AEW Full Gear 2021 Was Better Than All Out 2021

 

Let's start by saying this: AEW All Out 2021 was an incredible pay-per-view. In fact, it was one of the best wrestling events I've seen in the last 20 or so years. That's what makes it even more amazing that Full Gear 2021 was better.

The quality of the matches at Full Gear was incredible. Every match was good and several were classics. MJF vs Darby Allin was honestly one of the best professional wrestling matches I've seen in a while, and probably one of the best show openers in years. But that's not all. Bryan Danielson vs Miro was great, the Falls Count Anywhere match was great, the tag team title match was great, and CM Punk vs Eddie Kingston wasn't just a great match but it was an emotional one as well. It told a story that wasn't just realistic, but one that was unique and filled with passion and heart.

And, obviously, if you're going to talk about emotion and passion and heart and great storytelling, you have to talk about the main event. Hangman Page finally won the World Title, and the way he won it was absolutely perfect. It was the culmination of one of the finest pro wrestling stories that I can remember. His victory meant something to the people watching. In fact, it meant a lot. 

That's what Full Gear did. It made you feel something. It let you forget about the scripted nature of the show and even real life itself and fully live through the characters in the ring. 

That's what puts it ahead of All Out for me: The match quality combined with the emotion. Not only did the show have incredible wrestling but it had incredible storytelling. In that sense, it was actually most similar to Revolution 2020, which had the outstanding tag title match with Adam Page and Kenny Omega defending against the Young Bucks along with Jon Moxley becoming AEW Champion. That show had a lot of great wrestling combined with emotional storytelling. Then Full Gear took that formula and made it better. 

At Full Gear, excellent wrestling and excellent stories came together. All Out had a lot of that too, with CM Punk's return, the Lucha Bros vs the Young Bucks, and all the debuts, but I'd still place Full Gear ahead of it. It was a more complete show. Every match mattered. 

In my opinion, there wasn't a single bad thing on the show. Sure, it had definite high points, but it didn't have any obviously lulls or "breaks" in the show, such as the Paul Wight/QT Marshall match at All Out.  Even things like the Inner Circle vs The Men of the Year and American Top Team were entertaining in their own right. In fact, if there was a weakness at Full Gear, it's that it went too hard for too long and the crowd couldn't keep up. That was evident in the Britt Baker/Tay Conti match, which was great, but had to deal with a tired crowd. 

Whether you agree with this post or not, think about how incredible it is that AEW has reached this point. When All Out 2021 ended, the general consensus was that we'd seen the greatest wrestling pay-per-view in years... and then Full Gear happened and rivaled it in quality. That's impressive. 

You can say what you want about ratings or booking or whatever, but the bottom line is that the last two AEW pay-per-views were some of the greatest shows in recent wrestling history. For a company that's been around for less than three years, that's honestly amazing.

AEW Full Gear 2021 Preview & Predictions

 

Full Gear has traditionally been perhaps the least prestigious AEW pay-per-view event. However, that certainly isn't the case this year. This year, it could be the site of the culmination of one of AEW's longest-running stories, as well as several other huge matches. 

AEW attracted A LOT of attention over the summer and, while that hasn't necessarily translated into the ratings that some were expecting, the company is definitely growing and more and more attention is being focused on it. So it's certainly good for the company that this event has a lot of hype. 

Will it live up to that hype? AEW pay-per-views never really disappoint, so it's a good bet that this one won't. Here is our preview and some predictions for AEW Full Gear 2021.

Pre-Show Match: Hikaru Shida and Thunder Rosa vs. Jamie Hayter and Nyla Rose

This is a good choice to get the crowd into things right away. I say Shida and Rosa win with something that furthers the eventual Rosa/Britt Baker feud that we are all waiting for. 

Minneapolis Street Fight:
The Inner Circle vs. Men of the Year and American Top Team

This feud has been better than I expected it to be, but that doesn't mean it's been great. It's been LONG, both in the length of the feud as well as in the length of the segments hyping the feud. I could do without having these two spend ten minutes each show trading high school insults with one another.

That said, the match will be interesting. The addition of Dan Lambert into the match, plus the overall flow of the feud, make it seem like the Inner Circle will win. Though, honestly, I was thinking that the Men of the Year and ATT would be victorious here until Dynamite. Once they put Jericho through a table, it kind of sealed that the Inner Circle would win. 

Cody Rhodes and Pac vs. Andrade El Idolo and Malakai Black

This is an interesting one. Malakai Black has been booked as a serious threat since coming to AEW, even in his recent loss to Cody. Andrade hasn't quite found his place yet, but he's had some incredible matches with Pac. This should be a good match. I feel like either Cody or Pac will turn. A Cody heel turn seems more likely, but will Pac leave Death Triangle and join Andrade instead? That would be interesting, but it'll probably be Cody who turns. He won't join Andrade or Malakai, but he'll turn. Or possibly someone debuts and joins the House of Black? They've been teasing that a bit. It's tough to say, but I definitely see this ending with a less-than-clean finish. 

Darby Allin vs. MJF

This feud hasn't been as hyped as I expected, especially since it's a marquee feud for AEW. Both guys are definitely "pillars" of the company and big parts of AEW's present and future. The segments we have had have been very good and it definitely feels like this won't be the end of this rivalry, so the feud likely has some more time to develop.

As for this match, MJF will likely win due to shenanigans of some sort so that the battle between these two can continue. I'd like to see this turn into Darby Allin having to take on the entire Pinnacle himself, sort of like Sting facing the Horsemen or nWo back in the day. 

Falls Count Anywhere Match:
Christian Cage and Jurassic Express vs. The Superkliq

I'm torn about the outcome of this match. On one hand, I think the Superkliq will win to strengthen the bond between Adam Cole and the Bucks leading to their eventual separation from Kenny Omega. However, I also think a lot of heels will be going over on this card, that people are tired of the Elite winning, and that this feud has run it's course. All of those things point to Christian, Jungle Boy, and Luchasaurus winning. 

It's too close to call. Regardless of who wins, this should be a spotfest. Look at the guys in it, see that it's falls count anywhere, and you know that's true. It'll be fun though. 

Eddie Kingston vs. CM Punk

This is the definition of "Well, that escalated quickly." This feud wasn't on anyone's mind just a couple of weeks ago and suddenly now it's one of the hottest things in the company. All it took was one excellent segment where Kingston and Punk traded insults. Now, this might be the match I'm most looking forward to. Great work by both of them and I hope this rivalry continues.

As for who wins? I'm leaning towards Eddie Kingston being the first person to beat CM Punk in AEW. He's over. He was getting cheered (and Punk was actually getting some boos) in their big segment. Plus, his blog in the Players' Tribune (which you should DEFINITELY read if you haven't done so already) will only get him more support from the fans than he already has. This is the right time to give him his big win. 

AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament Final:
Miro vs. Bryan Danielson

It's too bad that Jon Moxley had to pull out of the tournament, and we certainly all the best to him, but this match could truly be something special. Both men are over, both are incredibly hard-hitting, and both give matches a sort of brutality and realism that just looks simply incredible. 

Who will win? That's really hard to say. On one hand, if Hangman Page is going to be AEW Champion, having Miro be his first big opponent would be excellent. Plus, Miro recently lost the TNT Title, so having him win this would keep him feeling like an unbeatable monster. However, remember that this match wasn't supposed to happen. Would AEW really call an audible and have Miro challenge for the belt when that obviously wasn't the plan at this point? Tony Khan seems to be a guy who books his big feuds well in advance, and having Miro win would definitely change things. Plus, would they book both Punk and Danielson to lose their first matches on the same night?

I say yes. Miro wins a brutal match and goes on to challenge for the title.

AEW World Tag Team Championship:
Lucha Brothers © vs. FTR

I'll be honest in saying I haven't been into this feud that much, but that doesn't mean the match won't be very good. Dax Harwood wrestled a hell of a match against Pac on Dynamite, which I honestly didn't expect. If a singles match can be that good, a tag match can be even better. It's for the AEW Titles, so the AAA belts will stay with FTR for at least a while. That makes me think the Lucha Bros will win. It's not time to take the AEW tag titles off of them yet and them winning lets both teams move on to other feuds. 

AEW Women's World Championship:
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. © vs. Tay Conti

I like Tay Conti. She's impressed me and she gets better every week. But she's not winning this match. Britt Baker won't be losing the Women's World title until she's had the chance to face Thunder Rosa for the belt. That's the real money feud and one that could certainly continue to be built up either during or after this match. 

AEW World Championship:
Kenny Omega © vs. "Hangman" Adam Page

This is the big one. Though they haven't interacted as much as I'd have liked them to in the last little while (though the Dynamite segment they just had was excellent), this match is the culmination of a storyline that's been building since basically AEW began. And it's been quite the storyline.

Adam Page came into the company with a lot of hype. He won the right to become the first AEW champion, but lost to Chris Jericho. Kenny Omega also came to AEW with a lot of hype. People expected him to be in the World Title picture from the minute he was announced as a member of the company. Instead, Page and Omega teamed up to become tag team champions.

Then troubles began brewing in the Elite. The Young Bucks thought they deserved the titles and that caused tension in the group (as well as an excellent match between the two teams). Eventually, Hangman left the Elite and the Bucks went on to become tag team champions while Omega focused on his singles career. He eventually became World Champion (defeating Hangman in the 2020 Full Gear tournament to earn the title shot, then defeated Jon Moxley) and soon the Elite reformed without Page.

This lead to Page doubting himself. The Dark Order tried to get him to join them, but he refused, saying he didn't work well in groups. He didn't have faith in himself. Over time, he slowly built up his confidence and the Dark Order continued to support him, despite him not being a member. This eventually led to Omega appreciating the Dark Order and a big Dark Order vs The Elite match where Hangman and Dark Order could earn themselves title shots if they won. 

They lost.

After taking some time off, Hangman returned, but he had developed the confidence he'd been missing. He won the Casino Ladder match and earned himself this title shot. It's been a story of friendship, confidence, betrayal, and so much more. It's been unique in wrestling and it's been great.

Hangman Page will win. 

There is a sentiment in some corners online that Page will lose and the Elite will continue to terrorize AEW until someone like Punk or Danielson stops them. I don't think that will happen. In fact, I think that sentiment shows how WWE has broken our brains and changed our expectations of what happens in wrestling. I don't want to turn this into another AEW vs WWE thing, but Vince McMahon's company tends to prefer shock and surprise to giving the fans what they want. I don't think Tony Khan feels the same way. Everyone wants Adam Page to win. And I think he will. 

Hangman Adam Page is going to be the new AEW World Champion. 

Is Something Up with AEW and NJPW in Advance of Dynamite and Full Gear?

 

Today Tony Khan Tweeted "tonight’s a great night to try to hook a friend into watching AEW with you" and "I promise great wrestling + big moments Tonight".  Yesterday he wrote "Dynamite has a huge card featuring some great @AEW wrestling + announcements ahead of #AEWFullGear". 

Is this just standard hype before the pay-per-view, or is it something else? And could that something else involve New Japan Pro Wrestling? 

NJPW's Rocky Romero is going to be on Dynamite tonight. He's a member of Chaos. So is Kazuchika Okada. That's the same Kazuchika Okada who challenged Buddy Matthews to a match in San Jose on November 13th. Which means he's likely in the US now or he will be sometime soon. Tony Khan talked about Chaos recently... 

Of course, this could also be about Orange Cassidy and the Best Friends, as mentioned by the AEW Twitter account. 

On top of all of this, but slightly in unrelated, KENTA recently challenged CM Punk. 

Is there anything brewing between AEW and NJPW? There's a lot of talk and that usually means where there's smoke there's fire. New Japan is in the United States right now, so if something was going to happen, this is a great time. Remember, Hiroshi Tanahashi said that things between the two companies was likely to heat up once pandemic travel restrictions were eased. Does that mean tonight? I don't expect AEW to do anything tonight that would drastically change storylines right before Full Gear, but people like Orange Cassidy (along with other big stars like Pac, Andrade, Malakai Black, Cody, etc.) aren't booked for Full Gear, so something is certainly possible... 

Whatever happens or doesn't happen, this is sure a fun time to be a wrestling fan. 

EDIT: There's no way they mention Okada this much unless something is up:

Before Rocky Romero’s match vs. @bryandanielson TONIGHT Live on #AEWDynamite on TNT, @azucarRoc delivers the historic news to @orangecassidy, @SexyChuckieT, @WheelerYuta & @callmekrisstat that @rainmakerXokada wants #BestFriends to join CHAOS…and they are IN! pic.twitter.com/J5WBqHXi3F

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 10, 2021

AEW Should Make the 2021 Full Gear World Title Eliminator Tournament Bracket Huge

 

It's Wednesday, but there's no AEW Dynamite tonight. That bums me out more than it should. So, like any other well-adjusted 40 year old with a wife and child, I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming AEW World Title Eliminator Tournament. This could be a big opportunity of AEW to really showcase some great matches.

Last year, AEW did an eight-man tournament, but I feel like they could go 16 this year. The roster is bigger and, even if it means having the semifinals and final at Full Gear, I think it's worth it.

So here's how I'd book it:

===============================

Darby Allin  ------

 VS                                ------

Miro             ------

                                               ------

Jon Moxley  ------

 VS                                 ------

MJF             ------

                                                         ------

Malakai Black  ------

  VS                                    ------

Christian Cage  ------

                                                 ------

Bryan Danielson  ------

  VS                                       ------

Lance Archer      ------

                                                                     ------

Chris Jericho     ------

  VS                                        ------

Jungle Boy         ------

                                                     ------

Adam Cole      ------

  VS                                   ------

Pac                 ------

                                                                 ------

Andrade El Idolo   ------

 VS                                         ------

Orange Cassidy    ------

                                                     ------

CM Punk             ------

  VS                                        ------

Eddie Kingston    ------

===============================

First of all, yes, it's basically all main event level guys. I doubt AEW will do this, but I think it could work and I think it could be huge. The AEW roster is incredible right now and this tournament should showcase that. It should be the best of the best battling for a shot at the world title. It makes the whole thing feel like the most important thing in the world, and it makes the title feel like the ultimate prize, which is what AEW needs right now.

Second, yes, this would call for some big names to lose relatively early. I think that's fine. If a big name loses to another big name in a big tournament, there's no real issue if the matches are competitive, and they would be.

So here's how I'd book this:

FIRST ROUND

Darby Allin VS Miro

Miro should win. First of all, he's coming off losing the TNT title. Second, he beat Allin for that title before, so it makes sense that he could win again. Would this hurt Darby? He recently lost to CM Punk as well, so having him take another big loss isn't ideal, but I think he'll remain popular no matter what.

Jon Moxley VS MJF

This is another match that has happened before, but I think it would be a good one. I'd have MJF win this time.

Malakai Black vs Christian Cage

Malakai Black's AEW domination continues here and he wins. 

Bryan Danielson VS Lance Archer

Bryan Danielson always has good matches against big guys. Well, he always has good matches against anyone, to be honest, so this would be good. Danielson wins.

Chris Jericho VS Jungle Boy

Jungle Boy wins in what the announce team could consider an "upset."

Adam Cole VS Pac

Adam Cole is victorious here. 

Andrade El Idolo VS Orange Cassidy

Andrade gets the win. He could use a big win and Orange is another guy who will always be over no matter what. 

CM Punk VS Eddie Kingston

CM Punk in a hard-fought match. Add Eddie Kingston to the list of guys who "will be over no matter what."

SECOND ROUND

The second round is where things get tough. There are quite a few guys who I wouldn't want to lose, but someone obviously needs to lose in each match. Hopefully the tournament is so prestigious after a star-studded round one, that losing in the second round isn't seen as a bad thing.

Miro VS MJF

Perhaps the toughest match in round two to pick a winner. I'd go with Miro.

Malakai Black VS Bryan Danielson

Okay, no, THIS is actually the toughest match. I want Bryan Danielson to win, even if that means having Black suffer his first loss. We could have Cody cost him the win if we wanted to end it on a screw job. 

Jungle Boy VS Adam Cole

They've faced off before and it was awesome, so of course it would be awesome the second time. Jungle Boy wins this go-around. 

Andrade El Idolo VS CM Punk

CM Punk is victorious again, but is the grueling tournament catching up to him?

ROUND THREE

I'd have the semifinals and final both happen at Full Gear. First, it would build hype for the show. Second, it makes things more unpredictable. Third, it would highlight just how tough it is to win this tournament.

Miro VS Bryan Danielson

This would be a hell of a match. Now, here's the thing: Miro wins. Yes, Danielson loses his first AEW match, but that's okay. Plus, it positions Miro as an unstoppable monster going into the final. 

Jungle Boy VS CM Punk

Did I tease a Danielson/Punk final and not deliver? Kind of, but that's what makes tournaments fun! Also, did you notice something about the final four? Three out of four of the guys in the tournament are "ex-WWE guys." I'd want the internet to be yelling about how AEW is showcasing these former WWE guys at the expense of their homegrown talent! I want people "obviously" predicting a Punk/Danielson final. I want all of that. And then Jungle Boy wins this match. 

ROUND FOUR

The final of the 2021 AEW Full Gear World Title Eliminator Tournament should be Miro versus Jungle Boy. It would be a great story. The tough, dominating Miro against the young, tenacious Jungle Boy. Neither man has even held a world title in a major promotion. This will be a coming out party for both of them.

Miro VS Jungle Boy

It seems obvious that Miro should win and challenge for the title, right? Especially if Hangman Page is going to be the champion at the end of the night, right? That's why I'd have Jungle Boy should win. It would be a big moment for a guy who is a huge part of AEW's present and future. Plus, it would put the result of Hangman/Omega in doubt since they wouldn't go face versus face, would they?

After Jungle Boy wins, the story becomes about two guys who have been with AEW from the start. Hangman Page and Jungle Boy were both supposed to be big stars in this company. Everyone said that. And maybe it took a while, but here they are. Despite everything, the pandemic, the influx of new talent, their own setbacks, they're both here in the main event for the title. Despite being a face versus face match, Jungle Boy vs Hangman Page for the AEW World Title could be huge. I'd have Hangman retain, but it would firmly cement Jungle Boy as a top tier guy.

What do you think? Who do you think will win the real tournament?

WWE No Longer Owns All of Professional Wrestling

At the end of the All In pay-per-view in 2018, Cody came on the mic and passionately said that no one person, company, or entity owns pro wrestling. At the time it was a nice thought, and it may have even been technically true, but we all knew who actually "owned" pro wrestling. It was WWE.

Yes, there was New Japan and Ring of Honor and TNA/Impact, but WWE basically controlled the narrative when it came to pro wrestling. They also controlled a lot of its history. The story of professional wrestling was the story of WWE. It was the story that Vince McMahon wanted to tell. 

WCW was a lot of things, both good and bad, but in WWE-controlled history, the company was a mess that only got anywhere because they used "Ted Turner's bank account" to "buy stars made by Vince McMahon." That's the story WWE pushed for 20 years and so that became the truth. History is written by the winners.

The same is true for wrestlers. Demolition? One of the most dominant tag teams of the late-80s and early-90s? Nope. Vince McMahon doesn't like them, so they're barely mentioned today. Ultimate Warrior? He was an unstable lunatic who barely deserved a job in the WWF.... until he made up with Vince McMahon and then he was an inspirational mega star. Neither of those portrayals are necessarily correct (he was a big star, but he was also a huge jerk) but his legacy was determined by what Vince McMahon decided. Bret Hart? He screwed himself and he was a miserable grump... until he came back to WWE and then he was a legend and one of the best ever. There are so many stories like this. If you want to get respect in the wrestling industry, you have to be on good terms with McMahon.

For decades, the legacies of wrestlers depended on what Vince McMahon thought of them. That's a big reason why the WWE Hall of Fame exists. It's there to honour the wrestlers that Vince McMahon believes are worthy - and the ones that he gets along with. It's used as a way to get wrestlers to fall in line and listen to Vince. If you don't, you won't get in the Hall of Fame and you won't be remembered.

That's not the case anymore.

In a pre-AEW world, someone like Sting would be remembered for (for some reason) challenging Triple H to defend the honour of WCW... and losing. CM Punk would not be remembered at all. Now that AEW is here? Both of them are celebrated. In the case of Punk, he doesn't need to make up with McMahon and shake hands at the Hall of Fame to have his career appreciated. He can be celebrated right now, on his terms, and that's because AEW exists. Sure, WWE owns the footage, but they no longer own the whole story.

Nowhere is this more clear than with Owen Hart. For years we've been told that his widow Martha "hates wrestling and doesn't want Owen to be celebrated as a wrestler." We all believed it. Well, it turns out that's not true. She hates WWE and doesn't want Owen to be celebrated by WWE. And that's a big difference. Now, because AEW exists, we know that. 

And this isn't just important for "legends" and their legacies. Now someone like Andrade or the late Brodie Lee can leave WWE and know they'll still have a big stage to perform on and get respect. Their careers aren't doomed because Vince McMahon doesn't see something in them. Someone like Adam Cole doesn't have to take whatever McMahon is offering him. There is somewhere else to go and maybe that somewhere else will appreciate you.

Vince McMahon spent his entire adult life killing the territories and running companies out of business until he was the only one left. He wanted to control the narrative as much as he wanted to make money and be successful. And it worked. For a very long time it worked.

Now? All eyes are on AEW. There's a huge stadium show in New York this week... and it's not being held by Vince McMahon. That's huge. That's industry-changing. Vince McMahon no longer owns it all. Sure, he owns a lot of it, but not all of it. That matters. 

Before you get mad, don't think that this means AEW is going to put WWE out of business. They won't. WWE is hugely successful and will be for a very, very long time. AEW likely won't even challenge them for the top spot in wrestling. But they don't have to. They just have to be there. They just have to be a place where those who aren't respected by McMahon (and even some who are) can go to get the respect they deserve. Or at least they can get a chance. One company no longer owns pro wrestling. And that's such a good thing.

The WWF/WCW Invasion Event was 20 Years Ago Today

 

The WCW vs WWF Invasion pay-per-view took place 20 years ago today, on July 22nd, 2001. This was a HUGE DEAL at the time. For people watching wrestling in the 90s, a WWF vs WCW event was a DREAM.

Of course..... it didn't turn out that well.

That's where we come in. When this site first started, we tried to rebook the invasion storyline in a way that we thought was better. I never finished mine. The third part was written years ago, but I just posted it today.

Anyway, in honour of the 20 year anniversary, here are our booking attempts:

The Invasion and the Timeline We're Working With

JohnDosPassos2 Rebooks the Invasion Part 1
JohnDosPassos2 Rebooks the Invasion Part 2

Rick City Rebooks the Invasion Part 1
Rick City Rebooks the Invasion Part 2
Rick City Rebooks the Invasion Part 3
Part four is partially written and I hope to post it soon

Rick_City Rebooks the Invasion, Part 3

If you missed parts one and two, you probably have a life. Also, please check out the alternate rebooking by @johndospassos2.

Okay, so we left off on November 19, 2001 with WCW winning a big match at Survivor Series and Ric Flair returning to TV. So, here we go.

WCW Monday Nitro: November 19, 2001

As mentioned, Ric Flair returns to start the show. He announces that Shane McMahon has named him the new WCW President and that, thanks to Team WCW's victory at Survivor Series, WCW will return to pay-per-view on December 9th for Starrcade.

Flair will end up taking over the "on screen authority" role from Shane McMahon, who will remain WCW owner, but not be involved as much on TV for a while. This is to make sure WCW versus WWF doesn't turn into nothing but another McMahon soap opera.

Other than the Flair return, it's a pretty standard episode of Nitro. The Starrcade card is announced throughout the show and it will be:

• WCW Championship: Booker T (c) versus Diamond Dallas Page
• WCW United States Title: Lance Storm (c) versus Perry Saturn
• WCW Tag Team Titles: Palumbo & O'Haire (c) versus Dean Malenko & Chris Jericho
• WCW Cruiserweight Title: Billy Kidman (c) versus Chavo Guerrero
• Mike Awesome versus Raven
• Shane Helms & Shannon Moore versus Jamie Noble & Jimmy Yang

Eventually, William Regal will defend what will become known as the "WCW European Championship" against Chris Kanyon on the show as well.

WWF Raw is War: November 19, 2001

In contrast with Nitro, this episode of Raw is anything but standard. 

The show starts with Vince McMahon in the ring. He unleashes a tirade on the WWF locker room. He demands that every WWF Superstar come out and stand on the ramp while he rips into them. He calls them losers, he says they're destroying his family business, etc.

He then calls out some individuals. First of all, the team of Edge, Christian, Rhyno, Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy that lost last night. Rhyno, for being the final person pinned on the team and allowing WCW to win the match... "YOU'RE FIRED!"

Matt & Jeff Hardy are stripped of the WWF tag team titles, which they held. Vince tells Edge that he can no longer call himself "King of the Ring" because that title is stripped too. Christian, who had earned an Intercontinental Title match against champion Hardcore Holly, is stripped of that opportunity. 

Vince also tells Test that if he loses his European Title match against William Regal tonight, he will be fire. He does and he is.

These actions obvious upset the roster. Vince says "If you don't like the way things are run around here, THEN GET THE HELL OUT!" A few people (Mostly lower card guys: Albert, Al Snow, Bubba Ray, D-Von & Spike Dudley, Tajri, etc.) take this opportunity to walk to the back, presumably quitting the WWF. The camera tries not to focus on them, but the crowd at the top of the ramp looks a bit smaller each time it's shown.

Vince then turns his attention to the WWF A-Team (Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, The Rock, The Undertaker & Kane). He tells all of them that they make him too much money to fire them, but they're on a short leash and that they'll be expected to "prove their loyalty" in the coming weeks if they want to stay employed. Gradually this aspect will turn Steve Austin from "Vince McMahon suck up" back into "Stone Cold Steve Austin." Kurt Angle will remain a suck up.

Other than the Regal win and the opening segment, nothing earth-shattering happens on Raw.

On the November 26th episode of WCW Nitro, Test and Albert debut as a team after being fired/leaving WWF and being hired by WCW. On Raw than same night, new WWF tag team champions are named in a four-team elimination match. The Undertaker & Kane defeat Billy Gunn & The Big Show, Crash & Hardcore Holly, and the returning Big Boss Man & Bull Buchanan. (The Hardys & Edge and Christian are not allowed to compete for the titles, due to disappointing Vince.) After the match, Vince orders the Undertaker & Kane to prove their loyalty to him to make up for Team WWF's loss. How? By facing The Rock & Steve Austin for the titles right now. If all four guys beat the hell out of each other to Vince's satisfaction, they'll earn his approval. (Kurt Angle gets back on "Team McMahon" by being a big suck up, by the way.)

Austin and Rock come out and they both say that they're not going to be Vince's puppets and dance when he orders them to Vince turns to Kane & Taker and tells them to prove themselves. They attack Austin and Rock. The four guys brawl around, but suddenly Big Show attacks Austin from behind, allowing the Undertaker to chokeslam him through the announce table. It then turns into a three-on-one beating of the Rock, while Vince eggs them on. The show ends with a beaten Austin & Rock bloody outside the ring while Vince celebrates with The Undertaker, Kane and Big Show. Paul Heyman ends the show with "Vince McMahon has gone mad with power!" He'll be publicly fired on-screen on SmackDown! for that comment because, obviously, Vince McMahon is mad with power.

On the December 3rd Nitro, they're in full Starrcade hype. It's otherwise another standard show. This is done to contrast the "smooth sailing" of WCW under Shane McMahon & Ric Flair with the "chaos" of Vince McMahon's WWF. Despite WWF still clearly having the better roster, the "war" looks more even when one side is disorganized.

On Raw, the locker room is in disarray. Steve Austin and The Rock aren't here. Edge, Christian and the Hardys meet to discuss what they will do if Vince's Army of Monsters (Undertaker, Kane & Big Show) attack them. In addition, Kurt Angle is named the number one contender for the WWF Title in a match that will take place on the December 10th episode of Raw. Since WWF doesn't have a PPV this month, they're putting on "pay-per-view quality matches" on Raw and SmackDown! on the week following what would have been WWF Vengeance. 

WCW Starrcade 2001 airs as follows (winners in bold):

• WCW Championship: Booker T (c) versus Diamond Dallas Page
• WCW United States Title: Lance Storm (c) versus Perry Saturn
• WCW Tag Team Titles: Palumbo & O'Haire (c) versus Dean Malenko & Chris Jericho
• WCW Cruiserweight Title: Billy Kidman (c) versus Chavo Guerrero
• WCW European Title: William Regal (c) versus Chris Kanyon
• Mike Awesome versus Raven
• KroniK verus Hugh Morrus & Lash LeRoux
• Elix Skipper versus Evan Karragias
• Shane Helms & Shannon Moore versus Jamie Noble & Jimmy Yang
• Test & Albert versus Mark Jindrak & Shawn Stasiak

The December 10th Nitro has DDP celebrate his title win and then defend his newly-won title in a triple threat match against Chris Kanyon and Mike Awesome.

The December 10th Raw is "PPV quality."

The show opens with The Undertaker & Kane retaining their tag team titles in a triple threat match against the Hardys and Edge & Christian, thanks to interference by the Big Show. Vince gives the Hardys and E&C a title shot in this manner because he "wants to see them beat the hell out of each other."

Vince McMahon comes out after the match to gloat about his collection of monsters, but he's cut off by Paul Heyman. And Paul Heyman isn't alone. He has the debuting Rob Van Dam and Tommy Dreamer with him (yes, in real-life they debuted in July, but I'm holding this off until now). But that isn't all. Rhyno (who was fired by Vince) is there too. As is Justin Credible, Al Snow, all three Dudleyz and Tajiri. Jazz also debuts. 

Heyman announces that "ECW is here!" The crowd goes nuts and Vince flips. Heyman calms him down: "Don't worry Vince, we're not here to 'invade' WWF. We're here to help you - again. Remember back in 1997? You were struggling to deal with WCW, so you called ECW to help liven up your program. And we did. And we can do that again."

Vince doesn't respond and the ECW crew leaves with Heyman saying "Think about it."

Having ECW align with WWF (instead of with WCW like what happened in the actual Invasion storyline) makes more sense since the two companies did work together in the past. Their common foe was always WCW. ECW in this storyline won't be a completely separate company, but instead it will be a faction within the WWF roster that will identify itself as a separate company.

In the main event, Kurt Angle defeats Steve Austin for the WWF Title thanks to interference by The Undertaker, Kane and Big Show. The Rock tries to even the odds, but fails.

Things go this way for a while, with Austin and the Rock feuding with Vince McMahon, Kurt Angle, Kane and the Undertaker. The Hardys and Edge and Christian eventually start coming to the aid of Austin and Rock, giving the "anti-Vince" forces the numbers advantage (and elevating those two teams.) Meanwhile, the ECW stars put on a few "extreme rules" matches on WWF programming to "get ratings." They also occasionally show up unannounced on WCW Nitro, where they start trouble before being escorted from the building.

ECW causes so much trouble for WCW that Ric Flair agrees negotiate with Vince McMahon in order to "call ECW off." This is another advantage to having Flair run WCW instead of Shane. Him and Vince don't have enough animosity against one another as Vince and Shane do, so they can occasionally negotiate with one another.

The two agree to a special "non-title Championship Showcase" for the Royal Rumble. It will feature the WCW Champion Diamond Dallas Page against the WWF Champion Kurt Angle against the last ECW Champion Rhyno in a triple threat match. This is mostly because it will be cool to see three champions from the three companies face off in a match.

Also booked for the Royal Rumble (and thanks to ECW causing Ric Flair to actually negotiate with Vince McMahon) are two opportunities for Steve Austin and The Rock to again "prove themselves" against WCW wrestlers. The Rock is booked in a match against Booker T and Steve Austin will face Chris Jericho. Austin and The Rock will not be allowed to enter the Royal Rumble match unless they win their respective matches.

Everything looks set for the Royal Rumble until January 7th, 2002, when Triple H returns.

WWF Raw is War: January 7, 2002:

The show starts with Triple H returning to the ring for the first time since May 2001. He comes out and verbally attacks WCW, specifically Chris Jericho who is blames for injuring him and putting him on the shelf for eight months. He also announces that he's going to enter the Royal Rumble and that he wants to see Chris Jericho there so he can "beat his ass."

This results in Vince McMahon allowing WCW wrestlers in the Royal Rumble match. It's negotiated and the company will get ten of the available 30 spots. For their help in making the card possible, ECW will be given five spots. Around this time, Rhyno starts being recognized as the actual ECW champion again, complete with the belt. It's announced that the winner of the 2002 Royal Rumble will be allowed to compete for either the WWF, WCW or ECW world titles at WrestleMania X8.

January 20, 2002: The Royal Rumble Event

The card for the 2002 Royal Rumble is as follows:

• WWF Tag Team Championship: The Undertaker & Kane (c) (WWF) versus The Dudley Boyz (ECW)
• WWF Intercontinental Championship: Hardcore Holly (c) (WWF) versus Rob Van Dam (ECW)
• The Rock (WWF) versus Booker T (WCW)
• Steve Austin (WWF) versus Chris Jericho (WCW)
• Non-Title Championship Showcase: WWF Champion Kurt Angle (WWF) versus WCW Champion Diamond Dallas Page (WCW) versus ECW Champion Rhyno (ECW)
• The Royal Rumble Match, featuring 15 WWF Superstars, 10 WCW wrestlers & 5 ECW wrestlers

As you can see, ECW is rewarded with championship opportunities thanks to the fact that they have been helping Vince McMahon attack WCW. 

On the show, the Undertaker & Kane retain their titles, but Hardcore Holly loses his to Rob Van Dam. The Rock defeats Booker T to earn himself a spot in the Royal Rumble match while Steve Austin defeats Chris Jericho to earn a spot as well (thanks to Triple H attacking Jericho). Kurt Angle wins the Championship Showcase.

WWF looks to have rebounded with this show, winning several big WWF versus WCW matches. However, the Royal Rumble match itself is won by Chris Jericho, who eliminates Triple H last to claim victory. WCW stars can interfere here, causing WWF guys to come out to stop them. Jericho eliminates HHH in the chaos.

.

Shameful Wrestling News: June 17, 2021

 

I spend too much time reading about wrestling online, so now you have to:

AEW is heading to New York City in a big way. They'll be holding a live "Grand Slam" Dynamite special from Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, September 22. This sounds really cool. I've never seen a wrestling show in a tennis stadium before, but the seating layout looks great for wrestling. Can AEW sell 20,000 tickets to a Dynamite in NYC?

That said, Chris Jericho's explanation for why they're going to Arthur Ashe and not MSG or Barclays is pretty hilarious:

"I'm sure we could have gone to the Garden or done the Barclays Center, but those do have a WWE brush on them. Let's go somewhere else and make it our New York market arena. Let's go to Arthur Ashe Stadium and that now becomes an AEW stronghold in the middle of New York"

Sure, Chris. Either way, the show should be cool.

There's a rumour that the King of the Ring tournament could be coming back. I'm an old man, but I like the KOTR and think it should be its own PPV.

However, WWE is likely going to do it as one of their themed shows. Themed shows are a good idea and AEW has had a lot of success with them. It makes watching the weekly shows less monotonous. Each episode of Raw, for example, shouldn't feel the same and in the modern world, they all do.

Roman Reigns is talking smack about John Cena and the Rock, so WWE is likely setting up both of these matches, which could be good. Roman should win both. The person who eventually beats Roman for the title should be a full-time WWE wrestler.

Gerald Brisco says Vince McMahon doesn't "surround himself with yes people." Okay, sure. And I don't waste my time on the internet....

Speaking of Vince McMahon, he's being sued (along with several other WWE executives) over stock sale issues. I'm not smart enough to know if this is a real issue or not, but I know that Stephanie McMahon would say that it's just like 9/11.

Wrestling News and Such and So On

 

Who likes wrestling news? You do? Great! You should probably head to another website because.... wait! Don't go! We're lonely! Stick around and read some shameful wrestling news with us!

Apparently WWE wants to make SummerSlam "this year's WrestleMania," which is odd because I really thought we had a WrestleMania this year and it went two nights and... anyway, WWE wants this to be big. The rumour is that Romain Reigns will face John Cena.

Speaking of big deals and returning stars, WWE reportedly wants the Rock at Survivor Series, which may be in Brooklyn, New York. Remember that the Rock had his first WWF/E match at Survivor Series in New York, back in 1996 which was 25 years ago and oh dear God 1996 was 25 years ago why oh why time is so cruel and...

Anyway, Kenny Omega vs Moose for the Impact World Title will happen at Against All Odds... and it will happen at Daily's Place, AEW's home arena.

-1, the son of the late Brodie Lee, is only allowed to appear on AEW programming when he's getting good grades. That's a pretty fun reward for a kid and it's heartwarming how AEW is trying to bring him some happiness.

Okay, that's it for today!!!

A Bunch of Stuff Happening in Wrestling Right Now

Yes, we're going with the "here are some links to wrestling news" because, hey, we might as well turn the time we spend reading wrestling news into #content!

Let's go!

The Bobby Lashley vs Drew McIntyre match at Hell in a Cell now comes with stipulations! The main one is that if Lashley wins, McIntyre won't get to ever challenge him for the WWE Title again. So, this means we're all definitely hoping Lashley wins, right? They can't possibly keep doing rematches...

Apparently the WWE Draft is going to happen in late August. So, that's.... exciting?

Speaking of announcements that aren't actually exciting, apparently Cody will have something to say on Dynamite this week.

It will probably be something about how "AMERICA ONCE AGAIN TRIUMPHED OVER EVIL" because this is about the greatness of America and certainly not being done to show evidence of his usage of the "American Dream" trademark to satisfy the the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He may even say something about Pride Month because, you know, when you think of Pride Month, you think of Cody Rhodes merchandise. 

Finally, in the podcast world, Bruce Prichard talked about Ahmed Johnson. I'm dumb, but I liked Ahmed Johnson. I know all the stuff about his work in the ring and his attitude backstage and his inability to do promos, but he was a cool character at the time.

Okay, that's it! Go back to your normal lives now!

My 10 Favourite WrestleMania Matches Ever

It's me again! I remembered we have this website and I'm going to actually write on it! (Don't look back at this post in three months.)

Anyway, it's WrestleMania weekend and despite the world being awful and WWE being not much better, it's still exciting time if you enjoy people in spandex pretending to fight.

Whether I like it or not, WWF/WWE has been a big part of my life and there are a lot of WrestleMania matches that have meant something to me. Here are ten.

Before I start, let me say that these are NOT the ten best matches in WrestleMania history or the ten most important or most entertaining or anything. These are ten matches that I personally enjoyed the most at the time they took place. And that last part is important. Most of the things I liked as a ten year old probably sucked, but I liked them at the time, and that's what this list is. Anyway, here we go!

Macho Man Randy Savage vs Crush:
Fallls Count Anywhere
WrestleMania X 

Look, okay, remember that I said this is the matches I enjoyed the most at the time, and I really enjoyed this one at the time. Randy Savage is one of my favourite wrestlers ever and I was honestly a fan of Crush as well. 

You add to the fact that this was probably the first time I saw a Falls Count Anywhere match, and I was enthralled. It's definitely not "hardcore" by any stretch of the imagination, but it was cool to see something different and I stand by liking it. 

TLC II
The Hardy Boyz vs the Dudley Boyz vs Edge & Christian 
WrestleMania X7

This was the biggest spectacle at the greatest WrestleMania of all time. The Hardyz, Dudleyz and Edge & Christian were great teams and they went absolutely all out for this match. Add to the fact that Lita, Rhyno, and Spike all got involved and it's both a car crash and a classic at the same time. 

Shawn Michaels vs Kurt Angle
WrestleMania 21

Another match between two of my all-time favourite wrestlers. These guys put on an amazing match. That's it. That's the recap. It's an amazing match. Watch it. It's right above. 

Brock Lesnar vs Roman Reigns (vs Seth Rollins)
WrestleMania 31

A lot of people say that Rollins' Money in the Bank cash-in "saved" this match, but I disagree. It saved the crowd reaction, but the match itself was a great match even before Rollins got involved. His cash-in just made it even more memorable.

Boneyard Match
The Undertaker vs AJ Styles
WrestleMania 36

This was the perfect way to use the Undertaker in 2020. Not only was he old and broken down, but the lack of fans in the building would have made a standard match between these two almost unbearable. By doing a cinematic match, they could tell a great story and end the Undertaker's WrestleMania career with a really cool moment. 

As an aside, I almost put the Firefly Funhouse match from the same show on this list, but decided against it. 

Ladder Match
Shawn Michaels vs Razor Ramon
WrestleMania X

If the Crush/Savage match mentioned above was my first intro to "hardcore", this match kicked that door wide open. It's tame by today's standards, but it absolutely blew my mind at the time. 

Also, this is the second match from WrestleMania X that I've put on this list and I almost included Bret vs Owen as well. That was a great show. 

Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage
WrestleMania 5

Everything about this was perfect. The long-term story was excellent, the intensity was high, and the match itself was great. It wasn't a "typical" WWF/Hulk Hogan match either. It seemed much more aggressive and you truly believed these guys hated each other (and maybe they really did, I'm not sure how their relationship was going at this time). 

Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker
WrestleMania XXVI

Either of the two matches these guys had at WrestleMania could easily be on this list. I went with this one because it was the end of Shawn Michaels' legendary career (let's just forget about the Saudi Arabia match, please) and the build up to it was incredible. The match itself was excellent as well. 

Submission Match
Bret Hart vs Steve Austin
WrestleMania 13

The Bret Hart/Steve Austin feud is probably my favourite feud ever. These guys are both amazing here. The story they told was incredible and the double turn was an iconic moment in WWF history. 

Kofi Kingston vs Daniel Bryan
WrestleMania 35

Kofi Kingston winning the WWE Championship may be my favourite WrestleMania moment ever. The story between Kofi and the New Day and the build to the match was incredible. Daniel Bryan played his role perfectly here as well. It was an excellent call back and role reversal as well. This time he was the champion facing the guy who felt like he was being held down. This time he wanted to stop the man who scratched and clawed to get to the main event against all odds. It was perfect. 

And there you have it! What do you think? What are some of your favourite WrestleMania matches? 

Oh Yeah, WrestleMania is this Weekend!

 

I know what you're thinking "Why would I want to read a WrestleMania preview from someone who has barely seen any WWE shows in the last year?" Well, first of all, great point. Seriously. Good critical thinking. However, before you close this post and move on with your life, let me mention that there are A LOT of people who are in the same position. Along with the Royal Rumble (which I did watch), WrestleMania brings back a lot of lapsed fans each year. Since that's true (and I'm basing this argument almost entirely on speculation and anecdotal evidence, so you know it's true), doesn't it make sense to read a preview from someone who's in the same situation as the average WrestleMania viewer?

Yeah, see, it makes sense! So keep reading!

Anyway, enough justification. If WWE doesn't need to use logic in their storylines, I don't need a logical reason for writing this post. I've seen some YouTube clips, that's enough to catch me up! Here we go.

Night One

WWE Championship
Bobby Lashley (c) (with MVP) vs. Drew McIntyre

Let me start by saying that WWE did a great job with the way Lashley won the title. It really felt like a big deal, which is how someone winning their first WWE title should feel. But then... sigh... they broke up the Hurt Business...!? That seems like an insane decision to me. Maybe it's a swerve and they'll reunite to screw McIntyre out of the title? Maybe, but I feel like the point of this match is to give Drew McIntyre the title win in front of a crowd that he didn't get last year. 

Oh yeah, there's going to be fans. That's weird. 

Bad Bunny and Damian Priest vs. The Miz and John Morrison

I'm supposed to know who Bad Bunny is, right? Look, I'm an old man. I have no clue. Anyway, apparently he's done a great job both on TV and backstage, so I feel like he'll win here. 

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship
The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) (c) vs. AJ Styles and Omos

It really seems like this match was just thrown together so that AJ Styles could become a Grand Slam Champion, so my guess is that's what happens.

Steel Cage Match
Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon

For the love of God, please don't have Shane McMahon win and keep this going any longer. 

Anyone remember when Strowman was really over and he should have won the WWE title from Lesnar? No? Just me? Okay.

Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins

It would be nice to see Cesaro win here, but it's also just nice seeing him in a relatively high profile singles match, so anything else is just a bonus. Rollins probably wins because some heels need to win on this show.

Tag Team Turmoil Match
Winners receive a WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match on Night 2
Lana and Naomi vs. Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose vs. The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott) vs. Natalya and Tamina

I honestly have no idea. Maybe the Riott Squad?

WWE SmackDown Women's Championship
Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bianca Belair 

This is an interesting choice to headline the first night, but that doesn't mean it's a bad one. Both wrestlers deserve it and it's going to be a great match. There's no doubting that.

They're both very talented and very over and Bianca won the Rumble, so it makes a lot of sense to have them headline night one. However, on the other hand, the build has been really weak. They did the "rivals become tag partners/can they coexist?" angle with them, didn't they? That only works when Mick Foley is involved. The storyline could have been so much better.

I guess the build has been weak for most of the matches though. Sasha Banks remains awesome and Bianca Belair is definitely a future star, so it works. I'm looking forward to it. It should be a really good match and my guess is Belair wins. She deserves it and it's a great way to send the fans happy on night one. Having fans again is going to be weird.

Night Two

For the record, I like WrestleMania as two nights and wish it would stay that way. It's much better than having the crowd collapse before the main event of a seven-hour show.

WWE Raw Women's Championship
Asuka (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

I hope Rhea Ripley wins. She's great and she deserves it, especially after her nonsensical loss to Charlotte at last year's WrestleMania. I know Asuka has routinely been screwed as well, but Ripley's my pick.

The Fiend (with Alexa Bliss) vs. Randy Orton

This is just, like, a regular match? No wacky stipulation? No flames or anything? Odd. 

My guess is.... the Fiend? As long as they don't have any weird projections on the ring during the match, it should be fine. 

Nigerian Drum Fight for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Big E (c) vs. Apollo Crews

What the hell is a "Nigerian Drum Fight?" I guess Apollo Crews wins it because it's his stipulation? No clue, honestly.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (with Logan Paul)

Probably Kevin Owens, but I really don't know. Isn't this a great preview?

WWE United States Championship
Riddle (c) vs. Sheamus

Calling him just "Riddle" is still so, so stupid, but I feel like he'll win.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (c) (with Reginald) vs. Tag Team Turmoil winners

Again, no idea, sorry. Keep reading. 

Triple Threat match for the WWE Universal Championship
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Edge vs. Daniel Bryan

I always thought that Edge facing Roman was odd. Roman has had an awesome bad ass heel run and he should be beaten by a younger face who is ready to get a big push, but WWE doesn't do that anymore. I guess Edge beating him would have been a redemption story, but it still never really made sense to me. Adding Daniel Bryan makes more sense, since he's always super over, but it remains kind of odd. 

This is a tough match to pick, but I guess Bryan wins. WWE likes to send fans home happy and ending WrestleMania with the crowd chanting "YES!" will be a good image following a year without fans. Edge's return has been kind of underwhelming thus far, but maybe losing here will cause him to go on a really good heel rung himself.

And, speaking of the fans cheering, I really hope they don't cheer Roman Reigns. He's finally being the excellent heel that we all wanted him to be, so give him the respect of booing him. 

There have been a lot of awful things about the pandemic, but not having live crowd reactions allowed Roman Reigns to truly be a heel. If there were actual fans in the buildings, Reigns would have been cheered as soon as he started acting heelish with Heyman and it would have ruined everything. So boo him or Vince is going to get sick of fans entirely and just control the reactions himself until he dies. 

To be fair, crowd reactions are probably another reason Bryan was added to the match. It will increase the chances of Roman being booed since Bryan is such a big face.

But, honestly, just boo Roman Reigns. You booed him for years so you know how to do it. Just do it.

Enjoy the show! 

The 5th Annual Wrestling Shame Hall of Shame

Folks, once again it's time for the ceremony for the Wrestling Shame Hall of Shame! Can you believe it's been a year since our last induction ceremony??? 

*thinks about the previous year* Dear god.

Anyway, we are doing things a little differently this year. We have just ONE inductee to the hallowed, shameful hall.

One terrible, awful, disgusting human being.

A person we've discussed before.

A person we are inducting only to THROW HIM OUT of the Hall of Shame.  

Folks...

This year's sole inductee -- and first person to be kicked-out of the Hall of Shame -- is Donald Trump.

Why?

Well -- below are a few small reasons why.

Shameful Entrance Music: Donald's Trump's Theme

Dear lord. When you want to rip-off "Money" by the O'Jays (which is a god damn amazing song) but you don't wanna clear the rights to the song. 

It's fucking terrible, cheap, and awful to listen to -- and the song is bad too.

Shameful Promo: Hulk Hogan Before Wrestlemania V

Now hold on, you might be saying -- that's Hulk Hogan, not Donald Trump! And you're right. But this promo of Hogan mentions Donald Trump and is awful.

A little background: one of the best programs the WWE ever booked was the rise and fall of the Mega Powers of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.  It was a masterclass in how to present a long-narrative story-line that, I argue, you don't really see much in pro wrestling anymore. And there's a personal connection for me: the Mega Powers formed in Hershey PA and then had their big show-down in Atlantic City, NJ -- places where I either lived or spent a lot of time in. 

But Hogan's promo here promotes this idea of Donald Trump being concerned with Atlantic City and the potential danger that the implosion of the Mega Powers might have on the New Jersey city. The man who bankrupted casinos, ruined the Boardwalk of the city, and defaulted on so many businesses in the town? Yeah, I'm sure Trump has so much concern. 

Shameful Contract Signing and Booking: Battle of the Billionaires

I could probably do an entire post of this alone. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, this was the build-up to Wrestlemania 21 where Donald Trump and Vince McMahon -- two real life friends who collaborated together for Wrestlemania IV and V -- bet their hair through their proxies Bobby Lashley and Umga. Like many wrestling feuds, this began rather stupidly and just kept getting dumber. But I feel the stupidity reached an apex of sorts in the contract signing for the match. Among the stupid things:

-While I loathe Vince McMahon, I feel bad for him here in that he's trying really hard to carry this segment, and that segment is just piss poor. It's like when you see a group project and there's that one student trying really hard to make it work when the other students haven't done shit.

-Trump's responses here are, surprise, barely coherent. His timing is terrible, and he repeats every phrase at least twice. 

-This is also the height of the worst Stone Cold persona era, the damn "What?" stuff that was honestly the worst thing in pro wrestling for years (aside from the unfair labor practices of wrestling itself).

But as we've pointed out before, the symbolism of two men of color fighting on behalf of two racist, reactionary wealthy men cannot be ignored. The whole match and narrative surrounding that match becomes a sort of Plantation Myth fantasy that is also a harbinger for the Trump presidency. It deserves scorn not only as one of the worst programs in WWE history, but also one of the most problematic high-profile pop culture moments of the last two decades.

Worst Wrestling Botch / Move: Trump Being Stunned by Stone Cold

I've been watching wrestling for a long time and this is, honestly, the worst I've ever seen anyone take a wrestling move, let alone a finisher. To be fair, according to Austin, Trump didn't know what a Stunner was and is not a trained wrestler, but...lord, it's like a toddler tripping over some playground equipment.

No, I am not equating toddlers with Donald Trump -- that's unfair to toddlers.

Most Shameful Segment: The Money Drop

Ah, the money drop segment. In short, as Vince McMahon berates the fans, Trump appears on the giant in-arena television and decides to "give the fans what they want" and thousand of fake and real dollar bills drop from the ceiling of the arena. To me, I read this moment as the WWE mythologizing the notion of the benevolent Captain of Industry who happily engages in philanthropy; it's also not off-base to see this segment as something of a visual representation of literal trickle-down economics.

Most Shameful Everything: Donald Trump

We are fans of a performance art that is problematic for a lot of reasons: unfair labor practices, dangerous working conditions, gender and racial bias. But more than anything, wrestling sometimes reveals the worst of who we are. It reveals and refracts our biases and fears and hatreds. And at times, wrestling confronts that. But on the whole, the history of that happening in wrestling is rare. 

Rick and I are of course very aware of this. 

And then came Trump.

We've written about Trump before. A lot actually.  And I will rehash a lot of my thoughts from those pieces. When Donald Trump was first running for office, clips like the one above made a lot of rounds, connecting his experiences in the WWE with his campaign. And the tone of these pieces was, at times, tongue-in-cheek. But what we saw for four years was a man who -- whatever actually happened in the White House -- treated the presidency like a cheap-heat promo. There was never a moment that he wouldn't put himself over. There was never a point he didn't play to his audience. There was never a point he didn't treat one of the most important offices in the world as a wrestling event. 

Wrestling is not real. But wrestling is real. People get hurt. The barbed wire in matches is real. Wrestlers suffer through pain and psychological trauma for years. Many die too young. But what has happened in the past five years to us -- to all of us -- is suffering. We were placed in danger by a man who thinks of himself as a wrestler. A morally bankrupt, racist, homophobic, misogynist con man. A man who encouraged white supremacists. A man who operated the most corrupt administration in American history. A man who made many of my friends and community members afraid for their safety. A man who worsened a pandemic. A man who openly encouraged an insurrection among his "marks" and cheered as they sought to lynch members of Congress.    

For all these reasons, Donald Trump deserves to be in the Hall of Shame.

And for all these reasons, we do not want him in here.

Be safe all.