Breaking Down the July 4th WWE Japan Show

On July 4th WWE will be live on the WWE Network from Tokyo, Japan and it promises to be a spectacular show. Japan is very well known for it's traditional pro wrestling roots and is more about the wrestling then it is about the entertainment. WWE has put a lot of effort into making this a pro wrestling show. Here is the card and my thoughts for July 4th in Tokyo. 

WWE NXT Title Match: Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens

I truly believe this is a win-win for everyone involved. I believe Finn Balor will walk out new NXT Champion but it reassures us that Kevin Owens is on the main roster permantly and has a real shot to defeat John Cena at WWE Battleground on July 19. The founder of the Bullet Club is coming home and his return will be grand.

WWE Divas Title Match: Naomi vs. Paige vs. Nikki Bella

The Japanese fans appreciate great wrestling and the best wrestler in this match is Paige by far. I believe this her chance to shine again and become the most dominant Diva in WWE. I believe that an NXT Diva or two could have an affect on the outcome of this match especially if they're related to Flair

Brock Lesnar vs. Kofi Kingston

I can sum this very simple. Kofi Kingston is going to be destroyed! If the New Day gets involved then it's the end of them as we know it. There will be no new day tomorrow once Lesnar gets his hands on Kingston. I'll give this match no more then five minutes. If it goes longer I will be shocked!

Neville vs. Chris Jericho

This could definitely be the match of the night and possibly match of the year. Y2J has very strong roots to Japan and I hope we see the return of Lionheart, Neville has had some great matches thus far in WWE but I believe this one will put him to the test. Neville will win and continue to build his momentum forward

John Cena and Dolph Ziggler vs. Kane and King Barrett

A very random match you might only see at a typical WWE Live Event. This is not a typical live event considering it's being aired on the Network. It's very simple. All four men are main event caliber performers and they will have a great match. I have a feeling with Ziggler re-signing with WWE that he will be the shining star in this match and probably get the victory.

The Lucha Dragons vs. Big E and Xavier Woods

If Kofi's match is before this one then there won't even be match because Lesnar would have already destroyed everyone. Unfortunately I cannot be that luck and we will see all of New Day. Even so I still think New Day Sucks and the Lucha Dragons will prevail. 

Cesaro vs. Diego

I am only going to assume that this match was thrown together to have some international appeal. Don't overlook this match because both men are extremely talented. This could be the very thing Cesaro needs to get back some momentum as a singles competitor. 

It's going to be fun watching this unfold on the WWE Network. I think it's going to do mega numbers which will lead to other future WWE special events like this. There will be fireworks in American on this day but watch out Japan because there will be a WWE explosion when they throw down in Tokyo.

The Rose That Should Be Back in the Game!

Well, it's almost time for Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. This year it will be played at Great American Ballpark in Cincinatti Ohio. Unlike other years, when the spotlight is on the players as it should be. This year the spotlight has shifted to one Pete Rose. Rose will be allowed to take part in the events of the 2015 All-Star Game and will be applying for reinstatment into Major League Baseball. Rose was banned for life for offenses back in 1986 that came out in the Dowd Report released in 1989 that stated he bet on baseball.

Ok first off. Why should this be brought up now? Pete Rose has been trying to get back into baseball ever since he was banned for life. It's taking away from the players and their accomplishments leading into the All-Star Game and will take away from the attention they should be getting. Why not wait until after to discuss this issue? But since it's being brought up beforehand. Allow me to give you my opinion.

If you're going to allow Alex Rodriguez to swing a bat. Allow many of the other PED users. Ryan Braun, Jhonny Peralta, among others. To come back after using PED's, which will also directly impact the outcomes of games. Then why not allow Pete Rose to be reinstated? Pete firstly, never bet AGAINST his team. While playing or managing. He always played hard and tried to add on to his own hits record. Secondly Pete has been banned for 26 years from baseball. Which means no Hall of Fame. I say this. If you don't allow the all time hits king into the Hall Of Fame, for betting for his team to win. Then why do you have a Hall Of Fame? How many other HOF'ers did things to impact the games? Are we really stuck back in 1919 and the Black Sox scandal on betting? Have the times in baseball really not caught up past that?

Did Pete Rose deserve to be punished. Hell yes. Did he deserve to be suspended? Hell yes. But a lifetime ban? Hell no. Pete has paid his dues. He's been barred from almost anything to do with the game and needs special permission from the commissioner to attend anything. People talk about the integrity of the game. How about the Yankees moving in the right field fence to give Babe Ruth more home runs? How about the pitchers that continued to doctor baseballs and were even caught or admitted to doing it. Some of them are still in the Hall. Gaylord Perry anyone? Let's take a look at what started the stigma against betting on baseball shall we?

The Black Sox scandal of 1919. Perhaps the blackest eye in the game's history. A number of players including all-time great "Shoeless" Joe Jackson were given sums of money to throw the 1919 World Series by mobster Arnold Rothstein. The Chicago White Sox did end up losing the series 5 games to 3. However if you look at the facts of that series you'll see one glaring thing. Joe Jackson's performance. He set a series record with 12 hits. He hit the series only home run. He also hit .375 in the series. Now it's said he did a lot of this with the outcome already decided. I don't care. These boys, including Jackson. Were being paid large sum's of money for their time, to throw games. And if they didn't. They would be threatened, their families were threatened, their lives were threatened. The Game 8 starter, Lefty Williams, had his wife's life threatened before Game 8. These boys were faced with either throw the games, or they had a gun to their heads. What else would anyone do in that situation? Some of them may have happily taken the money or whatever. But there were threats and there was corruption. No doubt about it. Should they have been disciplined. Hell yes. But in the case of Jackson and a couple of others. They should not have been banned for life however. What does one do when faced with a loaded gun? All those so called "purists" would've thrown those games also. And no one out there could tell me they wouldn't. I firmly believe Joe Jackson should ALSO be in the Hall Of Fame.

Which brings me back to Pete Rose. While he didn't throw any games. He did owe money to a lot of shady characters. People that would knock on his door and break his legs if he didn't pay. This was Rose's own fault, admittedly. However once you're in that lifestyle, those boys don't want to let you out either. Who's to say if Rose was threatened and forced to keep gambling? Only he could tell you that. We just don't know everything about his situation I'm sure. That's only my speculation however.

In the end. I feel the lifetime ban should be lifted from Pete Rose. I feel he should be allowed in the Hall Of Fame. As should someone like Joe Jackson. Nothing they did off the field ever took from their on the field abilities and accomplishments. For those reasons alone they should be allowed in the game. And in the Hall Of Fame. Especially when they alone, still competed to the best of their abilities at all times.

The Three that Changed it All

As I've been sitting watching the WWE Network and watching the old WCW and WWE stuff it dawned on me that WCW tried so hard to load up on talent they paid no attention to the talent they had that were there before 1994. From 1993 through midway of 1995 WCW lured away Gene Okerlund, Bobby Heenan, Haku, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Big Bossman, Earthquake, Nasty Boys, Brutus Beefcake, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan. Even before those names arrived Rick Rude and Jake Roberts showed up as well. While all those names are legend and had great careers WCW paid no attention to three men they released. Within a six month period Dustin Rhodes, Jean Paul Levesque and Stunning Steve Austin all left WCW and headed to WWE which changed the course of pro wrestling history.

Most people would never out Goldust in the same sentence as Triple H and Stone Cold but Dustin Rhodes was a great talent in WCW. He held the United States and Tag Team Championship. He wrestled some of the all time greats. When Austin was the Ringmaster and Triple H was the blue blood Hunter Hearst Helmsley, WWE had created Goldust. Goldust ushered in an era of controversy, criticism and made a lot of people uncomfortable. It was a far cry from Dusty Rhodes kid. He brought the attitude era in before the era had that name. He was a multiple time tag team champion and Intercontinental Champion during his time in WWE. He will always be remembered for pushing the envelope and crossing the line in his early days as Goldust.

People can say what they want about Triple H and how he's a McMahon but talent speaks for itself. I think a lot of people knew he was a star as Jean-Paul in WCW. He had a good tag team with Lord Steven (William) Regal before his departure. I think those two could have done some great things together but Triple H did go on to do a lot of great things in WWE as an in ring competitor and now as the man behind NXT. He truly has a mind, heart and passion for the business. I can only imagine how the passion would have beneficial to WCW if they would have paid more attention to him as a competitor and a man who loves the business. 

Steve Austin was and always will be stunning even before he was Stone Cold. Austin held every title in WCW except the World Heavyweight Title. They must have thought something of him to give him  the other three titles. He out worked, and out wrestled a lot of others in WCW during his time. He was part of the Dangerous Alliance and Hollywood Blondes during his time in WCW. He went on to be the greatest WWE Superstar in the history of the company. He made so much money, drew so many people in and raised more hell then anyone has ever seen or ever will see again. He could have been a huge success in WCW if he would have been used more properly. 

There were a lot of people who switched sides, defected from one to the other and went for more money but these three were well known in WCW and became famous through WWE. The other two guys that I think of when I think of WCW dropping the ball are Mark Callaway who became The Undertaker and Cactus Jack who also went under the Dude Love and Mankind characters in WWE. However it was in the heart of 93 through 95 that these three went unnoticed, unappreciated and underused in WCW. Ultimately WCW loss everything and these three men became three of the biggest legends in pro wrestling history. That made that you'll never forget their names, their faces and their careers. 

Review, Recap, and Results of WWE Money in the Bank 2015

Tonight was the annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view. This was the 16th time that there has been a Money in the Bank Ladder match and I have to say the winner was quite shocking. There was a few surprises tonight that threw me off guard. Before I get to my thoughts here are the results of the show:

-Preshow: R-Truth defeated King Barrett
-Sheamus won the Money in the Bank Briefcase
-Nikki Bella defeated Paige to retain the WWE Divas Championship
-Big Show defeated Ryback by DQ, Ryback keeps Intercontinental Championship
-John Cena defeated Kevin Owens
-The Prime Time Players defeated The New Day to win the WWE Tag Team Championships
-Seth Rollins defeated Dean Ambrose to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Title in a Ladder Match

I love that they did some fitting tributes to the American Dream Dusty Rhodes. The Money in the Bank match was really good. I was really shocked that Sheamus won the briefcase and also really surprised they are doing a Roman Reigns-Bray Wyatt feud. Is it possible that the stars are aligning for the Wyatts and The Shield again? As much as I disagree with the decision for Kevin Owens to lose he still has so much momentum. His post match actions against Cena made him more of a heel then he already was. I absolutely love the WWE World Title Ladder Match. Ambrose and Rollins have such great chemistry together. I think they are a modern day Bret and Shawn only difference is that they don't have heat with each other. Rollins win and no cash-in. I am actually shocked with how brutal the ladder match was. I think they missed a little bit of an opportunity there.

The only thing I don't like about the Divas Title feud is that the women of NXT need to be coming up and taking the role of change on how women are viewed in WWE. The women in NXT are the ones making the real changes. I don't like how there was two matches that ended oddly and in controversy. I don't think they did the Intercontinental Championship match because the IC title matches are suppose to be classic technical contests. I like Ryback but he should not be the Intercontinental Champion. Neither should Big Show, Miz, Mark Henry or anyone else of that nature. That's why the United States Championship is there. Guys like Neville, Barrett, Ziggler, Rusev, and others should be competing for the Intercontinental Championship. It is what it is and Ryback is a feel good story right now.

The pay-per-view as a whole had some bright spots. Some definite feuds were set up for the next few weeks and into Summerslam. I would have to give the show a 7 out of 10 for some surprises and a lot of decent matches.

Remembering the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

By: Brent Schrader

Today the WWE and wrestling in general lost a true legend of the craft. Born October 12th of 1945 in Austin Texas and named Vigil Riley Runnels. Dusty Rhodes is one of the most charismatic superstars to have ever walked the face of the Earth. Billed the son of a plumber, Dusty was a pioneer of what a promo should be. 

He started off in the AWA as a villain and soon he grew in popularity and the boos turned to cheers. The crowd fed off of his charisma and the blue collar persona that he portrayed. Soon Dusty became a main event attraction in any of the regional promotions that he visited. With a look that wasn't common for a superstar and the agility and stamina of a wrestler that is 50 pounds lighter. Dusty put on main event matches with some of the all time greats around the country. Names like Ric Flair, Eddie and Mike Graham, and even had two title matches for the WWWF championship against Superstar Billy Graham. He was regularly going 60 minutes on a nightly basis with any and all challengers.

His schedule remained blue collar and hard working through the mid 80's. Dusty cut promos that kept the crowd on edge and soon started getting world championship opportunities. He soon began a legendary rivalry with Ric Flair that spanned the better part of the 80's and saw Dusty use his Bionic Elbow to put away many opponents and capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. His "Hard Times" promo was well ahead of it's time and saw Dusty use his slow delivery on his promos and his intensity to garner the reputation of being one of the best mic workers in the business.

During the late 80's Dusty found himself in a bigger backstage role as well as being in front of the camera. As a booker he actually won Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Booker of the Year in 1986. He was credited as Virgil Runnels so his persona as Dusty Rhodes was protected.

The 1990's was a different time for Dusty. In what almost seemed like a joke the WWF brought him in. He was still under the guise of a blue collar worker. But with polka dots. Still with Dusty's charisma, and his hard work ethic this gimmick soon got over with fans much more than Vince McMahon ever thought it would. He had a feud with Macho "King" Randy Savage with Sensational Sherry with his own valet Sapphire getting involved in the feud and helping to propel Dusty to a WWE darling. Soon he dropped the polka dots and feuded with the Million Dollar Man which saw him bring his own son Dustin into the fray. Soon after this feud Dusty left the WWE in 1991.

He went back to World Championship Wrestling as a booker and part time wrestler, even teaming with his son . He ended up managing various stars and even had a run in the NWO as he accompanied Hall and Nash to the ring. This saw Dusty take on the role of a heel for the first time in nearly 20 years. This run wasn't very memorable however and soon Dusty left WCW for a brief run in ECW, then returned once more to WCW towards the end of WCW's run and feuded with Ric Flair.

After WCW's demise Dusty worked in various independent territories and also worked in TNA as their head booker and head writer. While still making random appearances in the ring. He left TNA in 2005 and wrestled in many independent promotions until returning to the WWE in 2005.

Dusty returned and appeared on TV many various times from 2005-2015. Most notably working with his sons Cody and Dustin and being in their corner when they beat the Shield for their jobs back in 2013. Dusty last appeared on Monday Night RAW in February of 2015 trying to keep the Rhodes brothers together.

Although Dusty tragically passed away June 11th 2015 of kidney failure. He was a mentor to many, a father to his own and a true legend of wrestling. He will be missed by many who saw him and lived their childhoods partially through him. He truly did embody the American Dream. His legacy will live on. Through his memories, through his life and through his family. He would want it that way.

We at Hollywood's World of Sports send our deepest sympathies to Dusty Rhodes family, friends, and WWE Universe. He embodied the American Dream and had one of the most legendary careers anyone could ask for. My thoughts and prayers are with the Rhodes family especially to Cody and Dustin who now will grace the squared circle for the first time without their father being there for them. May God Bless you and comfort you both anytime you step into the ring and think of him. 

Joey Williamson

Should Tiger Woods Retire?

I've always been a big admirer of Tiger Woods and his abilities. He's had a legendary career and will go down as the greatest golfer of his generation. On June 6th 2015 he shot his worst round of his career. A round of 85 is not something that he's not going to want to remember.  Tiger Woods has won 79 tournaments with 14 being Major Championships. He has not won a Major Championship in seven years when he had an incredible playoff with Rocco Mediate. 

We all know about Tiger's personal problems with gambling, affairs, and a divorce that cost him a lot of money and a lot of negative perception from the media and fans of the PGA. I truly believe that Tiger has never fully recovered from the mess he got himself in late 2009. When you start not making cuts on a regular basis due to poor performance and injuries then it's time to start questioning how much you have left in the tank and is it really worth embarrassing yourself anymore?

As I said before Tiger Woods will go down as one of the greatest golfers of all time. His accomplishments and his impact on the sport are going to stand the test of time. He has been the face of the PGA for years but is it time for a new face? Is it time for Tiger to take a step back? And how much more does he really have to prove? Tiger Woods is like the Hulk Hogan of golf. Not everyone may follow the sport but they know exactly who he is. 

After this weekends dreaded performance it's time for Tiger to look in the mirror, reconsider his career or make some extreme changes to what he's doing. At 39 years old he still has a lot left in the tank but if his drive, passion and hunger are gone then he should consider retiring. He's just not the same Tiger that he once was. Hopefully we will never have to witness another round of 85 again. It will truly be a sad day if we do. 

Why Brady's suspension should be overturned

By Anonymous Writer

These are not the express written views of Hollywood Joe, and/or Hollywood's World of Sports. Anonymous Writer is a very passionate sports fans who enjoys exploring many different topics in the sporting world. If you'd wish you to respond to his opinions email Hollywood Joe at hollywood@hollywoodsworldofsports.com and they will be forwarded

Nobody can prove the balls were actually out of the NFL's allowable range of 12.5psi - 13.5psi because no data was recorded. Nothing was documented. The Wells report relied entirely on the memory of one official who according to the report was "pretty sure" of the numbers. The official admitted that he couldn't be positive about the pressure because two different gauges were used that gave different readings by as much as .7psi. Therefore, the same ball may measure 12.5psi (allowed) on one gauge and only 11.8psi (out of range) on another gauge. Shame on the NFL for having such a poor protocol in place. Gauges used to measure pressure should have been calibrated and measurements should have been recorded.


There is no proof Brady instructed Patriots staff to deflate balls to below 12.5psi after they were checked by the officials. The text messages between Brady and the two Patriot staffers only prove that Brady preferred a softer ball and asked them to deflate the balls...here's the thing...THATS NOT AGAINST THE RULES...Brady has every right to request air be let out of the balls as long as the balls remain in range (12.5psi to 13.5psi) and its done prior to the officials checking the balls. Here's what I mean...if Brady shows up to the stadium and picks up a game ball and thinks its too hard, he can request air be let out, as long as the ball remains in range. Brady prefers game balls to be closer to 12.5psi than 13.5psi. He instructed Patriots staff to make sure that happened. The texts, by themselves, don't prove Brady did anything wrong. The NFL needs to prove not only that Brady requested the balls be deflated, but that he asked them to be deflated BELOW 12.5psi, or that he asked for it to be done AFTER the balls were checked the the officials.

Cam Newton Paid $103.8M for His Brand, Contract a Bad Deal for Panthers Fans.

By Anonymous Writer

These are not the express written views of Hollywood Joe, and/or Hollywood's World of Sports. Anonymous Writer is a very passionate sports fans who enjoys exploring many different topics in the sporting world. If you'd wish you to respond to his opinions email Hollywood Joe at hollywood@hollywoodsworldofsports.com and they will be forwarded 

Over the past four years Cam Newton has led the Carolina Panthers to just one winning season. They made the playoffs, but lost in the first round. The only playoff win of his career was a bit of a fluke in that the team had no business being in the playoffs (7-8-1 regular season).

Cam Newton is a great athlete, but is he a $20M/year quarterback? He’s not a skilled passer (passing yards have decreased every year and his 2014 rating was the lowest of his career), his rushing stats are trending downward year-by-year, and most importantly, he hasn’t proven he can win consistently.

So is he worth all that money? Has he earned it? Yes. Every. Single. Penny. While not an elite NFL quarterback, he’s a good one. More importantly, he’s exciting to watch and people want to see him play. He sells a lot of tickets, jerseys, sports drinks, advertising, etc. The $103.8M deal will be profitable for both Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

Was it a good deal for the fans? Probably not. They’ll enjoy watching him play in a Panthers Jersey for the next five years, but they won’t get what fans really want…a Super Bowl ring. Cam Newton may have a few winning seasons left under his belt, maybe even a playoff win or two, but he’ll never lead the Panthers to a Super Bowl victory.

So was it a good deal? Yes. It was a great deal. You just have to keep in mind that it was a business deal…not a football deal.