Welcome once again to Monday, I’m Flea. As far as Monday reports goes this is not one of my best ones. Quality wise it’s par for the course but not much happened between Saturday and now so we are a little bereft of stories. Go back and check out Saturday Evening Post, there’s a bunch of stuff in that one. It’s also my fault as I usually plan ahead for non-ppv weeks but got caught with my pants down this week. I will tell you that I saw a great little PPV yesterday and it’s worth $10 for you to see it too. Details below
Won’t keep you waiting any longer, enjoy!
Come on, let’s go
FIRST OFF
Not too much to report at the moment so I would like to touch on something I sort of breezed over yesterday but which prompted a good batch of response – Kurt Angle vs. Kane at Wrestlemania.
As you know the big show is only two weeks away and we are in the home stretch so to speak as far as the line up for the card. Top billing is HHH vs. Some Other Guy, which I am hoping turns out to be a stellar match, regardless of the fact whatever happens, it will center around Stephanie. I can accept that as long as both guys give me at least 35 minutes of above average in ring work. I know H will bring his “A†game, and I am hoping Some Other Guy steps it up, but I ain’t holding my breath. Also on the card will be Austin vs. Hall, which should be booked as a bloodbath, just because. I’m always up for a good brawl and Austin normally comes through in spades, let’s just hope Razor has his shit together in time for the PPV. Flair and UT will surprise a few people, especially if they book it like the Flair/Vader match from eons ago. Although I doubt Flair can take that kind of beating anymore, if the play their cards right, it should be a pretty intense match-up. Regal/RVD I can take or leave, but expect RVD to bust out the funky stuff, just because he likes to show off and what better audience could you ask for than Wrestlemania?
Nope, what I am looking forward to the most and the match I think will “steal the show†is Kane vs. Kurt Angle. As far as the “big men†I think Kane is at the top of the heap. People are always so shocked that he can have a “good match†(think back to his match with Albert a couple of months ago – both guys were up for it and put on a damn good show), but he knows how to step it up, especially when he is in the ring with someone who can “carry†him. Who betta than Kurt? The two of them have had some of the best TV matches over the last several months and the recent brawl at Smackdown helped to re-ignite the feud. Sure the match was sort, but the idea was to get Angle back over as a “killerâ€Â. The visual of the suplex through the announce table was awesome and to add insult to injury, Angle did it AGAIN on the remains of said table. Beautiful. The best thing about it is Kane is willing to “bump†for Angle and has no problem letting Angle hit him stiff and show a little pain after a suplex or when Angle hooks in the ankle lock. It’s the little things like that that make good matches. I look for them to give these guys about 12-15 minutes at the big show (no need to over do it) and let a nice story develop and some hard stiff shots to be laid in. I know Angle can do it, and I’m almost sure that Kane will be up for the task. It matches like these where no one expects anything going in that normally give the best results. I’m looking forward to it. How bout you?
In case you didn’t know, RAW will be very shorthanded tonight as most of the cast and crew are wrapping up their business overseas. According to all reports, the Fed is blowing the roof off of every joint they’re playing, which is a good thing. How bad would it piss you off if Vince and Company got tired of the American audience and just pulled anchor and toured the world? Nah, that would never happen. Just like Vince could NEVER buy WCW
Anyway, RAW tonight will most likely feature mucho backstage skits and all sorts of melodrama as we forge ahead to WMX8. I am keeping my fingers crossed but not holding my breath that we get more than 20 minutes of wrestling action tonight, so color me shocked if that actually happens.
HAVE YOU HEARD?
Macho Man Savage has been making the rounds telling his side of the story about his no show of the WWA PPV. It’s all about the Benjamins, baby. And a lot of semolies they is. 5 f*cking million for this guy. It seems that a deal just couldn’t be reached in time for Savage to appear. He wanted this, they offered that..blah blah blah. % million for the Macho Man? That just boggles the mind. He says the “doors are still open†as far as a WWF run, but in my opinion he had best cut a bunch of zeros off that figure or Vince will just laugh in his face. Oh YEAH!
Flipping through the channels yesterday, I caught a cool PPV entitled “Wrestling Classics†hosted by none other than Mean Gene Okerlund. This version was the “Best of the 80’s and featured hard hitting action from the AWA! It was an hour and a half long and featured such luminaries as the Crusher, Baron von Rachske, Playboy Buddy Rose, a very young HBK (along with Janetty) – the match shown is the infamous “bloodbath†that you may or may not have heard about, Jesse the Body (damn could he talk, but he sucked in the ring), The Road Warriors (with Ellering) , Stan Hansen, Andre and one other dude who you may have heard of
Hulk Hogan!
Yes indeed, Hulkamania was indeed running wild even before the WWF. Netcop has written all about his in his book and tape reviews from that time, but it would behoove you to see this for yourself. The man was just INSANELY over and I still find it hard to believe that Verne Gagne wouldn’t give him the belt and just let him slip away. Amazing. They do show two of the Hulkster’s (yes, they called him the Hulkster back then) title matches and he gets screwed both times – wins the match, crowd goes APESHIT but the decision is revered on a technicality. You ever seen a crowd get really pissed? Watch this stuff. Egads.
Oh yeah, Andre and Hulk team up and beat the shit out of Bobby Heenen’s “heel†stable (Patera, Bockwinkle, etc) wild looking brawls. Andre could actually MOVE back then, believe it or else. And you think UT doesn’t sell? Check out Andre when anyone punches him – not only does he give them the evil eye but he powerwalks them back into the corner (or the ropes) and just maims them. Ha, ha and HA. Speaking of wild brawls, they have one with Hansen and Rick Martel that is ECW when Paul E. was sneaking into the Bruce Springsteen concerts.
This PPV is highly recommended , especially if you have never seen the old AWA stuff before. Only bitch I have is Greg Gangue, who is prominently featured (go figure). His punches and general offense is so week my kid wouldn’t even sell that shit. Kinda gives me a newfound respect for Some Other Guy. But no really.
Anyway, shell out the $10 and get this if you have the resources. Next showing is Monday Night right after RAW, according to my PPV schedule.
ANOTHER WEEK OF THIS CRAP
RAW is in Austin, TX tonight. As mentioned it’s the bare bones skeleton crew so be prepared for the ***** vingette and the **** promos. But in some good news .
Everyone will be back and Smackdown is LIVE BAYBEE from San Antonio. Like I mentioned yesterday, I will be a happy individual if they gimme some HBK.
THE LINKS ARE ON ME
Blake Norton just comes out and says how he feels in his latest column. We took different paths to get to the same conclusion, but it’s a correct conclusion at least as I see it. And Blake. I just wish the guy wouldn’t use profanity to get his f*cking point across.
We have the Limey Mark Up for you
We also have The Week in Wrestling for your perusal
And EXCESS well it’s a wild one folks. I recommend you go and read it when you have some free time.
Also check out my other news report Saturday Evening Post. Again, when you have some free time. You are probably busy at work or at least busy trying to f*ck that little blonde girl over in Accounting. If you are reading this in lieu of school work, please STOP. Your education is more important than ah no it ain’t. Keep reading and click on all those links above
PAGE SIX
That wraps up another week from me. Thanks for the response to the interview last week. The most pretentious thing in the world is to get interviewed (especially when you ain’t famous for nothing) and I figured I would go the extra mile and just ask myself the questions. Beats waitin’ around for someone else I guess.
And that be. Enjoy your week and be on the lookout for Eric S and Grut later this week.
Thanks for reading THE MONDAY EDITION, I’m Flea.
