CM Punk Walks Out on WWE

Smarkasses Episode 23: F*ck WWE, 1/28/2014 (WWE, TNA, ROH News and Rumors)

Jake the Snake Roberts to be Inducted in the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame

When I think of great ring psychology, mic skills and knowing how add a mystique to a character I think of Jake the Snake Roberts. Jake has been announced as the second edition to the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame. Jake Roberts made his debut in 1975 and he's had one hell of a career and one controversial life.

Jake the Snake debuted in 1986 and feuded with the likes of Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, Macho Man Randy Savage, Ted Dibiase and Rick the Model Martel. When I think of Jake's initial WWE run I think of the epic promos he made and his Wrestlemania matches against Honky Tonk Man, Ted Dibiase and Rick Martel.

His heel turn against Randy Savage was incredible as he started off interrupting Savage and Liz's wedding reception, playing mind games with the Ultimate Warrior and it led to The Undertaker becoming a fan favorite.

After he left WWE, he appeared in WCW feuding with Sting but the feud did not last long. What a lot of people didn't know he was already developing a drug and alcohol problem that would stick with him for a long time. He reappeared in WWE in 1996 and was a born again Christian which was apart of his gimmick. He was billed as a comeback story but the story only lasted about a year

After he was let go in 1997 his wife Cheryl divorced him, he was portrayed as a horrible human being in Beyond the Mat and subsquently his life was out of control. A lot of fans like myself thought it was a matter of time before he was found dead. However everything would change for Roberts in 2012.

Jake Roberts moved in with Diamond Dallas Page and began his rehab, his sober living and his road to redemption. Jake has lost over 50 pounds, and has been sober for quite sometime now. He credits DDP for his redemption and his lifestyle change. That lifestyle change ultimately led to a surprise appearance on the January 6 edition of Monday Night Raw. The fans received him, cheered him and welcomed him back into the WWE Universe with open arms.

Jake held titles in Mid-South Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, Stampede Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling and Smoky Mountain Wrestling. More importantly he is the master and inventor of the DDT, which is a move that has always changed the complexion of any match.

I personally would like to congratulate Jake the Snake Roberts on being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. "The blind leading the blind? Even a fool knows that a man only has five senses. But a snake? He has six. We always do it better in the dark." -Jake Roberts, Wrestlemania 7


For more of Hollywood Joe's opinions on WWE, TNA, ROH and Pro Wrestling News and Rumor check out Smarkasses with him and his co-host Jordan Francisco.

Batista’s Suck-ass Return to the WWE

By: Holly Erickson

With the development of new technologies and social media, the Internet Wrestling Community (IWC) is bigger in professional wrestling than ever before.  Generally, there are always multiple opinions to the same argument, and you will never make everyone happy.  However, there seems to be one common consensus among the members of the IWC; Batista’s return thus far has sucked ass.

Now before you make any assumptions, I am not one of the “Batista haters”.  When I first heard that Batista was coming back to the WWE, I squealed like a little kid at Christmas time.  Growing up, Batista was one of my favorites.  Hell, he used to be the background on my family computer (much to the dismay of my mother).  I was so excited to see one of my favorite wrestlers of all-time come back and kick ass like only the animal knows how.

Only, that’s not how it has gone down.  Since his music hit last week, and he came out to confront Randy Orton, Batista’s comeback has been mediocre at best, if not way below par.  Since coming back, he has been sloppy in the ring and unprofessional outside of it.  His charisma has tanked since the last time he was an active superstar, and his in-ring skills mirror that of a 50-year old has-been who hasn’t taken a bump in years.  I haven’t seen any positive opinions going around through the IWC about Batista’s return.  In the last week he’s been here, he has done nothing but left a bad taste in my mouth.  It breaks my heart to say that, coming from someone who was once one of his biggest fans.  In a similar fashion to Jeff Foxworthy’s “You Might be a Redneck”, here is a list of “Your Comeback Might Suck Ass.”

Your comeback might suck ass if:

1.  The outfit worn the day of your comeback is compared to what a teenage boy would wear before hitting puberty.
2.   The fans boo you during your match when you are supposed to be a face.
3.    Not only are the fans booing you, but they are cheering for a different guy during your match that isn't even in your damn match.
4.    A woman does a better spear than you do.
5.    The boos resonating through the crowd after you win your comeback match almost deafen your theme music playing in the background.

All I have to say is that I hope Batista gets his shit together, the WWE gets their shit together, and the program stops being shit.  Start listening to the fans and giving the people what they WANT to see.  You can't make everybody happy, but the general consensus is that the fans do NOT want Batista in the main event at Wrestlemania.  We are not your whores; do not shove things down our throats that we do not want.

Road to Wrestlemania 30 Begins

Results, Review, Recap of 2014 WWE Royal Rumble

Tonight was the 2014 WWE Royal Rumble and considering it's the beginning of the Road to Wrestlemania 30 WWE really dropped the ball big time. Here are the results of the Royal Rumble match.

-Batista won the 30-Man Royal -Rumble Match

-WWE World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton def. John Cena

-Brock Lesnar def. Big Show

-Bray Wyatt def. Daniel Bryan

-The New Age Outlaws def. WWE Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Goldust (Kickoff Match)

I always start off with what I do like the follow it up and it is going to be short because this pay-per-view absolutely sucked. I did like the Bray Wyatt and Daniel Bryan match to open the show. Even though the story has come to an end both men showed why they should be at the top. The preshow was also great to watch. The New Age Outlaws captured the tag team titles for the 6th time by defeating the Rhodes brothers. My top 3 rumble performers would have to be Roman Reigns, Sheamus, and Antonio Cesaro. All performed well and stayed physical the whole time they were in there. Congratulations to Roman Reigns who had 12 eliminations and broke Kane's record for 11 eliminations in a single rumble match.  Like I said the good stuff is short but unfortunately not very sweet tonight.

I don't like how after four years of being gone that someone can waltz right back into a main event spot at Wrestlemania. Batista has looked horrible in his two appearances back and has no love from the fans right now. Big Show and Brock Lesnar made Goldberg versus Lesnar from Wrestlemania 20 look like a classic. This was a complete waste of time, effort and booking. How can Big Show be looked as a monster again? Brock's F-5 was about the only good thing in the match. 

If I never see another Orton versus Cena match again I will be so happy. These two have had the spotlight long enough and it's time to move over. There are guys like Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Big E Langston and others who are getting great reactions and need to be thrown into the main event picture immediately. If I would have been at the Royal Rumble tonight I would have walked out as soon as Rey Mysterio entered. WWE could have called an audible and put Daniel Bryan in the match. His name was chanted the whole night and WWE ignored it.

There is 70 days until Wrestlemania and if they want to have a strong showing I'd be rethinking the way they are currently booking things right now. It is now too predictable on the matches that will happen at Wrestlemania 30. This Wrestlemania needs to be about the new guys and the future, not the old guys and legends that keep coming back. 

I am giving this Royal Rumble a 3 out of 10. It wasn't a rumble. It was a complete fumble. It's now time for the Road to Wrestlemania 30. Hopefully the end of the road will be better then it's beginning.

For more of Hollywood Joe's opinions on WWE, TNA, and ROH be sure to check out Smarkasses with he and co-host Jordan Francisco 

Should Pitchers Be Punished for Hitting Alex Rodriguez?

Alex Rodriguez has admitted to using steroids before when he was playing with Texas Rangers. Last year he was revealed as a client in the Biogenesis Scandal.With the overwhelming evidence against him Major League Baseball decided to suspend him for 211 games.  On January 11, 2014 after arbitration his suspension was reduced to 162 years which would keep him out entirely for 2014.

Alex Rodriguez is planning on taking this federal court to appeal the decision which undoubtedly cost MLB a lot of money. A lot of teams, and pitchers of those teams have stated they will have no problem throwing at A-Rod once he returns. I have been asked the question a lot lately. Should pitchers be punished for throwing at at Alex Rodriguez? In my opinion they should not be punished. Most of the players today are clean and have stayed clean due to the strict rules of MLB's drug policy. There were 13 other players that were on the biogensis and all of them took their 50 game suspensions like men and dealt with it.

Alex Rodriguez made 29 million last year alone and that is more then the entire Houston Astros team put together. So explain this. Why is A-Rod above everyone else? What makes him more important then anyone else in the game? I could see why a pitcher would be offended at his actions and how they feel he is cheating the game and trying to get away with it.

I truly believe that guys like Bonds, A-Rod, Sosa, McGwire and others should have steroid era in parenthesis by all the numbers and records they have. If the Federal Government over rules what Major League Baseball has done with A-Rod's punishment other players will try to cheat and use A-Rod's case as a precedent of why they shouldn't be punished either.

Whether Rodriguez comes back in 2014 or 2015 pitchers have said that he and the Yankees better take notice. If Alex Rodriguez doesn't retire in the next few years I think he will be driven out by those who he has made enemies with. A-Rod will eventually be gone from baseball and when he is hopefully it will be the last of the steroid era. For now we will have to deal with it as baseball fans and the backlash that comes from it.

It's time to Rumble! It's for the 2014 Royal Rumble!

From the Vault: Rocky 1-6 (Rocky Balboa)

In 1976, a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon was born. The first Rocky movie came out in December 1976. The last movie came out in December 2006 which has made the Rocky legacy span 30 years and beyond.

The first Rocky was start of an inspirational story. Rocky Balboa was a club fighter working the docks for the mafia. He was hand chosen by Apollo Creed for a fight that was more like a publicity stunt. Rocky trained hard, had the city of Philadelphia behind him and hung in for the full fight with the champ. The fight with Apollo Creed ended in a split decision but it didn't end there. The iconic movement of Rocky Balboa was just beginning.

In Rocky 2, it started off with Rocky wanting to be retired and live a normal life. He kept getting pressured by Creed for a rematch. After months of taunting Rocky accepted the fight and began training. He went on to defeat Creed in which the iconic phrase began. "Yo Adrian I did it!" For years that became synonymous with Sylvester Stallone and the movie franchise. Another thing that became synonymous with Rocky and Sylvester Stallone is the running of the steps in Philadelphia. That has always been on my bucket list. Someday I want to go to Philly and run those steps much like the movie hero I grew up watching.

Rocky 3 was had a star studded cast with Mr. T and Hulk Hogan. Rocky faces adversity when he loses to Clubber Lang and his manager Mickey passes away. He was approached by his old nemesis Apollo Creed to get back the title his lost. Rocky learns a new style under Creed's training and wins back his title from Clubber Lang. At the end of the movie Rocky and Apollo meet in a private gym with no lights, cameras or media and it ends with a shot of the two of them hitting each other.

During the mid 80's when there was so much paranoia about the Soviet Union and the Cold War it was incorporated in Rocky 4 when Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed in an exhibition bout. Rocky went to Russia to fight Drago for no money, no title and endured some horrible conditions for training. After walking into a hostile Russian crowd Balboa won the hearts of the Russians by the end of the fight because of his heart and determination.

Over the years any negativity that the Rocky legacy got was directed at Rocky 5. Rocky was not in the role of a fighter but the trainer of young fighter Tommy Gunn. Rocky was diagnosed with brain damage was told never to fight again. He kept having flashbacks and did not have priorities with his family in the way they wanted. In the end Tommy turns on Rocky and the movie ends with a street fight.

Sixteen years later after Rocky 5 came out, Rocky Balboa hit the big screen with the finale of Rocky's career. He is now retired, owning a restaurant and Adrian is deceased. It was almost like a remake of the original Rocky where he has to overcome the odds and is the heavy underdog against Mason Dixon. The Rocky character comes full circle and goes the distance against the modern day champ.

For over 30 years the Rocky Balboa character has inspired so many different in so many ways. The character was so many different situations and against a variety of opponents. I truly believe that the legacy of Rocky Balboa will live in on for a very long time. Whether I am listening to "Eye of the Tiger" or "Living in America" the Rocky series will always have a strong place in my heart.

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place It will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is going to hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you're hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!" -Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa (2006)

Celebrating 30 Years of Hulkamania

Smarkasses Episode 22: Royal Rumble Edition- 1/21/2014 (WWE, TNA, ROH News and Rumors)

From the Vault: The Mighty Ducks

In 1992, a movie with a bunch of fun loving kids that played hockey had a huge impact on Disney, hockey and pop culture in general. Emilio Estevez was already widely known but a few of the kids who played in the movie would go on to do some great things. Joshua Jackson and Shaun Weiss are two of the names I think of that went on to be pretty popular.  When the first movie came out they were all just kids on a losing team with no self esteem. They gained self esteem and began to win under Coach Gordon Bombay. After overcoming the odds in Pee-Wee hockey they eventually went on to bigger things.

In D2 the Mighty Ducks became apart of team USA representing the country in the Junior Goodwill games. This movie added a little bit more star power with additions of Kathryn Erbe, Carsten Norgaard, Kenan Thompson, Mike Vitar, and Colombe Jacobsen. The Ducks have a problem getting adjusted to their new teammates but when they do they become a pretty unstoppable force. They end up winning the gold and move on to the next chapters of their lives.

The conclusion of the series with D3 explores the decisions that the main characters have to make. They are young adults with a new coach to contend with and battling a new environment with the prep school they are in. In the end, they overcome the obstacles and the environment to end their run with a very uplifting moment.

When thinking about lists of greatest sports movies of all time you don't usually see any of the Mighty Duck movies on those lists. However due to the success of the movies Walt Disney founded the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1993. They are known simply as the Anaheim Ducks but in their 20 year existence they have won two Pacific Division titles, two Western Conference Championships and the Stanley Cup Championship in 2007. Even though it's not Rocky, Raging Bull or Rudy I cannot think of any other sports movie that eventually became associated with a professional sports team.

If you are grown and have kids these movies are great to show them about fair play, sportsmanship and how to gain self esteem. I am personally happy that I own these movies and I will never get sick and tired of watching them. Quack! Quack! Quack!.....Go Ducks!

25 WWE Matches to Re-Watch?

Smarkasses Episode 21- 1/14/2014 (WWE, TNA, and ROH News and Rumors)

The Ultimate Warrior to be Inducted Into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame

Every year since 2004, Wrestlemania has consistently held the WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies and this year they have announced their first inductee for the 2014. The Ultimate Warrior is one of the most controversial figures in the history of WWE and pro wrestling. He began in his career in 1985 and quickly became a member of the Blade Runners with the man who would eventually became Sting.

With only two years in the business his physique and raw power caught the attention of WWE. He made his TV debut in June of 1987 where dominated the jobbers for almost a year. After a year he began to get into some major feuds with some of WWE's most notable names.

Along the way he feuded with Hercules, Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect and the Macho Man Randy Savage. When I think of the Ultimate Warrior I think of the man who ended the Honky Tonk Man's reign as Intercontinental Champion. I also think of his feud with Ravishing Rick Rude over that same title.

Secondly, when the Ultimate Warrior came face to face with Hulk Hogan at the Royal Rumble in 1990, you could feel the tremors and the shaking in the ring and through the crowd. This led to the one of the biggest matches in WWE history. It was the Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior vs. WWE Champion Hulk Hogan where it was title for title. The Ultimate Warrior won and became the first man to hold both titles. Although his match with Hogan was epic my favorite match with the Ultimate Warrior happened one year later at Wrestlemania 7. His match with Randy Savage was an instant classic that I never get tired of watching. Shortly after this match things started going south for Jim Hellwig. He was demanding more money, threatening to no show events and backing Vince McMahon into a corner.

Over the next five yeas he would be on and off WWE TV due to his lack of commitment to the company. He briefly appeared in WCW in 1998 but his run lasted a few months. Since then he's been involved politics, motivational speaking and has also been very outspoken about people he worked with in his wrestling past.

Whether you love or hate The Ultimate Warrior, his presence couldn't be ignored and can't discredit him as a legend throughout the history of WWE. Ultimate Warrior is a two time Intercontinental Champion, a WWE Champion and is known for his high energy which include violently shaking the ropes. I would like to congratulate The Ultimate Warrior for being inducted at the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame which is the night before Wrestlemania.

For more of Hollywood Joe's new, rumors and opinions on pro wrestling checkout the Smarkasses Facebook Page where you can also listen to episodes of the Smarkasses podcast with him and partner Jordan Francisco 

High Hopes for Ring of Honor in 2014

Review of Planet Fitness- Grand Rapids, MI

I usually do not take the time to write about non-sports related material but considering athletes work out at gyms and fitness centers, I thought this might be appropriate. Several months ago I heard about Planet Fitness through the grapevine and it dawned on me that they were an official sponsor of "The Biggest Loser" TV show. I have never been apart of a gym or even came close to thinking about one because of the outrageous costs that you have to play to join and maintain a membership.

Planet Fitness has two types of memberships. A basic 10 dollar membership allows you to do basic work outs and be on your way. However, for 20 dollars a month, you get a lot of great things. The Black Card Membership includes:

-Reciprocal use of all Planet Fitness® Franchise Locations
-Unlimited guest privileges at any Planet Fitness location
-Unlimited Hydromassage
-Use of Tanning
-Unlimited Total Body Enhancement
-Unlimited Use of Massage Chairs
-1/2 Price Cooler Drinks (Restrictions may apply)
-PF Black Card T-Shirt
-PF Black Card Key Tag
-Unlimited Fitness Training

I can honestly tell you that the Hydromassage bed and the Massage Chairs are well worth the 20 dollars a month. They have a lot of equipment that will work every part of your body. The Grand Rapids location has a PF360 room which is a combination of obstacle course and a little bit of training the MMA fighters and boxers use. Some locations do not have this, so those go to Grand Rapids are privileged.

I love the atmosphere of Planet Fitness, because everyone does their own thing. There is no intimidation or no one making others feel uncomfortable. If you are one of those people who are looking to switch gyms or join a gym for the first time, I would highly recommend joining Planet Fitness. It is such a great place for a great price and at the end of a workout and Hydromassage, you will feel so good about yourself. 

Smarkasses Episode 20- 1/9/2014

Smarkasses Episode 19- Pro Wrestling Year End Awards, 12/29/2013

Why Ronda Rousey Isn't Number One in My Book

Gina Carano, Cris "Cyborg" Justino and Rondy Rousey are three names
most people associate with Women in MMA.

At UFC 168 after Ronda Rousey submitted Miesha Tate, she refused to shake Tate's hand. Miesha Tate did insult her and her family before the fight ever happened. Maybe Rousey should have shook hands and let bygones be bygones. A lot of her interviews towards her opponents have come across very unprofessional and demeaning towards whoever she faces. For the longest time Dana White refused to bring women into the UFC but when he did he decided to bring the rising star Ronda Rousey in. Rousey was 5-0 when she was brought into UFC and she had won all of her fights by armbar submission. Even in the UFC that has not changed. When I think of pioneers of womens MMA Rousey is not the first one who comes to mind.

When I think of the first woman who set the pace for women in MMA, I think of Gina Carano who trained at Jacksons Mixed Martial Arts. She only had eight fights but her beauty and explosiveness in the cage made a lot of people notice. Carano has not fought since 2009 when she lost to Cris Cyborg. Since then Carano has appeared on American Gladiators, Fast and Furious 6 as well as Haywire. She has also been praised by Yahoo, ESPN, Maxim and other media outlets.

The other pioneer that I speak of, Cris "Cyborg" Justino. She is 12-1 and defeated Gina Carano to claim the top spot in women's MMA. Unlike Carano, Cyborg has remained active even after her one year suspension for testing positive for stanozolol. Even after making a comeback Dana White and UFC will not give her consideration which is a huge mistake on the part of the organization.

Garano and Justino are two who pioneered females in MMA and deserve just as much credit as Rousey. Ronda Rousey is also becoming a mainstream media powerhouse and she shouldn't be discredited. Rousey has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, various ESPN shows and various late night shows. She has also appeared on the cover of Maxim and the cover of ESPN: Body Issue. Rousey will also star in the films The Expendables 3 and Fast and Furious 7. She has a lot going for her but in my opinion she is not the best.

Until Ronda Rousey gets in the octagon and defeats Carano and Cyborg then she will always be Dana White's puppet and pet project. How many times is she going to have to fight Miesha Tate? How many undeserving opponents is going to have to take out in the first round for UFC officials to realize that she needs legit competition? Until she receives legit competition in the form of Carano and Cyborg then I will never take her seriously or ever consider her to be the number one female fighter in MMA.

Early Fights That Headline UFC in 2014

It is the new year and with the new year brings, it brings new fights. UFC seems to get better each year and they also seem find new fighters that catch everyone by surprise. The early part of 2014 will be no different in terms of the magnitude of fights. Here we go with some of the early fights made for 2014.

UFC Fight Night 35- January 15th, 2014

Middleweight Bout: Luke Rockhold vs. Constantinos Philippou

UFC on FOX 10- January 25th, 2014

Lightweight Bout: Benson Henderson vs. Josh Thomson

Heavyweight Bout: Stipe Miocic vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

UFC 169- February 1st, 2014

Bantamweight Title Bout: Dominick Cruz (c) vs. Renan Barão (ic)

Featherweight Title Bout: José Aldo (c) vs. Ricardo Lamas

Heavyweight Bout: Frank Mir vs. Alistair Overeem

UFC Fight Night 36- February 15th, 2014

Middleweight Bout: Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi

UFC 170- February 22nd, 2014

Women's Bantamweight Bout: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Sara McMann

Light Heavyweight Bout Rashad Evans vs. Daniel Cormier

Welterweight Bout: Rory MacDonald vs. Demian Maia

UFC 171- March 15th, 2014

Welterweight Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler

Welterweight Carlos Condit vs. Tyron Woodley

Welterweight Jake Shields vs. Hector Lombard

Light Heavyweight Thiago Silva vs. Ovince St. Preux

Lightweight Diego Sanchez vs. Myles Jury

As you can see the first quarter of the year is jam packed. Keep checking back for more UFC fights and news as the year progresses on.

Fifth Third Ballpark Fire Makes Me Grateful for Local Sports

As the old saying goes,"You don't appreciate what you have until it's gone." Today when the fire broke out at Fifth Third Ball Park just outside of downtown Grand Rapids, it made me realize how lucky we are. We are lucky that cities like Grand Rapids who aren't big enough to have a pro sports team have such a great sports town with multiple sports teams. Grand Rapids has been home to the Whitecaps for 20 years and the Griffins for 18 years. At one time we had the Grand Rapids Rampage and Grand Rapids Hoops. In today's economy it is difficult for the average American to go to a Detroit Tigers or Detroit Red Wings game with the cost of tickets, gas and food.  In Grand Rapids, we have baseball and hockey right in our backyard.

In the 20 year history of the West Michigan Whitecaps, the fans have seen a lot of players grow and move on to the big leagues. Some of those names include Omar Infante, Fernando Rodney, Brandon Inge, Ryan Raburn, Brennan Boesch, Jair Jurrijens and many others. Fans have even packed the stadium to see Magglio Ordonez, Kenny Rogers, Curtis Granderson and Jeremy Bonderman make rehab starts before returning to the Tigers. The Whitecaps have even been on Travel Channel's "Man v. Food" for their Fifth Third Burger. Adam Richman showed up the stadium and conquered the feat. The Whitecaps were originally an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics from 1994 to 1996. In 1997, the officially became the affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Fifth Third Ballpark is not completely gone but it does make me grateful for the local sports that surround the Grand Rapids area. I personally would like to thank all the firefighters who worked so hard to get things under control and doing so under very dangerous conditions with the cold weather. There is no timetable for when repairs will start and be finished. I hope this will make people more aware and grateful of what they have and how local sports does a lot for the community. Fifth Third Ballpark will be whole and strong again, so will the players who play for the Whitecaps and the fans who come out to support them.