked something that is a little more up-to-date than the previous couple of weeks offerings. This is from over the Christmas period from the end of last year.

If you want some top wrestling action and Raw isn't quite doing it for you, you'd do a lot worse than tune into NXT (either via the Network or find it online) where wrestling seems to matter over the 'sports entertainment' aspect. This is particularly apparent with the current NXT Champion, Adrian Neville, who is undoubtedly a very talented wrestler, but isn't quite the sports-entertainer that he'll need to be to make the step up to the main roster. But I digress...

The match that I have chosen this week is a great mat-based, technical bout between two of the best - one who's been there and seen it all, and one who is just starting out with regards to the bigger leagues of American wrestling (WWE). BOTH are more-than experienced and skilled in what they do, however.

Since this match, I have witnessed similar, mesmerising encounters on the UK scene with Zack Sabre Jr taking on Pete Dunne and Low Ki (both at different Triple X Wrestling shows). I still can't put my finger on what exactly kept me enthralled. Maybe an appreciation for the story being told and the battle that was happening in front of me at the time?

Whatever the reason, I found all of these matches really easy to watch and, also, easy to get immersed in. I felt as if I would be missing out on something by missing a single hold or sequence.

First of all, watch the promos by both Regal and Cesaro, then enjoy their match (third video down):

I'm pretty sure that these guys didn't use the ropes ONCE throughout the match. How often do you see that these days and STILL enjoy a match?

Great stuff...

@jimmosangle

Hiatus: A Lot Can Change In Six Years (Match of the Day)

I want to start doing a regular 'match of the week' here on the blog and this week I came up with the idea of highlighting my falling out of wrestling and then finding it again as the focal point.

I always remember watching WWF as a kid (around the age of nine or ten) as a result of a couple of friends that lived up the road from me. They would lend me video tapes of the latest events. This would stop, for whatever reason, in about 1993. Maybe they knew how sh*t things were going to get in the next few years, and thus, saved me from it?!

Bret Hart vs Yokozuna... my last match for a few years...

The last thing I remember from that time was watching Wrestlemania IX (9), where, my hero, Bret Hart would defend his WWF Championship against the 500lb giant, Yokozuna. Now, in my mind, Bret was NEVER going to lose. He'd done the impossible at the Royal Rumble and locked the Sharpshooter on the gangly legs of Razor Ramon. Yokozuna wouldn't put up any challenge when it came to Bret's match-winning submission, would he?

Unfortunately, he did. Well, Mr Fuji was on hand to throw 'salt' in the eyes of The Hitman, leading to Yoko rolling him up for the pin and win. New Champion. sh*t.

The worst was to still to come.

Following this heartbreaking moment in my young life, Hulk Hogan would come to ringside to check on Bret, but REALLY he was there to sneak his way into another title shot. Luckily for him, Yoko and Mr Fuji extended the opportunity, and who would Hogan be not to accept? In steps Hogan and all that time building Yoko up over the months got sh*t on in a matter of minutes. OF COURSE Hogan would be the guy to EASILY knock the immovable object down?! And, unfortunately, OF COURSE he would be the one to stand tall at the end of Wrestlemania holding his newly won championship.

"What's that? A title match, you say?... see ya, Bret!!"

As young as I was, I'm pretty sure I was sick of Hogan. He always won; it wasn't unpredictable - and I was only nine-years-old?! I'm surprised that the nine-year-olds of today aren't trying to murder John Cena for his EVEN LONGER Hogan-esque run?!

Here is my last memory (without the Hogan part!) before I got back into wrestling:

Bret 'Hitman' Hart vs Yokozuna - Wrestlemania IX

Six long years passed.

I'm not sure what happened between 1993 and 1999, but that was the period of time that I didn't watch any wrestling. Maybe as a kid I had better things to do; bikes to ride; football took over? I have no idea. I will forever be grateful to my pal, Jeff, for letting me watch Wrestlemania XV (15) at his house, as it, in some ways, shaped me into the person that I am today. Despite how PG it has become, I think I'll always be loyal to watching wrestling in some form and that night, in late March 1999, amazed me.

To this day, Wrestlemania XV will always be my favourite Wrestlemania. I got into the Attitude Era a little later than others, and for them, Wrestlemania XIV (14) was the best that they had seen. For me, WMXV had everything. I'd never seen a Hardcore match, let alone a Hardcore Championship match contested in a triple threat. I'd only seen Owen Hart in matches with Skinner (losing). I'd never really seen a friend (Triple H) turn on another friend (X-Pac)... and I hadn't seen anything like the characters and attitude portrayed like that of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock. These guys hooked me in that night, NEVER to let me go.

My Match of the Day this week is that main event:

Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock - Wrestlemania XV

I think it's obvious to say that that era shaped a lot of what wrestling fans enjoyed, expected and wanted. Even to this day, them same fans, me included, want something that resembles the passion, attitude and desire to entertain week after week that the product offered back then. It's a hard pill to swallow that that might never happen due to pleasing the sponsors and shareholders, but there you go...

We'll always have the Network and Youtube to provide us with endless hours of memories...

@jimmosangle

An Offer...

It's been a few days since I ruffled a few feathers, upset a few people, and continued to stand up for what I believe in when it comes to my wrestling preferences. I've had time to dwell on it, and after the unexpected volume of response I had for the article - The Positives and Negatives of NBWA: Passion For Glory - both good and bad, it's time to offer my services further.

Or should I say, continue to offer my services.

I've been doing show reviews for over a year and a half now, but as of late, I've gotten bored of doing them. I think that's partly because I wasn't finding fault with anything (not that I want to?!), and I was just, kind of, kissing arse every post that I was doing. This was unintentional. For the most, the British wrestling shows that I have been to have been great entertainment and have made me smile, surprised me (in a good way) and have left me wanting more.

A great example of this is the PROGRESS shows that I've attended in the last few months. That promotion hooked me before I even went to a show with the quality of their DVDs and the interaction with the audience. Being there live was just something out of this world that I urge everyone to find out for themselves!

This year has seen me want to get out there and see more and more different shows. This way I'll have a varied experience and knowledge of the wrestling that the UK has to offer. So far I have managed to see several new promotions including Triple X Wrestling (Coventry), Chaos (Bristol), PROGRESS (London), and have still made time to see some old favourites in Kamikaze Pro (Birmingham) and Pro EVW (Gloucestershire)... just to clear up that Pro EVW probably comes across as my favourite, but the truth is I will always have appreciation for the guys down there as they were the first to allow me to see behind the curtains. They, also, genuinely put on a very good, family orientated show that never seems to disappoint.

On Sunday, after I posted my article for all to see, I had a lot of negative response; mainly from fans and friends of NBWA. This was to be expected. What I didn't bargain for was the wonderful, positive responses that I received throughout the day. Several wrestlers and a few promoters contacted me to thank me for my honesty in my review. I greatly appreciated these comments, I can't say that enough. A couple also asked if I would attend their shows to give the same sort of critique. My answer to them requests is that I would love to.

And don't get me wrong, I realise that when it comes to the actual wrestling, I should watch my mouth. I HATE judging wrestlers on their wrestling ability (apart from when it is clear to see that they are dogsh*t!), but as a fan I know what I like to see - this is what I can bring to the table. To be fair, other writers and bloggers can do the same; I hope that they do. I pay my money to see a show; why shouldn't I voice my opinion if I didn't like something? Too many wrestling bloggers only find good in what they see - nobody seems to want to tell it how it is and, potentially, upset anyone. I think that they just want to stay in the good books so that there'll always be an invite for them. That's not going to get us any further forward now, is it?

In some small way, I hope I opened a few eyes on Sunday and made people realise that they shouldn't just accept the wrestling that they see as 'good' or 'great' just for the sake of it. Maybe some (probably the majority, actually) have no clue what is good wrestling and what is plain unacceptable wrestling. That really is that company's responsibility to ensure that they are putting on a respectable show so that they don't fool the fans that are going to part with their hard-earned money.

There's the background; now to the offer...

I will continue to travel as far as I can to spread the word of good (and bad) wrestling in this country. Any promotion that would like a critique of their show, I am more than willing to provide that. It's really impressed me that a couple of promoters have welcomed constructive criticism as they feel it will give them the information that they need to IMPROVE their product. Surely that's the attitude that should be adopted if British wrestling is to grow in the future?

Support British Wrestling

@jimmosangle

Powerhouse Portraits with Superkick.co.uk

With all my ramblings and criticisms in and around British Wrestling, it's time to give a shout-out to someone that can help the wrestlers really add something to their image and "selling power".

My friend (and soon-to-be yours), Paul Green is a very underrated photographer, who is learning more and more skills to add to his already impressive list, all the time. He never settles for second best and neither should YOU!

Take a look at the links below and invest in something that WILL help you progress and be taken seriously on your path into, through, and to-the-top of British Wrestling... that is what you want, right?

Superkick.co.uk - Powerhouse Portraits

Superkick.co.uk - A Session with Kay Jutler

Examples of Paul's work:

The Magnums on their recent photoshoot

One of Kay Jutler's impressive shots

Support British Wrestling

@jimmosangle

The Positives and Negatives of NBWA: Passion For Glory

Sigh.

NBWA continues to give me good and bad in equal measures. This is good for me as it gives me a chance to adopt a 'positive' and 'negative' layout for this post that I did for the last NBWA show I reviewed. Things have improved somewhat in that there doesn't seem to be an authority-figure anymore (or maybe he just wasn't on this show), certain costs seem to have been cut; which is a good thing if NBWA want to continue. Also, running every two months seems a smart move.

Ok, let's hope the positives outweigh the negatives...

Positive: James Mason is handsome
These are not my words. Although he does have a great haircut. On the drive home, my girlfriend pointed out that James Mason, is indeed, a handsome man. Who am I to argue with her? He does kind of model himself on me, I suppose.

James Mason is now the No. 1 Contender

Positive: James Mason in an opening match on the show
Ok, I'm starting to kiss James' arse too much here! But, the bottom line is you cannot go too far wrong in getting James Mason to start your show. In all of the shows where I have seen this, the audience 'wake up' and are into the show. It's a win-win for any promotion across the country. Added to this, he was up against one of NBWA's best (and there aren't many) in Kay Jutler.

During the show, I received messages from Jutler apologising for his performance if it didn't impress too much. I have to say that I really enjoyed the match that he and James put on. They both look the part and both can wrestle - what's not to like here? He also said that instead of the usual pre-match planning, their match was, pretty much, called in the ring. This pleased me and I think should happen a lot more. I realise that pre-planning is the norm these days but how can you plan in advance how an audience will react? Surely calling things in the ring gives you the opportunity to read the crowd from minute to minute and adjust accordingly?

Negative: Samson
There had to be a negative coming, right?

The second match started with the arrival of TAW (Milton Keynes based wrestling show) 'stars' Samson and Nightshade. As they walked to ringside, I wasn't sure if I was to like them or not. Their facial expressions were (kind of) unhappy, but it didn't gain any reaction from the Banbury audience.

During the match, things didn't get much better. I HATE judging wrestlers on wrestling because I'm not a wrestler, but when you see such obvious crap, it's easy to point out. Samson was wooden, stiff (looking) and it felt that he was half-arsing simple things like throwing a clothesline. There were also lazy, idol threats from him that he was going to make Dragonita 'tap out'. He said it with such a lack of enthusiasm. This pointed out to me the worth of having TAW guys on this show.

Positive: Sancho... I love you, Sancho!
The standout thing in this match was Sancho. For a family show of this kind, Sancho is such a great addition. He is enthusiastic (to counter his opponent's lack of it) and he's into the character. It's a really silly character but it just works. It's one of the only times on NBWA shows that I remember grinning from ear to ear.

Negative: Street Fight or
Negative: Frankie Fellasarno vs Kirk Langley again
Take your pick from the two options. Where shall I start here?

Is 'Street Fight' secret code for 'we can't wrestle so, to hide this fact, we're going to have gimmick matches and f*ck them up, too'? I really don't get how this 'feud' has gotten to this point. Is there nothing that these two can do other than go against each other? The last show that I went to (in February) saw these two against each other. During Frankie's Facebook Promo (lol!) he said that this has been brewing for over a year-and-a-half. Why, oh why do we need to see it over and over again??

AND THE NEXT SHOW WILL SEE A LAST MAN STANDING MATCH BETWEEN THE TWO. Oh joy.

I suppose I should be grateful that, unlike Frankie's 'classic' hardcore match with Mike Mason, there wasn't half as many weapons used in this one. The bottom line is that these gimmicky matches only show the lack of wrestling that these guys can do. Frankie being a little over with the Banbury audience doesn't quite cut it, I'm afraid.

Negative: Psychology (part one)
Don't start a match with a f*cking Powerbomb, boys??!! Where do you go after you've delivered a move like that?? Also, nice to see someone kick out of someone's finish easily (just a typical two-count) when it's been delivered to them ON A CHAIR...

NBWA Cruiserweight Champion: Mr E (credit: Superkick.co.uk)

Positive: Dan is becoming a Man
Although I really don't appreciate paying to see trainees on a show where they're billed as proper wrestlers, I was pleased to see Dan The Man's improvement. Dan is a young lad that seems very keen to learn and to better himself. He does appear to have trimmed down a little and this is a great step in the right direction. Praise should go to Adi, too, for taking him under his wing and trying to do the right thing with regards to progressing his development. I would still say that in order to improve further, a good and reputable wrestling school should be attended. Keep up the good progress, Dan.

Negative: Cruiserweight Championship contested in a Heavyweight match
Maybe this was just the case on this show, but it seems that NBWA have a Cruiserweight title but are having un-Cruiserweight style matches.

For me, when you think of cruiserweights, you think of Rey Mysterio, Chavo Guererro or Billy Kidman. These guys fly around all match long, it's exciting, it's fast-paced. Mr E vs Dan The Man wasn't. It was passable as a match but if you're going to have a slower match, almost like others on the card, then surely you should have a mid-card, Intercontinental title style championship going forward.

Negative: Managers ignoring the Referee's authority
Towards the end of the Mr E vs Dan The Man match, referee Paz was forced to throw Dan's manager, Lady Lucy Becksworth(?) out for excessive interference. When he did so it was long overdue. The interference was too obvious at times. The thing that bothered me about her throwing out was that, despite the fact that she should have left to the back, she continued to stand at the entrance way, screaming for her client and taking the attention away from the match due to the ring announcer and others trying to herd her to the back.

If, when ordered to the back, you remain at ringside, it completely sh*ts on the referee's authority. Don't do it.

Negative: The Darb, The Child and The Nipples
The penultimate match of the evening saw a tag team match with a few more guys (from TAW?) and 'Skinny' Johnny Searle. This match probably offended me the most.

First of all, the guy with 'Hunter' on his shorts had a proper darb (gut; belly; no abs - you get the point?) and was just awful (maybe worse than Samson). His tag team partner (The Nipples) was a lot better but was just too far mixed in with the other ingredients that I didn't care. And then there was NBWA's own Johnny Searle...

ANOTHER example of someone that should not be on wrestling shows. I'm sorry to say this but if your arms are the girth of some people's c*cks, then you do not look like you can win a fight, and that's the point of wrestling, right? You should look like you should be able to handle yourself; you should look like you could win a wrestling match. Why should people pay £10 or whatever to see guys 'play' wrestler?? Insulting.

Positive: Taylor Made
This guys was enthusiastic and, at least, tried to get the audience to give a sh*t about this match. He also tried his hardest to get Searle over (with his own fans). Not sure of his wrestling involvement apart from dropkicks, but he was definitely a diamond amongst all the sh*te. 

'Filthy' Chris Walker (credit: Superkick.co.uk)

Positive: Men wrestling men
The main event saw 'Filthy' Chris Walker vs 'Showcase' Stu Oddyssey. This was one of the two matches that I looked forward to leading up to this show - along with Jutler vs Mason - and I knew that it wouldn't disappoint. I remember seeing these guys go up against each other five years ago on the BAWA shows (also in Banbury) and they still put on a decent match today.

Positive: 'Killer' Stu Oddyssey
I absolutely loved when Stu came out for this match and just stared Walker down. He looked angry (understatement), intense and like he was about to MURDER Walker... what more do you need to start a match? I've always seen Stu as a natural heel and I really hope that can happen sooner rather than later as he just has that look. Big, mean, angry, no-sh*t-taking bad guy is what he's best suited for. No way can I see him as a smiley, happy, baby-kissing goody goody that he has been for the last year-and-a-half.

Positive: Psychology (part two)
Walker worked on Stu's knee throughout the match and this was never forgotten about. I see it far too often when someone works a body part and, a few minutes later, it's completely forgotten about and they have miraculously shaken it off. Stu, thank you for making me believe and think that it could be a problem later in the match.

That's all I've got to say about that show. Better, but still a looooong way to go. There are plenty of talented guys out there that could be booked and do a fantastic job... just saying.

Support British Wrestling

@jimmosangle

Here We Go Again...

I'm off to NBWA (New Breed) later this evening, a wrestling show that is as local as it's going to get for me; just forty minutes up the road in Banbury, Oxfordshire. For those that have read my previous 'weekend of (British) wrestling' reviews, you'll know that I have been very critical (constructively) of NBWA in the shows that I have been to... hopefully after tonight's show, that can change (maybe) and I can start to say nice things!

Going into tonight's show, I'm a little cautious about how things are run now. From looking at the previous shows, I can see that there hasn't been a need for a 'star', former WWE this or WCW that on the card. This is a positive as I don't feel that smaller shows need these types of 'stars' as the majority of the audience won't have a clue who they are. But that's an article for another time...

I'm aware that they have a partnership (?) with TAW, a Milton Keynes based wrestling show, but I'm unsure about what they bring. We'll see tonight, I suppose. With TAW's involvement, and NBWA being under the NWA banner (I'm still not sure the worth behind that), I sometimes wonder what NBWA bring to these shows themselves.

I believe the changes above are because of the change of booker/runner-of-the-show. Unless I'm mistaken, Adi is now 'in charge' and I think this is a much smarter move than what was going on before. I like Adi and am willing to give him a fair shout. I'm glad that he's been given the opportunity to put a wrestling show together that will attract more fans and balance the books in the process.

I also came across a promo on Facebook, where Frankie Fellasarno delivered a warning to his opponent for tonight. I'm still a little confused about how "pulling down the bottom rope" can cause someone a loss...

Frankie's words for Kirk Langley (link)

Also, what's up with Frankie being friends with Kirk on Facebook... Kayfabe and all that, boys...

@jimmosangle

Heels acting like heels...

I've really gotten into podcasts just lately, with JR's, Steve Austin's and Chris Jericho's being the top of my list. After listening to several from the last few months, I'm finally catching up and will be up-to-date with the latest ones in the next couple of days!

Today I finished JR's chat with Lance Storm from last week. I only really saw Storm in the WWE (from 2001 onwards) so am unfamiliar with his work in ECW and WCW, but from everything that you hear or read, he seems a great 'student of the game', as JR would say. This podcast was really interesting and brought up two excellent points. The first is one that JR repeats every week on his podcast, but is such a great point and more relevant now than ever before:

Heels acting like heels
I completely agree with JR's take on heels. For him, heels should cheat to win (at times) and portray the bad guy at every turn. He and Lance point out that Bray Wyatt's 'He's Got The Whole World In His Hands' being sung by the audience or Cesaro's Swing (or, for me, Swagger and Coulter having the audience participate in the 'We The People') are detrimental to what they should be trying to achieve - being a hated figure.

Storm points out that if the audience join in with a song, such as Wyatt's situation, then that part of the act should be changed immediately.

Bottom line is, if the heels are being cheered, even a little, then the babyface isn't going to be rooted for as much as he should. If the heel is hated, as should be the case, then the audience will want nothing more than to see them get their comeuppance. The payoff will be that much sweeter.

Wrestling schools
Throughout the podcast, JR plugs Storm's wrestling school several times. This pleased me greatly. I've done a couple of articles on the subject of training and the importance of it, and this furthered that point and, hopefully, pointed some youngsters in the right direction. Storm's school is in Canada, so a little far away for most in the UK. There was also mention of Booker T's school in Texas and The Dudleys' school, too. I'm not sure where others are in America, but it seems that, if you really want to be in the business, there are plenty of REPUTABLE places that you could go to learn your trade.

I hope that the UK can boast the same one day. We do have some schools that are worth your time if you're serious about becoming a well-trained, SAFE wrestler, but there are also the shoddy, should-never-be-touched places that lead youngsters to believe that they are receiving the 'right' kind of training. I get that money can be an issue in this scenario, but don't settle for second (or third or fourth) best - get the best training possible from guys that have been places and know their stuff.

@jimmosangle

Match of the Day: Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect

After a discussion, round a mate's house, about our favourite wrestling matches, I've decided I'll throw a few of my favourites on here. To kick this off, I'll start with the match that got me into wrestling. I'm not sure if I was a Bret Hart fan before this match or if this is what made me one, but their Summerslam (1991) match entertained the sh*t out of me and still makes my hair stand on end!

Bret Hart vs Mr Perfect - Summerslam 1991

I have always been a Bret Hart fan and this was his first crowning glory for me. It was the start of his ascent to the top of the WWF. It was also from a time when the Intercontinental Champion was a fighting champion; a wrestling champion. Whilst the main event was filled with attractions like Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and The Undertaker, the mid-card had Bret, Perfect, Piper and eventually Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon would continue the trend of the belt being contested in the 'workhorse' match on the card. To be the Intercontinental Champion, in some ways, was more important than the World title; to be trusted with this belt was a sign of where you should go in the company. Obviously, some fell at this hurdle, too, but for the most, the Intercontinental Championship was a great challenge to see if you could make that next step up.

@jimmosangle

I Don't Get The Logic...

Roman Reigns will compete for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the next pay-per-view (special event, whatever) in a Fatal Four Way with Randy Orton, Kane and champ John Cena. I don't get it. Why does he have this opportunity?

Was it purely for the pop that it got when Triple H announced it?

It's been a few days since and it still doesn't sit well with me. I even caught the Triple H weekly interview with Michael Cole this morning and his explanation is that it was 'best for business' and all that. He also pointed out: "did you hear the reactions from the WWE Universe for Roman Reigns?". Since when did reactions matter to The Authority? Daniel Bryan got huge reactions for months and months but was never GIVEN title matches against their guy (Orton).

Now, granted, John Cena isn't their guy and they've made that clear, but putting the guy you hate the most (Reigns) in the match doesn't make sense at all. Surely if you want to stack the deck against Cena then the 'hard way' would be Randy Orton, Kane and Seth Rollins, y'know, the other guy that you have in your back pocket. As it stands he doesn't have a match at Battleground (yes, he'll probably be against Ambrose, but as of THAT moment, he didn't have an opponent).

Roman Reigns

If there was a further reason to add to why Reigns shouldn't be in the match, then it's that he is directly feuding with HHH. Bryan was against all of them and the title was the ultimate goal. Reigns has held the belts up etc etc, but his main beef seems to be with HHH (don't let it fool you that Orton is there; they have to give him something to do). That's probably the biggest reason NOT to put him in the match; he is defying YOU.

I regularly read a column by Brandon Stroud (The Best and Worst of Raw - Uproxx.com) and he made the best point of all: Seth Rollins turned on his Shield brothers to 'evolve' and get opportunities; he now has possession of the MITB briefcase, fair enough. But, at the same time, Ambrose had that SAME opportunity and now Roman Reigns will have had TWO title matches on consecutive pay-per-views... who's getting the best deal there??

Was this match made the way it was simply because you have to have two babyfaces and two heels in these types of matches?

@jimmosangle

WWF Magazines For Sale On Ebay

Just to get more eyes on this...

I am currently in the process of putting some old WWF Magazines on Ebay. They are from the back end of 1999 through to the first half of 2001.

The Rock cover; July 1999

I've only put the ones from 1999 on Ebay so far just to test the waters and see if there is any interest... if so then I'll be putting the others on.

The Brood cover; August 1999

If you're interested or know someone that might be then search for me on Ebay and check out the magazines that I have on offer! My Ebay username is 'jimmo2004'... search for this and take a look! OR click this link to get straight to the items: Jimmo's Ebay items (link)

Mick Foley/Mankind cover; December 1999

@jimmosangle