Thursday, July 31, 2008

RUSTY BROOKS INTERVIEW!

We'd like to thank long-time wrestler Rusty Brooks for granting us this interview. We encourage everyone to support the "School Of Hard Knocks" wrestling school in Florida, and pray for Brooks as he goes through his kidney dialysis.

WFB: Having spent over two decades in the wrestling business, what do you think about the general state of pro wrestling in 2008?

RB: I believe there is too much priority placed on soap opera storylines and not enough on in-ring abilities. Also, I think with WWE they are too concerned with the perfect look in regards to physic and not about talent that can actually work.

WFB: Why did you turn over the day-to-day operations of your "School of Hard Knocks" wrestling school?

RB: I basically pulled out of the school and the wrestling because of health concerns. I am undergoing kidney dialysis treatments and could no longer handle the schedule required to operate the school.

WFB: How do you feel about your induction on WrestleCrap.com?

RB: I am not aware of it.

WFB: What advice would you give to an aspiring wrestler/promoter?

RB: Have fun with it, and always' remember it is a business and conduct it that way. Try to treat the people you work with like you would want to be treated. Don't try to swerve anyone, just do the right thing.

WFB: What was your favorite match to wrestle?

RB: I liked tag team wrestling. I had a number of excellent partners through the years.

WFB: Being a Floridian yourself, what do you think about Florida-based TNA wrestling?

RB: I think it is a good alternative to WWE. Competition always helps bring out the best in rival promotions and it gives the talent more options to work.

WFB: Having seen many of them through the years, do you have a favorite "gay" wrestling character?

RB: There was a Florida Indie character who worked as "Gorgeous" Gary Glitter, who was very
entertaining , and he got "per" with the gimmick.

WFB: What was the deal with the Super Duper Mario character you portrayed?

RB: Promoter Mario Savoldi wanted to cash in on Lou Albano's success playing the Nintendo game character Super Mario. Savoldi ran a successful promoti9on in the Northeast (ICW) and worked for him for a number of years off and on. The Super Duper Mario character was very popular but unfortunately the promotion was shutting down before we could really take off with it.

WFB: You've trained many well-known wrestlers. Do you have any fascinating or humorous stories to tell about any of them?

RB: Nothing off hand, just that I met a ton of great friends and always' had good times and a lot of fun traveling and working with them.

WFB: Is there anything you'd like to promote to our readers at this time?

RB: No, nothing comes to mind, just thanks for the support from the fans and best wishes to all.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

News

Before we get into this entry, I'd first like to let my loyal readers know some blog-related news.

I will be attending Ring Of Honor this Friday night. If anyone from ROH would like to grant us an interview, feel free to contact me.

We sent off YOUR questions for Rusty Brooks. That interview should be up shortly.

The new female column I promised you a while back will also be debuting soon.

Now onto wrestling news...

Freddie Prinze Jr. (yes, that Freddie Prinze Jr.) officially joined WWE's creative team this week.

A woman from Rolla, MO is suing WWE and the University of Missouri over injuries she suffered at a SmackDown house show in Rolla in May last year - she fell from the bleachers after a railing gave way. WWE and the university claim the injury was her fault. The full story can be read at http://www.kspr.com/news/local/26115444.html.

Ashley Massaro stated that the meds for her sick daughter finally started working. She hopes to be back on TV soon, but didn't state in what role or for what company.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

The Rock

Wrestling journalist Tommy Fierro recently wrote in a column that he believes wrestling stars from the 1980's are more well-known and fondly remembered by the general public than wrestling's modern performers. Fierro said that in his opinion the reason for this is because the wrestlers in the 1980's WWF had character, which is something he believes the WWE lacks in 2008. Looking at The Rock's new DVD, I can't help but agree with him.

The Rock was one of the biggest things in wrestling (and mainstream pop culture) only a few short years ago. We all wore the t-shirts and shouted the catch-phrases. Now Dwayne Johnson is out in Hollywood not entertaining sold out arenas, and I know I'm not the only fan who wishes The Rock could (finally) come back to Raw. Sure I still enjoy many wrestlers on the current WWE roster, but none of them are very memorable from one week to the next. None of them leap through the screen and grab your attention the way The Rock did. These days, WWE wrestlers all follow a very precise script. If you've been watching wrestling for any length of time you can more or less guess what will happen the next time you see your favorite WWE superstar.

Dwayne Johnson followed a script too. In fact his emergence in popularity started right around the same time that the WWF writers started scripting their TV shows down to the very last minuscule detail. So why is an overly-scripted Rock so popular while modern stars fail to connect as strongly with the audience?

Answer: The Character.

John Cena isn't the white rapper anymore, which is what made his character popular in the first place. Now, without that aspect to his character, he continues to get booed in arenas across the country. C.M. Punk has a character, but it isn't emphasized in any of his angles. Compare that to Chris Jericho, who is currently a heel with a legitimate point to his anger. When Jericho announced that the "good guys" had won in reference to injuring Shawn Michaels, a portion of the crowd cheered and the entire audience had some kind of a reaction. There's a reason for that.

The Rock's new DVD The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment is loaded with Rock promos and matches that will make you long for the Attitude Era of WWF/WWE wrestling. It's not just Rocky that will entertain you though. It's the people he's wrestling. Mick Foley, DX, Kurt Angle, Steve Austin, The Hurricane, Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Guys who were characters! I encourage all my readers to pick up this DVD and re-live some classic wrestling moments that remind us all why we're fans in the first place. Or, if you've never seen The Rock in a pro wrestling context, do yourself a favor and get this DVD immediately! The Rock's new DVD only costs $18.99 (around $13.00 if you get it used) from our good friends over at Amazon AND it's eligible for free shpping! WWE wants you to pay $19.62 plus shipping (more if you get a combo deal). Tell those WWE shop guys to take their overpriced package deal, turn that sumbitch sideways, and stick it straight up their candy asses! Help support this Web site and click the link below to purchase The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports-Entertainment from Amazon.

That is, if you smell what The Rock is cooking. Otherwise...Well, I guess you could always go watch some TNA or something.



Thursday, July 24, 2008

Warrior in hot water (again), and ROH expanding

The Ultimate Warrior's New York autograph signing, which drew about 130 people this past Sunday, angered World Wrestling Entertainment.

Raw brand road agent Bruno Lauer, better known to wrestling fans as Harvey Wippleman, arrived at the signing's venue without notice and hung up a WWE cease and desist letter for everyone in line to read. To summarize the papers: Warrior and WWE have no connection to each other, and the Warrior was supposedly just using the attention and name of the WWE brand to attract fans into his signing. The papers also made mention of the Intercontinental title belt, which the Warrior's Web site advertised he would be posing with. The letter said the title was intellectual property of WWE's, therefore the Warrior could not pose or even market himself posing with it.

ROHmedia.com is reporting that Ring of Honor is going to be making "major roster changes" in the near future. Graduates of the ROH wrestling School will be showing up soon, in addition to the roster gaining more full-time talent. Specifically, Roh is working on booking Kota Ibushi for upcoming shows.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The Ultimate Prostitute and the Sandman. No relation.

The Sandman was arrested last night at a restaurant in Yonkers, NY for throwing glasses at restaurant employees, and then later at the police attempting to arrest him. The cops even had to pull a gun on Sandman during the arrest.

"The TV show "Hard Copy" is working on doing a story on Ultimate Warrior similar to the one in "The Globe" last week where it said Jim Hellwig used to be a homosexual prostitute before his wrestling days. The only WWF reaction I heard to the story was just to try and ignore it and hope it goes away, which is probably the best reaction. Thus far there haven't been any reports of Warrior getting negative reactions at the house shows, even though the Globe story has been the talk inside the wrestling business."
-The Wrestling Observer; May 27, 1991 edition

Google has various search results related to the Warrior story as well. Does whoring make the world work?

Remember to send in your questions for Rusty Brooks!

Monday, July 21, 2008

PPV results and news

Here are the short results for the WWE Great American Bash pay-per-view.

Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder won a Fatal Four Way Match against John Morrison and The Miz, Finlay and Hornswoggle and Jesse and Festus to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.

Shelton Benjamin won the United States championship against Matt Hardy.

Mark Henry beat Tommy Dreamer to retain the ECW title when Colin Delaney turned on Dreamer.

Chris Jericho beat Shawn Michaels when the referee deemed Michaels physically unable to continue wrestling.

Michelle McCool beat Natalya to win the Divas championship. More on this later.

CM Punk and Dave Batista wrestled to a double disqualification when Kane interfered. CM Punk retained the World title.

JBL beat John Cena in a Parking Lot match.

Triple H beat Edge to retain the WWE championship.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Bob Holly was sent home due to an undisclosed incident recently that may have also put his job in jeopardy with WWE. There are also unconfirmed online reports that personal issues may be the cause.

Rey Mysterio and WWE are still unable to come to terms on a new contract. Despite what some may consider to be a "promotion" to the Raw brand recently, Mysterio feels he is being underpaid in comparison to other top performers in the company. He is reportedly seeking significantly more money than WWE officials are willing to pay.

Dakota Darsow, the son of former WWF and WCW wrestler Barry Darsow, is getting a one-week tryout in Florida Championship Wrestling.

William Regal's suspension came to an end this past Friday, so he should be reappearing on TV soon.

Mickie James posted a blog entry on WWE Fan Nation talking about MySpace imposters, John Cena, Trish Stratus, and a same-sex kiss! To read the entry, go here:
http://fans.wwe.com/mickiejames/blog/2008/07/20/my_first_blog

Randy Orton is ranked number one in this year's Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500, which ranks the top 500 wrestlers in the world.

In the lighter side of wrestling news, WWE (or "WWF" according to the article) fans got in trouble at the Great Americzn Bash for trying to steal chairs. You can read the full article at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liwwe0722,0,3718307.story

The person in charge of the WWE Divas (the person teaching them to wrestle the WWE style and how to handle their matters) is Michelle McCool. This is due to her relationship with The Undertaker, who has pushed for her to be in charge of the divison. The other divas don't care for McCool, particularly the ones more experienced at wrestling than herself. This is also why McCool was given the Diva title on SmackDown.

Another interview! Another advertiser! Another update!

On the heels of our RD Reynolds interview, Wrestling For Bisexuals is proud to announce that we have confirmed a second upcoming interview for our ever-expanding blog. The one and only RUSTY BROOKS will soon be gracing us with his presence.

For those of you who may not remember or may not know him, Rusty Brooks is a wrestling veteran who has competed in the pseudo-sport for over twenty years. Brooks has worked for the World Wrestling Federation, the National Wrestling Alliance, and various other promotions throughout the world. He has wrestled everyone from Steve Brody to Hulk Hogan (literally!). He has been a trainer of stars including Gangrel, Luna Vachon, and Norman Smiley. He has even been inducted into wrestlecrap.com.

If you have any questions for Rusty Brooks, send them my way so he can answer them! You can reach me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.

In other blog-related news, we have signed up Wrestling For Bisexuals with Amazon Associates. The dispute with Google AdSense is still on-going, but the recent success of this blog suggests that we cannot wait to settle the matter before attempting to once again generate ad revenue. Our audience is growing, and we are being acknowledged by respected members of the wrestling business. Now is the time to strike! We will continue to provide wrestling news, interviews, and other fascinating content to our loyal readers with or without advertisements. To be honest though, the ad revenue helps us out.

A lot.

On that note, if anyone would like to donate to us via PayPal, feel free. Once agian, the e-mail address is: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.

Now stop reading this and e-mail me some Rusty Brook questions!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

RD Reynolds Interview

Hello loyal readers. Unfortunately, computer issues in addition to an on-going dispute with Google AdSense prevented me from updating this blog over the past few days. As promised, I will now finally post the long-awaited RD Reynolds interview. I'd like to thank RD for his cooperation (he even plugged this blog on WrestleCrap Radio!), and I encourage all of you to check out wrestlecrap.com, WrestleCrap Radio, and the new WrestleCrap Book Of Lists.

As if RD needs our help to sell his stuff.

RD REYNOLDS INTERVIEW

WFB: Yourself and WrestleCrap Radio co-host Blade Braxton recently told off former WWF wrestler Damien Demento via a YouTube video. Since it's now clear that you have video technology at WrestleCrap HQ, when are your fans finally going to see a video podcast of WrestleCrap Radio?

RD: Weekly video of myself and the Hobo? A scary thought! I think it’s best that it’s scattered about, that we are rarely seen, like Bigfoot or something. We don’t want to frighten the children.

WFB: You've sung Cher on WrestleCrap Radio in the past. Do you enjoy any other gay-friendly songs or artists?

RD: You know, it’s funny – I don’t view songs or artists as “gay-friendly”. I don’t view people that way either. I’ve had friends come out to me, and they always seem scared. They will say something like, “Well, I’m gay – I hope we can still be friends.” And I just shake my head and said, “Of course we are still friends. Well, unless you, well, uh, think I’m attractive.” And they’ve all said the same thing: “OH MY GOD, NO!” Like I’m the ugliest man on the planet!

Maybe I am related to Bigfoot!

Anyway, I couldn’t tell you who or what is gay-friendly or not. As a rule, though, I like horrible music. If horrible music as a whole is gay-friendly, then the answer is yes. 8)

WFB: Do you personally know anyone in the wrestling business who is a homosexual, bisexual, lesbian, etc.?

RD: Not that I know of, but again, it’s not something that I think about one way or the other, so even if someone told me they were, I would probably just say, “Oh, that’s nice” and then move on with whatever we were talking about.

WFB: Tell us a bit about the selection process at WrestleCrap. When and how is a character or storyline officially deemed worthy of induction into your site?

RD: There’s no hard and fast rule, other than the fact that it should be bad and more importantly, it should be funny. That’s the only rule – I want to write about stuff that will make me laugh. Because if I laugh at it, I think others will as well. That’s the only real rule I’ve had in the 8+ years I’ve been running the site.

WFB: You recently held the first-ever WrestleCrap garage sale. How do you sleep at night knowing you've charged people hard-earned money for such terrible items?

RD: On top of a big pile of money.

Ok, that’s a lie. But here’s the thing with the Garage Sale – it was primarily stuff that was going to wind up in the dumpster. I figured if anyone out there could find humor in an inflatable shelieleigh it would be one of my fellow Crappers.

And besides, it wasn’t all horrible – that pinball machine is freakin’ cool!

WFB: How did you first break into independent wrestling?

RD: I hung out at ringside at a local event and made a total fool of myself. My buddy Casey and I would mock the wrestlers, the promoter, the announcer, everyone. They had a pizza place as a sponsor for the shows, and to mock them, we ordered Domino’s. Had a guy deliver inside the building and everything! The promoter thought we were funny, so he asked me to start doing programs. Did those for a while, then got fired for saying the lead heel was formerly the manager of Orange Julius #837 in Boise, Idaho.

From there, though, there was no stopping me – I felt it was my life’s destination to go out and make a fool of myself, so I morphed into “The Real Deal”, RD Reynolds, with the story being I was Burt Reynolds’ illegitimate nephew. I was a manager, and my men would have the task of taking over promotions so we could in turn take over their buildings, turning them into Burt Reynolds Dinner Theaters.

I always had a lot of fun coming up with stupid stuff like that.

WFB: We know you love the bad things in wrestling, but what about the good things? What are some of your favorite non-WrestleCrap wrestling moments/characters?

RD: Rock. The Rock. Dwayne Johnson. Did I mention the Rock yet?

Man he was great. Wrestling just hasn’t been the same since he left. But I am so happy for him, as he seemed like way too good a guy to be stuck in this stupid business.

WFB: Blade Braxton frequently mentions a love of all things female on your radio show (even Linda Hogan!). Do you think he's just a closeted homosexual in denial?

RD: Without question. And everytime he says he’s “all about the clam”, I think he is saying, he’s “all about the crabs.”

I have no doubt he is a homosexual.

With lots of STD’s.

WFB: Will WrestleCrap.com ever induct more moments/characters from independent wrestling?

I try not to, because independent wrestlers and promotions don’t have the budget a lot of times to do the things they are trying to do. I’ve been on the indy scene and know how hard it is, so I try to cut them a break.

WFB: Will you please, please plug our site on Wrestlecrap and/or WrestleCrap Radio?

RD: Sure, we’ll have Blade plug you on WCR.

Wow, that sounded really wrong.

WFB: According to Kane's fictionalized, unauthorized autobiography, he had a grandmother. Do you think she was the old woman in See No Evil?

RD: I’d say who I think she was, but that would just give Vince ideas.

And he really doesn’t need any more excuses to bring Mae Young out of the mothballs.

WFB: Did you ever get rid of that damn Dusty Rhodes book?

RD: TRUE STORY: It was going to be in the Garage Sale. I was finally going to get rid of it. But then Blade was like, “Dude, I WANT THAT!” Now keep in mind he’s been to WrestleCrap HQ like 10 times since I had it, and never once said he wanted it. My guess is the next time he’s here, he’ll say something like, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” and then I’ll be stuck with it again.

Ah well, we’re planning on making the Garage Sale an annual event...I’ll get rid of it somehow.

Thanks!

RD

No, thank you, RD!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend. I'm going to go catch up on wrestling news and listen to WrestleCrap Radio!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

News

WWE's Raw brand finished a major tour of South America last week. As previously mentioned on this blog promoters in Peru were upset about the draft because they'd built all of their advertising around Triple H and Jeff Hardy before they got moved to SmackDown. As expected, WWE sent both men to Lima. There were still complaints that neither man, nor the advertised but currently injured Randy Orton, were in Chile. The biggest show of the tour drew about 28,000 in a 45,574-seat stadium. It was still the biggest crowd in the history of wrestling in South America.

In top matches: Jeff Hardy beat JBL, Shawn Michaels beat Chris Jericho, and Triple H beat John Cena. There was a moment where the fans chanted "CENA SUCKS!" non-stop for five literal minutes, which has to be some sort of record.

The tour was front page new in Lima all last week.

Trevor Murdoch was mysteriously released on July 3rd. No one seems to know why since he was purposely drafted to SmackDown on the recommendation of Michael Hayes. It was likely for disciplinary reasons, but no one seems to be commenting.

A Jim Cornette interview is included in the new Ric Flair DVD. Ricky Steamboat is nowhere to be found.

Jeff Hardy told WWE Magazine: "I made a mistake, and I paid for it. I missed Wrestlemania. That was a huge, huge punishment. I was involved in such a big match going in, and I missed it. But, I think the fans respect the fact that I've confessed to what I did wrong. Throughout my suspension, they tested me two or three times each week. No joke. The testing is very thorough, which is good. You literally have to pull your shirt up to your chest, and drop your pants. Then some guy squats next to you, so he can watch you piss".

Vince McMahon was said to be very tough on Michael Cole's announcing work during and after Raw.

CM Punk accidentally broke Gene Snitsky's nose during their match last night on Raw when he hit him with the G.T.S.

Remember to send in your questions for "The Real Deal" RD Reynolds. Yes, the RD Reynolds! Send questions to: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com

RD REYNOLDS INTERVIEW SCHEDULED!

Today I spoke to "The Real Deal" RD Reynolds from wrestlecrap.com. To my joy and surprise, he agreed to sit down with me and do an interview for this blog! If you have a question for the king of crap, send it to: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com ASAP!

Monday, July 7, 2008

Naked Vickie, The Rock, and buying my old crap!

It's a pretty slow day for wrestling news, but I've come across a few tidbits I couldn't help but share.

There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.

Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.

Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.

Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.

In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:

A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.

A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."

Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.

Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?

The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."

Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."

Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.

If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.

Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Virgil loves America


I know I found this image a few days too late for the fourth of July holiday, but I still couldn't resist showing it off. Carl Weathers in Rocky IV has nothing on Virgil!

Friday, July 4, 2008

news

There is said to be legit heat between SmackDown divas Michelle McCool and Natalya Neidhart due to a recent incident involving the two. McCool reportedly tried to re-teach Natalya, an eight-year wrestling veteran, how to wrestle the "WWE style." This supposedly included showing her how to properly lock up.

Currently scheduled matches for the Great American Bash pay-per-view are as follows:

CM Punk versus John Cena vesus JBL for the World title.

Mark Henry versus Tommy Dreamer for the ECW title.

Cody Rodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. versus Bob Holly and a partner of his choice (possibly Dusty Rhodes).

Edge versus Triple H for the WWE title.

Rey Mysterio versus Santino Marella.

Shawn Michaels versus Chris Jericho (possibly in a Blindfold match).

Jericho versus Michaels was confirmed on this week's Raw. The other planned matches could still change.

Mister Kennedy isn't expected to get much of a push despite his move to SmackDown.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Firings, midgets, and news!

Current WWE house show listings suggest that CM Punk may hold his World title for some time, and that at least one major Raw star could soon be turning heel.

A Raw brand house show at the Wildwoods Convention Centers Ocean in Wildwood, New Jersey on Aug. 8th lists CM Punk versus Kane in a World Heavyweight Championship match. On Aug. 23rd at Madison Square Garden, CM Punk is listed as defending the World title against Batista. Kane will also be challenging Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental championship at that same show. In Paris, France on Sept. 27th, CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is listed as the World title match.

Keep in mind that cards are always subject to changes in wrestling.

WWE.com confirmed the release of Trevor Murdoch earlier today.

The RAW overrun this week did a 4.12 quarter hour rating, suggesting that putting the title on CM Punk increased ratings.

Speaking of CM Punk, his former wrestling home Ring Of Honor is attempting to cash in on their old roster member's recent WWE success. They released the following press release concerning a special on CM Punk DVDs.

CM Punk's Legacy Of Honor
Thursday, July 03, 2008

FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH A FREE CM PUNK VS. HOMICIDE MATCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.

New WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk set the wrestling world on fire with his stunning victories over Edge and JBL on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans might have been surprised, but Ring Of Honor's faithful saw Punk's greatness before everyone else. Now we are giving you an affordable opportunity to witness it all for yourself.

CM Punk was one of the forefathers of ROH. He was one of the pillars that set the standard in ROH with memorable matches, promos and happenings. Now we want all the new Punk fans to witness Punk at his best in ROH. You can't call yourself a CM Punk fan until you've seen his work in ROH.

We have chosen some special DVDs that all CM Punk fans must see. We know money is tight so now these DVDs are on sale for only $12 each at www.ROHwrestling.com for a very limited time. Not affordable enough? You can also save an additional 15-20% on your entire order at ROHwrestling.com. Check the main page of www.ROHwrestling.com for details. Here are the Punk DVDs that you need to see for yourself to know the true CM Punk. Check out these titles for under $12 each for a very limited time:

First of all, If you want a very personal look at CM Punk check out "Straight Shootin' With CM Punk & Samoa Joe" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220) as these two friends talk about life on the road, their careers and much, much more.

"World Title Classic" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=161&id=285): ROH was a struggling company at its lowest point. CM Punk stepped forward and put the promotion on his back as he challenged now TNA World Champion and then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe for the ROH Title. The result was a classic that made everyone remember that ROH does pro wrestling best."

"Death Before Dishonor II: Part 1" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1752):
CM Punk & Colt Cabana put the ROH Tag Team Titles on the line against Jay & Mark Briscoe in a 2/3 Falls Match in the main event. Why is this one significant? Not only does it spotlight Punk as one half of the ROH Tag Champs, but Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat called it the best tag match he has ever seen live. Compliments don't get any bigger than that.

"Joe vs. Punk II" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=807):
The first Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk battle for the World Title was so great that a rematch had to be signed. This one was given five stars by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and has gone down in history. The match was so good that Mick Foley watched the entire thing from the crowd and called it one of the best bouts he's ever seen. This is can't miss for all Punk and Joe fans.

"Death Before Dishonor III" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1352):
If you only get one DVD off this list make it this one. It was supposed to be CM Punk's final night in ROH before signing with WWE. Instead, it turned into one of the most surprising situations anywhere in wrestling this decade. This special 2 DVD set was designed to be an ode to Punk with highlights of his entire stay in ROH and a great World Title Match against then Champion Austin Aries. It doesn't get more essential than this double DVD set.

"Redemption" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1450):
No one knows what is going to happen next as CM Punk's ROH World Title reign continues. Punk is faced with three of his toughest enemies when he puts the World Title on the line vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. James Gibson in an epic Elimination Four Way. The end of an era starts here.

"Punk: The Final Chapter" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
CM Punk finally says goodbye to ROH on this emotional farewell show. You'll see exactly how much ROH means to Punk and Punk means to ROH as the tears flow when CM Punk battles long time friend Colt Cabana in a 2/3 Falls Match.

If you are looking for a CM Punk compilation DVD then look no further. You can now get four "Best Of" DVDs at www.ROHwrestling.com focused on CM Punk as part of this special, limited time $12 sale. Don't forget, you can also save 15-20% on your entire order so these DVDs are actually less than $12 each. Check out these titles:

"Best Of CM Punk - Better Than You" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
A young, brash, cocky CM Punk is highlighted on this DVD as he first makes his name in ROH. This DVD focuses on his legendary feud against Raven and also features matches vs. Homicide, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer and others.

"Best Of Second City Saints - Chicago's Elite" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=947):
CM Punk joined forces with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel to be one of ROH's greatest factions ever. This compilation focuses on tag team wars against a wide variety of opponents.

"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 2 - Straightedge" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1101):
CM Punk's star continues to rise on this DVD. You'll see Punk's memorable feud against the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and more as he battles Raven inside a Steel Cage, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams, Steve Corino and others.

"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 3 - The Legacy Continues" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1906):
Punk has now taken his spot on top of ROH and you'll see how important he is with highlights of his matches vs. Samoa Joe and much more including his bloody feud against Jimmy Rave.

This is only a small sampling of what Punk accomplished in ROH. Ring Of Honor will always have a special place in CM Punk's heart and career. Punk's importance to ROH is immeasurable. Now the world is finding out about CM Punk. In order to truly understand who CM Punk is and what he's done you need to witness this stuff from Ring Of Honor. Don't hesitate because these DVDs will only be $12 each (plus save an additional 15-20%) at www.ROHwrestling.com for a limited time.

NOTE: You can check out a CM Punk vs. TNA Tag Team Champion Homicide match for free at www.ROHvideos.com and on Youtube at:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Mu6-zuIRM

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBeQ2XQM-8

-ROHwrestling.com

A strange situation involving Bret Hart took place at the 2008 induction ceremony for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame in Waterloo, IA. Hart was present to induct his late father, Stu, into the Hall. During his speech Hart began a rant against Greg Oliver, a reporter who during an afternoon ceremony earlier that day had received the James Melby Award for wrestling journalism. Hart eventually gave an ultimatum that he would leave the ceremony if Oliver didn't. When Oliver didn't budge, Hart kept his word and left the scene to a standing ovation from the crowd. Hart has had issues with Oliver dating back five years when Oliver released his book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. He ranked Bret Hart number fourteen in a list of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all-time.

“He remains incensed about ranking only 14th in wrestling historian Greg Oliver’s book...Fair enough. The book is wildly Ontario-centric and Oliver even ranks Sky Low Low above Bret...Bret acknowledges this obsessive, angry side of his personality, but he’s trying to change,” wrote Heath McCoy about Bret Hart in her book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. McCoy was also part of a panel writing a book about Chris Benoit along with Greg Oliver.

TNA will be sending A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and either Curry Man or Johnny Devine to the 7/25 Arena Mexico show as part of the exchange that had CMLL wrestlers working the World X Cup. All TNA stars will only be working one date.

On July 1st, Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea appeared on the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge to discuss his ex-wife Linda, and getting pulled over by police a few weeks back on suspicion of an injunction violation. Nobody has currently found any evidence that an injunction exists, despite contrary claims from Linda Bollea. "The Hulkster" said that his daughter Brooke called him on the phone after finding Linda's new lover living at the house, and also driving one of Terry Bollea's Harley Davidson motorcycles, which he said was currently uninsured.

Scott Hall no-showed a wrestling show in Panama.

In an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, former WWE writer Chris Bell said he thought Vince McMahon has been responsible in trying to get wrestlers away from heavy drug use. Keep in mind the question was specifically asked of the period following the death of Eddy Guerrero. Bell brought up that Randy Orton and Chris Masters both had their names linked in a drug investigation, but that only one was fired from the company while the other was promoted to the World title level at essentially the same time. Bell then defended McMahon for "always being under the microscope" of the mainstream media, and blamed drug problems in wrestling on poor personal responsibility. He said every major sports organization should have a single doctor responsible for all prescriptions on the road, which WWE has just started doing. Bell closed the interview by suggesting Vickie Guerrero should have a job backstage with WWE, rather than an on-camera role.

The Fight Network is talking about doing a wrestling comedy show tentatively titled "Citizen Pain." Rumors circulating would have Al Snow starring as a wrestling booker and owner of a regional territory (his character would be modeled after Jerry Lawler). Rich Landrum, who announced wrestling in the 70s and early 80s for Crockett Promotions before Tony Schiavone was hired, is rumored to play the TV wrestling announcer role.

Robin Williams attended the Lucha Va Voom show on June 29th in San Francisco that drew an advanced sellout of 1,100 fans. The show also had Dana Gould (Produced of “The Simpsons”) as in-house announcer. Mexican exoticos Pimpinela Escarlata and Cassandro were the stars of the show, which featured music, strippers and a midget wrestler called Lil Chicken doing an 18-foot balcony dive.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I'll see you all next update.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

WWE news

Brian Kendrick is said to be held in high regard by WWE agents and producers. Observers say he has a better approach and attitude than Paul London, who is considered an inconsistent performer and a "heat magnet" behind the scenes.

Wal-Mart has begun selling WWE DVDs called "Branded Classics." These are the UK's "Tagged Classics" put out for the American market. Some of the available DVDs in the "Branded Classics" series include the 2003 Royal Rumble and 2003 No Way Out, both of which heavily feature Chris Benoit. 2003 Backlash and Judgement Day are also available. Pretty much every WWE pay-per-view up to 1999 has been released as a Tagged Classic in the UK. Theirs have no music edits and no WWF logo blurs, but they are otherwise edited. I don't know if the American DVDs will be given the same treatment.

Ashley Massaro has requested her release from WWE due to her daughter being very ill.

In the wake of CM Punk's title win on Raw, this week's edition of ECW did a 1.4 cable rating, which is rounded up from a 1.38. The previous week's show did a 1.18, up from a 1.0 the week before that.

WWE is considering making SmackDown live once a month, specifically on Friday's before a pay-per-view. WWE hopes that this will freshen up the show and help boost ratings. However, Jim Ross said in his blog that he thinks the Friday before WrestleMania 25 will end up being the only time the live SmackDown idea actually happens. According to him, people who currently read TV spoilers only make up a small percentage of the regular audience. WWE has confirmed that they will be holding a live SmackDown in Houston, Texas the Friday before WrestleMania 25. This means another huge week for wrestling fans. It'll be a SmackDown on Friday night at the Toyota Center, the Hall Of Fame ceremony on Saturday night at the Toyota Center, WrestleMania on Sunday at the Reliant Stadium, and RAW back at the Toyota Center on Monday.

Melina broke her heel when she took a hard fall during an inter-promotional Divas tag team match on Raw. She's expected to be out for five months.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

CM Punk, Mr. Perfect, and Mike Austin.

The biggest post-Raw news item is unquestionably CM Punk's winning of the World title. If WWE's intent behind Punk wearing the big gold belt is to get fans interested in or talking about their product, mission accomplished! I personally didn't once change the channel off Raw after I saw Punk's segment, and this morning at my day job the few other wrestling fans in the building were discussing Raw for the first time in weeks and dropping Punk's name for probably the first time ever. The possibility of JBL capturing the belt the same night also kept me in suspense. At least until the familiar "deck stacked against the champion" cliche snuck its way into the program's writing and gave away the finish of the main event.

Punk's title win was a "too good to be true" moment for wrestling fans who have grown tired of WWE's by-the-numbers writing style. Pulling a WrestleMania IX (only in reverse considering Punk's weight and the face/heel role reversals) seemed like a move WWE would make. A slap back to reality, if you will. With WWE creative starting to think outside of the box, the big question now becomes: Where does CM Punk and WWE go from here?

That answer will likely depend heavily on the result of last night's Raw rating. Meanwhile, the top challengers for Punk's belt are logically JBL, John Cena, Batista, and former champion Edge. Edge is certain to continue his feud with The Undertaker on SmackDown at some point. Batista would have to turn heel for a match against Punk to work, according to one of the first rules of wrestling. The same goes for John Cena. However, Cena and JBL appear to once again be entering into a feud with one another. They don't need the World title to make that feud work, but it's quite possible one of them will get it by the next pay-per-view anyway. Regardless of how long his title reign lasts, hardcore CM Punk fans will surely feel the end came too soon.

A few other things have happened as a result of this move, by the way. The Raw brand once again has a Heavyweight championship, and the Money In The Bank storyline has now been concluded. At least until next year's WrestleMania when the match will more than likely take place again. Also, CM Punk is now the only man to hold the ECW, ROH and WCW/World titles.

Moving on to other wrestling news...

Here is the lineup for the upcoming two-disc Mr. Perfect DVD, courtesy of Silver Vision.

Disc 1:

Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On

Matches:

Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)

Curt Hennig and Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)

Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)

“Rap is Crap” Music Video

Vignettes:

Billiards October 1, 1988

Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988

Darts October 8, 1988

Bowling October 8, 1988

Chess October 15, 1988

Basketball October 15, 1988

Ping Pong October 28, 1989

Diving November 4, 1989

Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989

Horseshoes November 24, 1989

Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992

Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993

Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993

Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993

Stories:

Curt Loved Karaoke

Disc 2:

60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)

Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole and Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)

Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)

WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)

Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)

The lineup is rather iffy, in my opinion. The rare AWA matches were a great inclusion, and Hennig's matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are definite classics. You also can't go wrong with the "Rap Is Crap" video or the sports vignettes. On the downside, there isn't nearly enough WCW footage. Hennig was a member of the NWO and a United States champion there, for crying out loud! WWE is also forgetting about Hennig's brief return to the company in 2002 before his death. They could at least show his final WWE match against Matt Hardy. There are also no matches involving any of Hennig's Intercontinental title wins, or any of his classic matches against Ric Flair. If you're a big enough fan of Mister Perfect's character though, you'll probably still get plenty of enjoyment out of this set.

Promoters in Peru are outraged that Triple H is no longer a part of the upcoming Raw tour, since they built all their advertising around him.

WrestleMania XXV tickets are going on sale September 20th.

WWE has apparently lost a few people in talent relations as well as corporate recently, which could explain the recent lack of communication with talent concerning the brand switches.

Vince McMahon was present at the WrestleMania press conference in Houston, but never appeared before the people because he was still selling his injury angle. A few local area papers in Houston reported that he'd been seriously injured when the scaffold fell on him on Raw.

Batista got several stitches following Raw. He went head-first into Edge. Both wrestlers were otherwise reported to be okay.

The plan to tape ECW before Raw has been pushed back to September.

Indiana wrestler "Even Colder" Mike Austin is still at large after impersonating "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at a Wal-Mart autograph signing. The WCWO promotion Mike Austin performs for claims Austin was sent to Wal-Mart to promote an upcoming indy show, but once there he began charging unsuspecting "Stone Cold" fans $10.00 USD for photos and autographs before fleeing with the fans' cash. An unidentified man acting as the imposter's manager at the signing told police the Wal-Mart knew his accomplice wasn't Steve Austin, but claims they still allowed him to sign autographs. Wal-Mart officials said they suspected something was off when "Steve Austin" showed up to the event with no security or police flanking him. They notified police once they believed the man at the signing wasn't the real deal. Ironically, a few years ago the real "Stone Cold" judged a "Steve Austin look-a-like" contest, which was won by his future doppleganger. Police are continuing to investigate the matter along with help from World Wrestling Entertainment.


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