Road to Wrestlemania 31: Week 1

This week the Road to Wrestlemania 31 has begun. There was a huge fallout from the Royal Rumble and Monday night' edition of Raw was no ordinary edition of Raw. Monday Night Raw was shut down to the blizzard in the Northeast. They replayed the triple threat championship match and the Royal Rumble match itself. They had interviews with Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. The final segment was between WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and challenger Roman Reigns. The segment was well done with Paul Heyman's involvement. I love everything that Paul Heyman had to say and I think his voice will make this a big main even that you won't want to miss. A lot of people are angry but that Daniel Bryan did not win the Royal Rumble and will not be headlining Wrestlemania but I think some great things are in store for Daniel Bryan this Wrestlemania season.

Speaking of Daniel Bryan, he defeated Kane in a Casket Match on Smackdown which was a decent match for Bryan. Also on Smackdown Roman Reigns defeated The Big Show, Tyson Kidd defeated Jey Uso, and The Ascension defeated Goldust and Stardust. Seth Rollins also issued an open challenge that way met by Ryback, Erick Rowan  and Dolph Ziggler. Rollins really never had a match because J and J Security got involved. The big news coming from Smackdown is that Triple H will have announcement on Monday Night Raw that will rock the core of the WWE Universe. Whatever that announcement will be it is sure to have major Wrestlemania implications.

There are two matches made for WWE's newest pay-per-view Fast Lane. John Cena will take on Rusev and Paige will challenge Nikki Bella for the Divas title. Also at WWE Fast Lane, the COO Triple H has invited Sting to meet him face to face which will eventually lead up to match at Wrestlemania. Obviously the Main Event for Wrestlemania is set with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns but there appears to a big rumored match in the works for Wrestlemania. The match happens to be Daniel Bryan versus Dolph Ziggler

The American Dragon and The Showoff are two of the biggest fan favorites out there and I think a match between the two would rival the likes of Steamboat-Savage, Hart-Michaels and Michaels vs. Angle. All three matches had a lot of high flying and technical wrestling to them and I think Ziggler versus Bryan would still show no matter what spot it had on the card. Whether or not that match is made the thought of it makes me and a lot of other wrestling fans smile because fans know how great it would be. 

The first week on the Road to Wrestlemania is complete and we have many more to go. Keep tuning in for matches, new and rumors regarding Wrestlemania 31. 

Thoughts on the Backlash from WWE Royal Rumble 2015

Recap, Results, Review of 2015 WWE Royal Rumble

Tonight was the annual Royal Rumble pay-per-view which starts the Road to Wrestlemania 31 which will take place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. I have always been a huge Royal Rumble fan and this one was no different. Before I begin with my thoughts here are the results from the night:

-Preshow Match: Tyson Kidd and Cesaro defeat (New Day) Kofi Kingston and Big E
-The Ascension defeat The New Age Outlaws
-The Uso’s defeat Miz and Mizdow to retain the Tag Team Titles
-The Bella Twin defeat Paige and Natalya
-Brock Lesnar defeats John Cena and Seth Rollins to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
-Roman Reigns wins the Royal Rumble.

Some of things I didn't like is Divas tag match. It was an absolute sloppy mess. This is why I wish they would bring up girls who can wrestle like Charlotte, Sasha Bank and Bayley. Even though the triple threat WWE Championship match was spectacular I feel that they dropped the ball by not having Rollins cash-in. I feel like the future is now for these guys. Brock Lesnar should not be in the main event of Wrestlemania if he’s leaving a day later to go back to the UFC. The other thing that is complete garbage is that Daniel Bryan didn’t even last 10 minutes in the Royal Rumble. Is WWE really that stupid and going to make the same mistake they made last year? I cannot believe the stupidity on the part of the creative teams. It’s no wonder why they are hiring for writers again. They eliminated to two crowd favorites really quickly in Bryan and Ziggler. The other surprise was when The Rock came out to help Roman Reigns fend off Big Show and Kane which allowed Roman to eventually eliminate Rusev and win the Royal Rumble.

I did like a few things about this year’s Royal Rumble. The crowd from the get go was hot and they were cheering anyone whoever wrestled in ECW, CZW or ROH. I like that The Ascension went over on the New Age Outlaws. In the Royal Rumble match itself they had some great surprise entrances with the likes of the Boogeyman, Bubba Ray Dudley, and Diamond Dallas Page.

The big question is when will the WWE start listening to their fans? They want to see guys like Daniel Bryan, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Cesaro and Seth Rollins in the spotlight. Roman Reigns has a great look, and I am sure he has passion for the business but the fans are not interested in him. The way they booked these guys in the Rumble match was absolutely horrible. We are now on the Road to Wrestlemania 31 and that means my weekly column during Wrestlemania season is back. I will be covering each week leading up to Wrestlemania 31. The WWE better make some changes before WWE Fast Lane on February 22nd and better give Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose something big for Wrestlemania season. There are so many young guys who deserve the spotlight and I hope they get their chance. Until now we have to sit back and see how the Road to Wrestlemania turns out.

The Corner of Controvesy and Criticism- 1/25/2015

Ladies and gentlemen we are one week away from the Super Bowl and controversy has hit before the game could even start. The New England Patriots have been found guilty of using deflated balls in their AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. There are so many angles to this story it's ridiculous. The Patriots are saying that they had no idea about the issues however the Baltimore Ravens tipped off the Colts that the Patriots did it to them in the previous game. This is not first time the Patriots have been in trouble. In fact they have more of a track record of being in trouble then any other team in the league. I know the NFL will not overturn the game but I believe this should have some serious punishments like a one million dollar fine to the organization and loss of all 2015 NFL Draft Picks. It sounds harsh doesn't it? Well it should be because cheating is wrong and should not be tolerated in any sport. These morons who keep saying well it didn't effect the game or there is nothing wrong with it either are Patriots fans or absolutely have no moral fiber in their bodies. It's the principle that cheating is wrong and should not go unpunished. It's very disappointing to see in sports when these athletes consider themselves to be role models. What kind of lesson is that? Cheat if you can but don't get caught.

Speaking of disappointment, as a Detroit Tigers fan I am sad to see Max Scherzer sign with the Washington Nationals. I am more disappointed in the jabs he took at the Tigers during his press conference. He said being in Washington was his best chance to win and he wants to be on the winning team. Last I checked the Detroit Tigers were doing pretty good. They have been in the playoffs four out of the last five years with one World Series appearance.  However Max does have a point about winning. because the rotation of the Nationals includes him, Gio Gonzales, Doug Fister, Jordan Zimmerman and Stephen Strasburg. I will say that on paper the Nationals look very impressive. Maybe Scherzer is the key ingredient to get them to where they need to be and that's the World Series. Baseball season is right around the corner so I guess we will find out then if the Nationals have what it takes to win the big one.

Another season that is coming soon is NASCAR season. Earlier this week Jeff Gordon announced he will be retiring at the end of the 2015 season from full time competition. I remember back then when the cool thing was to hate Jeff Gordon and poke fun of his race colors. Jeff Gordon has earned my respect and admiration over the years. He will go down as one of the all time greats to ever get behind the wheel of a stock car. Jeff Gordon is not one of those athletes who can't compete anymore. He is still very much competitive and it sounds like he wants his career to go out on a high note. I will be watching the 24 car very intently this NASCAR season to see how his career ends. It's been a wonderful career for him so hopefully at Homestead-Miami he will hold the checkered flag one more time.

It's been a fairly quiet week in sports with the exception of these three topics. Next week we will have the Super Bowl, and soon after NASCAR season starts and baseball season starts. We also have Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz next weekend. A lot of great things coming up in the world of sports but for now be safe, be strong and believe in yourself. Controversy Doesn't Come Without Criticism! 

The State of Pro Wrestling Heading into Wrestlemania Season

This Sunday is the Royal Rumble which marks the beginning to the Road of Wrestlemania. Pro Wrestling has evolved into a sport entertainment spectacle. Wrestlemania season isn't just a chance for WWE to shine, it's a great opportunity for other companies to shine because Wrestlemania season is when the most people watch pro wrestling. There are multiple wrestling companies being aired nationally in the states and it's time to look at their strengths and weaknesses.

Lucha Underground started just a few months ago and I think it's a great fast past show with a cinema type feel to it. They do have some recognizable names such as John Morrison(Johnny Mundo), Chavo Guerrero and Big Ryck(Ezekiel Jackson). They recently signed Alberto El Patron(Del Rio) which is good because that will bring some attention due his accomplishments and style. The one problem with Lucha Underground is that it is very one dimensional. It's all fast pace and almost feels like a stunt show. Some of the matches could have better story telling. Some have said that it is exactly Wrestling Society X but Lucha Underground I think is a couple of steps ahead of what WSX was. If Lucha Underground can get more big name Lucha's like a Rey Mysterio, La Parka, Psicosis, Super Crazy or others like them I think Lucha Underground could very successful.

New Japan is another company that recently hit the states. New Japan Pro Wrestling has partnered with Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling to produce pay-per-view and some TV for the American Wrestling.  New Japan has current stars like AJ Styles, Doc Gallows, Davey Boy Smith Jr., Shelton Benjamin, Rob Conway, Alex Shelley, and Cody Hall. The issue with New Japan is not everyone gets AXS TV. The other factor is what is going to happen when Global Force Wrestling starts and how much longer will Ring of Honor allow their talents to travel over to Japan. A lot of die hard wrestling fans think New Japan is the hottest pro wrestling company in the world at this very moment. I have only seen a couple of episodes so therefore I can't make that statement just yet.

In a year of many changes, one of the big changes is that Impact Wrestling was kicked off Spike TV and had to find a home in Destination America. Dixie Carter has changed everything from the logo, the commentating team and lack of touring. I can honestly say I have never heard of Destination America until the deal to bring Impact Wrestling there for TV. Destination America is another one of those channels that not everyone gets and I feel it's only going to hurt viewership and it's going to hurt their negotiations with talent. Who wants to go to a wrestling promotion that does not have a major TV deal? I believe Impact is holding on to survive and 2015 might just be the year they finally shut down. It's sad because the original TNA and it's structure could competed with WWE within time if leadership and booking wouldn't have did a 180. Losing Jeff Jarrett, Vince Russo, Dusty Rhodes and Jim Cornette really hurt TNA long term.

While some of these promotions struggle to find good TV deals, one promotion that is featured in over 50 major markets across the United States. Ring of Honor might just have the greatest wrestlers on the planet. When you think of ROH's history you have to think about Bryan Danielson(Daniel Bryan), Tyler Black(Seth Rollins), El Generico(Sami Zayn), Kevin Steen(Owens), Claudio Castagnoli(Cesaro). These guys have paved the way for future ROH. ROH has so many talented wrestlers on their wrestlers it is hard showcase them all on a consistent basis. I love that Ring of Honor's story telling is getting a little bit better but it's not corny or unbelievable like a cartoon. The one thing that concerns me is when Global Force Wrestling wrestling finally launches because of their partnership with New Japan. A lot of Ring of Honor talent love going to New Japan so it could be a possibility that some ROH talent could leave. The one great thing going for ROH is that they are constantly being referenced and acknowledged by WWE. This in the long run could help ROH build for the future.

When it comes to ROH I can't help but think about NXT. I look forward to NXT every week due to the talent, the characters and presentation. Triple H has a great vision for the future of WWE. My top 5 that I am looking forward to seeing progress are Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Adrian Neville, Finn Balor and Charlotte. I think all of them have bright futures and I am sure there will be even more stars with bright futures. The one thing I would like to see happen with NXT is that they are featured on WWE pay-per-views. I think NXT should get one match on the pay-per-views or atleast the pre-show. It would be a great way for these NXT stars to get noticed before they make a permanent stay on the main roster. I believe NXT is the doing everything right and will continue to a lot of great things.

Now we get to the big time and that is WWE. The WWE this year really needs to build for the future. The first thing in mind is don't bury everyone who comes up from NXT like Adam Rose, Bo Dallas and a few others. They need to push younger talent like the NXT talent and guys already on the main roster who work hard. This year and heading into Wrestlemania they need to focus on Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Tyson Kidd, Cesaro, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Rusev. All these guys have great styles, and great matches. I would consider pushing Ryback and Luke Harper more. I know everyone talks about Roman Reigns being the future but there are others just as deserving of it too. The other thing that needs to happen is no more part time performers holding the WWE title. I believe Brock Lesnar holding the WWE title has hurt WWE tremendously. It serves them well on shows he fights on but the rest of the time it hurts the product. The WWE Title should be the main focus of every Raw, Smackdown and pay-per-view. It's time for some new blood to hold that title and time to move guys like Cena and Orton out of the title picture. I believe WWE has a great chance to build for the future heading into Wrestlemania 31. Whether they do it remain to be seen but the opportunity is there.

It's a great time to be a pro wrestling fan, and even a pro wrestler. New options and opportunities are starting to surface and present themselves. I think if those who just watched WWE would watch all wrestling you would definitely see the landscape of pro wrestling change for the better. I honestly think WWE's best form of competition is within their own company with NXT. Many fans say the specials are better and the weekly show is better than what the main roster. Wrestlemania season is here and it's a time not only for WWE to shine but the entire world of professional wrestling. Pro wrestling is becoming great again and hopefully it can peak in society like it once did in the mid and late 90's. Keep tuning in throughout Wrestlemania season for my weekly column The Road to Wrestlemania for updates on matches, stories and rumors. The season is upon us so let's get ready to rumble.

The Corner of Controversy and Criticism- 1/18/2015

Super Bowl 49 has been set and it's capped off a pretty low key week in sports. The Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots in two weeks. Their wins were completely opposite in every way imaginable. The Seahawks played very sloppy the first half of the game and capitalized on the Green Bay Packers mistakes in the second half. The New England Patriots out played, out classed and dominated the Indianapolis Colts. I believe Super Bowl 49 will be a great game but my prediction is that Tom Brady will win his fourth Super Bowl and retire. I believe he will go out on top and not take a chance of taking a beating any more then he has too. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer and some of his records as the Patriots Quarterback will never be broken. In two weeks we shall see who can call themselves champion.

Speaking of champions, the UFC has got some great things coming ahead. They have three weekends in a row where there are top notch fights. This weekend we had UFC on FOX Sports 1 in Boston that featured a lot of great fights. It definitely made up for the lackluster UFC 182 card. Next week will we have Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson in a fight that will likely determine the next in line for UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. When it comes to Jones I am still disappointed with him especially since he only spent one night in rehab. He did get a 25,000 dollar fine but that's chump change for him. I hope he learned from this and come back better then ever. January will wrap up the night before Super Bowl 49 and we will see Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz in which will be nothing but violence all around.  That will cap off  January but trust me when I say there will be more great fights to talk about this year. 

In other MMA new, Bellator signed the infamous Kimbo Slice. Rumors are swirling that he will fight Tito Ortiz and possibly Brock Lesnar if he signs with Bellator. I think it's pathetic that Tito feels he has to fight a "big name" to justify his legacy. I am sorry but Kimbo proved when he fought in the UFC he is not a disciplined fighter. I really wish Tito would move up weight and present a challenge to Lesnar. That will never happen because Ortiz knows he would get killed. Bellator has a chance to put out some great matches but signing Kimbo Slice is not the answer. Bellator is the only thing left as an alternative to the UFC. If they go out of business you will see a lot of talented fighters out of the business. 

There has been much talk this week about the long anticipated fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. It is not a secret that I have a strong disliking Floyd and what he represents. I respect his ability as a fighter and his skill in the ring but I support people who integrity and a strong character. I am not saying Pacquiao is an angel but I've never seen him in the news for beating a woman and threatening his kids. I do believe Money and PacMan would shatter all pay-per-view records and put boxing back to the forefront. I've said it a lot in the last few years that boxers still make more money but MMA has much more of a following and fan base then boxing does. This fight would have the whole world talking whether you liked or hated each guy. I even think non-boxing fans would tune in for this fight. Only time will tell to see if this fight actually happens. 

As you can see I am totally about violence this week but I know great fights when I see them and hear about them. Before you know it I will be talking about baseball  and NASCAR. That shows you how close baseball season and the Daytona 500 is. As always be safe, be strong and believe in yourself. Controversy Doesn't Come Without Criticism!

Macho Man Randy Savage Finally Enters the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015

Ever since the WWE Hall of Fame was re-established in 2004 there is one man other than Hulk Hogan who has deserved to be in the WWE Hall of Fame from the get go. The Macho Man Randy Savage made his pro wrestling debut in 1973 after his baseball career ended. His father is the legendary Angelo Poffo and his brother is "Leaping" Lanny Poffo who was also known as The Genius. He wrestled in Georgia Championship Wrestling, AWA and International Championship Wrestling. He also had quite an extensive feud with Jerry Lawler before his arrival to the WWE. 

In 1985 he arrived to the WWE and the rest is history. He brought in his wife Elizabeth Huelette to be his manager and came out wearing all these bright colors and having a voice that so many have intimidated. He won the Intercontinental Championship from Tito Santana but his legend didn't start to grow until his feud with Ricky Steamboat. Savage and Steamboat had the ultimate classic wrestling match at Wrestlemania 3 in-front of the Silverdome crowd. Even though he lost match his match with Steamboat it propelled him to the WWE Championship one year later. Before his World Title win he formed a partnership with Hulk Hogan known as the Mega Powers. 

The Mega Powers dominated all of 1988 with Savage as WWE's World Champion. Eventually he and Hogan broke apart and Savage then went on to feud with Dusty Rhodes, Ultimate Warrior, Jake the Snake Roberts and Ric Flair. I will say that my favorite Randy Savage moment is when he and Ultimate Warrior wrestled at Wrestlemania 7. I truly believe it was the match of the night and one of the best in WWE's history. Randy Savage had one of the greatest runs in WWE history but unfortunately due to not wanting to fully retire his run in WWE ended in 1994.

He showed up in WCW at Starrcade 1994 to partner up with Hogan again. He went on to become a powerhouse in WCW. He had some memorable feuds with Diamond Dallas Page, Ric Flair and Kevin Nash. A little known fact that all the times Savage lost the WWE or WCW Title he either lost it to Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair. When WCW closed down he was not seen on a pro wrestling show until 2005 when he had one final match in TNA.

Randy appeared in Baywatch, Spiderman, Walker Texas Ranger and was the spokesperson for Slim Jim for many years. Randy lived a private life after pro wrestling and ended up marrying his high school sweetheart. Randy passed away on May 20, 2011. WWE aired a very emotional and fitting tribute following his passing and then the talk of his place in the Hall of Fame began to circulate. In November 2014, I sat down and watch the story of the Macho Man that the WWE put out. It was then that I knew he should be in the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later. 

Randy Savage had a wonderful life and career. The only minor thing I wish he would have done was that I wish he and Hogan would have held the WWE Tag Team titles atleast once. Beyond that minor thing he had a stellar and legendary career. He was too hold to handle and too cold to hold. I just want to say congratulations to the Poffo Family and on the induction of Macho Man Randy Savage....Oh Yeah! Dig It!

The Corner of Controversy and Criticism- 1/11/2015

Well it's been quite a week in the sports world and a lot of controversy found it's way into hearts and mind of sports fans everywhere. Earlier this week I did video about Jon Jones testing positive for cocaine and entering rehab. I even started a petition to have him stripped of the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. I know athletes are human and make mistakes but there should be consequences for those mistakes. All the excuses, all the theories and the statements made by Dana White really make question the integrity and legitimacy of the UFC. I love the UFC and have since it first started 20 years ago. I really hope the UFC solves these problems and solves them before they get hauled into congress like baseball and football. Whether or not Jones is punished remains to be seen but from what I can tell the fans are split on this situation 50-50.

The Road to the Super Bowl is down to four teams now. The Colts will take on the Patriots to represent the AFC and the Packers will take on the Seahawks to represent the NFC. The Cowboys have been at the center of controversy these last two weeks.  People can say what the want but they got a lot of calls wrong in the Lions-Cowboys game on both sides but made the right call towards the end of the Packers game. Yes some of the rules in the NFL are stupid and unnecessary but until they're changed you can't do anything about it. I honestly think the Super Bowl is going to be the Seahawks versus the Patriots. These two teams are on a roll right now right now and they will be on a collision course in Arizona. 

Speaking of teams on a roll ever since the Detroit Pistons have won 8 out of their last 9 and it 6 out of the eight games have been won by double digits. I remember when the Pistons traded Josh Smith away. I was not happy because I thought it was a mistake. Obviously I was wrong. You have to give credit to Stan Van Gundy for getting this team back on track and getting rid of the egos. I don't think the Pistons will make the playoffs this year but ig they can keep the core guys they have and add a few more pieces I think you will see them slowly get back into the playoffs within the next few years. 

It's been an interesting week but next week I will have much more to talk about. We will have a College National Champion, the two teams who will play in the Super Bowl and much more. As always be strong, be safe and believe in yourself. Controversy Doesn't Come Without Criticism!

My Stance on Jon Bones Jones

The Corner of Controversy and Criticism- 1/4/2015

Happy New Years sports fan everywhere. The New Year is a time for resolutions, new goals and celebration. Now I am sure there will be plenty of that in 2015 but if you are a sports fan who has watched ESPN most of their lives then today has been a sad day. Stuart Scott, who I consider a legend in sports media passed away at the age 49. He had a seven year battle with cancer and he fought hard to the end. He had an amazing speech last July at the ESPY's that inspired so many people. Stuart brought a certain swag to ESPN that will never be duplicated again. He made to want to watch Sportcenter or any other ESPN programming he was on. Stuart Scott will be missed by so many and his legacy will continue on by those he touched. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues. 

This weeks has featured playoffs in both College Football and the NFL. I love that there are playoffs in the College now. I am sure fans of the SEC are absolutely disgusted that Alabama was beat by Ohio State and Florida State was crushed by Oregon. This proves even teams ranked 3-5 are just as good the top two ranked teams. I still think it needs to expand to eight teams because I think eight teams would get more conferences involved which would make it more intriguing to watch. I think Oregon vs. Ohio State is going to be a really interesting game. These two schools have history with first time playoffs. In 1939, Oregon beat Ohio State in the first ever tournament to decide a National Champion in NCAA Men's Basketball. Can Oregon win the first College Football Playoffs? Well I guess we will have to wait another eight days to find out. 

The NFL had wildcard weekend this weekend there some good, bad and really ugly. The two best games were in the AFC and that's because the AFC is way more competitive then the NFC. The Colts and Ravens are moving on in the AFC, while the Panthers and Cowboys are moving in the NFC. A lot of people are still saying the Panthers should not be there due to their 7-8-1 record. Well the Panthers have won five in a row and that's including a week without Cam Newton due to a horrible car accident he got into. The fact that he's on the field taking hits and still playing is a testament to his heart, toughness and character. Next week we have some intriguing games. You will see Ravens vs. Patriots, Panthers vs. Seahawks, Cowboys vs. Packers and Colts vs. Broncos. All the games will be fun to watch and I hope that next weeks games are more exciting then this weekends. 

Speaking of lacking excitement, the heavily hyped UFC 182 was an epic fail on Saturday Night. Jones-Cormier did not deliver like it should have and the rest of the main card acted like they had no heart and didn't want to be there. The most excitement was in the preliminary fights on Fox Sports 1. I think the refs need inside the octagon need to start pushing the fighters for more action when they are just circling around doing nothing. Even Dana White criticized Herb Dean for allowing Jones and Cormier to clinch the entire fifth round. I hope the next few fight cards are a little more exciting then what I saw on Saturday night. 

The New Year is off to a busy start and I have a feeling it's going to a busy year for Hollywood's World of Sports. In 2015 remember to be strong, be safe and believe in yourself. Controversy Doesn't Come Without Criticism!