Sigh… another injury, another worker missing WM… obviously, Vince has to consume more air time and save the day.
What about Freebirds 2.0 (Hayes and “Jimmy Jam” Garvin)? They were even NWA World Tag Team Champions “back when that meant something” (late 1980s or so; they ending up losing the belts to the Steiners).
Is he going to be inducted as Michael P.S. Hayes or Doc Hendrix? I think the reason he changed his name is because WWE didn’t want to pay royalties to whoever owned the Hayes character.
WWE’s been referring to him as Hayes for years, so I assume that at some point they bought out whatever company it was (Mid-South?) that owned that name.
*BAHWANNNGGAAAAHHH
BAANNNNHHHH*
They still haven’t replaced the house band that DoD killed off to make Mil Muertes’s throne of bones.
Opening segment shows Catrina seducing Fenix, saying something to the effect that she’ll be his if he defeats Muertes for the title. She does the shadow teleportation act, slipping in and out of his arms and sealing their deal with a kiss. So is this an “If you can’t beat 'em, join 'em” situation, or has Catrina sank her hooks into another man’s soul for nourishment?
Trios Championship match - Ivelisse, Son of havoc and Angelico vs the Disciples of Death
Ivelisse takes charge, leading off for Team Dysfunction. She wears these gold tights with some kind of interlocking pattern that makes your eyes jiggle when she moves, The DoD aren’t wearing skull masks this time. Again, DoD acts like an army unit. They all do stuff simultaneously to throw their opponents off. One will face Iv while the other two sabotage SoH and Ang. When the ref looks over to see what’s going on, DoD #1 will cheat, drawing the ref’s attention back to him, while the other two stomp on Iv’s teammates. However, SoH and Ang manage to turn the tables with their awesome acrobatics and overcome DoD’s cheating ways. Angelico has yet to match the HOLY SHIT level of aerial assaults from last season, but he’s still amazing. He and Son of H do an Uso-like domino effect on DoD and get the win. Team Dysfunction capture the Trios championship again!
Prince Puma is backstage using a punching bag, when Johnny Mundo shows up and talks about how cool he is and how he’ll win Aztec Rumble next week. PP says nothing and punches through the bag after Johnny leaves.
Next, Texas Bullrope match between Tejano and Chavo Guerrero. Chavo has the Crew by his side, and when the match begins, orders them to jump Tejano. They decide they’ve had enough of being his fall guys and do the fist bump and leave. Chavo is devastated, but can’t escape since his hand are literally tied (to his opponent). The announcers talk as if this is a longtime family feud, but that seems to be the case whenever any Mexican takes on a Guerrero. Tejano get the win and his longtime revenge on Chavo.
Rey Rey and Dragon Azteca Jr. are backstage sitting at a small table. Rey pours out a couple of shots and tells his young protege his training is complete and he’s ready to make his debut. Looks like they’ll both be in Aztec Rampage, and we’ll finally get to see Rey in action.
375 miles away, Dario Cueto and Black Lotus are standing outside yet another Matanza feeding. As we hear screams and growls in the background, Dario says, “I think it’s time… that we return to my temple.” He opens the door, and we finally see Matanza. Not, as I expected, as some kind of mutated monster (courtesy of Robert Rodriguez’s makeup department), but as another masked lucha, breathing heavily and covered in droplets of blood. His mask kind of reminds me of Bizarro Superman — chunky and blockish, like a robot. He seems to wear some kind of prisoner jumpsuit, but hard to tell with the dark lighting. Will he be in Aztec Rampage next week?
Final match: Mil Muertes vs Fenix for the LU title. Last season, these two arguably had the match of the year, capped off with Mil powerbombing Fenix through the top of Cueto’s office. MM does his share of no-selling, kind of like the Road Warriors back in the day, but can still be caught by surprise with Fenix’s attacks out of nowhere. At some point, MM tears Fenix’s mask halfway off and bites his forehead, leaving Fenix’s face in a Crimson Mask. Later, Fenix returns the favor, tearing off the top of MM’s mask and making him blade as well. They fight into the audience, who happily move out of the way, except for one large guy who got stuck between them. I don’t think that was intentional, but you never know. Mil looks to finish off Fenix with the move that kiboshed both Prince Puma and Pentagon Jr. the week before, but Fenix manages to roll him over and pin his arms down, preventing him kicking out of the pin. Fenix wins the LU championship!
As Fenix celebrates in the audience, Catrina grabs the mike and tells him his time is short. Next week at Aztec Rampage, he’ll be contestant #1 and Mil will be contestant #20, and it will be for the LU championship. Yes, WWE did the same thing with Roman Reigns and Hunter, but wasn’t this taped back in December? If so, LU came up with the idea first. 
So, presumably the contestants for Aztec Rampage will be Fenix, Mil Muertes, Prince Puma, Johnny Mundo, Pentagon Jr., Rey Mysterio Jr., El Dragon Azteca Jr., and Matanza. Other strong possibilities include Cage, Sexy Star, the Mack, Marty the Moth, Jack Evans, PJ Black, Drago, Aerostar, Tejano, Chavo Guerrero, Joey Ryan, and King Cuerno. That’s 20 so far. I’d love to see some oddballs from last season make their return, like Mascarita, Pimpinella and Bengala. Should be some awesome shit in any case.
*BAHWANNNGGAAAAHHH
BAANNNNHHHH*
NXT seems to enjoy having at least one heel with a belt, and I think it’s high-time that JJ and Bagels get their due, so do we think this means it’s Joe’s turn with the belt? I think so. Even IF Bayley drops the belt to Asuka it would still be a face-to-face transfer…and NXT can’t have three faces with belts.
It’s too early for predictions I know, but based off yesterday’s show that’s what I’m assuming will happen. Obviously Sami isn’t getting it since he’s been called up.
Well, if Finn is getting called up the Monday after WM, then he’ll be dropping the title to Joe. Unfortunately, I’m not sure who that leaves in the NXT title picture other than Joe and Baron Corbin, as the singles ranks are a bit thin at the moment. Probably means a long program with the two of them and Apollo Crews.
I think it would be crushing for Bayley, if after keeping her in NXT after calling up the other 3 horsewomen, they called up Carmella (her best bud) to be with Enzo & Cass and left her in NXT AGAIN. So I wouldn’t be all that shocked to see her called up and drop the belt to Asuka, who has plenty of opponents to work with and really, isn’t exactly a face or a traditional heel.
You hit on a big complaint I have about smarks on message boards who want to call up practically half the NXT Roster.
“Bring up Finn! Bring up Joe! Enzo and Cass! Austin Ares!” I always laugh and say to Ms. Cups “You want that? Well enjoy Hugo Knox as your NXT champion then.”
I know that people want the indy guys up there, but there has to be SOME stars in NXT, otherwise no one will watch it and will say how bad the wrestling is because none of the people are even halfway decent. I know, I go to the house shows and see the bottom half of the roster…it ain’t pretty when Tucker Knight and Hugo Knox are going against Lemmy Valenzuela Jr and Riddick Moss.
It’s also funny that you mention Corbin because, IMO, he’s the best prospect they have full stop. A heel that EVERYONE hates who has great small-talk during the match with his opponent and the audience. He looks like a heel, has an awesome finisher, and wrestles better than people give him credit for. He’s improved a lot since the countdown days
I don’t watch TNA and don’t feel particularly inspired to even now, but mad props to my boy Drew Galloway for winning his first world heavyweight championship!
(I don’t know him personally, but he was my user-character in Universe mode on WWE '12. Had him win the Royal Rumble and go on to beat Cena for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.)
'Tis being reported that Sting is retiring.
He was arguably one of my favorites growing up in the WCW era and I think it’s a travesty that he never won the belt at his 'Mania appearance.
I’m also saddened over the WAY it happened. Being injured and forced to retire is no way of leaving this sport
Yup. Vince took a big steaming dump all over him in his first appearance, and in his second, he was injured to the point of retirement.
All in all a pretty shitty end for Sting which makes me wish he’d never gone to WWE.
As someone whose favorite has always been Sting*, even when I wasn’t following wrestling nearly as much as I have over the last five or so years, his retirement and especially the manner in which it has come around is quite depressing indeed. I don’t think a wrestling result has teed me off nearly as much as Sting losing to Triple H at Mania XXXI did…very, VERY UNNECESSARY win for Trips, even if I’ll admit that the DX/NWO reunion was relatively cool in its five minute glory. But still…really, making Sting’s return be all about WCW vs. WWE when literally all other former WCWers had already been ‘punished’? How bloody petty and disrespectful can you get towards ‘The Icon’?! I had admittingly high hopes that the right booking and treatment of Sting would happen given that a real seriously good deal must have been struck for him to willingly sign with WWE after long holding the distinction of being THE ONE wrestler to have not needed Vince and Co. to be over like he had been. I now wish that Stinger had stuck with retaining that distinction. sighs
If anything though, I also wish that Sting had swallowed his pride, and signed with WWE instead of TNA* after the dissolution of WCW. If Stinger had gotten past any and all booking ‘hazing’, we would have seen him involved in some potentially classic feuds…most particularly Sting vs. Undertaker. If not for that awful injury ( 
), even if it wasn’t as great as it would have been with both men in their prime, I was pulling so hard for a Taker/Stinger double retirement match at this year’s Mania.
-
- And to the point where the one wrestling shirt I actually wear is a black Sting one with a red scorpion design from TNA…by far the best thing to come from his days with them IMHO.
Hulkamania runs wild over $115 million lawsuit win over Gawker. That’s what prayers, training, and vitamins will do for ya.
Maybe the Hulkster didn’t know he was being taped, but he’s so much of an attention whore, he probably would have agreed to release it if Gawker had offered a deal.
Surely they’ll appeal something like that. I would think that this case is far from over
Yep. I linked this article in the MPSIMS thread. In a nutshell from the beginning Gawker planned on winning this on the appeal.
Can they afford the appeal bond however?
Stan Hansen has been named as the next HOF inductee. He was before my time, but I understand he was pretty accomplished in WWWF, AWA, and Japan.
That just leaves a celebrity inductee to be named, and according to the rumors, it’s going to be
Snoop Dogg.
I would’ve preferred Lemmy, but I can’t complain.
Hansen was also around in WCW before the NWO era. He went back to Japan because the new angle they put him in was really stupid.
He and Vader had a match in Japan where Vader almost lost his eye. Vader said in an interview with SCSA that Hansen was near-sighted. Vader was already in the ring when Hansen came in and swung his rope, with a cowbell tied to the end of it, and hit Vader in the eye, popping it out. Vader pushed it back in and continued with the match.
Makes sense given his relationship with a certain Diva, but has he done anything in the WWE?
Snoop Dogg did the most pathetic guest pose-down segment ever, with Hulk Hogan. He looked like a fucking string bean compared to the Hulkster.