WWE2K15 Awesome Commercial, Hogan Ringside Fest Figure

I love this commercial of the new WWE2k15 game. It's an age old classic poem - with the best part being when they show an aging Hogan looking out over an empty arena thinking of the days gone by while they read this stanza:  

"Though wise men at their end, know that dark is right."

I love Hulk Hogan. It's the kid/mark in me, but I love Hogan.

Here's this figure from the recent Ringside Fest, it's a Defining Moments Hogan that I must have:

 

Had to get this up since I started watching Saturday Night's Main Event again on WWE Network. I think it goes pretty well with the headliner figure that Mattel will be releasing next.

Then there's these from San Diego Comic Con!!!
 

Here comes Hogan and Bo Dallas for me!

The two Elite 28's I love

Wrestlemania 30

Wrestlemania 30 could have been a massive disappointment. Instead, it turned into one of my favorite Pay Per Views in ages. And it was my favorite Wrestlemania of my adulthood.

Here are my thoughts:

• I absolutely loved the beginning of the program with Stone Cold, Hulk Hogan, and The Rock. Great way to kick off the show. 
• Bryan Vs. HHH was a very good match - but not great. It was still well done and a match I was very happy with. I am surprised that HHH put over Bryan so cleanly in the middle of the ring. It was clear to me by the finish that nothing was stopping Bryan on this night. 
• I thought the Battle Royal was done well. Cesaro was my pick, and it ended just how I would have ended it. Wish Dolph Ziggler could have gotten his due though.
• I didn't like John Cena beating Bray Wyatt. I thought that Wyatt should have won this match and Cena maybe the re-match. Or it ends in a different way then Bray getting beat clean in the middle of the ring. Not sure what this does for furthering Bray's character. He put on another great show.
• Undertaker's STREAK ENDS! 21-1. This guy has been wrestling at Mania since I was a little kid. I appreciate the art of the great surprise at the big spot. You'll always remember Wrestlemania 30 for this moment. But I don't understand it going to a part timer like Brock. That part makes little to no sense to me.
  
  Thank you Undertaker for all the memories. The last remaining active wrestler from my childhood, gone. Sad day/night in a way.  
• The main event: Bryan gets his payoff, finally. Just the way it should have been. And it was more interesting than Daniel Bryan simply winning in the middle of the ring. I was very impressed in where the writers took this story, and it was well done. A fake referee, HHH and Stephanie getting involved, and Bryan nearly being carried to the back with several high spots in between. Bryan walks off with the belt in the biggest Wrestlemania ever. Just like it should have been. 

Elite 28 Bray Wyatt

I think Mattel finally nailed the perfect figure here for my favorite WWE Superstar, complete with his customary fedora hat. Bray Wyatt has a monstrous match with John Cena coming tomorrow night. A good percentage of folks think he has a shot to beat Cena. It's hard for me to guess but I would say no.

Elite 28 Daniel Bryan - YES YES YES

GREAT figure put out by Mattel with the pictures released just before Wrestlemania 30 which could be Bryan's event to win the belt he's pictured with here. The odds say Daniel Bryan will be champion. I can't wait to watch Wrestlemania tomorrow night, and a large part of it is I get to see two Daniel Bryan matches including a great one against HHH to likely kick things off on the PPV.

Even more reason to root for Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania now

The plot thickened on tonight's Monday Night Raw. HHH climbed into the ring with Batista and Randy Orton and pulled a genius angle - I actually have to give WWE Creative a tip of my cap for this one.

If HHH beats Daniel Bryan in the early going at Wrestlemania 30, he'll be the one climbing into the ring for the main event triple-threat match. With the way HHH books himself, especially at Wrestlemania; you have to think there's a chance that Bryan loses this match.

It's brilliant work by HHH. This makes that match on the card even more spruced up, and makes me want to pull for Daniel Bryan in an even bigger way. It just livens up the entire card.

HHH declared before naming the stipulations of Wrestlemania: "The old man was right. The only person you can trust, is yourself."

These Velvet Wrestling Legend Paintings are Sweet

See the rest of them here. I love stuff like this.

Original hat tip to Deadspin.

Owen Hart Over the Edge Signed Ticket from 1999

I want this.

This has to be one of the coolest wrestling collectibles on the face of the planet, and one of the saddest. This is an Owen Hart signed ticket stub from the day he died, signed hours before he fell from the rafters at Kemper Arena in Kansas.

link

I just keep playing this on loop (Hunter Heart Helmsley original theme)

Thank God for WWE Network (heard this last night while watching Wrestlemania XII I believe, when Sable escorted HHH to the ring) so I could remember that HHH once walked out to this masterpiece. Sounds like what you would hear in an RPG game entering a royal town or something.

WWE Network Journal, Day One

The WWE has finally worked out the kinks with their network it seems.  Here are the matches I watched on night one:

1. The 60-man Battle Royal from WCW World War 3 (1995)
2. Half of Wrestlemania 4 
3. Tito Santana vs. Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 7

I can't wait until there's more Bray Wyatt content on here. 

My First House Show I remember: November 10th, 1989

It really seems like I saw Bret Hart, perhaps this was a later house show in time.

It was my 7th Birthday. Courtesy of the History of the WWE site:

WWF @ Columbus, OH - Ohio Center - November 10, 1989
Paul Roma pinned Iron Mike Sharpe
Dino Bravo defeated Jim Neidhart
Jake Roberts defeated Ted Dibiase via disqualification
Mr. Perfect pinned Jimmy Snuka
WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition defeated Arn Anderson & Haku (sub. for Tully Blanchard)
Randy Savage pinned Jim Duggan after hitting him with Sensational Sherri's loaded purse  

 

WWE Network is a Freezing, Laggy, bag of Suck

Not going to lie. I really looked forward to WWE Network. First night on the network was a NIGHTMARE! It didn't even work. I couldn't even watch any archived PPV. I couldn't watch anything from the live RAW aftershow.

Not a good first impression. Absolutely sucks. 

I Bought WWE Network

I'm now a WWE Network subscriber. It's official.

I can't wait to fire this baby up after RAW tonight. When I turned it on, Jesse the Body Ventura was the first thing I heard on the announce table at Wrestlemania I.

I think it's really neat that there appears to be a network programming, with something scheduled each hour in addition to the unlimited video library that is on demand. I don't even know what to watch first. I'll probably start at the beginning of Daniel Bryan's career and catch up on some Wyatt Family history, as well as Bret Hart of course.

Elimination Chamber 2014 Review

[Ring Posts]

 I like Cody Rhodes enough; and I'm glad there was a Larry 'The Axe' Henning sighting being the that event was held in Minneapolis.

The Wyatts & The Shield was another Match of the Year candidate in my opinion. I love how strong they made Bray Wyatt look by pinning the Golden Boy Roman Reigns in the middle of the ring with Sister Abigail. That said, I also really liked how strong they made Erick Rowan look - as he held his own with Reigns and kept the match going while Rollins and Bray battled in the crowd. Love the team combination of the Wyatts and I think that this match proves as a unit they are very good workers. I marked out somewhat when Bray pinned Reigns clean with the Sister finisher.

The Wyatts night was not finished. They would also interrupt a very important part of the Elimination Chamber Match, coming down to the Chamber and giving the Sister Abigail to John Cena, costing him his shot at Wrestlemania and the title. I am excited about Wyatt's match at Wrestlemania with John Cena.

I marked out in the Elimination Chamber when Daniel Bryan *nearly* won the title with a roll-up of Randy Orton after battling off Kane - but again WWE did the wrong thing letting Randy Orton retain. If they don't allow Daniel Bryan to win the title at Wrestlemania 30, they've missed a golden opportunity. I don't understand the payoff of a Bryan/HHH or Bryan/Kane match at WM30.

 The Alberto Del Rio vs. Batista match was comical. I loved the Minneapolis crowd and how they booed Batista. It's just not working. I can't believe WWE will actually have Orton and Batista headline Wrestlemania.

Big E Langston and Jack Swagger had a nice match. Glad to see Big E retain.

I thought that Antonio Cesaro showed what a good worker he was again last night - and he contributed to the overall success of a strong Elimination Chamber match.

The Usos vs. The New Age Outlaws match didn't do a lot for me, but I am happy to see the tag circuit at least relevant right now in some way. The Outlaws keep it that way.

Elimination Chamber 2014 is Today

The WWE Elimination Chamber is tonight in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Here is the card (with my picks in bold):

Randy Orton vs Cesaro vs Daniel Bryan vs John Cena vs Sheamus vs Christian
Big E vs Jack Swagger
The Wyatt Family Vs The Shield
Batista Vs Alberto Del Rio
New Age Outlaws vs. The Usos
Darren Young vs. Titus O Neil
PS: Rybaxel vs. The Brotherhood

I will try and give a review of the matches below when I get home.

Mabel RIP

Another wrestler in the sky, today it's Mabel/Big Viscera. He died of a heart attack at age 42.

One thing I really liked about Mabel was when he was with Men on a Mission. He came up with the Wrestlemania Song on Wrestlemania the Album which to this day is one of my favorite WWF moments or creations:



RIP Mabel

Bray Wyatt Evaluation

I absolutely love these evaluations done at Cageside Seats. They have done a few of these so far that I really enjoyed, because I think they really factor in what people like about wrestlers and what the character needs to improve upon.

This evaluation was done on my favorite guy in the WWE today, Bray Wyatt.

Overall, people loved his match with Bryan at Royal Rumble, his character, his finisher, his promos, and his creep walk. Can't disagree, these are all things that add to the mystique that is Bray Wyatt.

People say he needs more singles matches, and I agree. I am also worried about the future of his character if creative does a poor job booking him or makes him look weak somewhere. The ride could come to an end.

I end this post with a user comment on the post about Wyatt:

"Love – They say the key to being a great heel is believing everything you’re saying, and this guy lives his words. His dedication to his character is incredible, his mannerisms in ring movements, facial twitches are masterful and head and shoulders above so many. Also he’s unorthodox! He’s not your typical bodybuilder type but you believe that this guy is a freakin’ monster. That’s not easy to do in the land of giants."

I can't wait to see more of this guy. He makes me want to watch every week and every Pay Per View; and he gives me a lot of hope for the future. 

Santino Marella sings the Classic Wrestlemania Song

Had to put this Somewhere

Look at all those legends in the squared circle from Survivor Series 1987. From left to right, One Man Gang, Paul Orndorf, Bam Bam Bigelow, Ken Patera, Rick Rude, Don Muraco, Hulk Hogan, Butch Reed, King Kong Bundy, Andre the Giant.

Here's the match.

Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt Royal Rumble 2014 Highlights

This match between my two favorite wrestlers in the WWE today was an instant classic, and a candidate for 2014 match of the year I predict.
No, Bryan didn't appear in the Royal Rumble. It is what it is. But I'll always this match and the way Wyatt and Bryan kicked off Royal Rumble 2014.

WWE/Mattel Ink New Deal

Great news for Wrestling toy collectors like me today. The WWE and Mattel have signed a brand new five-year pact.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with WWE as they expand their global footprint and leverage our global scale to deliver WWE toys to kids around the world.”

Since 2009, Mattel and WWE have developed a wildly popular and diverse portfolio of innovative toys currently available in more than 50 global markets around the world. WWE action figures have ranked as the number 1 action figure property in the U.S.1; and consistently hold a top ranking. Sporting cutting-edge innovations such as FlexForce® figures that incorporate signature WWE Superstar moves, and plush Brawlin’ Buddies™, Mattel has brought the world of WWE to life in the playroom like never before.

“WWE and Mattel’s action figure line is consistently ranked in the top two thanks to our creative marketing campaigns, tremendous retail support and seamless infusion of cutting-edge innovations,” said Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President, Global Brands Marketing, Boys and Entertainment for Mattel. “We are excited to continue our partnership with WWE as they expand their global footprint and leverage our global scale to deliver WWE toys to kids around the world.”

With more than 15 million viewers in the U.S. tuning into WWE programming each week, Mattel will continue its mission to bring authentic, fun and safe ways for fans of all ages to enjoy the action-infused storylines of WWE television programming.

“Mattel has invested significant resources in consumer insights and raised the bar for design innovations for WWE, while expanding our line into new categories,” said Casey Collins, Executive Vice President, Consumer Products, WWE. “Their unparalleled support has allowed us to further engage fans through authentic, quality products, meaningful experiences and standout presence at retail.”

To celebrate, I just ordered Bray Wyatt Elite 28 along with Daniel Bryan Elite 28. 

WWE Network Purchase Upcoming

My WWE Network purchase will probably come on that Monday night of the 24th of this month. For the PPV alone, it will be worth it. Plus it will keep me busy during the months that there is no baseball. I'll use it easily more than Netflix.