From WorldWrestlingInsanity.com
T.G.I.F. with Matt Dawgs: Misawa's Passing, WWE Creative in Overdrive, Trigg's Decisions, Two Timing Austin Aries, Cro Copout, Paul Roma's Glorious, Christina Aguilera's Braless, and More
By Matt Dawgs
Jun 19, 2009 - 8:46 AM
Matt Dawgs Presents: Thank Goodness It’s Friday!!!!!
Hello all. Welcome back and Happy Friday. Lets just get right to it. In my previous column on this site titled “Matt Dawgs’ Random Thoughts, Opinions, Questions and Observations”, I wrote exactly what the title says I wrote. While this column will definitely hit you with that from time to time, I am also going just basically switch up the formula a bit with my random thoughts from each wrestling
PROMOTION this week. Of course I will also throw in some thoughts on real world news, sports, entertainment and gossip. Please feel free to provide any thoughts or feedback on the new format. Enjoy.
1) Mitsuharu Misawa
• As most of you have already heard, Mitsuharu Misawa passed away last weekend inside a wrestling ring. What is real unfortunate is that I know for a fact that there are several of you who are members of this site as well as readers of this column who have only seen a handful of Misawa matches or some of you who haven’t seen any. That is sad. Fact is, as much as I always say that no one is better than Shawn Michaels, that isn’t 100% true. While I think Shawn is probably the best OVERALL performer of our generation, the best in ring worker was definitely Misawa. Not “he who shall not be named”, not Kurt Angle, not Shawn Michaels. Mitsuharu Misawa.
• The latest according to Dave Meltzer is that Misawa suffered from a shattered C1 and C2 vertebrae. In layman’s terms, his head was separated from his spinal cord. Basically meaning that even IF the doctor who treated him at ringside were able to revive him, he would have still been paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life. It was the same injury that Christopher Reeves suffered in his horse accident.
• Japan has a different mind set when it comes to wrestling or sports in general. Misawa more than likely had a worse neck than any wrestler in the United States. When Steve Austin goes around and does interviews when he says that doctor’s tell him one bad/wrong bump and he could die or be paralyzed, well Misawa’s neck was definitely in that category. Unfortunately in Japan, you are taught that injuries are to be ignored. If he were in the States, he would have retired a long long time ago.
• Even sadder is that Misawa would have retired last year but decided against it when Kenta Kobashi was diagnosed with cancer. He was telling friends recently that this was his last year.
2) WWE News and Notes
• Donald Trump owns RAW. That my friend is not a typo. In a new celebrity storyline that was kicked off on RAW this past week, Vince McMahon announced that he was going to announce a new GM but instead had a bigger announcement. He received an offer even he couldn’t refuse and has sold Monday Night Raw to Donald Trump. Now other than the mainstream publicity this well get
(and it has gotten some), I do not see how this is going to help ratings, draw new viewers, create new stars or draw anything other than what they already have drawn. Other than shock value, it adds absolutely nothing of importance to World Wrestling Entertainment.
• In his first move as “owner”, Trump announced that this coming RAW would be presented commercial free for two hours.
• So to put the creative teams job in perspective, they had to rebook the entire Denver/Los Angeles RAW due to the situation with the Denver arena, then they had a Pay Per View, the day after, they had Batista written out due to injury, they had a three hour RAW, then they have a 2 hour uninterrupted RAW and another Pay Per View in consecutive weeks. Sounds like fun being on that staff no?
• Good protection of Big Show on RAW Monday. It took 3 finishers to pin him. Not for nothing but if WWE built him up like that from the beginning, they would have a legit monster on their hands.
• Chris Jericho continues to be awesome in booking his program with Rey Mysterio. He is the man.
• Did anyone else see Miz get buried in the battle royal on RAW? I sure saw it. How do you expect people to get over when they aren’t given a chance to get over?
• Big Show and WWE are both being sued by SoBe Entertainment. SoBe, the record label for Brooke Hogan, is suing claiming a breach of contract due to Show signing a boxing/wrestling deal with SoBe then coming back to WWE while under contract to them. Not a good thing for Show as if SoBe, which is still in business has a binding contract then he and WWE are going to have to shell out some money to make this go away.
• Keep Jerry Brisco in your prayers as apparently he suffered from 3 separate strokes over the weekend. He is in good condition at the moment however needs heart surgery to repair a hole in his heart, which is scheduled for next week.
• The entire WWE roster is being sent to RAW next week for the commercial free episode. The Smackdown/ECW house show has been postponed.
3) TNA News and Notes
• TNA has a pay per view this Sunday called Slaimmiversary. Apparently TNA doesn’t realize that it is this Sunday either since they only have 3 matches announced at the time of this writing.
• Frank Trigg is talking about returning to the company but he just signed a four-fight deal to return to UFC. UFC is absolutely DEAD SET against signing professional wrestlers to contracts so Trigg needs to fight his four fights first.
4) Slammiversary Line Up
• TNA champion Mick Foley vs. Jeff Jarrett vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle
• TNA X-Division champion Suicide vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Alex Shelly vs. Chris Sabin with Detroit Tigers star Curtis Granderson presenting the belt to the winner.
• TNA and IWGP Tag Team champions Team 3D vs. Beer Money, Inc.
5) Ring of Honor News and Notes
• It has finally happened and no one could have been more surprised than me. Ring of Honor has finally crowned a two time champion. No it isn’t Low-Ki, Brian Danielson, Samoa Joe, Nigel McGuiness or any of the best champions in the company’s history. It is Austin Aries. Now don’t get me wrong, Aries is talented but he is probably the second to last person I expected to be the man to have the honor of being a two-time champion.
(Xavier would be the first).
• Both Bryan Danielson and Davey Richards will be wrestling for the Dragon Gate USA show in Chicago. This cannot make ROH officials happy as Gabe Sapolsky runs Dragon Gate USA. Dragon Gate also now has a PPV deal similar to ROH’s former PPV deal.
• Ric Flair had a backstage confrontation with Cary Silken at the Hammerstein Ballroom show where Aries won the ROH title. Flair was scheduled to referee the main event but when he found out that the show was being taped for HD Net, Flair pulled out. He still came out at the opening of the show for the Misawa tribute and did cut a promo putting over ROH. Nigel McGuiness filled in for Flair in the main event.
6) MMA News and Notes
• 48 year old former boxer Ray Mercer knocked out two time UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Silva in an MMA bout. Check it out for yourself HERE.
• Mirko Cro Cop f*cked Dana White and UFC in the ass. Not literally, figuratively. Basically he wanted back into UFC after failing miserably in his first two fights after a long and successful career in Japan. Dana White and Cro Cop agreed to one fight because they needed a big name for this show and they were going to come to a long-term deal after the fight because Cro Cop wanted to prove himself and make a run for the heavyweight title. Well Cro Cop won his UFC return and then signed a three-fight deal with the DREAM promotion in Japan thus screwing UFC. That sucks for UFC and Dana but White knows how the game is played and he went against his own rule by signing a fighter to a one-fight deal
(a move he has been dead set against for almost two years now because Fedor Emelianenko, arguably the greatest heavyweight EVER, has been asking for one).
• For you MMA followers, the biggest woman’s fight in MMA history is confirmed, as Gina Carano will fight Chris Cyborg.
7) Random Thoughts, Links, Pics, ETC.
• Random PIC of the week. I miss seeing her on television.
• I saw Twilight. UGH. What is the big F’N deal about this movie other than the fact that you have vampires that can walk in the daylight? LOL. Seriously this movie was piss poor.
• Paul Roma now has his own show right here on World Wrestling Insanity.Com titled “GLORIOUS”. Take a listen because he doesn’t hold anything back and quite frankly is one entertaining son of a bitch. Go to CLUBWWI.COM now!!!
• One Tree Hill is still F’N awesome. If I even convert one person into watching this show, it is worth it. WATCH IT!!!
• Olivia Munn on the cover of PLAYBOY. Too bad she doesn’t pose nude in the issue. Oh well, maybe next time.
• iPhone 3.0 Software update is now up and running as well as the 3GS phone that comes out today. If Apple didn’t rule the world before, they sure as hell will soon.
• Christina Aguilera still hates bras.
Ok kiddies, classes are over for now. See you soon!!!!!!!!!
Feel free to discuss whatever you’d like in the “Anger Management” section of the message board or whichever section you see fit.
~Matt Dawgs
World Wrestling Insanity writer Matt Dawgs is the bread and butter of the World Wrestling Insanity family. His future is bright and once James Guttman comes into a large sum of money, you can expect Matt will be getting tons of it thrown at him, at least half of it. Matt used to moonlight as a professional wrestler/manager in the NY/NJ Indy scene. He is legit afraid of getting on Homicide’s bad side but thinks he is a cool dude in general. He also is a funny guy. If you have any questions, corrections, feedback, comments and ideas, he can be reached at Matt@worldwrestlinginsanity.com. If the feedback is negative, you can e-mail Matt at insanity@worldwrestlinginsanity.com.
P.S. – In case you didn’t know, James Guttman has a new WRESTLING BOOK out titled “Shoot First, Ask Questions Later”. It is a damn fun read so I suggest you run out and get it today. If you already have your copy, read it. If you already read your copy, read it again. It is funny; like me.
Also, don’t forget to check out CLUB WWI. It can be found by clicking the banner at the top of this page. Check out all the new audio updates and features found there. Some good stuff including all of James Guttman’s past Radio Free Insanity broadcasts as well as all new, uncut interviews with some of wrestling past and present names. Good stuff people.
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