Author: M. Swift

Major League Wrestling has a number of hot talents to keep an eye out for. The company’s approach to wrestling to that of a battleground for different, defined styles. Most promotions don’t put this as a point to watch. It’s generally “We have these stars and this is what’s going on!” Major League Wrestling does that and makes sure you know “This is their style.” It adds a sense of wonder about how the match will turn out and, on another level, can this wrestler’s approach to this style beat this wrestler? Their wrestlers are even addressed as “fighters” because…

Torch passing matches are some of the most difficult to pull off. They don’t have to come with a particular gimmick or even a stipulation. It’s one of those matches where it’s understood what’s going on based on the buildup going into it. You know this younger wrestler is on the rise and within reach of being the next ace of the promotion. Across the ring is a wrestler who was the ace or is an icon but this is their last hurrah.  Where Torch Passing Matches Get Difficult  On paper the match looks very simple—that is until you get…

We went into ECW’s standard-bearer and ace, now let’s look at the company’s icon: “The Hardcore Icon” The Sandman! When I first discovered ECW via wrestling magazines in the mid-90s, he didn’t come off as the most interesting of wrestlers in the company. I always wondered “Why is this guy in these kinds of matches? Who the hell is he?”  Intro to The Sandman  See, outside of WWE and WCW, most magazines assumed you’ve been following along the whole time. You’d get results from ECW shows and maybe a highlight on the future stars. By the time WOW Magazine came out, the internet was…

So, WWE 2K20 was just…oof. Whether it’s the glitches that were pointed out early or parts of the story mode, WWE 2K20 really had a rough time of it upon release. I mean this was a game that was pre-ordered and is always anticipated. Do you know what game never had that problem? WWF No Mercy 64.  Dropped in 2000 as the sequel to the extremely impressive WWF WrestleMania 2000, WWF No Mercy introduced some minor features that would become part of WWE games going forward. The easy-to-learn controls which were a major feature of the AKI Corporation-developed wrestling games returned as well.  Now, most Nintendo 64 games weren’t the prettiest thing…

As reported earlier, WWE and FOX are expanding on the content provided. It’s not surprising since there’s always been a tight relationship between professional wrestling and TV. It’s a good deal for both heading into WrestleMania 36 during a pandemic. WWE was quick to figure out something for their biggest show of the year. On paper, yeah this WrestleMania might just be too big for just one night–until you factor in it’s a scaled-down event with no crowd. “Too Big For Just One Night”  It provides the on-screen talent, the set, the stage, production equipment, and the staff. The promoter already handled most of it. …

At the end of 2004, Impact Wrestling started running monthly PPVs. First, they hit fans with Victory Road which would go on to be one of the company’s big events. On December 5, the company dropped TNA Turning Point 2004. As it turned out, Impact Wrestling’s debut PPV wasn’t all that and forget the bag of chips! Let’s see if Turning Point 2004 salvaged what Victory Road squandered.  Low-Tier  The fourth match on the show pits Simon Diamond—going by Pat Kenney since he got to TNA—and Johnny B. Badd against the New York Connection. That’s the team of Johnny Swinger and Disco Inferno. It wasn’t the strongest match on the…

We’re still going through WCW and WWE in 1995. This time we’re looking at WCW Slamboree 1995. ”Hey didn’t you skip Collision in Korea from April?” Yes, we’re in May with WCW even though the company did hold an April PPV. I mean, it wasn’t really going against WWE WrestleMania XI or anything.  How were the matches from WCW Slamboree 1995? We’re about to find out!  Low-Tier  Let’s go ahead and boot the forgettable stuff first. Kevin Sullivan vs. The Man With No Name. Who could it be? He can’t be Brutus Beefcake, Zodiac, The Butcher, The Booty Man, or Brother Booty. Yeah, I know Hogan said Brother Bruti but he was The Booty Man either…

Earlier this month, the XFL postponed its season. It was a sound decision even if it had a month left. XFL was pretty much running for a cup of coffee. These things happen. Last week, we floated the idea of Alpha Entertainment bringing back ECW. Now let’s look at Alpha bringing back WCW. Is it a better choice? Let’s explore it.  The Angle: Alpha Entertainment Scoops Up WCW  The scenario is the same as before. Vince is pushed out of his role as the creative end-all-be-all of WWE. There he is with his own parent company, Alpha Entertainment. Let’s say he was able…

Jimmy Snuka is one of those wrestlers where you can see what made him so over. Of course, he was always over as this major star. By the 1990s, you could only find Snuka on indy wrestling TV on a regular basis. One of the reasons for this that you could say his best years were behind him. That didn’t stop WWE and other companies from either keeping him around or bringing him in.  The “Extreme Superfly” Jimmy Snuka  That’s even weird to say because in the early 90s, Snuka still looked like the kind of star Vince would keep around. He was past 40, could still do his Superfly Splash, and his body…

During the early 90s, there was this feud that WWE missed out on by about two years. In 1991, former two-time Intercontinental and Tag Team champion Tito Santana returned to WWE. This should’ve been the right time for a high caliber wrestler such as Santana to thrive as himself.   With Bret getting his shine and HBK rapidly on the rise, Tito Santana could’ve been a name in the tag ranks and a threat to the IC title. WWE probably could’ve given him a modern gimmick for the times. Instead, Santana became El Matador.   This gimmick was just right for WWE at this time. The company was on brand creatively.  El Matador vs. Mantaur: WWE’s David…