I’m heading back to Dallas for this year’s Wrestlemania and I’ve got a pretty packed scheduled. As a result, I won’t have anything up immediately after any shows until next week, but I’ll try to get up some quick thoughts on each show that I take in. I’m flying this year so things should be back to normal on Tuesday, when I’ll start knocking down everything that I’ve missed over the weekend, plus all kinds of shows from outside the major companies.  I should have some downtime on Sunday and Monday so I’ll try to squeeze in what I can (hotel wi-fi permitting).

I’d like to thank all of you for being so supportive over the years. I get to go on these trips to shows because you stick with me and it has absolutely changed my life in so many ways. This is what I get to do for a living and you have no idea how thankful I am to all of you who read my babbling about wrestling every day. Thank you all so very much.

KB

I’ll be heading down to Dallas for Wrestlemania week and as you might have guessed, I’ll be taking in quite a bit of wrestling.  Here’s what I have on tap, with reviews of each one coming as soon as possible (thankfully I’m flying this time so I’ll be back Tuesday afternoon with no exhaustion):

Thursday (March 31)

Axxess

WrestleCon 1

AAA Show

WrestleCon SuperShow

Friday (April 1)

WrestleCon 2

WrestleCon 3

Zicky Dice’s Trouble In Paradise 2

NJPW Strong

Impact Wrestling

Impact Wrestling Retro Show

Saturday (April 2)

WrestleCon 4

NXT Stand & Deliver

WrestleMania Night One

Sunday (April 3)

WrestleMania Night Two

Monday (April 4)

Raw

Undertaker Panel At Axxess

I’m going to be really, really tired.

IMG Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/wwe-figurines-wrestlers-wrestling-5564385/

Throughout decades of WWE wrestling, we’ve seen some of the biggest personalities make the walk down to the ring. These athletes often come with their own nicknames that represent their character and the qualities they present. There have been way too many memorable nicknames to count, but these ones stand among the best.

While the “Wild West” had nicknames like “Billy the Kid”, “Wild Bill” Hickok and “Buffalo Bill”, other industries have taken this trend even farther. For instance, the poker world is filled with memorable nicknames for their players, and professional fighters choose names that will make them seem more fearsome. In the world of wrestling however, nicknames are all about giving the athlete more personality.

”Latino Heat” Eddie Guerrero

The late Eddie Guerrero is a wrestler that will never be forgotten and alongside Rey Mysterio, he is an icon for Mexican-Americans. While the seldom spoken Mysterio was known for his high-flying acrobatics, Eddie made his name with his fiery personality and charisma. He was a scrappy wrestler that would do anything to win, including cheat and play dirty. “Latino Heat” is what you came to expect when you faced Guerrero in the ring.

”Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Ric Flair was a master of the microphone, a true “natural” when it came to promoting and getting the crowd whipped into a frenzy. His nickname ”Nature Boy” really means “The Natural” and is a homage to early wrestling legend Buddy Rogers. The name was passed down to Ric and this is precisely why it’s so great. ”Nature Boy” Ric Flair is a piece of wrestling history that carried Ric to the highest level of the sport. His other nickname, “The Dirtiest Player in the Game” wasn’t too bad either.

”The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels took a different avenue when it came to creating his character. Instead of being overly muscular and bulky, Michaels had a more athletic figure and used more high-energy moves in the ring. He also played up the “ladies man” persona with his nickname, ”The Heartbreak Kid.”

IMG Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/OebdsI0Q4F0

”Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner

Wrestlers were always trying to out muscle each other and ”Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner made it a point that he wanted to be the biggest and most muscular of all. His name is absolutely ridiculous but somehow was perfectly fitting when he entered the ring in his bizarre trademark chainmail headdress, reminiscent of what a knight would wear.

”Macho Man” Randy Savage

In the era when professional wrestling was all about masculinity and testosterone, one man stood as the most “macho” of all. ”Macho Man” Randy Savage is a legend of the 80s golden era. His trademark raspy voice combined with his muscular figure and bright flamboyant attire made him a fan favorite during his title reign.

”Stone Cold” Steve Austin

Almost assuredly the greatest wrestler of all time, ”Stone Cold” Steve Austin was an incredible success. His nickname was everything at once, exciting, fearsome, and catchy. Combined with his signature move, the “Stone Cold Stunner” he became a superstar of the sport. His other nickname, “The Texas Rattlesnake” was equally monumental, as it illustrated his loner attitude and quickness to strike at friends and foes alike.

”The People’s Champion” The Rock

People forget that movie star and part-time Olympics hype man Dwayne Johnson started off his career in pro wrestling. Long before his film days he was ”The People’s Champion,” The Rock. This is an iconic nickname because of what it represented. Much like the equivalent in the later cliche nickname of “The Champ” John Cena, this name represents the fact that at the time The Rock was the biggest star on the roster. He was the ultimate face of the franchise and let the fans know he was here for them.

”The Eighth Wonder of the World” André The Giant

André The Giant was a wrestler that didn’t need a nickname. His massive 7’4”, 520lbs figure made him one of the largest entertainers of all time. André could be seen towering over the crowd as he made his way to the ring. With all of these features in mind, ”The Eighth Wonder of the World” was the ideal nickname for André. It underlined the truth of the man, that he was a one-of-a-kind human being and it was a true marvel that he existed at all.

It’s that time of year again, as we are getting ready for the biggest show of the year. That also means it’s time to look back at the show’s history, which will include one review a day starting on February 24. As usual, I’ll be redoing last year’s edition, but you get to pick the other two I’ll be redoing. I’d like to have one older one and one modern one, so pick whichever two your would like and I’ll take another look at them. Any edition is eligible, save for the following, which I’ve either done recently or far too often:

Wrestlemania XVII

Wrestlemania XXIII

Wrestlemania XXX

Wrestlemania XXXI

Wrestlemania XXXVI

Vote in the comments below.

KB

As in the Royal Rumble, and I’ll be in the stadium for the show.  As a result, the review will probably be up tomorrow, as we have a 250 mile trip home tomorrow so I’ll probably be getting some rest when we get back to the hotel.  I’ll pop in with some live thoughts/reactions though.

If you’re at the show and see a guy in a University of Kentucky hoodie/Superman shirt with glasses who needs to lose some weight with a rather pretty brunette, please say hi.

KB

First and foremost, Merry Christmas.  Enjoy some time with your friends/family, eat something good, and remember that it’s a celebration of Jesus’ birth.  I know it might not be the most popular thing and I won’t go into it very often, but he can change your life for the better (He certainly has in mine).  It’s certainly worth your time.

Other than that, thank you all so much for everything, including just coming here to read what I have to say.  It’s the greatest gift I could have asked for and somehow this is what I get to do for a living.  In something you probably don’t know, the wife and I are expecting our first child in June and the fact that I can do support a family from watching wrestling makes my head spin every day.  Thank you all so much and I’ll be trying to get better (as well as caught up) in the next few days and weeks.

It’s that time again. Starting on Sunday December 26, I’ll be posting a Royal Rumble review every day until the 2022 edition (which I’ll be attending in person). On the way there, I’ll be redoing two Royal Rumbles, including this year’s edition. The other is up to you, as you can vote for the pick in the comments. Any Royal Rumble is eligible, save for the following, which I’ve done either recently or too many times in the first place:

2007

2008

2011

2020

2021

Vote in the comments below and pick something fun.

KB

I’ve been under the weather for about two weeks with side effects of the Covid booster and now a nasty ear infection.  The idea of wanting to do anything other than the major shows has left me very tired so some of them are a bit delayed.  I’ll be caught up soon though as I’m already on some medicine.  Again, I’m sorry for being slow but when walking to the kitchen required a 20 minute rest, the energy isn’t quite there for all of the reviews.

KB

Wrestling is at its best when you don’t know who is going to win. And while we are talking about scripted entertainment, which allows fans to consider who should logically win, the ability to keep the fans guessing right up to the end is part of the art of the business. But shocks aren’t always a good thing. Sometimes they leave the audience dissatisfied, not generating the heat that was intended.

Below we are going to look back on five shock results from WrestleManias of the past. The stress here is on the result. To be clear, we are going to swerve some of the more obvious shocks, including the ending of The Streak at WrestleMania 30. In addition, we are discounting some, like Sheamus beating Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania, as it was the means and not the result that was shocking. Anyhow, for us, these five results stand out as examples of WWE/WWF really pulling the rug from underneath the fans at the time:

Fandango Beats Chris Jericho – WrestleMania 29

If you have some spare time, have a look on YouTube for Chris Jericho’s musings on the lead up to and the booking of this match – funny stuff. Y2J has lost nine matches down the years at WrestleMania, so it’s not as if this was completely unprecedented. But to lose to Fandango was certainly a shock. It seems short-sighted, given what happened to Fandango’s career, but it was effective for a cheap laugh at Jericho’s expense at the time.

Brock Lesnar Beats Roman Reigns – WrestleMania 34

It’s common for bookmakers to release odds for WWE events these days, particularly the Big 4 PPVs. And it seemed that the most solid bet for WrestleMania 34 was that Reigns would finally topple Lesnar. This was logical given the consensus was that The Beast Incarnate was set to return to UFC. The crowd looked disinterested – apart from booing Reigns and chanting “CM Punk” – but came alive when Lesnar earned the 3-count. Nobody wanted the match, but few expected the result.

Owen Hart Beats Bret Hart – WrestleMania X

The first two matches on this list are hardly classics, but the battle of the brothers in March 1994 has claims on being one of the best of all time. You know the story by now, with Bret pulling double duty by facing Yokozuna for the WWF title later on. But the crowd was stunned to see Owen get the win by rolling up Bret in the first (non-dark) match of the night. That added fuel to one of the best wrestling rivalries of the mid-90s, with the brothers feuding all throughout 1994.

Rick Rude Beats The Ultimate Warrior – WrestleMania V

It’s not as if heel victories were uncommon in the early days of WrestleMania, but there was always an assumption that the likes of Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior would prevail on the Grandest Stage of Them All. This, in fact, was the Warrior’s first televised defeat since joining the WWF. The crowd was probably more angry (Bobby Heenan’s interference led to Rude’s victory) than shocked, but they were left happy when Heenan got his comeuppance after the match.

IMG Credit: WWE

Triple H Beats Sting WrestleMania 31

Triple H gets a lot of flak for being the guy who goes over at the wrong time. But in truth, he’s been beaten more than any other wrestler on the Grandest Stage of Them All – 13 times, in fact. But everyone and their uncle thought that Sting would get the win here, providing a good-feel moment for fans of the WCW legend. But Triple H got the win with some help from a sledgehammer and Degeneration X. You could see what they wanted to do here – suggest that the WCW vs WWE ‘feud’ was over with the latter victorious. But Stinger should have got the win.

I’m a week behind with it already and I cannot bring myself to care to watch the same 6-10 minute matches with the same rotating cast.  It has never been something people read anyway so I might as well drop it and free up some of my schedule.