#22 - When Legends Make Bad Decisions ...

I am sorry if the blog title misleads anybody but this is too funny not to share with everybody. Apparently Terry Funk released an album in Japan back in 1984 after his first retirement. This song does not scream "hardcore" but it does make me want to scream that I will remember it FOREVER! FOREVER! FOREVER! FOREVER!



Perhaps this could be a continuing series on "From The Gorilla Position"?

#21 - 5 Things I'd Like To See Done After Capitol Punishment!

This has nothing that will benefit this blog but I am about to shamelessly plug a WWE DVD. I currently watching the WWE's newest release, the Very Best of WCW Nitro. While I do not have it finished in full, it does seem like a good release. I am currently streaming it before purchasing the DVD and so far, I am happy with the product WWE has produced and would recommend it to others who are fans of this era in professional wrestling!


Now, today's topic for the blog would be 5 things I would like to see the WWE do after this Sunday's Capitol Punishment pay per view!

1. Have the Punk-Mysterio determine the No.1 Contender to the WWE Championship

I really can't complain that these two are having another pay per view match because the quality of matches they have had in the last two years have been outstanding. To my knowledge, this is their fifth singles match on PPV since Armageddon 2008. I think if this match was to determine the No.1 Contender would add to this match. It would make Punk and Mysterio both seem to have a higher position on the card just by their association with the WWE Championship picture as currently the Miz is the only other star that feels like they are in the main event level. R-Truth may be on the rise but this is his first main event and the main event scene needs guys who are credible to take the title at any moment as that is where Wrestling gets its suspense from. This would also allow them to write Punk off in July, which seems like their current plan, at the Money in the Bank PPV in Chicago!

2. Making AJ and Kelly Kelly the faces of the Diva Division!

While Kelly Kelly has been slated to be the face of the division currently, I think that Kelly Kelly doesn't have the skill to lead a division like Trish Stratus did in the early 2000's! I think AJ could be the perfect supplement to Kelly's character and vice versa. Both girls are presented in similar roles right now ... they have cute personalities yet exciting to watch in the ring. As a red-blooded man's man, I will also point out how are incredibly sexy but not in a slutty way! which worked perfect in the new PG era of the WWE. In retrospective, the WWE's Diva division was at it's finest when they had two Diva Stars ... what were their names again? OH Trish Stratus and Lita! I think this would benefit the division right now, having them built to defeat the Bella Twins later this year, only to have a heel Kharma return next year to destroy both AJ and Kelly Kelly! The storylines are simple yet play themselves out!

3. Zack Ryder 

I mentioned to a friend the other day that I believe that the Ryder Revolution is noticed by WWE Creative and they are building towards his ultimate push! How can they not notice it? They booked him on RAW every week other than the week they are in his hometown. Why? It's not because they want him to remain a heel because they paired him with John Cena in all his previous RAW segments. It's not because he's not a good worker as he had a great match with Kofi two weeks ago on RAW. I feel the WWE is just letting the popularity rise and rise, with his "broskis" (which I am a big part of) just loving him more for being the underdog. It's time to let the Ryder Revolution begin ... I don't want to see him go right into the main event or even the U.S. title scene. He doesn't need a title run currently, he just needs the chance to show his personality to the audience without any restrictions and let them decide if Zack Ryder is "the next big thing" in WWE

4. A Summer of Legends 

Wrestling fans love legends! It's a proven fact that we love seeing the stars of yesteryear! We jumped in joy when Michael Hayes came out on SuperStars as Tyson Kidd's manager. We never missed a minute of last Monday's Piper's Pit. What I propose is that the WWE should book legends on the show every week just for the surprise factor, making RAW seem less formulaic. Why not have Superfly show up with Tamina every now again? Why not have Sunny show up one week to referee a Diva's match? The possibilities are endless and will all be received  positively. It would be loved by superstars who get to see their childhood favorites and the legends will love being loved so much. I know that some may feel this takes away from the return of Old School Raw coming up in the fall but I don't think it will, I think it will only "wet the appetite" of the audience for that show.


I am promoting WrestleMania here only because it has the Hall of Fame ceremony from this year, where Sunny became the youngest inductee to the Hall.

5. The Return of Managers

We are in the process of seeing this come about right now, with Tyson Kidd having a different manager every week on SuperStars. I would like to see this emphasis start after this Sunday, perhaps even on Sunday with Ezekiel Jackson debuting a new mouthpiece when he defeats Wade Barrett. Some guys need managers, that has always been proven in pro wrestling. Some of the greatest talents in wrestling had managers. It just adds so much to their characters and their matches. This is one idea I am really excited about!

Conclusion

I am really excited for the WWE's summer programming as it is always filled with excitement leading up until SummerSlam in August. We are pretty much guaranteed one RAW appearance of the Rock to help further the main event of WrestleMania 28. We are almost guaranteed to see a star debut or return to the company and we are guaranteed a great PPV at Money in the Bank. I love the summertime in WWE and hope that these ideas I have posted here will become real on WWE programming

#20 - WrestleMania : One Last Stand?

Good afternoon, wrestling fans!

I am using my 20th blog to help a friend of mine out who has just started his own blog receive some viewership! Billy has created "Shooting on Pro Wrestling: Past, Present and Future" and can be seen at ...

http://the-last-outlaw.blogspot.com/

As an example of some of the great blog ideas Billy is currently thinking of, I bring to you my comment to his most recent blog. He wanted viewers to comment on a dream WrestleMania card that could only be booked using deceased wrestlers. While our cards differed, it became fun to sit down and think about pro wrestling at it's finest!

Here was my card and be sure to visit his blog and read his card!


Announcer: Gorilla Monsoon
Color Commentator: Chris Candido (who was full of charisma, could work like Bobby Heenan)
Backstage Interviewer: Lord Alfred Hayes

1. Owen Hart vs the British Bulldog

2. Battle of the Big Men
Road Warrior Hawk vs Dino Bravo

3. Yokozuna vs Crash Holly

4. Ravishing Rick Rude vs Bam Bam Bigalow

5. Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch (Faces) vs "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Terry Gordy (Heels)

6. Eddie Guerrero vs Brian Pillman

7. Andre The Giant vs Big Boss Man

8. MAIN EVENT!!!!!
Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs Mr. Perfect

That would be my card bud, I am gonna post my card on my blog and place a link there to your blog! You are welcome for the promotion!

#19 - The Better Roster? WWF 1992 or WCW 1994

I recently wrote a blog on how I would have booked WCW's main event scene in 1994. After writing the blog, I started to re-watch several WCW events from 1994. The latest event I watched was Bash at the Beach 1994, which I had not seen in years. I watched the event and began to notice the Hall of Fame talent that participated on the show as every match seemed to have a wrestling legend battling another legend. The more I analyzed the event's roster, I thought of the WWF's roster in early 1992 which hosted every major wrestling star of the 1980's. After watching "the Bash", I started to question which roster was better? The April 1992  WWF roster or the July 1994 WCW Roster? The purpose of this blog is for you to review the points I raise about each roster and make your decision! I would love to see some comments and answer them accordingly!

Notes

- Both companies had big events during the month's I have chosen for comparison
WWF - WrestleMania VIII
WCW - Bash at the Beach 1994
- Ric Flair was the World Champion of both companies during the era's I have chosen
- There will be some overlap in roster names but there's still enough different names to warrant a comparison
- oth companies were around equal in popularity at the time
WWF - losing popularity thanks to the steroid and sexual harassment allegations
WCW - rising popularity thanks to the signing of Hulk Hogan

WWF - April of 1992

Roster included:

1. Hulk Hogan (took a leave of absence after WrestleMania VIII)
2. Ric Flair
3. Macho Man Randy Savage
4. The Undertaker
5. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
6. Roddy Piper (took a leave of absence after WrestleMania VIII)
7. Bret Hart
8. Shawn Michaels
9. Ted DiBiase
10. British Bulldog 
11. Sid Justice
12. Ultimate Warrior (returned at WrestleMania VIII)
    
    Top 3 Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Vince McMahon

WCW - July 1994

1. Hulk Hogan
2. Ric Flair
3. Dustin Rhodes
4. Steve Austin
5. Cactus Jack
6. Ricky Steamboat
7. Big Van Vader
8. Guardian Angel (Ray Traylor "The Big Bossman")
9. Sting
10. Triple H (wrestling still as Jean Paul Leveque) 
11. Arn Anderson
12. Terry Funk
    
    Top 3 Announcers: Tony Schiavone, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan,  Jesse "The Body" Ventura (on the brink of leaving during this time period due to heat with Hulk Hogan)

My Opinion

Both of these rosters were filled with Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers but if I had to choose, I would go with WCW in July of 1994. I have always been a diehard WWF fan but in this case, I have to side with the Atlanta-based promotion. The roster WCW had at this time was just a better mixture of young and old.

• They had depth in the main event level (Sting, Hogan, Flair, Vader) that could have offered great matches for the coming years. 
• They also had depth in the upper mid card level (Austin, HHH, Regal, Steamboat, Jack) who were ready to step up into main event spots and become the stars they would eventually become in later years *cough* WWF *cough* 
• Two great heel commentators that added entertainment value to the product
• A better on-screen authority figure (Nick Bockwinkle > Jack Tunney)
  
  Those are my reasons for why I thought WCW had a better roster in 1994 than WWF in 1992 but I would like to know your opinion, the ones reading my blog! Feel free to start discussion on this blog and I'll try my best to quickly reply. 

#18 - Re-booking WCW in 1994

I am writing this blog after a few drinks of Golden Wedding Whiskey so please excuse my writing, even though I feel many of WCW's creative personnel could have used a stiff drink back in 1994 when booking. Everybody gives WCW credit for booking Hogan-Flair at Bash at the Beach and making it the "big deal" it should have been but I feel the aftermath could have been booked as good as the original match. Let's take a look ...

July - The Initial Match

Booked the same way as WCW booked it then, with Hogan winning the championship and WCW giving the fans what they wanted and that was a Hogan win

August - Clash of the Champions

Did we really need to see Hogan - Flair on TV? Sure it would have brought in ratings but why blow the 2nd battle of their feud on a TV special?  The Clash was WCW's answer to Saturday Night's Main Event so why didn't they book it the same as WWF booked SNME? The WWF booked Hogan on SNME against credible heels that fans believed MIGHT take the title from Hogan but wouldn't. I can look back at Hogan's SNME matches against Honky Tonk Man, Bob Orton, King Haku, and the Genius. All these opponents were credible heels but stood no chance at taking the Hulk's title.

I think Hulk's TBS wrestling debut would have been enough to draw ratings to this Clash of the Champions event. I look back now at the roster WCW had at the time and would have booked Hogan against Terry Funk. Funk was involved with a feud with the Rhodes family and could have easily been given a TV match against the Hulk. Hogan could have gone over easily with Funk still keeping enough credibility to keep his feud running with the Rhodes

September - Fall Brawl

At this event, we saw Flair and Hogan doing on-screen taped promos to promote their cage match at Halloween Havoc ... In retrospective, why couldn't we have Flair wrestle on this card? This event hosted the first mainstream Triangle match for a future WCW title match?

I would have had Flair wrestle instead of Ray Traylor (Big Boss Man, Guardian Angel) in the triangle match against Sting and Vader. Sting could have beaten Vader in the opening match then had Flair weasel his way to victory against Sting. This could secure Flair a title shot later in the year.

On this event, we also saw Ricky Steamboat forfeit the U.S. title to Steve Austin only for Austin to drop the title in 27 seconds to Jim Duggan. In addition, we saw Steven Regal drop his TV title to Johnny B. Badd ...

Why not book Regal to win the U.S. title, thus making him the No.1 Contender to the WCW title? Regal was really over back in 1994 in WCW. They had the confidence to book him against Larry Zbyszko and Antonio Inoki at the previous two Clash events ... so obviously they had confidence in his abilities. Why not give him a main event against Hogan like WWE had confidence to do in 2002 on RAW?

October - Halloween Havoc

Hulk Hogan vs Lord Steven Regal for the World Heavyweight Title

The positive sides of this match would be that ...

• Regal would receive a main event slot, which he deserved
• Hogan would be able to show off some of his true wrestling skill that he showed in Japan only
• WCW would put over young talent against an established face and make stars for the future
• They would have been able to save Flair-Hogan II for Starrcade

... There are no cons to this situation

November - Clash of Champions

Flair announces that he is sick of sharing the spotlight with Hogan and challenges Hogan to put their careers on the line at Starrcade ... similar to the storyline they did in reality at Halloween Havoc because ticket sales were down in Detroit!

December - Starrcade

Hogan vs Flair - The Rematch

- They could have booked this match the same, even down to the retirement angle
- They could have still had Vader earn a title shot at SuperBrawl by winning a match at Starrcade
- The biggest rematch in history would occur on the biggest event of the year! which equals ... MONEY!

I think this set of angles could have made WCW better during Hogan's first few months after entering the company! We could have been saved from the backstage politics between Hogan and Flair initially. We could have been saved from Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake) main-eventing Starrcade! AND we could have saved Steve Regal from becoming a Real Man's Man!

I will edit this tomorrow but this is the product of a whiskey on the rocks! I hope you enjoy

#17 - Greatest Line in the History of Pro Wrestling

At 4:30, Ric Flair may have created the greatest quote in the history of professional wrestling. Whooooooooooooooooo!

#16 - 5 Coliseum Videos You Should Watch!

I am an avid DVD/VHS collector! I probably spend at least $250 a year in WWE DVD's. Every release that peaks my interest, I buy! If I don't know if they are worthy to buy, I download it and then decide. I watch everything. One thing I am very proud of is my collection of Coliseum Home Videos. For years, I have searched St. John's to find people selling these rare gems. I had a nice collection built but it really took off in 2007 in terms of old school Coliseum Videos.

Our local video store in Bonavista was took over in recent years by the owner's son who changed business models to focus more on computer repair and sales. So this left me waiting for years to get a chance at buying the tapes I had rented so many times as a child. I was actually driving home from work one day and passed the store, Like a sixth sense, I saw a basket outside their store with a recognizable logo on the basket's contents ... They were finally selling off their wrestling tapes!!! With the skill of Stone Cold Steve Austin, I threw my pickup into reverse and pulled into the store's parking lot like a maniac.

The contents was magical ... the first ever Survivor Series, WrestleMania's, Royal Rumbles, and those classic compilation tapes Coliseum Video released. They even had many WCW releases from 1994-1995! I was like a kid in the candy store. I picked up Halloween Havoc 1994 (great card and a tape I watched many of times) and the first Survivor Series (for its historical significance and because I hadn't seen that event in ages)

I can say this much, thank God I was working because every time I had cash in my pocket, I was back at that store building my collection. With a few exceptions, I had my pick of the tapes and I loved it. The VCR will never die in my house because of these great tapes!

Sure, you can download these tapes now off your local torrent site, but there's something extra about picking the tape out of your collection and putting it into the VCR. So that is why I am going to give you five "Coliseum Videos" you should go out of your way to watch and why!

Hope you guys enjoy, have had the chance to watch these releases and hope to hear some comments!

5) Grudges, Gripes and Grunts

A great tape for the era it came from. 1993 was a transitional period in the WWF. Stars leaving and stars debuting seemed to be happening on a regular basis. This tape, until the Macho Man DVD was released in 2009, was the only place to get a superb tag team match... HBK and Ric Flair vs Macho Man and Bret Hart. Also for the Hogan marks, we receive a rare match in the Mega Maniacs (Beefcake and Hogan) in a "tune up match for WrestleMania 9" facing the Beverly Brothers. While it was not a mat classic, it is still cool to see Hogan working with other talents. Also we are given the gem of "Wrestling Lessons with the Steiners". A fun tape to watch, with Macho Man hosting as well

4) WWF World Tour (1989-1990)

Now this tape is fun to watch! We get Hulk Hogan vs Macho Man from Paris, France , Ultimate Warrior vs Ted DiBiase for the WWF Title from Japan (with a rare home video appearance by Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura on commentary) AND a Rougeaus - Rockers match also from Paris. This tape is great for the rarity of the matches as I think the only one re-released by the WWE may have been Warrior and DiBiase, which I think is on WWE Classics Online.

3) The Hart Foundation (1987)

I bought this tape because it was in tremendous shape and in fact, became the oldest tape I own! As I watched this tape, I was greeted with quality match after quality match. I also have something that no other WWE DVD boasts ... The Harts winning their first tag titles! This tape shows us an in depth analysis of the first few months the Harts were champions and their tag team run, which is great to look back on now. This tape also shows Mean Gene visiting the Hart Foundation offices which is hilarious! I recommend this tape to any fan of Bret Hart or that era of pro wrestling. You won't be disappointed!

2) SuperTape (1990)

During the 1980s, the WWF were releasing a series called the Best of the WWF and had numbered them by Volumes. In an effort to only make the name sound better, they started the SuperTape series that went two years. The first volume of this tape was great and had everything you'd look for!

• The tape opens with a hard hitting match between Ronnie Garvin and Mr. Perfect
• Followed by some comedy with Mean Gene trying to find the home of the Bushwhackers and a profile on that tag team * You've probably seen portions of these segments as Gene dresses up like a Bushwhacker which is quite funny
• A Bobby Heenan profile
• More great wrestling between Ted DiBiase and Jake Roberts
• A rare gem between Tito Santana and Rick Rude

To close things off, we have the only release of the No Holds Barred tag team Steel Cage return match ... Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake vs Macho Man and Zeus which in my books, isn't a bad match! This tape has great highlights and is another recommendation if you can find a copy either on VHS or on a torrent site

THE #1 TAPE is ... HULKAMANIA 6

If you are not a Hogan mark, you will not like this choice. In my opinion, this tape was what a Coliseum Video profile should be! We are treated to ... 

• Rare matches against the Undertaker, the Macho Man Paris match (again) and a tag match with Jim Duggan against Slaughter and Iron Sheik
• We receive the classics against King Kong Bundy and Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleManias
• A JAPAN HOGAN MATCH! His match with Stan Hansen from the WWF - All Japan Wrestling Summit in April 1990 was included on this set, which was amazing and proof that Hogan could wrestle a decent match under the Japanese style
  This was just a great tape from top to bottom and when thinking of it's style, compares to the Chris Jericho DVD set that was released in September. Jericho gave us matches from every era of his career as did Hogan in this set. I recommend this tape and Hulkamania 4 from the Hulkamania series as tapes to watch 

#15 - Looking at this Sunday's Extreme Rules

This Sunday is a reason why the WWE should really take more time in developing their PPV Schedule. As most readers are aware, this weekend also marks the UFC's biggest event ever, coming from the Skydome in Toronto. The UFC has also stacked the card with big time fights and reasons for buy the pay per view to watch both main events. GSP will face off with Jake Shields in a title bout which Dana White has stated "could be the last step to the dream GSP - Anderson Silva fight". The event will also host the final MMA fight of Randy Couture which is a big deal regardless how many times Couture has retired and returned to dominate.

Terry Funk > Randy Couture

However, this is not a mixed martial arts blog ... I am all about professional wrestling so let's look at the card for this Sunday's Extreme Rules

No Disqualification, No Count-Out, Loser Leaves SmackDown! Match:
Layla vs. Michelle McCool

This match won't be on par with Jack Brisco and Dory Funk Jr. back in 1976 but will serve a purpose. The feud has been building for a couple of months so that is nice. The fact they are blowing this off with one weeks notice is bad but manageable if it serves this purpose. I think whoever loses this match is going to get an extended hiatus from the WWE because if they wanted to move one of them, they would have drafted them to RAW. This theory leads me to believe that Michelle McCool is receiving time off. The Undertaker is home nursing injuries and they haven't really had time off together since their marriage last June so perhaps this is time for the happy power couple to have their honeymoon. Who knows, but this theory does led me to believe that Layla will be put over in this match

Winner: Layla



Falls Count Anywhere Match:
Cody Rhodes vs. Rey Mysterio

Back when discussing WrestleMania with some friends, we were all under the belief that Mysterio would make Rhodes the star of their Mania match but still win! This did not happen and we were surprised to see Rhodes win on the grandest stage of them all! The same can't be said about their rematch this Sunday at Extreme Rules. Mysterio will play the babyface that gets destroyed for most of the match and comes out on top, thus sending him to Monday Night RAW with momentum. Cody Rhodes will find a new feud on Smackdown with his career looking brighter than ever! Currently, depending on a Christian title win, I would pay to see a Rhodes - Christian World Title Feud!
Winner: Rey Mysterio

Michael Cole & Jack Swagger vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler & Jim Ross

One of the more intriguing matches on the card because the feud has nowhere left to go! It will kill itself if they continue the feud. This match has to be the blowoff which means the faces are getting this "come-uppance". It will be interesting to see how they save Swagger's credibility while having JR and King get over on Cole. The future of the announce tables is causing the intrigue of this match ... Are we seeing the return of JR to full time announcing? Has the WWE realized the audience is not enjoying the product and need something to bring us back? I think so

Last Man Standing Match:
Randy Orton vs. CM Punk

Personally, I've talked with friends that think Punk will lose this match but I am feeling the other way around! Last Man Standing/Death Match is a match that can easily allow interference costing a face the win! I predict Nexus or a SD heel to cost Orton this match and Punk will receive the big W!!! Let's just hope he gets booked the way he likes in the near future! Otherwise, we may be losing the greatest talker WWE has on their roster currently
Winner: CM Punk

Ladder Match for the vacated World Heavyweight Championship:
Alberto Del Rio vs. Christian

Where the WWE is going here is a mystery! I have two theories ...

1. Alberto Del Rio wins, bringing the World Heavyweight Championship to RAW and leading to a World Title Unification match at SummerSlam

2. Christian wins his first title, has an emotional moment with Edge and we see both World Titles continue on different brands

While a unification would be nice, I can't see it happening at SummerSlam ... seems too much like a WrestleMania worthy historical event so I am predicting a Christian win!

Winner: Christian

Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship:
The Miz © vs. John Cena vs. John Morrison

I am curious about this match because of how close Over The Limit is ... meaning that they are not likely to build a new feud in three weeks ... Which leaves me to wonder if they will put the title back on Cena or let Miz carry it a couple more weeks? Miz has had a pretty long title reign, when you analyze it! He won it the night after Survivor Series and has held it since. How long has it been since a Champion have retained it at THREE Major PPVS (I am counting Survivor Series, Royal Rumble and WrestleMania). I do predict Cena to take the title this month and Miz getting his title shot at Over the Limit
Winner: John Cena

Closing Remarks

If you are looking for a different card than you paid for 29 days ago, you should not buy Extreme Rules! If you are looking for a PPV which may beat Mania in terms of quality, buy this event! Each match will receive more time than they did at Mania, thus making these matches shine through. I am watching tomorrow night's UFC either live or on Sunday before Extreme Rules with friends and some fast food ... I encourage you all to enjoy these events as we are looking for a great weekend in PPV sports!

#14 - Wrestlers In Court?

I have not researched the charges brought against the Iron Sheik that this video was produced for, but this is something else! In the video which apparently aired for a judge in New York I believe where WWF Superstars break kayfabe to be character witnesses for Khosrow Varsi (maybe a spelling mistake but I'm happy with it). I actually believe that the Sheik's attorney is playing the role of Gene Okerlund in this video, which adds to the hilarious nature of the video. What follows is just pure wrestling fun! I hope you enjoy and please comment! I would love to hear some thoughts on this great video

#13 - Top 5 Books/DVD's

A really short entry today because it's final exam time so time is hard to come by! On the suggestion of my friend Jon Parsons, who frequently comments here on the site, I will list off my Top 5 Wrestling Books and my Top 5 Wrestling DVD's!

Books:

1. Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling
2. Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks 
3. A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex
4. Bobby Heenan: Wrestling's Bad Boy Tells All
5. Ric Flair: To Be The Man

Honorable Mention -> Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps

DVD's

1. The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection
2. Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
3. The True Story of WrestleMania
4. The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
5. Bret Hitman Hart: The Best There Is, Best There Was and Best There Ever Will Be
   
   Honorable Mention -> The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect
   

#12 - First Angle I Remember Watching On TV

I have been watching professional wrestling since 1991 when I was 2 years old. That's what I've been told but obviously, memories of that age are few and far between for myself. However, the first angle I can remember vividly watching was the Hacksaw Jim Duggan - Yokozuna contest on WWF Superstars!

Since debuting in the fall of 1992, Yokozuna had yet to been knocked off his feet! In the weeks leading up to this angle, Mr. Fuji had challenged any American to attempt to knock down Yokozuna ... Who's more American than Hacksaw Jim Duggan! The event was set for the following week as the video here shows that encounter!

I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen or don't remember the angle but damn, it was good TV!

Watch for the closing shot! If that's not emotional wrestling, I don't know what is

#11 - An Old School Approach That Can Help WWE Home Video

It's an old school idea that can be brought into the current product and can make money for the WWE. Most of us grew up on Coliseum Video! Going to the local video store and renting these tapes were an exciting time for us in years past. Coliseum Video, in addition to the PPV events and Profile VHS, would release collections of random matches and segments under a lame title. For example, "Crunch Classics", "Mega Matches" and "Rampage '91" were all releases from Coliseum Video in 1991-1992. These VHS offered comedy segments and never before seen matches! I own a good collection of these tapes and now can boast owning the first match between Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels (from the VHS called Invasion 1992).

I would like to see these style of tapes return to the WWE and am going to list a sample card of matches as well as benefits of this release

There are NO CONS to this method, in my opinion, only Pros which I will outline in my ideas

• It gives Matt Striker something to do in the company! He can be the host of this collection!
• There is no added budget if they shoot these matches at RAW / Smack Down tapings! They can take place in place of dark matches
• Gives the WWE the chance to release comedy segments that would bomb on RAW to the audience and test their reception to these segments
• Commentary Dream Teams! At most, taping commentary for these matches would last two days at maximum! Would you buy a DVD knowing that you are going to hear Joey Styles return to commentary?How about Good Ol' JR? How about the pair of JR-Styles? JR-Striker? Striker-Styles? Hell, Lawler and JR could reunite for this collection! The best part ... It would only cost WWE two days work for this team!
• THE MATCHES WOULD NOT REQUIRE A STORYLINE!!! So there would be no extra work for the creative staff
• Because of no added budget for this taping, the DVD sales are PURE PROFIT!
• Guys such as Rick Rude who may not require a full DVD release can get a portion of this DVD by having a Legends portion of the disc!

And now, my card for the first release of this series

1. Daniel Bryan vs Evan Borne
2. John Morrison vs Sheamus
3. Gabriel and Slater vs Kozlov and Santino
4. Eve vs Michelle McCool
5. Jack Swagger vs Kofi Kingston
6. Edge and Christian vs Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson
7. Alberto Del Rio vs Rey Mysterio
8. John Cena vs the Miz
   
   * Sure we have seen some of these matches countless times over the last few months but I believe we would still pay for NEVER BEFORE SEEN matches between these individuals where more time can be allotted to their matches thanks to this taping schedule!
   
   * If you tape two matches per taping, you will have them taped within a month! Which means these releases can be on shelves within TWO months! Quick, Profitable and Efficient!
   
   What do you readers think of that?
   
   I would also like to take this time to thank everybody for visiting this blog! When I started a month ago, I intended on this blog being somewhere my friends can come and read a detailed idea of mine about professional wrestling and to have International Visitors is amazing! I hope you enjoy the past blogs and in the future! I look forward to bringing you more "From the Gorilla Position"
   
   .... JOHNNY ACE, WHERE'S MY JOB?

#10 - Greatest Heel Promo in Wrestling History!

This promo shows what a true heel should be in the wrestling business! Someone who makes you downright sick when watching them! Someone who causes to you to truly despise them! This promo shows why Jake Roberts should be working creatively with World WRESTLING Entertainment in some fashion, helping develop heels!

This promo was shot after the Tuesday in Texas PPV on December 3rd 1991. They had just shot the snake bite angle between Randy Savage and Jake Roberts a week prior. The Tuesday in Texas match between Jake Roberts and Randy Savage was quick but the angle that followed only intensified the angle. Randy was going to inflict permanent damage to Roberts with the ringside bell when Earl Hebner stopped him. As Hebner stopped Savage, Roberts hit a quick DDT on Savage, leading to Roberts toying with Savage. Roberts would then bring a black bag into the ring, supposedly carrying a Cobra. Elizabeth hit the ring to save Macho, much as she did when Honky Tonk Man was going to hit him with the guitar back in 1987. Roberts turned his attention to Elizabeth, forcing her to beg for Macho's safety. Jake responded by slapping Elizabeth across the face, an act unheard of in 1991. This is the promo that followed ...

Also note how great Gene Okerlund was in this promo! Another thing missing from today's WWE would be interviewers!

#9 - A New WrestleMania Streak?

Steering away from the usual opinion blog, I'd like some comments from you, the readers!

Jesse Duggan, a buddy of mine, argues that the Miz is undefeated at WrestleMania's thanks to ...

1. His successful tag title defense last year with the Big Show against John Morrison and R-Truth
2. His successful WWE championship defense this year against John Cena

However, I argue that because he lost in the pre-show tag team titles unification match against the Colons at WrestleMania 25, he is 2-1

How do you guys see it? Has the Miz begun a new WrestleMania streak?

#8 - 2012 Hall of Fame Class

WWE Hall of Fame - Class of 2012

Headliner - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (To Be Inducted By Stone Cold Steve Austin)

Co-Headliner - Mick Foley (To Be Inducted By Terry Funk)
*seeing that he has stated he will not resign with TNA this year*

Other Inductees

• Ron Simmons (Inducted by John Bradshaw Layfield)
• Arn Anderson (Inducted by Ricky Steamboat or Ric Flair, depending on availability)
• Kevin "Diesel" Nash (Inducted by HBK)
• Barry Windham (Inducted by I.R.S)

Celebrity Inductee - William Shatner (Inducted by Jerry "The King" Lawler)

Diva - Trish Stratus (Inducted by Lita)

With the main event of next year's WrestleMania already announced to be The Rock vs John Cena, they are looking for a big WrestleMania next year! They're going to have a great amount of media attention for this event, thanks to the Rock's return and it's location of Miami, Florida. The WWE will be counting on fans, both current and those who have lost interest, in buying this event for the historic moments it will deliver. These factors have influenced my decisions for the Class of 2012.

I'll give you a reason for each of my choices

Rock - This pick is a shoe-in for next year's WrestleMania. He will face off in the biggest match of the current generation the night after the event! It's in his hometown of Miami! It will also be the ten year anniversary of Hogan-Rock in the Sky dome. This one is a guarantee!

Foley - With the good relationship Foley has kept with the WWE, it seems that Foley will return to the WWE in some fashion once his contract ends with TNA. I predict that Foley will sign a deal with WWE similar to Kevin Nash, where he is "in the bullpen" if they ever need him for an appearance. Plus, Foley had a great career but I am unsure if he could headline a class, which might piss you off and allow some people to make comparisons that inducting Rock and Foley in the same class is like inducting Hogan and Piper in the same class. While Foley is a legend, I think he is the perfect co-headliner like Mr. Perfect was in 2007. Foley is a big star, a legend that is the perfect compliment to any class

Ron Simmons - He should have been inducted this year seeing he resides from Georgia but it does make sense to induct him in Florida due to his college football history in the state! A great addition to the Hall

Arn Anderson - The most overdue inductee of all time THAT is still with the company! It's almost as if the WWE shuns away their road agents from going into the Hall. It's as if they take the Agents for granted and always look outside for their Hall of Fame class. It took Dusty Rhodes two years to be apart of the Hall of Fame. It took Ricky Steamboat four years before they inducted him. Arn Anderson has been with the company since the WCW buyout! It's not like he doesn't deserve a spot (I just flashed back to his retirement speech and how he offered his spot in the Horsemen to Curt Hennig). He is a multi-time tag champion in WCW, 1 tag title run in WWF, the greatest WCW TV Champion in history AND was apart of the greatest stable in history ... You mean to tell me that doesn't warrant entry into the Hall of Fame alone (they rumored that he would be inducted only as part of the Horsemen, which is a damn shame)

Nash - Let's see ... He is a former WWF and WCW World Champion. He was the 3rd Triple Crown Winner in WWF History (three major titles, all of which occurred within 12 months). He was a founding member of the New World Order, a group who helped facilitate the Monday Night Wars, which rekindled the business! On top of his accolades, he has a renewed business relationship with the WWE and he is a close friend of Triple H and Vince McMahon ... The only question is why he wasn't inducted this year BUT I definitely see him going in next year!

Barry Windham - His story is similar to Arn Anderson. He had multiple reigns as a tag team champion in both the WWF and NWA/WCW. He is known as one of the best in-ring workers of his generation and spent a great amount of time wrestling in Florida. From what I know, he still holds a good relationship with the WWE so why not induct him into the class of 2012? All the elements are there for Windham as well!

Shatner - I would not have made this pick back in 2007 when Shatner was boo'ed mercifully off the stage at that year's ceremony for his induction speech for Jerry Lawler. However, he regained everybody's opinion last year when he hosted the February 1st edition of Monday Night Raw. With three great segments (Singing WWE Entrance Themes, RAW Match Negotiator, and his segment with Vince), he proved that he can be loved by the Wrestling audience. Unlike Drew Carey, he has made several appearances on WWE programming and would be a nice addition to the hall! I also believe that this would be the only time in Hall of Fame history that two people switched places in the Induction ceremony.

Trish Stratus - If they want to induct a diva every year now, how can you go with anybody but Trish Stratus after Sunny! Sure, Miss Elizabeth is still not in the Hall of Fame but that's only until 2013 hopefully! (Hint, I am predicting Macho Man for 2013). Trish was the most dominant diva in history, ruling the division from 2001 to 2006. Her inductor, Lita ... induction in 2013 as well!

These are my choices for the 2012 Hall of Fame. I'd love some comments, both positive and negative on my list!

#7 - Why Dusty's Commentary Beats Booker T's

After discussing with Jon Parsons about the quality of Booker T's commentary skills, he argued that Booker can be compared to Dusty Rhodes in WCW ... well, this video proves why Dusty > Booker

#6 - How Jerry Lawler can get his rematch with Michael Cole

How Jerry Lawler can get Michael Cole back in the ring ... by re-recording this musical gem from the Memphis territory! Classic Wrestlecrap

#5 - WrestleMania 27

Bigger than Christmas ... Bigger than your first born ... It's WrestleMania weekend and another has passed by. Last Sunday was the 27th edition of the event and for what I was expecting, the card delivered the entertainment value. I write this blog the Tuesday after the event, so I do have to read the results again and then analyze which might lead to some different opinions. I will repost any differences I see come May 17th when the DVD is released here in Canada. Now, in the words of "Cowboy" Bill Watts, let's hook 'em up!

The World Championship Match
Edge vs Alberto Del Rio

First thing that should have been done would be an angle between Brodus Clay and
attendee Snoop Dogg. We were treated to Snoop Dogg later in the show to a talent search segment which ended with Hornswoggle's first words, but here would have been my angle ...

• Alberto Del Rio spots Snoop in the front row and calls him into the ring and begins to trash talk him. 
• Snoop throws a punch for Del Rio only to be stopped by Clay
• Clay knocks Snoop to the ground and hits him with a splash
• Snoop is carried from the ring and Clay looks like a monster!

The mainstream media would have eaten this up and they could have brought more attention to both Del Rio and Clay. It's what they paid Snooki for ... to get publicity for the event and this would have benefit both characters greatly in the long run thanks to the exposure.

Anyway, the match itself was a good match ... maybe not what we would usually expect from WrestleMania main events but this was the 2nd best match that the Smackdown brand could have delivered! The switch from spots between Christian - Clay to Edge - Del Rio was genius because it kept the match going at a very high energy pace, perfect to open a WrestleMania. The car segment that followed was okay, seeing that all cars are subject to be destroyed in WWE but from the looks of RAW last night, it's leading to a mean streak in Del Rio that could lead to the World Championship @ Extreme Rules

Cody Rhodes vs Rey Mysterio

A great match in which the seasoned veteran Rey Mysterio and the old school Cody Rhodes told a great story. I didn't care too much for Mysterio wearing the protective mask but Rhodes' use of Mysterio's knee brace was great! I see this feud continuing on Smackdown and I look forward to return matches!

Did they even have the eight man tag team match involving the Corre? If they did, I must have missed it when I wrote a tweet about the event .... ONE TWEET!

Randy Orton vs CM Punk

I did not find this feud exciting until the knee angle started but did they deliver on WrestleMania. I am afraid however that this isn't the best match of their feud! Like last year with Rey Mysterio, the initial WrestleMania battle was the worse of their three match series and I see this feud being similar. When the blowoff comes either at Extreme Rules or Over the Limit, we will truly see a spectacular match

Michael Cole vs Jerry Lawler

Sadly, from reading the match times on Wikipedia, this match was the 3rd longest on the event ... 3rd!!!! The only other matches to go longer were Orton-Punk and Cena-Miz, both of which were only longer by less than a minute! I have loved the Jerry Lawler nostalgia push but this match went too long and killed the momentum the show had built up! The same spots could have been done in six minutes and did the same purpose. I honestly can't believe they gave Cole the win!!! I hope Lawler suggested it, because otherwise, it was downright disgraceful. Today's fans would not see this disgrace as much as a fan like myself, who have studied tape and angles from the Memphis territory for years and have seen Jerry Lawler face off with every legend professional wrestling has to offer. Lawler should have won and killed the feud once and for all!

Did anybody else love that Stone Cold completely destroyed the PG rating at the event? You couldn't hear JR half the time because they were censoring Stone Cold and you know what? I am damn happy! Steve Austin is a legend who knows the business and knows that he sent fans home happy!

Undertaker vs Triple H ... Mat Classic!!

I really can't wait to go back and watch this match again and appreciate the story they told. Two legends who know the business and know what works! It was like watching De Niro and Pacino work together, and they created magic. I was very surprised to see the chair shot to the head of Taker that sounded like a gunshot but I guess you have those privileges when you are the Boss' son in law and the longest drawing star you have ever had! This match was amazing and a true WrestleMania moment.

Personally, I think they are going for either round 2 @ SummerSlam or WrestleMania next year. I think Triple H came too close not to warrant another match somewhere. Can you imagine next year at WrestleMania if they booked Undertaker-HHH again AND the announced main event of the Rock vs John Cena? Miami will be rocking next April! I know I am getting excited to the point of checking airfares to Miami!

Snooki, Trish Stratus, John Morrison vs Dolph Ziggler and Lay Cool

For the hype it delivered to WrestleMania, it deserved more time as well. I have always been a fan of Lay Cool and am glad to see them get this high profile match, even if I believe it could be leading to their breakup within the coming weeks! We did get a Rock-Cena style Diva's encounter between Trish Stratus and Michelle McCool which was great to see, followed by Snooki's participation. How many times have you seen that handspring elbow/ass bump botched? Snooki did it to perfection on Sunday, even to the point where I would sadly compare it to the Great Muta which some may consider blasphemousness. A match that had potential to be a show stealer as well, if given the right amount of time!

John Cena vs the Miz

This was not a WrestleMania main event! I am sorry, I like the Miz and I like John Cena but they just look awkward in the ring! I compare the matches to Hulk Hogan vs Ric Flair only without the great work rate of Flair. Add this to the dount count-out false finish and the Rock's interference and you got a match that just boring to watch. Let's hope now that we see Cena out of the title picture while Miz has the title and see Miz move on into new feuds, such as with John Morrison.

Overall, the event was good, definitely not the worse WrestleMania event. The only real fault was the time of the Lawler - Cole match. It took time away from matches that could have used the time to become legendary moments! Like the metaphor that anybody can go in the hall of fame now that Koko B. Ware is inducted, any Wrestlemania is better than the eleventh event. Overall, a good show that sent fans home entertained!

#4 - The Emotion of WrestleMania 7

Superstars and Stripes Forever ... was the catchphrase for this event. The United States was at a fever pitch in patriotism thanks to Desert Storm. So ... what does the WWF do? They re-hire the beloved patriot Sgt. Slaughter to play an Iraq sympathizer, in effort to build a credible heel for Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 7.

By the point I remember Slaughter returning to the WWF (August 1990), the Warrior experiment had failed. Vince was probably looking for someone to take the title off of Warrior to get it back to Hogan. He couldn't do the Face vs Face between Hogan and Warrior two years in a row. So, Slaughter was built over the fall, leading to a WWF title win at the Royal Rumble.

Slaughter had incredible heat at this time, with stories of death threats have become apart of WrestleMania history, thanks to it effectively causing Vince and Company to move the event from the L.A. Coliseum to the neighboring L.A. Sports Arena. Then you had Hulk Hogan ... who had once defended the United States against the Iron Sheik and saved the WWF title once before. He was called upon again to do the same against Slaughter. This storyline has been credited for making WrestleMania 7 the most emotional event in WWF history. But I wouldn't give all the credit to Hogan-Slaughter. I'm going to give you two more examples of why this event is emotional for Wrestling Fans.

Starting, in countdown fashion, the three reasons why this event was filled with emotion.

3. The Hart Foundation ends their tag team run

It was attempted in 1988 ... It was attempted in 1989 ... But in 1991, it finally happened. Bret Hart was set to become a singles star after this match.  Jim Neidhart ... well he had to find a new role. However, we didn't know this back at WrestleMania 7 and for many months after, that we had saw the last true Hart Foundation match at WrestleMania 7. It can be compared to Stone Cold's retirement match with the Rock at WrestleMania 19. It wasn't publicized that it was the finale. What was publicized was that the Harts were defending against the Nasty Boys, ultimately losing a nice match.

Unlike today, we didn't see any angle that the Hart Foundation broke up .. They just drifted away from each other, never to be seen together on TV until King of the Ring 1994 three years after this event. But for fans of tag team wrestling, it was the end of an era in WWE. Demolition was reduced to jabroni's in order to repackage them later. The Bulldogs were gone. Killer Bees ... Gone. Rougeaus ... gone. All the great teams that had ruled the WWF from 1985-1991 were disbanded and the Harts were the final ones, the Last Outlaws to use current WWE theory with the Undertaker - HHH match at WM 27.

Wouldn't it have been nice if the Harts had a chance to mutually go their separate ways on television, even with a promo after this match ... it could have lead to yet another emotional WrestleMania 7 moment, for fans to thank the Harts for the years of great tag matches that thanks to Bret's newfound relationship with WWE, we can enjoy on DVD releases!

2. Macho Man - Liz storyline

I just finished watching this angle off the new "True Story of WrestleMania" DVD (cheap plug) and started to wonder if this was where they wanted to end up when Macho and Liz first split back at WrestleMania V. Did the WWF actually have an idea that they would eventually bring them back together and have them marry? I would love to know if this was planned now or thought of in 1991 when they needed a way to turn Macho face.

Nevertheless, it was the greatest love story ever portrayed in wrestling.

• Macho's jealousy leads to Liz leaving him back at WrestleMania V. 
• She manages Hogan until SummerSlam 1989 when Hogan's storyline with Macho finishes. 
• She returns to WrestleMania VI to manage Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire, helping them beat Macho and Sherri. 
• Savage engages in a feud with the Warrior, leading to the career match.
• Liz returns again at WrestleMania VII to watch the match between Warrior and Savage from ringside
• After losing the career, Sherri turns on Macho, leading to Liz hitting the ring and saving Macho
• After several intense looks and minutes, they finally embrace! Leaving the audience in tears after watching this relationship play out over
• They bring back the Macho - Liz shoulder lift, an invention of theirs in Wrestling
• THEN!!!! in the final story twist, Liz goes to open the ropes for Macho as she always did, when she managed him as a face or a heel ... Macho says No and opens the ropes for her. MAN! It doesn't get any better than that!

This moment is just plain amazing, and truly shows how GOOD wrestling can be when written correctly

1. Hogan vs Slaughter

When I opened this blog, I discussed the history of this match and I won't bore you with that again. But this match was where the true emotion was shown. It was properly booked, with Slaughter pulling out every stop imaginable to try and beat Hogan. Countless chairs (actually ... about three chairs I think), dirty tactics, and brutality were all used by Slaughter in this match. It also remains the one of two times Hogan bladed during a Mania match. No different then Rocky IV, Hogan played the metaphoric United States, being beaten down by his enemy, to near submission. Fans were took on the emotional roller coaster, wondering if Slaughter was too much for their American hero. You could see fans sink back into their seats after every failed Hogan comeback ... Then you see the emotion return when Hogan kicks out after having the Iraq flag draped over him. Classic Hogan finish after and you hear one of WrestleMania's bigger pops in history. I still think this match was probably the most emotional match in WrestleMania

With these three examples, it goes to show how much emotion GOOD professional wrestling can draw out of an audience. I recommend this event to anybody and to any of my friends, I got the Coliseum Video VHS if you want it. It's worth the watch!

#3 - Ricky Steamboat's Return

In August 1994, During a Clash of the Champions bout against "Stunning" Steve Austin, Steamboat falls from the top rope awkwardly and injures his back. An injury he decided was debilitating enough from him to retire.

From there, Steamboat wasn't heard or mentioned much until 2002. He became the on-air authority figure for NWA-TNA in it's inaugural pay per view offering. Steamboat is apart of TNA history because he refereed the first ever X Division Title Match and can be seen in many TNA video packages handing the Title to AJ Styles.

After leaving TNA, he next appeared in Ring of Honor, feuding with CM Punk which saw them reenact the throat injury angle Steamboat did in 1986 with Randy Savage

In 2005, the internet fans like myself were enjoyed that the Dragon had signed on to become a road agent for World Wrestling Entertainment, the great knowledge he could pass on to the next generation of WWE superstars. We also wondered when we would see the Dragon back on WWE TV in some fashion. His first appearance as the Dragon character came during the Legends dancing segment at WrestleMania 23. While his role was minor, it did enjoy fans. Steamboat faded into the backstage for another few years until 2009. In March 2009, he was announced as a member of that year's Hall of Fame and began the storyline with Chris Jericho.

This is when the true potential of Steamboat's WWE career began and in my opinion, may have overshadowed WrestleMania 3 as Steamboat's WWE career highlight. The match was Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka and Steamboat vs Jericho in a handicap match. Fans wondered how much gas these legends had left, and how bad their match would be at WrestleMania. What we did get was a WrestleMania moment that will stand the test of time.

Sure, Snuka had lost a few steps. Piper went into this match full of piss and vinegar that made up for his lost steps. But then, Steamboat got the tag. With every arm drag, "skin the cat", and cross body block, we were amazed. In wrestling, we have seen many superstars go past their prime and tarnish their legacy. But on this one night, he might have been slower than he was in 1994. He might have lost some spring in his jump. But the psychology that Ricky Steamboat possessed was unmatched. In terms of WrestleMania 25, it's in the shadow of the first Undertaker - HBK match but Steamboat truly stole the show. We expected the Undertaker and HBK to go out and deliver. What we doubted was if a guy retired for 15 years could perform? ... and he did. He delivered a WrestleMania classic! He shocked the world and even though he had gone into the Hall of Fame the night before this match, he "poured the cement" on his career at WrestleMania 25.

Steamboat done something rarely seen in professional wrestling. He left in his prime, to save himself from permanent injury but when called upon, even at an older age, he delivered the career match of a lifetime and showed a new audience why Old School is so beloved, for their ability to make fans believe ONE MORE TIME

#2 - Ten Matches Every Fan Should Have Watched - Part 2

6. The Rock vs Hulk Hogan - WrestleMania X8

Man, did this match ever prove how much the fans control wrestling! The WWE tried their hardest to make Hollywood Hulk Hogan the heel in this match but it couldn't happen. This match holds specialness for me because I was at WrestleMania X8. You hear people talk all the time about moments they'll never forget ... this was one of those times for me. My pop took me to Toronto for the event.

Here's a time line of my own Road to WrestleMania

• September 2001 - The WWF announced that WrestleMania 18 would be in Toronto at the Skydome
• November 3rd 2001 - Spent one full hour on the phone, attempting to buy tickets, only to find out that the event had been sold out! The dream was on hold
• December 2001 - WrestleZone had a headline that said "More WrestleMania tickets released". I quickly called my mom and within 20 minutes, the dream became a reality...
  I was going to WrestleMania!
• January 2002 - I believe I heard from Lee Fleming that I should read an article on TSN.ca ...
  It was the announcement that Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash had signed with the World Wrestling Federation ... I would get to see Hulkamania live and in person!
• February 18th 2002 - Hulk Hogan is challenged by the Rock for a match at WrestleMania ... I was going to see history!
• March 11th 2002 - After visiting a bed-ridden Chris Harris a few days prior, I woke up in the middle of the night, vomiting as I had caught the stomach flu. I spent the day on the couch, eating Popsicles and watching RAW
• March 12th 2002 - Still sick but drove to St. John's to fly to Toronto
• March 17th 2002 - The dream becomes true ... I walked down the many stairs to the floor of Skydome. Where Joe Carter won the world series for the Bluejays. Where the Ultimate Warrior defeated Hulk Hogan some 12 years before. People talk about times in their lives that felt like time stood still. I remember walking down the stairs and just looking around and realizing that ten years of watching wrestling was culminating that night. It's hard to explain what it's like to know that one of your life goals had been accomplished!

This match has become legendary for the fan reaction. Hulk was written to play the heel but the fans in the SkyDome had a different idea. We wanted Hulkamania ... one more time! The Rock, probably the biggest face in wrestling during that time, was forced to become a heel for one night to satisfy the 67 237 in attendence. This match, again, didn't do anything flashy because well, Hogan was wore out. He had knee replacements in 2001. But the psychology of the match was amazing. Everything just seemed to click and Hulk gave us one more WrestleMania moment.

7. Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart - WrestleMania 12

It was the first televised and promoted one hour match, and both men delivered a career highlight. For a fan in 1996 that I was, being 7 years old at the time, to keep my attention for 60 straight minutes was simply amazing. I sat there, watching every second of the match. This match should be shown to anybody who doubts wrestlers as athletes because there never has or will be a performance like this match again.

8. The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania 25

In the previous WrestleMania matches the Undertaker had ...  there has been only two men who seemed like they could beat the streak

1. Randy Orton @ 21, 
2. Batista @ 23
   
   Shawn Michaels made us believe that he could beat the Streak ... so much that the fans demanded an encore the next year. The match remains the only match ever to be repeated on back to back WrestleMania cards. This match may have been the greatest match of the 2000's ... and that is saying a great deal about this match. The match felt like a never ending roller-coaster of high spots, high energy and great psychology. These three elements was then mixed with the commentary of genius of Jim Ross and we got a match that I can only compare this match to the first Rocky movie. You weren't expecting a hit but damn, did they knock the ball out of the park.

9. Ric Flair vs Terry Funk - Clash of the Champions IX

To quote Jon Parsons, this match looked like a real fight. It was violent and brutality at it's finest. For those who trash the PG era, they should go watch this match. There was no blood. Funk or Flair didn't utter a foul word during their promos or their match. There was no massive chair shots. This match was built upon psychology. I personally think that this match is the prototype for the blowoff to a feud. Its amazing actually that while WWF was giving us Hulk-Zeus, Flair-Funk were tearing apart the NWA. They didn't do a lot of wrestling in this match but they told a story that has been unmatched, even to this day!

10. Triple H vs Cactus Jack - Royal Rumble 2000

I sat in on seminar on pro wrestling psychology held by Scott "Raven" Levy a few weeks ago which is probably why I chose most of these matches for their psychology. This match/feud is a great example of what Raven spoke about. Both Triple H and Mick Foley told a great story. The story was that Mick Foley was pushed to his mental limits and resorted to bringing his Cactus Jack persona back to fight Triple H. This match proved to be very violent and bloody but unlike ECW, it wasn't violent for the sake of being violent. The story of Cactus being sadistic and the violence he intended on administering to Triple H to become the WWF Champion was nothing short of amazing. A match that showed what two talented workers could do when given the right material to work with!

Those are my top ten matches that all fans should watch before stating that they are a Wrestling fan ... Some of you may disagree with me because I put a nice few matches on here from WrestleMania's but I leave you with a quote from Chris Jericho when interviewed for the new "True Story of WrestleMania" dvd.

"You can have a match in Peoria, Illinois in front of 4000 people and tear the house down. But the next day, it's like it never happened. You can have a match on RAW in front of 4 Million people, it lasts alittle longer but at WrestleMania ... WrestleMania is where classic matches are made"

#1 - Ten Matches Every Fan Should Have Watched - Part 1

1. Ricky Steamboat vs Randy Savage - WrestleMania 3
2. Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant - WrestleMania 3

You cannot call yourself a wrestling fan if you have not watched WrestleMania 3 from start to finish. It's the most historic event in wrestling history just for setting the all time North American pro wrestling attendance record that also gave us the most hyped match in history and the best worked storyline in wrestling history. As many critics have stated, Hogan - Andre sold the show but Steamboat - Savage stole it! Personally, I love both matches for very different reasons. Hogan - Andre never needed any story to build this match. The Hogan-Andre storyline just did not have the depth that Steamboat - Savage. I think Hogan - Andre would have drawn 93,173 people just on name recognition and the fan’s curiosity on if Hogan could beat the Giant. However, Steamboat-Savage feud was masterfully done, here's an outline ... 

• The throat injury storyline, beginning in November 1986 with a TV match 
• Steamboat's "rumored" retirement and vignettes with his doctors in December 
• His TV return on Saturday Night's Main Event in January during a George Steele-Savage title match
• Two months of straight build to their meeting in the Silverdome.
  
  I think Steamboat and Savage was on par in terms of selling that WrestleMania as Hogan - Andre, in my opinion.

3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect - SummerSlam 1991

In my 20 years of watching professional wrestling, this is the match I have re-watched the most! This event is historic and important to WWF history because it was the beginning of Bret Hart's singles push in the WWF. As for the match, it was pretty basic in terms of story-telling and in-ring action. They didn't do anything too flashy yet the match was so exciting thanks to both Hennig and Hart’s storytelling ability. As I got older and read articles from this era, it was amazing to find out how injured the back of Curt Hennig was during this match. I recommend this match to anybody who wants to see wrestling at its finest!

4. Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter - WrestleMania 7

While this match may not have be on your all-time greatest matches lists, it’s because I am biased in this selection. 1991 was my first year that I saw wrestling and fell in love with the business. The story goes that I was sitting in the playpen and my aunt was flicking channels and passed the Canadian version of Superstars known as Maple Leaf Wrestling. I instantly was drawn to it, and my one true love was born, my love for wrestling, a phase my mom thought would end that is in its 20th year this year! Anyway, this match is textbook for the emotion it evokes. The fact former beloved patriot Sgt. Slaughter turned on America and sided with Iraq during Desert Storm and that the "Real American" hero Hulk Hogan was now going to take him down. You watch this match and tell me that it wasn't the most emotional you've ever seen a wrestling crowd get? It just doesn’t get any better than this match.

5. Ricky Steamboat vs Ric Flair - WrestleWar 1989

No decision on this list was tougher than this pick. Having to choose their best match from the 1989 series was like choosing which Metallica song to listen to from their 1991 "Black Album". 40 Minutes of the purest form of professional wrestling you will ever find. All three matches was great but this one just edges them out for me. Back and forth, Flair on top, followed by Steamboat. It was just amazing to sit down and watch that match and just be amazed. Again, like Perfect-Hart, they didn't do anything flashy, they held the fans in the palm of their hands and entertain us. Steamboat-Flair was like Spagahetti and Meatballs, just goes together so well!