With that said, I’m going to attempt to celebrate Wrestlemania season by way of attempting to describe only FIVE moments which stand out in my mind as favourites. Of course, if I tried to list every moment which captured my imagination, it’s very plausible that we’d be here until Wrestlemania L (50)! I’d like to thank Mr. Gee Hall and all the folks at Bored Wrestling Fan, alongside those wonderful peeps at Wonderpod Online for this tremendous idea. A festival of sorts, celebrating the wonderment that is being a professional wrestling fan!

Initially, I was thinking that it’d be a good idea to list these moments in some sort of order, perhaps leaving the vaunted #1 spot to my all-time favourite Wrestlemania moment. What I’ve decided to do instead, however, is to simply scrap that entirely and decree that all these moments deserve to be #1 in my own personal hall of fame! These moments don’t have any specific category, so expect to see some utterly horrible matches in there somewhere. In-ring action is obviously why I watch the shows but there is just so much more to Wrestlemania than matches. Indeed it can be the overall feel of the event, which is why our first entry finds its infamous way onto the list..

• Wrestlemania IX – Hail Caesar!

Oh forgive me pro wrestling gods, for I have sinned. Many people have decried this particular ‘Mania as being one of the worst ever, citing a lack-luster card and ridiculous premise as major negatives. This fan can heartily say that, whereas it’s not the best event from an in-ring standpoint, he enjoyed this event so much. True, the Roman-themed pageantry is cheesier than a cheese factory, but that’s one thing that has always endeared me to WWF/WWE action more than anything else. The outlandish, over-the-top and colourful costumes, characters and production values are exactly why I was kept glued to my TV set as a kid.

Looking beyond Jim Ross making his WWE debut in a toga (!?), there is some decent stuff to be found here. Shawn Michaels would go on to have far more impressive Wrestlemania matches, but here he is content to bump himself silly against the undefeated Native American, Tatanka. Further up the card, Bret “Hitman” Hart pulls the significant weight of Yokozuna to a competitive main event before none other than Hulk Hogan wheels in to steal the spotlight and have his last ‘Mania moment for quite some time.

I’m laughing quite hard with glee that many of you will SLAY me for including the horrific “Romanmania” in here!

• Wrestlemania XIV – The Attitude Era..

Oh how we all loved the “Attitude Era” of WWE television. So much so that it’s still talked about heavily amongst wrestling fans today, even by some who weren’t lucky enough to witness is firsthand! Thankfully, I was a happy-go-lucky schoolboy in 1998 and was there to live through the madness. One moment which sticks out for me personally, is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin pinning Shawn Michaels shoulders to the mat with “Iron” Mike Tyson making the count. When Austin lifted that WWF Heavyweight Title above his weary head, I very nearly went through the roof of the Kennedy household.

Many predicted that Steve Austin would see success in the wrestling business, but few could predict just how big of a success he really would prove to be – ending up as perhaps the largest draw in the history of the industry, including Hulk Hogan.

This event is must-see, with almost every contest garnering a HUGE reaction from the crowd in Boston. Talk about defining an era.

• Wrestlemania XX – A Celebration of Wrestlers..

Much has been made over the years of Vince McMahon and his love of massive, well-muscled performers in the main events. From Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and Sid Vicious, to The Big Show, John Cena and The Undertaker – it’s very clear to see that McMahon likes girth in his superstars. He really does like it when they appear to fans as action figures come to life, with a cartoon-like vibe to their presence.

Many were surprised by the top matches on Wrestlemania XX in the legendary Madison Square Garden. They featured a plethora of smaller, more in-ring orientated grappler’s than before and the actual wrestling was placed before storyline or drama. Indeed, the wrestling WAS the drama.

With Eddie Guerrero, Kurt Angle, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit being in focus, you could be forgiven for not seeing this line-up as being anything entirely new. Men such as Bret Hart had been main eventing many years before this and was a similar build to most of the men listed above.

For me however, I chose to concentrate on the awesome fact that Vince McMahon was handing the spotlight to performers he knew could captivate everyone around the world with what they could do inside the wrestling ring. It’s hard to describe just how fantastic a nod to hard-working wrestlers the world over it was when Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, long-time friends and road buddies, embraced in the centre of the ring to celebrate their mutual championship wins.

• Wrestlemania X-Seven – The Best?

As far as it’s true to say that Wrestlemania IX is widely considered to be one of the worst events, Wrestlemania X-Seven is credited as being one of the best.

Looking back at the card, it’s not hard to see why. Almost every match on the show is well-received and all of the main event levels encounters have that big-fight feel that Wrestlemania top-liners really do need.

Times were exciting, with WWE recently buying out long-time competitor, WCW and looking to a certain future of money when it decided to run the “Invasion” angle. I can remember being so hyped about this particular Wrestlemania, wondering if any top WCW stars would make their bow on the “grandest stage of them all”.

With so much talk about the former competition, it’s refreshing to think that The Rock and Steve Austin truly stole the show with one of the best ‘Mania main events I can think of off the top of my head. Having already faced-off at Wrestlemania XV, it was great to see these men come up with an entirely fresh match-up. History states that this was the evening on which the beloved anti-hero,”Stone Cold”, turned heel but it will forever be remembered as a glitzy showcase of all that was good about the “Attitude Era”.

• Wrestlemania VIII – A Pipers Hart!

Perhaps a surprising way to round off this list, but by no means a disappointing one. The hype for Wrestlemania VIII focused on “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair for the WWF Heavyweight Title and Hulk Hogan vs Sid Justice in a grudge match. What I remember is most fondly for is a mid-card Intercontinental Title bout between Bret Hart and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper which stole the show.

A jam-packed crowd of over 60,000 fans were witness to exactly why the Intercontinental belt was considered the “workers” championship. Both Hart and Piper put on a clinic of why they are considered amongst the top names in wrestling history, thrilling both myself and millions of others with a match which has long been one of my favourite ‘Mania contests.

On the night, it was Hart who would walk away – once again Intercontinental champion. In this mind however, it’s both men who can rightly claim to be champions.

There you have it folks, my personal favourite moments and Wrestlemania events/matches from down the years! Still find it scary to think that this is Wrestlemania 27 and we’re getting closer and closer to that 30^th anniversary mark! This fan is still saving up for the trip of a lifetime over to New York, where the 30^th Wrestlemania will surely be held in Madison Square Garden. As for this years extravaganza, I hope you all enjoy it as much as possible and that there are some shocking moments which will someday make it onto a younger fans “Best Of” list! TAKE IT HOME!

I would love to hear YOUR thoughts on my favourite Wrestlemania moments or indeed, anything else related to pro wrestling! Drop me an email with your own picks and I’ll be sure to respond. I just love chatting to any fans of this amazing industry. You can reach me at jamiekennedy@live.com !

The post Top 5 Wrestlemania Moments appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

So many wrestling fans nowadays do nothing, NOTHING but whine about what’s presented to them on their TV screens. Be it WWE constantly pushing John Cena to the forefront, TNA with yet another series of brain-bending and confusing storylines or the whack production values of various independent leagues out there – it seems there’s a lot which grinds the gears of your average fan of wrestling. Much has been written (a lot of that by myself) regarding this and how truly irritating it can be to listen to fellow fans take no joy at all out of the product before them.

Apparently, within wrestling fan circles, there’s a few distinct types of fan. There’s the “casual” fan who takes the show for what it is; entertainment, and overlooks plot holes and doesn’t care if the same few men remain in the main event scene. Infact, these happy-go-lucky types probably don’t even refer to the headliners as the “main event scene”. This writer would like to state right here and now that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Why so many other fans (and we’ll get to them, they also have their plus points), feel the need to look down on the “casuals” is really beyond me. Let them enjoy the show and take from it what they wish to take. Are they really doing any harm by just enjoying the show?

Perhaps the most apparent ‘other’ type of fan group is referred to as the “smart” fan base. These folks usually seem to be those who are interested in what goes on behind the scenes at your typical wrestling show, whilst still being capable (for the most part) of suspending their disbelief and having fun whilst watching the show unfold. Of course, there are those who seem to take no pleasure from RAW, Smackdown, NXT, Superstars, iMPACT and the like. Why these guys and gals even bother watching is beyond me, although they are entitled to watch whatever they wish.

In closing for this brief article, isn’t there room for both sets of fans in the wrestling kingdom?

It’d be interesting to see what the readers and writers here at Bored Wrestling Fan.com think of pro wrestling in general and hear some of the reasons why you all keep watching. I’ve written at length in the past regarding my own reasons and will happily post up an old article of mine which explains why in great length. For now though, what do YOU think? Why do YOU watch?

Please comment below or get in touch at jamiekennedy@live.com ! Take it home!

The post Why Do YOU Watch Wrestling? appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

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I can still recall it like it was yesterday; being in one of my childhood friends rooms on a regular visit to borrow one from his seemingly vast library of wrestling videotapes. There I was, standing talking to a guy who probably no longer likes pro wrestling yet to me, was the coolest guy in town. In reality, this kid was one hell of a spoiled brat. The kind of wee boy who could break one of his wrestling figures and by later on that afternoon? Why there was a shining new “Macho King” Randy Savage complete with robe and scepter just waiting in it’s box, freshly purchased from the Woolworth’s store down town. Even as a kid, I can remember thinking this dude was a total bitch. Yes I said it. Sure, he was my friend but growing up I always learned to appreciate what you have and here he was willingly breaking things just so his mum would go buy him another. To prove he damn well could get away with it.

My family weren’t exactly poor but I’d like to think and, actually, know my mother or father would never replace a toy I broke on purpose. Infact, I’d like to think that THEY would know that it’s just something I would never do. This grown-up geek still has all his wrestling figurines in his cupboards. Sure, they might not be in pristine condition (they were played with pretty extensively afterall) but they’re not exactly laying around in bits and pieces either. Someday I know I’ll get a heavy heart when I thumb through them all again, having memories from a very happy childhood come flooding back to me. Memories which I hope other kids from the newer generations will be able to appreciate. We didn’t always have yearly editions of “WWE Smackdown vs. RAW” to play with you know!

The amount of hours I must have spent in the hallway or locked away in my room, listening to rock music mix tapes my dad had made for me on my kick-ass “Goodman” stereo must have been in the hundreds. Bands such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and The Beatles pounded out of that tape deck like it was the 1970’s and I had a bowl cut. More often than not, I’d grab the remote control meant for the CD-capable stereo and mime along to most of the tracks. Either that or play air guitar, although it likely looked like I was demented rather than riffing like a rock god. More often than not, while all this musical madness was taking place – shaking the walls of our bungalow – I’d be sat smack BANG in the middle of the floor. Literally surrounded by figures I would play out matches, angles (although I just called them “interviews” at the time) and sometimes entire cards with these figures. All the action would take place in my pride and joy; a 1993 World Wrestling Federation Official Toy Ring Playset. Boy that was some Christmas day, receiving that gift. For a budding wrassle’ nerd like myself, it was just so good unwrapping not only the ring but figure sets of “The Legion of Doom”, “Hulk Hogan”, “Randy Savage” and…”THE BIKER MICE FROM MARS”!? Now wait a minute. Oh you’re damn right! My mother knew what the hell I was all about. Why confine my wrestling fantasies to just WWF wrestlers!? This was MY imagination we’re talking about here. The very same imagination which has allowed me to create and play out entire 3-hour long “Pay-Per-View” events on various wrestling video games no less.

Basically, if I wanted popular cartoon characters of the day in the “Royal Rumble”, I’d bloody well have them in that 30-man over the top rope extravaganza. There were no limits to where I’d go with that one. Often-times, my poor sisters own “Barbie” dolls weren’t even safe – doomed to play ringside valets for the various “wrestlers”. Now I do admit, it probably looked a little weird that a seemingly 24-foot female doll was accompanying an apparently dwarfed “He-Man” down the aisle but that took place more than once. I even used one of my “Action Man” dolls one time as a surprise entrant into the Rumble, playing the role of that giant killing machine who just simply could not be eliminated by only one man. He’d annihilate almost everybody inside the ring (he barely fit in the by god thing to begin with..) before eventually succumbing to that old chestnut – the “jeez, we better team up on this guy babyface or heel!” cliché. Yes, even at a very young age I was using stereotypical wrestling booking 101 in my staged battles with dolls.

One time, I even went so far as to have customised entrance themes for the wrestlers. Initially, I would simply hum or sing the songs myself while simultaneously barking out the ring introductions and providing commentary too. This always proved a lot of un-necessary effort however so there was only one thing for it, use those trusty mix tapes! I do admit it was probably the biggest pain in the Giant Gonzalez (ass) to have to fast forward to another song for another wrestler but I had so much fun with all of this that you just would not believe, even going so far as to call my mother, father or sister into the room whilst replaying certain unbelievably spots or moves which had taken place during matches. My family must have thought their little Jamie was slightly bonkers but…nah, no buts. They clearly did. (And probably still do when they hear me singing along to entrance music when watching RAW!)

Having just read over all of that mish-mash of Kennedy childhood, I’ll be very surprised if James Guttman himself doesn’t email me, with the message subject being “Mental health”. If you have survived to this text, you deserve a 1993 World Wrestling Federation Official Toy Ring Playset all of your own. The main point I’m trying to make and I guess, find out is if kids nowadays still use wrestling figurines or are they all playing with the best Traxxas RC trucks. The amount of other ways they can let their little brains go crazy on wrasslin’ is almost endless nowadays, what with all the aforementioned video games out there which are just slightly more advanced than my “one of his arms has a hinge bend in it” Randy Savage action figure from yesteryear. I know that toy companies and the wrestling promotions themselves do still release action dolls but I’m intrigued to know if they are still commonly used the way I used them when growing up.

I didn’t actually get my first wrestling video game of my own up until “WWF Warzone” on the Playstation One console. Some of my friends had “WWF Royal Rumble” and “Wrestlemania: Arcade” on their SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis machines which I would play when I visited their houses but I never did get one of those games for myself until around 1998. My way of getting my fix was the figures and something else I have mentioned in a previous article; pen and paper. Creating cards, storylines and characters on pages and pages of A4 notebook was a daily occurrence for me. Yet another thing which must have perplexed my family.

In a way, I’m kinda glad this was all I had as a kid as, well, I was very happy. Of course, as I’ve grown up a little and got older, I have invested into a lot of the video games and am a major fan of them. It just seemed like a natural progression when I did get them, at an age where I no longer wanted to play with children’s toys.

There were no lies at all when I was referring to being interested in if people, either adults or their children, actually still play with action figures the way I did. Feel free to send me an email to let me know, or just to call me “that” kid who they tell their own to stay away from on the ride to school. I can be reached rather merrily at jamiekennedy@live.com and am guaranteed to respond to everything, totally not because I have no life or anything.. I sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip back in time of yours truly and that you will send a quick message, I just love talking to people about this wacky world of professional wrestling. And everything in it! Take care everybody and TAKE IT HOME!

The post Retro Post – Toys! Toys! Toys! appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

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A number of merry months ago, I put together a piece of writing which I felt did justice my love and appreciation for what we as modern wrestling fans have come to take for granted; an entrance theme which accompanies each superstar down the aisle-way and into the ring. It wasn’t always this way, entrance music was reserved for the very top stars in the professional wrestling industry and even some of them didn’t get their own theme!

Themes or “feemz”, as the ever-witty internet wrestling community has dubbed them (due to the genuinely fascinating subject of some of our fellow fans dropping out of school.. Go figure, do all some of us have nothing better to do than bashing the product we watch and the people who view it alongside us!?), have become as much a part of the wrestling world as a referee who gets knocked out with even the slightest stray glance of a performers boot/elbow/hair/wind. There are people out there who collect theme music from each different promotion and for each wrestler and diva, which in my opinion is kinda cool. Yeah sure it’s geeky but it’s no more or less geeky than your film fanatic friend who downloads movie soundtracks every weekend. CD albums have been produced by several of the big player promotions in the business in a rather successful attempt to cash in on their fans obsession with the tunes and songs which signal the arrival of a particular grappler. Yours truly has purchased several of these and would now like to take the time to discuss and name his top 5 favourite entrance themes. Some of these you will agree with, some of these you will detest. Either way, I’m anticipating some heavy emailage from a bunch of you channeling the spirit of YOUR United States Heavyweight champion “The Miz” and asking me – “Really? REALLY!?”

As always, in absolutely no particular order.. (Simply because this writer is really rather rubbish at deciding which things he likes better than others when it comes to wrestling. Seriously, you should see me trying to decide what VHS or DVD to watch. It’d probably irritate the hell out of several of you less nerdy than myself! However, to hell with you! And gimme my damn lunch money back!)

“ I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” – Stone Cold Steve Austin

This one, for me at least, is a no brainer. I’m far from ashamed to say I still mark out with my mark out whenever I hear this song. This is perhaps THE song for entering any room full of strangers. Of course I would never be quite that pathetic but I can dream nonetheless about being immediately surrounded by babes upon walking through the door. The glass breaking has been the cause of many a huge pop from live WWF/WWE audiences throughout the years. You need look no further than effectively any episode of RAW, Smackdown or indeed any Pay-Per-View event which Steve Austin has headlined or appeared at while using this music. Wailing sirens, dangerous sounding guitar chords and a menacing tone all make this a strong contender for one of the best pieces of wrestling theme music ever written. Go on, go to YouTube, look up the song, listen and just tell me you don’t feel like a genuine bad ass who could stand up to your evil billionaire boss and make him even richer through PPV revenue, merchandise and live attendance. In the late 90’s, Stone Cold was the man and a lot of credit must go to the music which told us he was in the house. What a performer. What a tune.

It’s hard to explain just how awesome a gimmick the original Mankind character was upon his arrival into the then World Wrestling Federation. Clearly, upon reading Mick Foley’s very first book, the gimmick would never have met the success it experienced had the WWF writers had their way. “Mason The Mutilator” indeed guys and gals.. Mick Foley would enter arenas up and down the US and abroad to a sinister, slow dirge of strings which would never fail to make people pay attention. The true success of any character in the wrestling industry can be based on how the people react when they see the man or woman portraying it. Make no mistake about it, fans had a mixture of intrigue and sheer horror as they watched “Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy” stumble down to ringside ready to put his body through hell. And after the massacre? Well it’s only logical to have a beautifully haunting piece of piano music signal the exit of Mankind right? That Foley, he sure did have some exciting and damn good ideas in his head. One thing’s for sure though, the quick one and two punch of these musical pieces have to be on my list of favourite wrestling theme songs.

Here we have the first one of this here list which may surprise some folks. I know I have at least one wrestling-loving fiend of a buddy who is not entirely fond of the music which aided Scott Hall’s passage down to the squared circle during his highly successful first run in the WWF as “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon. The screeching tire sound may have made its home more famously in a future theme of the previously mentioned Mick Foley but it is here that I prefer it. Suspiciously based on music from gang-related films such as “Scarface”, this song will forever hold a special place in my heart. The synth’s permeated through the track only add to the cool 80’s vibe which is given off here. The babyface-era Razor was one of my childhood favourites and this tune just rocked my Hulk Hogan/WWF brick logo socks right off.

“ Next Big Thing” – Brock Lesnar

It’s quite scary to think how far Mr. Lesnar has come since his departure from World Wrestling Entertainment in order to pursue a career in professional American football. Now one of the biggest names in the ultimate fighting world, there are a lot of wrestling fans who barely remember his forced-down-your-god-damn-throat dominance in the earlier part of this decade. Simply put, Lesnar was what John Cena is now. I.e, the man the WWE want you to accept as the “Next Big Thing” in wrestling. Brock actually went some way to achieving acceptance with the audiences of wrestling due to his rapidly improved performances both in-ring and from a verbal standpoint. No doubts about it, the crunching guitar riff and opening animalistic wail which open the theme song up let each and every fan know who was coming through that curtain. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of theme songs which perfectly accompany the character and can paint a picture of what they will look and act like. This one exactly captures Brock Lesnar as a WWE superstar in my mind. Oh how I long for the days of his never-coming return!

Another one which may shock some folks, this just has to be included. In order for it to work however, we have to stick the outrageous “Y2K” countdown in at the very beginning. This is wrestling theatre at it’s finest. What better way to announce that a certain superstar is coming out than to have his very own countdown clock and forthcoming explosion?! The song itself is none too shabby and features lyrics which can be grabbed and stuck into the fans collective skulls. If ever Chris Jericho needed a theme song which would help him mark his passage from World Championship Wrestling and into the World Wrestling Federation, this was it. The drama which was created and the buzz which floated in the air when Jericho made his entrance was only enhanced by this terrific wrestling theme tune.

So there you have it. Obviously, as always with these top 5’s, I had to pick and choose here. There are many, many, MANY other theme songs which I am very, very, VERY fond of. Bret Hart, Goldust, John Cena, D’Lo Brown, Sid, Ted DiBiase Sr. The list could quite literally go on and on forever with no end in sight. This writer had to simply pick the 5 which have stood out most to him in his experience of watching pro wrestling. The 5 themes which have made goosebumps appear all over my body in place you don’t want to hear about. What I do want to hear about however is what you think. I want to know which wrestling themes have inspired, entertained and downright made you excited to be a follower of the wonderful world of wrestling. Emails can be directed towards – jamiekennedy@live.com and we can discuss together like the real nerds we are. And we’re damn proud of it. TAKE IT HOME!

The post Retro Post – Top 5 Theme Songs appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

• Online Hype Surrounding Michelle McCool

There’s been a lot of talk over the past few years regarding one Michelle McCool and her position within World Wrestling Entertainment. Her off-screen and very much real-life relationship with one of the biggest stars in the company, The Undertaker, has led many to suggest she is only still hired due to the backstage clout of her hubby.

Regardless of the strings he can pull, this writer feels anyone who bluntly ignores the woman’s talents and puts all her success down to her husbands ability to pull some strings with the office, is extremely short-sighted. Indeed, an ex-writer for the Smackdown brand, John Piermarini, has recently surfaced on a large number of wrestling-related new-sites decrying these suggestions.

Piermarini states that McCool can talk (which is true) and can wrestle (which, depending on your opinions about what makes a good wrestler, could also be seen as true). In my humble opinion, the lady in question is easily one of the most accomplished females in wrestling today. She easily rivals much-heralded women as Lita, Chyna and Sable inside the ring and actually shows more personality than all of the above combined. Like it or not, her duo with Layla, “Laycool”, is over with the fans. This is evidenced by the mass amount of boos which accompany their entrance and matches.

Sure, Mrs. Undertaker isn’t the best female performer ever to burst onto the scene in North American wrestling, but she isn’t that far away from being one of the best, certainly in the modern-era. There’s a joke in here somewhere about being “Flawless”..

• Sid Vicious Arrested

Various online news sources are reporting the arrest of former WWF/WWE, WCW and ECW talent Sid Eudy this past weekend on drug charges. Mr. Eudy was apparently pulled over for driving without a seatbelt before the law officer found a bag containing large quantities of marijuana in his car. The man has since been released on a $1000 bond. Rumours that he threatened the policeman/woman with a Powerbomb whilst muttering something about being “the master and the ruler of the world” are unsubstantiated.

Having seen the mugshot of Sid, which is readily available online right now looking to search mugshots of him, it’s very clear that he’s getting on in years. I know, I know, that’s kinda obvious. What I’m really getting at here is that we’ve all heard rumours regarding his possible return to the spotlight with WWE over the past number of years. Sid himself has even been quoted to be interested and feels he’s ready to make a comeback to the promotion which gave him so much in the early and mid-1990’s.

Being a big fan of the man formerly known as “Sycho Sid”, “Sid Vicious”, “Sid Justice” and plainly, “Sid” – I’ve always loved the idea that he may make his way back into a wrestling ring at some point in the near future. The big guy was always one of my most favoured characters in a pre-Attitude era WWE and many countless hours were spent imitating his fiendishly creepy laugh which permeated his promos.

One of the better big-men wrestlers, Sid was surprisingly nimble for such a huge figure. Never the most technical of workers, he nonetheless had a presence which stuck with the fans and still keeps him fresh in so many people’s minds, even so many years after his last appearances on the grand stage for WCW.

Will we ever see him back in WWE? With the group’s new decree that they won’t be hiring anyone over the age of 30, this surely rules the monster out?

• Triple H Beginning To “Wind Down” In-Ring Career?

This is another huge topic which is sparking debate amongst fans all over the internet and one which will definitely polarise opinion. The master of the Pedigree manoeuvre has long had a love/hate relationship with those of us who happen to use a keyboard and watch pro wrestling. He doesn’t really think much of the IWC (“Internet Wrestling Community”) and clearly feels there’s too much negativity doing the rounds on wrestling message boards across the land.

I’ve written about it in great length many, many times and will not bore you with the details but, I actually agree with HHH on this one. There is far too much whining that goes on about the overall product, with people nit-picking until they can nit-pick no more. Indeed, it often times feels as though these folks don’t actually enjoy what they watch on a weekly basis, which begs the question as to why they bother to tune in.

In any event, there will still be a large number of fans who will be a tad disappointed that the man is supposedly contemplating taking a backseat as it pertains to being a main-event regular. “The Game” has been one of the linchpins holding together the top-line scene in WWE for over a decade now and has participated in so many fantastic matches down throughout the years, even before he was competing for the top belts.

It’ll be extremely intriguing to watch and see if the rumours are true that Triple H is being groomed as the eventual true successor to Vince McMahon and is effectively then given full control over World Wrestling Entertainment, from an in-ring point of view. Perhaps his wife, and Vince’s daughter, Stephanie will oversee the business and marketing aspects of the company leaving Mr. Helmsley to fully focus on boosting the ratings and crowds for live events, TV and PPV.

One thing is for sure, there are few other people employed by the promotion who have the drive, commitment and shrewdness to take over the steering wheel.

If you’d like to email me any of your thoughts, please feel very very free. I enjoy hearing from all of you, even if your opinions and thoughts don’t exactly match my own! jamiekennedy@live.com! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Mat Musings: Cool, Vicious & Clever appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

• Matt Hardy Says He Will Change Pro-Wrestling in 2011..

The saga of one Matt Hardy continues to be ongoing into the new year it seems, with this latest video tirade from the former WWE mid-card star. In his most recent video, Matt (who was wearing a “PG SUX!” t-shirt) asked his loyal fans how he should get his hair cut. Adding to this, the man decreed that he would make 2011 his year and would definitely “change pro wrestling forever”.

Having been a big Hardy Boys fan over the years, I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything Matt has been associated with. His much-lauded tag-team with brother Jeff was responsible for many fantastic matches in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s and I loved his initial solo run as “Matt Hardy: Version 1”. It’s therefore pretty sad to see where he’s ended up, even if the guy himself appears to be pretty happy with life. Sure, this writer is all for engaging your fan-base. However, didn’t Matt say almost exactly the same things last year?

It’s seen as fact now that Matt will join his sibling in the merry land of TNA when his no-compete clause with WWE expires. Will he become just another WWE release who is pushed to the moon by the fine folks at Orlando? Or will he show his true potential as a star and further his career in the iMPACT! Zone? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure, taking cheap clothing-related shots at your former employers is hardly professional or befitting of a man who was such a company man up until recently.

• FCW Champion to be Pushed Upon Main Roster Arrival..

It seems the youth initiative in WWE is set to proceed, with Welsh grappler Mason Ryan the next in line to receive a shot at stardom. Company officials are apparently extremely high on Ryan, who stands 6 ft 6 in and weighs in at around 280 lbs. What won’t be hurting his career is his striking resemblance to huge WWE name Dave Batista, who had recently left the company in the Summer.

Word is that the promotion are looking to almost immediately push Mason to the moon and have him slot comfortably into a high position on the card. Ryan (real name; Barri Griffiths) has an impressive physique and an intimidating presence, something us fans know will stand him in good stead.

Having seen the man perform in person, he does come across scarily similar to Batista, albeit a very raw and untested Batista. There was also a lot there to remind me of a younger Brock Lesnar too. This might be one to keep your eye on for the new year. Perhaps a move to the struggling Smackdown brand is in the Welshman’s near future, where they are in dire need of some top-line help.

• TNA Star Set To Return North of the Border..

Having been one of the young wrestlers TNA hoped would become a major player, Shawn Hernandez is ready to return to the company early in the new year. The big man has been plying his trade in Mexico for the past while, on extended leave from the Orlando-based group. Featuring on cards promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), it now seems as though he’s ready to have another crack at success in North America.

In my humble opinion, I was really disappointed by Hernandez feud with fellow man-mountain, Matt Morgan last year in TNA and would love for him to be given another chance in a profiled program. It just seemed to be a case of the pair not gelling with one another inside the ring, failing to capture the fans imaginations and leading to some stifled and rather uninteresting matches. Hopefully, we can chalk this one up to experience and both men will find their rhythm with other opponents in the future.

Hernandez was clearly the stand-out from the well received “LAX” team with Homicide and would have been a clear favourite to become a main event-level performer in 2010. This never seemed to happen for the big guy, and while we can argue about why not – he obviously deserves another shot.

I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Mat Musings: Matt Hardy, A New Star & Hernandez! appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

Your friendly BWF-community nonsense-spouter merely wished to drop by and leave his best wishes to each and every single one of you for the holiday season. I’ve managed to Facebook quite a few of you to wish you a happy one but for those I haven’t managed to get a hold of, have an utterly fantastic day. I really hope there are countless goodies for you to rip open come the morning and that there are no nasty, unwanted surprises in there. Yours truly has actually been pretty damn lucky in that regard over the years. I tend to have family and friends with awesome taste who give me presents which never fail to leave me smiling. May you all have the same luck as I!

In all seriousness however, enjoy, enjoy and enjoy again. Have a drink, be merry and for god sakes keep your clothes on. Nobody wants to see you in nothing but the Santa hat..

There will be a new and fresh article descending upon the homepage very soon but for now, I’ll sign out and let you get back to stuffing your turkey. Ooer! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Merry Christmas! appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

With quite a lot going on in the wrestling world as we head towards the end of the year and into the annual “Wrestlemania Season”, you fine readers may well see a lot more of the “Mat Musings” concept. This is simply because there is a hell of a lot to talk about this time of year, specifically when it comes to World Wrestling Entertainment. Having said that, one of the topics in this article has absolutely nothing to do with the biggest company in all of the wrestling kingdom! With that said, on with the topics!

• Scottish Wrestler to Appear on TNA Maximum iMPACT! Tour..

I have no clue how familiar many (or indeed any) of you are with the wrestling scene here in the UK. As it happens, it’s going through quite the boom period in regards to talent – which will be obvious to any of you who regularly tune into WWE or TNA television. The amount of British-born grappler’s currently making headlines in the major promotions is at an all-time high. This obviously bodes well for my local scene as the bigwigs at WWE and TNA seem to be on the lookout on this side of the water.

Recently, none other than Jeff Jarrett was flown in at the expense of TNA wrestling to hold a seminar with the young students of The “Scottish Pro Wrestling Academy” and the hard-working roster members of “Premier British Wrestling”. PBW has recently joined up with the “British Wrestling Council” (an institution put in place to improve the safety and working conditions for all those involved in the British wrestling scene, be they wrestler, manager, announcer, referee or ring crew) and this marks a clear statement of intent from TNA to sweep the shores of the UK for talent.

Adrian McCallum, who goes by the ring name “Lionheart”, was the man chosen by Jarrett at these training sessions to show the biggest amount of potential. Lionheart has long been a local favourite in Scotland, specifically Glasgow, and there is a fantastic buzz and excitement over him being given this opportunity. Having had the chance to see him wrestle a number of times, I can tell you that he reminds me of a younger AJ Styles and will no doubt thrive in front of a huge crowd at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Go get ’em buddy!

A special mention must be given to Ross Watson and his gang over at PBW too, for all the hard work they have put in removing the stigma and overall ‘cheapness’ of the British product. Their live shows are regularly jam-packed full of wrestling-hungry spectators and it wouldn’t be stretching the truth to say that nobody leaves a show feeling disappointed. This writer is in no way associated with PBW but feels that credit is due for all their efforts! It’s exciting to think, for somebody like me who is trying to break into the British wrestling scene, that someday I could perhaps be a part of all this. You just never know!

• Vince McMahon Banking on Brock Lesnar..

When WWE announcers start mentioning something heavily on TV at the direct request of their boss, it’s a good indication that the company and its owner are fairly confident said thing will come to fruition. The undoubted largest company in professional wrestling have always been very careful when it comes to things like this. Mr. McMahon really does like to follow through on things and doesn’t often leave things to chance, with his wrestling promotion at least.

There is still a lot of talk regarding the possible appearance of UFC performer and ex-WWE superstar, Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania this coming spring. Personally, I’m not entirely sure what to make of it all. I find it very difficult to imagine that Dana White, the owner of UFC, would allow one of his contracted fighters to show up on a WWE show for any reason. WWE and UFC may be two different monsters but they are in the business of ratings and trying to secure a bigger audience than the other, on the face of it. On the flip side, Lesnar appearing at the most-watched wrestling show of the year could be seen as the perfect advert for UFC. The chance of grabbing some new viewers could be a clever move, with WWE receiving the “cool” rub of being associated with mixed martial arts. Perhaps there is something in it for both sides afterall.

From a purely personal standpoint, I would love to see Brock back in a WWE ring. The chances of him ever returning full-time are extremely slim, which I realise, but a one-off appearance would only heighten my anticipation for the event. By far one of my favourite superstars from the past decade, “The Next Big Thing” became a world class main event level wrestler very fast – learning off peers such as Kurt Angle and The Undertaker with superlative quickness. With his intimidating size and impressive agility, I’d be a liar if I said I wouldn’t “mark out with my mark out” if the master of the “F5” showed up with his game face on.

Yours truly can recall being mega-disappointed with the way the man’s wrestling career ended. Coming to a close in complete and utter insouciance, his match with fellow-leaver Goldberg was treated with disdain by those in attendance at Madison Square Garden. It was a sorry end for the man in whom Vince McMahon saw great things. It would be entirely fair to say that Lesnar would still be a huge star in the land of the WWE had he not decided to pursue an American Football career, tired of the long roads he had to travel with the industry.

The only thing for us fans to do, is play the waiting game. It’ll certainly be an interesting watch to see if WWE ramp up their interest in their former champion. Or perhaps they already know something the rest of us do not..

I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Mat Musings #2 appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

Still I find myself lacking the means to really write as many columns as I would like. We don’t have internet in our new flat yet and therefore I’m only managing to write this due to being home for the weekend to visit my family and spend some time chilling out. Quite honestly, I can think of no better ways to relax than watching, thinking and talking about professional wrestling. With that said, let’s take a look at the wonderful world of ‘wrestling on tour’..

Earlier this month, my good friend Richard Flynn (who is responsible for this weeks WWE Smackdown report – check it out!) and I attended a WWE live event featuring the superstars of the Friday Night Smackdown brand in action. This is a pretty regular occurrence nowadays; for us to attend these shows. On a few occasions in the past, other friends have joined us for a night of live and in colour wrasslin’ entertainment but most of the time it’s simply Flynn and myself geeking it up. To say I love spending time with the guy and watching wrestling with him would be an understatement. The amount of hours we’ve let go past by watching WWE and TNA shows is probably mind-boggling. Not to mention the oodles of time we’ve dedicated to chatting about the aforementioned companies and also our favourite moments from the past. Seriously, we have spent a lot of time thinking about wrestling together. We seem to feed off one another’s passion and it has made for some very cool and very pleasurable afternoons and evenings, to say the least.

Our continued excitement at attending these WWE and TNA shows is equal to that of pretty much any kid you know who likes wrestling. I’m glad I can say with all seriousness that I am just as thrilled by the thought of seeing this brand of entertainment live today as I would have been had I been fortunate enough to grab tickets for a show when I was 10 years old. Rather unfortunately, whenever the then WWF and then WWE visited these shores back then, I always found myself facing a ticket hotline with no more remaining tickets. As much as my parents tried (my mum phoned as early as she could every time and my dad even drove the 150 miles from our home in Campbeltown to Glasgow on the off chance the venue would still have some seats left), it just never seemed to happen. This is probably just aswell – 10 year old me would likely have passed out with excitement had he been privy to The Rock or Triple H up close!

As it pertains to the day-to-day running of any wrestling organisation, there can be no arguments that non-televised or “house” show events are the least important they have been for quite some time, maybe even in the entire history of the industry. There is far more stress placed on the signification of a Pay-Per-View event or the rating for an episode of Monday Night RAW than there is for how many fans are drawn to arenas for the next WWE nationwide tour. House shows used to be the place to see your chosen wrestling promotion but has in more recent times been usurped by TV tapings and major shows such as “Wrestlemania”. This shouldn’t take away from the overall necessity of a company touring the country or indeed the world however, far from it. The revenue boosts WWE alone will feel from visiting the UK must be worth the trip. In between ticket sales (and the fact these tickets are snapped up readily due to the scant nature of shows in any given town each year), merchandise and crossover TV appearances, it’s clearly worth the promotions while to head on over the Atlantic frequently. It’s also a valuable tool for TNA, who have played before their biggest crowds when not in the United States. Big, American pro wrestling companies are simply devoured quickly in foreign markets, such is the fascination with only having one or two chances per annum to see them.

Due to this shift in how a wrestling company, specifically WWE, views its un-televised product, it’s far more of a mixed bag when you attend one these shows. What I’m getting at here is that it’s a clear learning ground for younger members of the roster and a chance for established superstars to try out new things and further develop their characters, far away from the scathing perfection of television. It has been really rather interesting to view things at the handful of house shows Richard and I have bought tickets to which would NEVER feature on WWE TV or PPV. As mentioned before, this can bring both positives and negatives along with it. It’s engrossing to view someone such as Chavo Guerrero, a man scarcely used on the air, be allowed to partake in a 12-minute long match and fully show off his skills to the audience. On the other side of the coin, it can be disheartening to know that nothing of any great significance is likely to happen on the show in your town.

This leads me rather nicely onto an argument which has been permeating wrestling writers and fans over and across the world; have WWE officials decreed that their wrestlers shouldn’t work quite so hard and take so many chances at a non-televised show as they would when the cameras are rolling, thus reducing the risk of injuring themselves or a peer?

If this is the case then it could be argued as short-changing the loyal fan who is excited to see the company and expects to see something pretty close to what he sees on TV each and every week. Surely, with the prices as they are for admission to the typical WWE or TNA house show (I.e not very cheap!), it’s not being cheeky to expect a level of performance matching that of what you are used to. To be completely fair to TNA, they encourage their performers to give their all, regardless of the platform or if the event is being filmed. Having witnessed this with my own 2 eyes, it does make for a thrilling spectacle.

Again, using the proverbial “other side”, I really don’t think the overall feel of the shows have suffered that much. Having been in attendance for a couple of RAW-brand house shows and a few Smackdown-brand ones, the match-quality has been pretty darn good. Sure, there are restholds and not nearly as many high-flying antics as we would see on TV but it’s not exactly a million miles away from your typical match on Monday Night RAW. Infact, I’d go as far to say that the promotion makes up for this with some well-placed and excellently executed (oh boy..) storyline goodness. This writer can recall just earlier this month some TV-inspired goings on with the “Nexus” stable and also some in-ring promo’s which draw you closer into the show. Therefore, I don’t think it’d be fair to say that either WWE nor TNA treat the fans with disdain in the house show market, certainly not on this side of the pond.

With all this said, what do YOU think? Have you attended a WWE or TNA house show event in which you’ve wished you’d saved your money? Did you wish instead that you’d spend some extra cash to go to a TV taping or Pay-Per-View? Or were you like me and felt both companies did their utmost to put on a good evenings entertainment and ensure the fans would come back in droves the next time around? Your thoughts are every bit as important as mine and opinions are definitely a huge part of what makes Bored Wrestling Fan and wrestling fans in general so great! Let me know what you reckon, either by leaving me a comment below or by sending me a quickfire email to jamiekennedy@live.com ! Until the next time, TAKE IT HOME! To your house. To your house uh…show..

The post Full House appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

One of the biggest topics currently filling up many a conversation between many a wrestling fan is that of the over-exposure suffered by today’s professional wrestler, specifically those in TNA and WWE. Now, I’m not referring to the ‘over-exposure’ of one Juventud Guerrera on an ill-fated tour of Australia with WCW. No, there’s a real feeling nowadays that it’s harder than ever for any given performer to get over with the people the way they used to – given that they’re put in front of said people more often than before. What with weekly TV shows featuring the same select band of (genuinely talented, it has to be said) men and women and sometimes more than one Pay-Per-View event each calendar month, WWE and TNA wrestlers find themselves thrust into that beautiful spotlight a hell of a lot. However, with that said, isn’t this the way it’s always been? Hasn’t wrestling always been a ‘sink or swim’ kind of business where the old saying “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen” comes to mind?

Despite the fact I’ve just drowned you in cliché, most wrestling fans are aware that the pressure to perform successfully night in and night out is simply a by-product of this form of entertainment. Nobody can really say, honestly, that the wrestler of today is under more scrutiny than those in the 1980’s or 1990’s. WWE, in particular, has always been a company producing a high volume of shows – both in the television and Pay-Per-View markets. The argument that there is less patience amongst the creative team and management/Vince McMahon than ever when it comes to superstars being given the time to hone their craft is perhaps valid however.

The breakneck speed with which the WWE product runs along these days must make it extremely hard for any young grappler to fully come to terms with the character he or she are expected to play, especially within the time frame they are expected to. Take Sheamus for example. The big Irishman is clearly one of the brightest young stars the “WWE Machine” has churned out since the last group of big names, such as John Cena, Randy Orton and Batista. He has a distinct look which sets him apart from the rest, can talk and put over the point of a promo, looks intimidating as hell and his in-ring skills have come a long way in such a short period of time. If what I’ve heard is correct, “The Celtic Warrior” has fallen behind Wade Barrett in the pecking order, due to management not feeling he is making the same progress as his highly-similar peer. This would make sense given the differing treatment of the pair on “Monday Night RAW” over the past little while. Sheamus appears to be killing time in a feud with John Morrison, waiting for HHH to make a glorious comeback and vanquish the man who put him on the shelf. By contrast, Wade Barrett is ear-marked for a high-profile title run and possibly even a match against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

This writer would really see it as a shame (no pun intended) if World Wrestling Entertainment decided to throw the towel in on the milky big devil at this point in time. I’m far, far from one to tell those folks at ‘Titan Towers’ how to do their jobs and I’m sure they have a plan for the guy but, it’s clear as day how much potential he has to be a head-liner for years to come. Sheamus has improved vastly compared to other WWE push-projects such as Vladimir Kozlov or The Great Khali, has shown a self-depreciating sense of humour and a real determination to be one of the best. Let’s face it, he’s not done himself any harm by hanging around with “The Game” either, whether intentionally planned or not. Fingers crossed this is merely a bump in a very long road and the company are biding their time and are actually giving the man some time to find himself. He has only been around for less than 2 years afterall, with only a year of that spent on ‘RAW’.

Another good example of how fickle a beast exposure can be would be the case of TNA wrestling. Ignoring the arguments of the cyclical nature of the pro wrestling business, let’s look at what TNA actually have in their favour. With the massive amounts of talent in the locker room, a weekly prime-time TV slot on a good network (who are 100% behind the company – something a certain ‘extreme’ promotion could have done with) and free from the shackles of the “PG” model, TNA really have a lot going for them. Their product, it could be said, isn’t all that much worse than the WWF/WWE product of the late 1990’s. The phrase “car crash television” comes to mind here.

What TNA seem to lack is probably one of the most important factors in what made WWF/WWE such a success in the latter years of the 20^th Century – character development. There’s just nothing that keeps people tuning in week-to-week on TNA “iMPACT!”. The show is usually a confusing mess, full of irritatingly inconclusive story development and so many turns and swerves that it makes “The Matrix” series seem like the most simple movie trilogy of all time! Not to mention the companies Pay-Per-View shows which seem unimportant and frustrating when placed next to the WWE ones. Most of the time, the PPV’s just come across like a 3 hour TV show, which just happen to have a few more matches.

It is not my job to bash Total Non-Stop Action wrestling whatsoever, I’m actually a fan. A fan who has been conditioned to not expect to understand the storylines, care about the outcome of matches or really care about missing the next show. That, surely, is the fault of those with the power at TNA. If I don’t fit into the ‘bitter, hard-to-please fan’ category then the promotion must be to blame for my continued indifference towards what they are putting out there. It’s supposed to enjoyable afterall. I would pay to watch most WWE shows, but wouldn’t often stump up the cash to watch a TNA one – as much as I’d really love to say otherwise. I want to enjoy both products!

In the case of this particular wrestling company, it’s less about over-exposure of their superstars and more about the wrong kind of exposure. Why is it that I care less about Jeff Hardy now as TNA main eventer than I ever did while he was in WWE, even as a lower-midcarder?

So, what are YOUR thoughts on the topic of exposure. It’s now your turn to rant my friends! I’d love to hear your thoughts and views, whether on the topic at hand or on my writing. Any and all feedback is more than welcome. I’m writing these pieces for my own enjoyment, sure, but also hoping that it can spark debate and that you’ll have some fun reading them. So let loose and don’t hold anything back, as if you need telling twice! jamiekennedy@live.com

TAKE IT HOME!

The post Exposure appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

• WWE Has WCW-Themed DVD Projects In The Works..

Having been a huge fan of the original “World Championship Wrestling” promotion, this headline really caught my eye. I actually have plans to do an entire article dedicated to the company and maybe even bust out some old ones from my growing library of wrestling article work. Look out for those!

The story basically runs that WWE are planning to release a DVD-set based on the popular “Monday Nitro!” TV show, similar to the 3-disc set they recently brought out for “Monday Night RAW”. It would document the first few years of the shows history (which arguably is the only few years worth watching!). Also hot off the press is that there is a DVD ready to be put together which would be a biography of one Bill Goldberg.

This is exciting news, certainly to a WCW fan such as I. I’m very sure both these DVD’s would sell pretty heavily, although perhaps not among the younger market of fans currently tuning into RAW and Smackdown. It’s long baffled me however, as to why WWE do not capitalise more on all that video footage they have for the Atlanta-based promotion. Sure, I’m not forgetting the “Rise & Fall of WCW” video they put out not so long ago, not the various DVD’s chronicling “The Four Horsemen” and the like.

Where I’m coming from more here is all those Pay-Per-Views they just have laying around. Surely it would be worth Vince McMahon’s time to pair these broadcasts up and release them under the “Tagged Classics” banner, just like WWE have done with events from their own history. I for one have long-awaited such a move and they’d definitely pry some money from my wallet! Many newer wrestling fans might not be so interested but it’d be worth the effort in order to make some dollars off all that old footage, much of which is highly significant to the annals of wrestling time.

There is of course the theory which has been reported as fact; that Vinnie Mac just wants the entire WCW thing to go away, which is exactly why he bought it and effectively buried it during the ill-fated “Invasion” angle. It’s merely my opinion but I’d be willing to say that McMahon is a trifle more intelligent than that. As an obviously shrewd business-man, he couldn’t fail to see the appeal these DVD’s would have to many a wrestling fan across the globe. Even some folks who may not tune into the product anymore could be caught, willing to part with the cash to relive fond memories from yesteryear.

Another idea, as an extension of this, may be to package a classic WCW event with a compilation of newer WWE matches, highlighting the superstars of today and attempting to draw those fans who have “left it all behind” back into being paying customers. Just a thought.

• MVP Feels Disgruntled At Current Positioning Within WWE..

Let’s face it, the poor guy SHOULD feel a little aggrieved at how things have panned out for him in the past 2 years or so. Once a sure-fire bet to be one of the next headlining atop WWE cards, Mr. Porter now finds himself filling air-time on “WWE Superstars” and without a meaningful story arc to sink his teeth into.

It’s pretty difficult to make guesses as to where it’s all went wrong for the “Ballin’” grappler without having actually been backstage at a number of WWE events or pulling up a chair at one of the bosses production meetings/creative sessions. None of us really know what might have went on between MVP and WWE management which has left his career going cold. On the flipside, nothing at all could have happened. Management may have simply lost interest in the character or are biding their time with the man until they have something worthwhile for him to be involved in.

For most of us fans, it’s pretty darn clear-cut where it all turned sour in this particular wrestlers career; a frostily received babyface turn.

Sometimes it really does seem as though those and such as those in charge of writing the shows and making creative decisions just…get bored and decide to throw some changes out there without any real rhyme or reason. One example could be the sudden split of the popular brothers Colon, Carlito and Primo. This can be directly linked to their rapid descent down the cards into near-obscurity and also perhaps the parting between Carlito and his WWE contract. The MVP situation seems to be pretty much the same deal. A random change just for the sake of it, one which hasn’t really been planned out all that well with any clear vision as to why in the name of jebus we’re now supposed to be cheering a dude who’s claimed for many a year that he’s better than all of us, in character of course.

It’s as definite as day turns to night that everything I say here is simply speculation. I have no idea whatsoever the reasoning for MVP no longer being a focal point of WWE TV. As I also said before, there may not really be any real reason at all. One thing I do believe however is that his career and gimmick could still be rescued by a return to the heel kingdom. It just makes sense that a character such as his should be on the bad side of the fence.

It’s nothing more than my own idea (although I’m sure more than a few of you have had the same thoughts before) but the guy could be catapulted right back into the upper-card mix if he were to appear before us on RAW and decry the audience, blaming them for distracting him from his true potential and almost ruining his career by having him put more effort into entertaining them than winning matches and titles. Thus, MVP would be disowning the “WWE Universe” and getting an edge back into his disposition. Immediately, I feel WWE would have a hungry performer again. One who would be motivated to bust his ass both on the mic and in the ring, which can only be good for the product. One thing’s for sure, there is a hell of a lot of talent going to waste as we speak if MVP is kept as this ‘opening match relief’ like he is right now. He could be a major player within the company, no doubts.

I hope you enjoyed what’s going on in my head regarding the above subjects and the “Mat Musings” concept in general. Feel free to add your own viewpoints below as all your comments are surely as important as mine, maybe even more so! I’d love to hear some more opinions on these topics as that’s what being a wrestling fan is all about – mixing with other fans and debating till the cows come home! You can also send correspondence to my email at – jamiekennedy@live.com

I look forward to hearing from you and have a great week! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Mat Musings appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

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The current anti-Cena attitude can be traced to several factors.

The easy thing to do, which is also incorrect, is to make blanket assumptions, such as “The IWC hates Cena,” or that only women and kids cheer for Cena. Both of those statements are demonstrably false. Show me a fan of ANYTHING today who doesn’t spend time on the internet, researching and seeking to connect with others of like mind. I don’t remember anyone ever claiming that only women and kids cheered for Hulk Hogan back in the 80s, and if it were true for Cena, it would almost have to be true for Hogan. The argument that Hogan was a star in a more innocent time, where older kids and guys would have felt comfortable supporting him, and that we today have already experienced the age of the anti-hero, making the more traditional hero less attractive, doesn’t stand up either. Hogan’s heyday in the 80s was the time of Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, the X-Men comics (which I know were created earlier, but were still very popular), the golden age of hard rock and heavy metal, and a host of other tv, movie, and comic book characters who were as dark, edgy, and of the anti-hero vein as anything that we have today.

Wrestling fans have grown up accustomed to “cool” heels. The nWo holds much responsibility for this, as does DX, the original ECW, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and the Rock. We’ve almost been trained to be contrary, cheering for heelish characters and booing babyfaces. The example of the Rock is always trotted out, and the comparison has some merit. Rocky Maivia was too goody-goody and boring. The Rock was everything that we wanted to be. Cena was quite popular all around when he first started the rapper gimmick, largely because he was unpredictable on the mic. He would cut down anyone, including Vince McMahon. Nowadays, he grunts and makes rather constipated-looking facial expressions while repeating lackluster catchphrases like “Never give up.” Cena is doing exactly what he is supposed to do by playing the indestructible super hero that every kid loves, but in doing so, he has completely alienated the rest of the audience that is not part of the PG demographic.

This leads me to the next point. Whether it really happened because Linda McMahon decided to run for Senate or not, the shift to the PG product and tightly focused marketing on kids is, to a degree, a very sound business decision. The golden age of WWF in the 80s (I consider the Attitude Era a completely different creature from any sort of “golden age.”) targeted kids. Business boomed. Now those very kids are grown and have their own kids. It’s a basic business concept to “get ’em when they’re young,” and then you have customers for life. It certainly worked before. The problem with catering to a new generation of fans is that the previous generation of fans, who have supported the product with time, money, and passion, feel slighted and even cheated. The resentment and hatred over that is transferred to the company’s poster boy, John Cena. The thing that WWE seems to have forgotten in their new business model is that the kids aren’t paying for anything. Parents and guardians, adults, in other words, have to take the kids to the shows, buy tickets, t-shirts, masks, and all the other merchandise that gets created, and sit through the shows with the kids, both live on on tv. If the parents think that the content is stupid, or embarrassing/insulting to human intelligence, they won’t want to spend the time and money on WWE that they once did. Basically, there has to be something in it for them as well, and WWE is ignoring that.

This ties in with my final point. You were dead-on about having a company that has a bit of everything. That’s why I (and so many others, by the sound of it) feel so disappointed and let down by both WWE and TNA. I wouldn’t mind sitting through a John Cena match if I knew that I would get an Alex Shelley match somewhere else on the card. The most effective and profitable concept for pro wrestling has always been, and always will be, what I call the circus model. It has a little bit of everything, and all of it is good. Comedy acts, like Santino Marella and Hornswaggle. Over-the-top epicness like the Undertaker and Kane. Special attractions like the Great Khali and the Big Show. True tag teams like the Hart Dynasty, the Usos, Beer Money, and the Motor City Machine Guns. Legitimate women’s matches with actual wrestlers like Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Mickie James, Daffney, Sarita, MsChif, and Sara Del Ray. Mat-based technical wow-fests with people like Douglas Williams, Nigel McGuinness, Christopher Daniels, AJ Styles, Davey Richards, KENTA, and Roderick Strong. Powerhouses like Drew McIntyre, Samoa Joe, and Sheamus. Super-athletic high-fliers like Brian Kendrick, Kofi Kingston, Evan Bourne, Justin Gabriel, John Morrison, and Austin Aries. That would be every wrestling fan’s dream.

The company with the broadest appeal does the best business. ROH caters to a very specific audience, and that’s great for that audience. They specifically say that they aren’t interested in the casual fan, and that they provide serious wrestling that has nothing to do with sports entertainment for fans of real pro wrestling. Fine, that’s their thing. The big two aren’t much better. WWE hates tag teams, most of the smaller and more athletic high-fliers, and legitimate female wrestlers who don’t look like Barbie dolls. They focus on children at the expense of the adult audience. TNA prides themselves on being a more adult product, but Eric Bischoff mocks the hardcore wrestling fans and says repeatedly that they don’t matter, that the casual fans were the target audience. As you said, TNA has tried so hard to be WWE that they have lost almost everything that made them different. The X-Division, the six-sided ring, the legitimate Knockouts division, the focus on true tag teams, and the international talent are all gone.

How does all this tie back in to John Cena? While there are a given number of douchebags who have to make sure that everyone knows that they are far too cool to ever like something that is popular or mainstream, most of it, I honestly believe, stems from frustrated and disappointed fans who feel that there is nothing in the WWE product for them anymore. They resent having devoted so much time, money, and passion into something that has essentially ditched them. Because John Cena is the embodiment of the current WWE product, all the negative feelings are transferred to him. Booing and criticizing him is easier than actually getting the desired changes from Vince and the WWE. It’s rather like spending huge quantities of time, effort, and money on dating someone, and then you get kicked to the curb for someone else. Of course you hold that individual up as the epitome of all that is wrong with the world. It’s how human nature works.

My thoughts, at least.

The post Drowgoddess’ Take On John Cena appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

FSM, as it’s more commonly known, is perhaps the biggest selling wrestling magazine in Britain and covers the local scene extensively, whilst also detailing the latest goings on from the world of Mixed Martial Arts and what’s going down within WWE, TNA, ROH etc. Along with “Powerslam”, it’s one of the “Big Two” in terms of professional wrestling print here on this little island.

Having been a buyer of both Powerslam and FSM for many, many years (my first issue of the former was April 2001), I have quite a lot of experience when it comes to what type of articles feature and which kind of wrestling fan they captivate and cater to. Obviously, both magazines are aimed more towards the fan who wants to know more than who is feuding with whom and which cards are coming up in the near future. There’s a decided “backstage” element to the writing, which clearly presumes that those reading already have an extensive knowledge of this unique form of entertainment and use the internet on occasion.

Of course, this comes with its own problems and leads me merrily into the meat of the subject which prompted me to pen this little diatribe; John Cena.

Now now, settle down and don’t you worry your sexy little head about anything, I’m not going to go all ‘keyboard warrior’ on those and such as those who happen to be pro wrestling fans and use the world wide web. I’m simply making the point that almost everyone who isn’t a casual wrestling fan and watches World Wrestling Entertainment seems to have some unbelievable vendetta against Mr. Cena.

Sure, his punches maybe aren’t the most convincing around and the lines he’s fed by the creative team do make him come across like the biggest dork this side of Michael Cole but, is he really quite as bad as most make him out to be? Being a character quite plainly aimed towards children and the younger market, Cena simply cannot be a hard-edged anti-hero such as Steve Austin or even a mildly-offensive cool member of the roster such as The Rock. The landscape of WWE has simply changed since both those men were tearing up arena’s and selling Pay-Per-Views en masse. John Cena has a much, much different role to play – one that’s actually closer to home than most wrestling fans realise.

If there are any children who grew up watching wrestling in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s who didn’t idolise Hulk Hogan then please let yourselves be known. Hulk was, for lack of a wittier phrase, the man during that time-frame and most kids were in awe of the guy. Similarly, most younger members of the wrestling audience are in awe of John Cena today and admire his never say die attitude and ability to always overcome the odds. One thing I do not really hear the writers of the aforementioned magazines saying is how ridiculous Hogans “Hulk-Up” routine or continued defying-the-odds type of wins were killing fan interest or bad for business. Sure, Hogan presided over a much more lucrative time for professional wrestling but that would be ignoring the point – WWE are giving their predominant market exactly what they want.

It’s not hard to draw comparisons between “Word Life” and “Hulkamania”. Both are innocently portrayed as upstanding characters who would help an elderly lady across the street or take the time to teach a wrongdoing youngster the value of honesty and integrity. The pair are undoubtedly linked through their relationship with a generation of grapple-loving children and ability to shift t-shirts, wristbands and other assorted merchandise items like hot cakes. There’s even the not-so-small matter of them both having superhero-like comebacks during almost every one of their matches. The comparisons are pretty endless, right down to having an anthemic piece of music to accompany their grand entrance to the ring.

Yours truly can recall a time when Cena was perceived as “cool” by many grown-ups who so wanted him to be catapulted to the top of the cards. The reaction to his United States Title win over The Big Show at “Wrestlemania XX” in the year of 2004 is concrete evidence of this. At that time, John Cena was viewed as one of the most cutting edge superstars for a number of years and was definitely being pushed towards main events with a combination of his own skills and the audiences connection with him. There were definite parallels with other men who went on to become major players in the company following a sustained period in the mid-card, such as Triple H and even Shawn Michaels. It was THAT kind of reaction. The one which told Vince McMahon that he had a ready-made star in his midst.

So what went wrong? What has led us to this point in time where Mr. Cena can seemingly do no right? Is the era of Parental Guidance to blame for the watered-down receptions to this particular head-liner? What is really the reason for such hostile booing aimed at the master of the “Attitude Adjustment” regardless of what actions he takes?

This is the part of the show where I hand it over you to, dear reader. I’d love to know YOUR opinions about none other than John Cena. Whether you agree with me or not, I’d like to hear from each and every one of you on this topic – one which is sure to spark debate! Just like John Cena always does! You can send all correspondence to jamiekennedy@live.com

I look forward to it! TAKE IT HOME!

The post John Cena appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.

I’ve basically been given free reign to chatter away to my hearts content about all things wrestling, which is perhaps the most fantastic welcome email I could have received by “the boss” (I’m very sure he walks just like Vince McMahon into the office every morning), ThinkSoJoe. So, with that said – feel free to thank that man for inflic…erm…bringing me onto your computer screens each week. You can thank him in anyway you see fit, likely by screaming at him in a voice akin to Paul Heyman, “WHO’S THE RAMBLING SCOTSMAN WITH THE GRAMMATICAL SKILLS OF A 4 YEAR OLD!?”.

It’s plainly obvious why I am here and why I have managed to stumble, with the help of the lovely Drowgoddess, blind drunk into the land of BWF; yours truly simply loves professional wrestling. I have done since I was a very small boy and will continue to do so until I’m a very small old man. It’s always hard for me to convey or put across my true passion for what all those men and women do each and every night. I’ve penned many an article for many a website regarding my thanks for the countless hours of fantastic entertainment they have given me over the years. The sacrifice and dedication to performance is evidently appreciated by millions, with me amongst those millions. I love wrestling for the drama, the spectacle, the over-the-top hammy acting and the head-in-hands moments where you’re failing to believe what you’ve just witnessed. It has made me laugh, it has made me cry. One thing it has never really failed to do however, is fail to entertain me.

I’ve long pondered why I am so enraptured by this unique form of scripted theatre. In the many years I’ve followed the grap-game, there have been many people I know who have moved on from it’s clutches. “Grown out of it” or grown bored of it, the numbers aren’t exactly sparse. In my circle of friends, I’d go so far as to say that 90% of them now view professional wrestling as “something for kids” or “entertainment for morons”. They don’t mean anything harsh by these statements but they seem to be missing the point of why I’m still heavily into it – it’s more than entertainment to me. I enjoy thinking about what might go on backstage. Where the storylines come from and how they’re put together is a topic which has long kept me awake at night, basking in the afterglow of another Pay-Per-View conclusion. Sure, I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that goes on when the lights go down and the show’s over, but it doesn’t stop me from daydreaming about it.

The above may seem like a pretty wacked-out piece of nonsense to a number of you. I appreciate that there are those and such as those who merely wish to watch the show week-to-week, never thinking of what goes on behind the curtain. Afterall, what’s wrong with that? If you’re getting what entertainment you need out of the product then by all means treat it how you wish to treat it. One thing nobody should ever do however, is tell another fan how to go about enjoying the same product. This is partly what makes pro wrestling such an exclusive commodity however. How many people do you know who watch…say…CSI and when they switch the TV off, they wonder for hours how the show is put together, what the cast are like as real people and will eagerly debate with others on whether or not William Petersen as “Gil Grissom” is protecting his spot and keeping the minor characters in their place, hogging the limelight all for himself?

Now we all know that if this does happen, it’s a very rare occurrence. Most fans of most TV shows are happy to tune in, enjoy and then tune out, getting on with the rest of their day/evening. Not so in the wrestling world. It’s one of those entertainment mediums which has it’s content scrutinised relentlessly by a huge number of it’s fanbase each and every day of the year.

The internet itself has become so renowned that the fans who like wrestling AND use the web are now referred to as the “IWC” or “Internet Wrestling Community”. There’s a negative stigma attached to this too, wherein fans who surf the net to talk about wrestling are perceived as fat nerds who just want to pick holes in what happened on Monday Night RAW. Now I’m extremely sure there are those of that ilk among us but, y’know, some of us just want to chat to fellow fans about what’s going down, where the promotion could possibly take the stories from here and wax lyrical regarding Velvet Sky’s entrance sequence.

Personally, and I’m sure I’m not alone here, this reputation irritates me. It’s not that many wrestlers and creative team members of the various wrestling companies have bias against opinionated forum-users that gets to me. It’s a large portion of the vast number of wrestling-based message boards userbase that gets to me. The very same userbase which I myself am a part of. There does seem to be so much negativity around, to the point that sometimes you find yourself wondering why most of these people even watch the shows anymore. What pleasure can be gained out of watching any entertainment medium you find ridiculous, seething over it and then venting your self-made frustrations to others over the internet? Surely to heck some of these folks need to relax and if wrestling isn’t as good to them as it was back during the “Attitude” era, they should just stick to YouTube clips, videotape libraries and memories?

Having said all that, I beg of you – please do not get me wrong. There are many things which happen on wrestling shows which perplex me to absolute unholy hell. Do these things ruin my day? No. Do these happenings destroy my enjoyment of the show as a whole? No. I wouldn’t watch it for one minute longer if they did! I guess I do understand where some of the bitching comes from but, like I said, it impresses me how some of these people beat the product up and yet still find the time to tune in. It’s simply something I may never understand.

If you’re still awake, I must thank you for taking the time to peruse through my article. I really hope it’s apparent how passionate I am about the weird and wacky world of pro wrestling. As much as I know about it, I like humbling myself by saying that I know next to nothing about it, really. I know what I think, what I’ve read and heard, which is possibly not actually what happens in the day-to-day running of World Wrestling Entertainment or Total Non-Stop Action Wrestling.

I’d really like to hear from you regarding the content of this column. Any opinions, questions or corrections you can think of, I’m more than happy to read them all. I just love talking to others about wrestling! That’s why I’m here! I’d also just like to thank ThinkSoJoe, Drowgoddess and each and every one of you for welcoming me here with such open arms. It’s great to be a part of the family! You can send all correspondence to jamiekennedy@live.com

I look forward to it! TAKE IT HOME!

The post Coming Down The Aisle.. appeared first on BoredWrestlingFan.com.