The Wrestling Thread: WWE WrestleMania 31 [NSFW]

That was Bischoff actually Deadpool. Your memory is strawberry floated.

:lol:

That being said, it was the most I enjoyed a PPV probably since some of the better 2002 WWE shows, and I don't remember seeing a better PPV since.

Deadpool wrote:Yeah, KKLEIN. I seem to remember the big WWE invasion being in the second one, although now that I think about it I do remember Vince getting hit with a 3D, a stunner and a 619 at the end of that PPV. My bad.

On the first ONS, the WWE contingent sat up on a balcony overlooking the ring. During the show, Paul Heyman made two "shoot" remarks targeted at both JBL & Edge; that JBL was only champion because Triple H didn't want to work Tuesdays, & Edge, who was having an affair with Lita behind Matt Hardy's back. RVD also came out & ripped WWE Creative a new one. At the end of the show, Stone Cold, along with all the ECW guys, came out & challenged the WWE guys to a fight. During the brawl, JBL took it upon himself to legitimately punch The Blue Meanie in the face. To save having to deal with legal ramifications, both parties agreed to a match on Smackdown in which The Blue Meanie defeated JBL.

Wrestling Observer wrote:TNA for the next few weeks is in a holding pattern from a booking standpoint, with the unique plan of promoting a one-off 8/8 ECW-themed show.

Wrestling Observer wrote:Vince Russo and Tommy Dreamer were both in Nashville the last two weeks putting together the final two television shows, which will be taped on 7/26 and 7/27, to build to Hardcore Justice: One Last Stand. The TV isn’t likely to be completed until the end of the week. As of last week, a lot of different ideas were being batted around, including using most of the regular TNA talent on television, and keeping the angles going, but not with them leading to PPV matches, while also promoting the PPV. While also not decided, one idea was to not advertise any matches on the show, only the concept of the ECW reunion.

Sources close to both Dixie Carter and Paul Heyman, as well as Heyman himself, all confirm that on 7/8, when Heyman flew to Nashville to meet with Carter at her home, that Heyman told her he was against the ECW angle. Those close to Carter were well aware there was no deal after the meeting, yet she and Jeff Jarrett still hinted about their secret meeting with an unknown person and how changes were coming, teasing a surprise on the PPV. There were key people in the TNA organization fully aware Heyman wasn’t coming and there was no surprise past some sort of ECW angle coming that everyone had known about for weeks.

However, much of the talent the day of the PPV did expect Heyman to be there. Heyman himself was contacted by talent in the promotion close to him the day of the show who thought he was hiding in Orlando and would show up at the end of the show, even though he did respond and tell people he was in New York and wouldn’t be at the show. It was said to be a real mood change at TV on 7/12, the day after the PPV when the talent, which is just looking for some kind of carrot to hang onto so they can believe things are going to turn around, realized the stories out all day on Sunday were true and Heyman had not agreed to a deal, wasn’t coming and the sides really weren’t even close either financially or philosophically. Carter at that point went with Dreamer in the role she wanted Heyman, which was to be the architect of an ECW angle. Those close to the situation said Dreamer had no input on the PPV, and on the TV was one of the people, but not the key person, in laying out the run-in on the first night. He did put together his interview on the second night that leads to the announcement of the PPV, and now is working with Russo on the current TV’s. He will also be in charge of the PPV show itself. As far as his role after that, that is to be determined. If it’s deemed a success, he will likely wind up with power.

Although the reaction to the brawl at the end of the show was not good after it aired, internally, almost everyone in the company (and there were exceptions) were praising it and acting like it would be the angle to turn the company’s fortunes around.

Wrestling Observer wrote:Dixie Carter won’t give anyone the power to hire or fire. Vince Russo wanted to get rid of people and she blocked that. Ironically, he may be the beneficiary here since she made it clear to Heyman that Russo has to stay. When the company talked with Jim Ross months back, and they wanted him to turn the company around, he still wasn’t going to be given that power. TNA is a very unique company and that has both its positives and its negatives. The positives are that Bob Carter is not going to be quick to shut down the company his daughter is running. With the exception of a television station that could argue that the losses are still value in some way because of the producing of television product, nobody else in wrestling history has ever stuck with a product like this for so long.

Corazon de Leon

I do remember it now. I hardly think my memory is strawberry floated because I can't remember one aspect of a show that happened five years ago sw.

Deadpool wrote:I do remember it now. I hardly think my memory is strawberry floated because I can't remember one aspect of a show that happened five years ago sw.

I beg to differ.

With this weeks Impact looking like one of the worst ever (on paper) two weeks of Impact that come to nothing sound great followup.

So now we know Carter and Jarrett were talking out of their arses. Great

ECW in Orlando in the impact zone, no Heyman, no Styles and with a limited ECW roster with even more limited abilities.......They can suck one.

Even Heyman was against the ECW non-invasion FFS.

Douglas vs Dick Flair.

Nope, absolutely no interest in seeing that. If Flair is going to wrestle (for some reason), I'd much prefer him to go against Sabu in the most mismatched match of all time.

If that fails, Ric Flair vs Terry Funk could be good if it's played back at 2x the speed.

Rob Van Dam - One Of A Kind (2 Discs) (Play) - £3.99

Forgot to post here and say how good I thought RAW was.

I only fast forwarded once through the entire show (divas match) but I'm sure it'll go to pot again come next week.

Guys, please check out my thread. Only had 2 applications so far.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=20179

I would but I'm lazy :fp:

I'll try to fill it out some time today Proto.

Prototype wrote:Guys, please check out my thread. Only had 2 applications so far.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=20179

A few years ago i would have jumped at this but i just don't have the time at the moment, i will only end up being unreliable and missing shows.

Return_of_the_STAR wrote:
Prototype wrote:Guys, please check out my thread. Only had 2 applications so far.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=20179

A few years ago i would have jumped at this but i just don't have the time at the moment, i will only end up being unreliable and missing shows.

PsychicSykes wrote:
Return_of_the_STAR wrote:
Prototype wrote:Guys, please check out my thread. Only had 2 applications so far.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=20179

A few years ago i would have jumped at this but i just don't have the time at the moment, i will only end up being unreliable and missing shows.

Star... Get an application in.

Psykes

Some serious claims are being made towards former WWE performer Dawn Marie Damatta as she is being accused of embezzling her charitable organization, "Wrestlers Rescue."

The organization, which was founded in 2008, creates awareness and helps raise money to support the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers. However, former friends of Damatta say they are unaware of whom the organization has benefited and where the money raised has gone.

According to The Sun writer Mike Aldren, Damatta has embezzled money raised by "Wrestlers Rescue" to fly herself to conventions around the United States so she can profit off of autograph signings. When questioned, Damatta set her attorney on him, who admitted that "Wrestlers Rescue" is not a registered charity.

Aldren noted the following to author and activist Irvin Muchnick, which was posted on his blog: "Nobody seems to know where all the money has gone nor has anyone seemingly benefited from the money that Dawn has raised over the past three years. Her former friends have told me she uses the money to fly herself to conventions around the country so she can profit from autograph signings. She has agreements with several promoters where if she flies herself in she will get a free table to sell her merchandise. When I started asking reasonable questions, Dawn set her attorney on me, who admits Wrestlers Rescue is not a registered charity."

This is not the first embezzlement accusation levied towards Damatta as two months ago, a host for the online radio show Hit the Ropes claimed that she was being investigated by the FBI for stealing money from "Wrestlers Rescue." He said that she didn't refund those who paid to attend the organization's July 2010 fundraiser cruise after it was canceled in April.

The reason cited for the event's cancellation was as follows: "It has come to our attention that there is a similar cruise event being held within a month of our event. Due to the fear of not having enough participants because of this we are withdrawing our fundraiser cruise."

Last year, Damatta held a fundraiser to benefit "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, with the funds raised purportedly going towards the purchase of a hands-free medical device that would help him speak more easily after having his voice box removed during cancer surgery. The Hit the Ropes host claimed that she failed to assist Williams before his passing last December due to throat cancer.

He also claimed that she promised money to former WWF ring announcer Michael Porter, but failed to live up to her word.

It's worth noting that the official website of "Wrestlers Rescue," http://www.wrestlersrescue.org, was suspended by its hosting provider late last night. It has since resurfaced online.

Damatta was quoted by The New York Times for an article last week concerning Linda McMahon's political campaign, which noted her charitable organization. She recalled attending an event a few years ago where retired wrestlers were signing autographs for fans and spotted 'a legend of the sport' (The Iron Sheik) dozing off behind an autograph table before his agent pushed him into the bathroom in a wheelchair.

"I said, 'This man should be enjoying his life, he should be enjoying the fruits of his labor,' " Damatta said. "Instead, he is there signing autographs for $20."

She subsequently launched "Wrestlers Rescue," to help support the health care needs of retired professional wrestlers.

Just been reading some reviews on Amazon of Vince Russo's book on both sides of the Atlantic...

First of all this book is incredibly badly written. Every third line seems to start with 'Man' or end in an exclamation point. It's also written in a scattergun, conversational way, which becomes very repetitive and dull very quickly. There are 255 pages here - I'd estimate around 50 deal with wrestling. He also can't sit still, like a child with ADD - the book leaps off at tangents constantly.

Russo, you see, is a Christian, which is great, but like many born-agains, treats his reader as a simpleton who hasn't ever thought about anything to do with religion and therefore needs to be converted. What amazes is that he seems to genuinely believe that anyone reading his half-baked religious theories will actually see the light. He's whiny, and he's preachy and he's patronising. That's not the only time he's patronising - wrestling fans are continually reminded 'it's all fake' (as if we didn't know) and Russo demonstrates his utter contempt for the people who keep him in a job.

He's also a hypocrite. Firstly, he sells this book on it being the tale of his time in WCW, then spends most of it talking about God then droning on about his childhood and favourite US TV shows. He even seems proud that this book, titled and marketed exclusively towards wrestling fans, doesn't deal much with wrestling. So he thinks we're sad and needing saved but he'll take our money.

There are good things in here, but it's like panning for gold; you'll have to work hard to find the nuggets. Russo seems a strange little man, and his chance to tell his side of the story is wasted on a massive ego-trip. In the end, he writes proudly that he is a writer who never reads a book; trust me Vince, we can tell.

Do not buy this book, quite simply it is the worst wrestling related book i have ever read. It is extremely poorly written.

One might think that given the fact that Russo is a writer by profession that this book would be readable but it is not. Despite having their heads banged about constantly, wrestlers like Mick Foley and Chris Jericho have managed to produce works of reasonable literary quality. Russo's work in contrast, is utterly incoherent. One wonders how a publishing house like ECW press allowed this to be printed.

Russo goes off in tangent more often than not, skipping from one point to another. He clearly has no concept of structure, making the meandering thoughts that have made there way on to the page very difficult to read. He will trash one individual, only to go back on himself a couple of pages later. He praises people in unquestionable terms and then completely changes his mind. He jumps from one year to the next, back a couple of years and then into the next decade. Its impossible to keep up with his train of thought.

Strangely, he stops every four or five pages to praise either God, or Disco Inferno without any explanation.

He also makes an attempt at Foleyesque humour, but fails miserably. His unconscious attempts at humour fair a little better. The only chuckle you will get from the book is when you realise how utterly insecure the author is.

(I would just like to add that i have no opinion whatsoever of Russo the individual, whether he created WWF attitude or not, whether he wrecked WCW or not etc etc. I have no axe to grind, i bought this book out of casual interest and wrote this review out of sheer frustration at wasting hard earned money on a terrible book)

I reviewed Vince's first book a while back (unfavorably) and this current book is more of the same. The book is 1/3 wrestling related and 2/3 Vince Russo talking about Vince Russo. The church-y content has been ramped down a bit, which is nice (this is supposed to be a wrestling autobiography, btw). I just get annoyed as Vince rambles on and on and on about any thought that entered his head as he was "writing". He jams a bajillion pop-culture references into this book, this gets old after chapter 2. There's a wrestling chapter, then 2 or 3 chapters about how he's bored, or his love for fantasy baseball, or his pals growing up, or how....
If this were a book about Vince Russo and WCW only, it would be a pamphlet. He's incredibly self absorbed, and I don't care enough about the guy to read 250 pages about him.
This book isn't worth your time or $.

Oh and by the way, I'll save you from having to read this book Everything about the failure of WCW... not his fault. He was sweet and considerate to everyone there, but all the backstage politics and management interfered with his 5 star ideas. "Boo hoo, it's not my fault!" Anything he does take blame for, he gives the most insincere apology you can imaging (of course followed by "it really wasn't my fault!"

And in a review that has to have been written by Russo himself...

'Anthony Maurizio' wrote:He is the man, the myth, the legend. From Vic Venom to"The Powers That Be" to Mr. Wrestling III. Vince Russo has been called a lot of things and is known worldwide. Whether you love him, hate him or have no clue who he is you get more than just a dose of what it's like to be inside the mind of one of the greatest writers/bookers of all time. While many fans have placed the blame on him for failed storylines and botched business maneuvers, Vince Russo continues to show just how he is one of the brightest minds and most revered names in the business today.

While everyone is rightly entitled to their opinion, good, bad, right or wrong, Vince Russo has never shied away from being himself. Something that many people often ask or ponder is about the daily lives of wrestling stars. What is even more fascinating to myself and millions of others is what makes these men. Two words can sum up that question: Vince Russo. Day after day, year after year Vince has put every ounce of energy and the love of the business forth to bring the best entertainment that money can buy. When I opened up "Rope Opera" I was fascinated to dive right into the personal life of one of the most hated, or loved, people in the business today. From the statements of his children to the agonizing details of his most strenuous days in wrestling, Vince Russo is not only immortalized, but, humanized. Not only do we get to read about the ins and outs of his daily life, work habits and personal surroundings, we also get a great insight into Vince Russo, the Father and loving Husband.
A great look into something that very few in and out of the wrestling world have ever had the pleasure of seeing first hand.

The thing that I enjoyed most about the book is the style in which it is written. Rather than being a start to finish story, it's a collaboration. From the happenings as a child, to stories about and from his children to dealing with the everyday, never ending struggles of a professional writer. Vince takes us through the ups and downs and pulls no punches in his side of the story. Far from your typical "kayfabe" or ghost-written autobiography, Vince fills us in on all of the details that we have so desperately wanted to know throughout his rise, "fall" and re-emergence in the wrestling industry.

As with always with Vince, many will either love or absolutely hate this book. Personally I found it fascinating on many levels. When I first heard of the book, immediately I knew I would be reading it. As I skimmed through the pages when it first arrived I knew I would be in for a treat. Not being a "man of faith" myself, I was concerned that I would be reading chapter after chapter (spread out of course) about his re-birth and his religious views. I was about as wrong as one could be in that assumption. When spoken about, Vince is very intelligent and articulate in his thoughts. Not only does he respect his faith, but he also respects his readers in not carrying on or getting on a soap box about it.

From the beginning of the book, which entailed his exit from the then WWF, we get to hear about how he had the opportunity to take over the writing/booking of the WWF's biggest rival, WCW. While always staying true to his personal beliefs Vince gives us a rare look at how exactly "WCW Killed Vince Russo." My favorite chapter, as it was also one of the most memorable "shoots" in wrestling history was the chapter about Bash At The Beach 2000. Finally after much debate between many wrestling fans across the world, Vince Russo finally sets the story straight. I highly encourage buying the book, if not for this chapter alone. You get a captivating look at not only what transpired behind the scenes that night, but also the fallout that would follow.

From his exit at WWF to his entire TNA career, nothing is untouched. His highly talked about exit from TNA and his shocking return, Vince brings us all along for the ride. The book not only took three years to write, but to show it's recency, it culminates with the arrival of Hulk Hogan to TNA. The final installment in the book, a diary entry from November 5th, 2009 (two days before my birthday), Russo speaks about having made amends with Eric Bischoff and his impending meeting with Hulk Hogan. I won't reveal too much, but it is definitely worth the wait, as in the end of the story, it's only the beginning to another.

As I mentioned before, love him or hate him, Vince Russo lays it all on the line and tells "his side of the story." The book is a smooth and very enjoyable read and I definitely recommend it to anyone who has the chance to pick it up or buy it. Once you finally put this book down, you truly will know why and "How WCW Killed Vince Russo."

I'll pick it up when it's, ooooooh, 99p.

Strangely, he stops every four or five pages to praise either God, or Disco Inferno without any explanation.

Amazing

You mean there's a difference between God and Disco Inferno? Mind blown.

sw26, where is your application to the GWO? Get behind the product man!!

The Wrestling Thread: WWE WrestleMania 31 [NSFW]

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