Hulk Hogan: Fall of An Icon

Recently, the biggest stars of the 80's Generation have taken huge falls from their respective pedestals. Bill Cosby has been revealed as a Serial Rapist as his image has been tarnished and destroyed. Cosby's image of everybody's favorite TV Dad has now been ruined.

Now, the ultimate wrestling Icon from the 80's has become involved in controversy. Hulk Hogan, the biggest wrestling star of not just the 80's but in history itself has been exposed as a racist. In the world 0f 2015, 80's legends are imploding before our very eyes.

What was once wholesome about the 80's is now falling apart. The last thing I need to find out is that the guy from "Reading Rainbow" is a pedophile.

As a wrestling fan, this has been the worst pain that I have felt other than when a wrestler dies. As I read the story, I felt like I seriously wanted to cry. Tears never came out, but I cried internally. This has been very humiliating and serves as a black eye on the world of wrestling because the man who personifies wrestling went on a racial tirade using the N-word multiple times. I am currently writing this with a heavy heart.


As a result, WWE has cut ties with Hulk Hogan completely. Every trace of him has been removed from their website. He was even removed from the Hall of Fame.

It has been said that Hogan's comments caused WWE to lose $50 million in stock. Talk about getting burned financially.

I was born in 1989 during the height of Hulk Hogan's career. By the time I became a fan as a child, Hulkamania was fading as the likes of Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart were taking over. When I finally got to witness Hogan for myself, he was making a splash in WCW.

However, I got the chance to keep up with his WWF Career by reading PWI Magazine (Pro Wrestling Illustrated). I was able to make up for some of the time that I had lost. That magazine, along with archive footage helped me appreciate the Megastar that he really was.

The Wrestling Universe was built on Hulk Hogan's shoulders. He was the first wrestler to legitimize the sport in the eyes of the Mainstream Audience. The first 9 WrestleManias have his name written all over them because he was front and center. Hogan was the first wrestler to ever host Saturday Night Live along with Mr. T. They made their appearance the night before WrestleMania I.

The Hulkster is the only wrestler to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated back in 1985. Since then, nobody else has ever done that. During the 80's, Hogan was one of the most recognizable celebrities with the likes of Michael Jackson, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and others.

This man was the foundation of Vince McMahon's vision for what he wanted Wrestling to become as they came together to form an Empire. The Machine became Unstoppable as other promotions fell under the pressure to compete with Vince McMahon and his MVP Hulk Hogan.

Hogan has created many memories for fans who were children during his glory days. Who can forget how The Hulkster found his inner strength to pick up the 500+ pound Andre The Giant and slam him in front of 93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome at WrestleMania III? The Irresistible Force conquered the Immovable Object. It was a crowning moment for Hogan, Andre, and the wrestling world itself.

His clash with a former friend "Macho Man" Randy Savage at WrestleMania V was amazing. The battle between The Hulkster and The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI has been a match that has been talked about for years from one generation to the next.

The Hulkster took America on his back to defeat the Evil Iraqi Tyrant Sgt. Slaughter at WrestleMania VII.

The foundation of WrestleMania was built on Hulk Hogan. As Paul Heyman said, Vince McMahon took his blood and built Titan Towers.

Hulk Hogan has to be the most Influential Star in Wrestling History. Besides Vince McMahon himself, Hogan has to be the most important name. When you look at a Mt. Rushmore of Wrestling, the Top Three names for me would be Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock.

PWI ranked Hogan #1 in their list of the Top 500 Wrestlers in History. He was "Mr. PWI". This is how important this man is to the sport of professional wrestling.

Even people that don't know a wristlock from a wristwatch know who Hulk Hogan is. His mustache and Red & Yellow bandana are instantly recognizable. This is why this racial controversy is so devastating.

Roughly 60% of Wrestling history involves Hulk Hogan in some capacity. Many of Hogan's fans throughout the years have been black. Look at the black entertainers, from rappers to athletes. Many of them grew up as fans of Hulk Hogan.

This news about Hogan dropping the N-Bomb serves as a knife to the chest of the wrestling community. WWE is giving Hulk Hogan the Chris Benoit treatment, where they rewrite history to pretend that he never existed.

Hot 97 Radio Host and Wrestling Fan Peter Rosenberg ripped his Hulk Hogan poster from the wall in a video on Periscope.

The Anger is at an all-time high. If it was Michael PS Hayes or some other Hillbilly I would not have taken a second thought. Since this is Hulk Hogan, it automatically generates headlines.

I agree with WWE cutting ties with him to save face because his actions have been disgraceful. However, it is IMPOSSIBLE to erase him from history. Hulk Hogan covers too much history to wipe him from existence. Revising history to get rid of Hogan is an insult to not only the fans but to the history of the business.

For the past 10 years, Hulk Hogan's personal life has gone into a downward spiral. From his Sex Tape to his divorce it seems that Hogan really "Doesn't Know Best".

The Audio that Hogan is in trouble for is not so much the one where he casually throws the N Word out when hanging out with Birdman and Lil Wayne. He is under fire for the disturbing audio where he is angry at his daughter Brooke for dating a black guy.

The things that he says in the transcript are too disgusting for me to even repost.

In the wake of this scandal, a video has surfaced the Internet with a segment where Vince McMahon calls John Cena the "N Word" in front of Booker T. I would later find out that it was a tongue in cheek joke that everybody was in on, including Booker T. So that could not even compare to the gross hatred that Hogan had in his phone call.

Vince has been known to push that Race Button not to claim himself as a racist, but to trigger the audience. McMahon has always been about making headlines no matter what the topic is.

Granted, WWE is notorious for Racial Stereotypes throughout their history so that disqualifies them for having a moral high horse. However, they have moved into the family friendly arena like never before so they have to do everything they can to save face.

I would also like to share a personal story about this scandal. Before this happened, I was going to buy a Hulk Hogan "11x14" Printed Painting from WWE Shop. It was fantastic, as it encapsulated his career with the different logos (WrestleMania, Hulkamania, WWE, WCW, NWO). I had my mind on buying this portrait. Sadly, WWE announced that they would remove all Hulk Hogan merchandise. So, that painting was removed with everything else.

Here is the painting that I was going to buy. Amazing isn't it?

I had plans on drawing some cool Hogan pictures myself involving his WrestleMania Career. Now, those plans have been shot down.

Unfortunately, Hulk Hogan is not the only beloved wrestling star to use racial slurs. Kamala tells everyone the story about Andre The Giant calling him racist names during their time together in the Mid-South Territory. Kamala says that he pulled out a gun in Andre's face. From that point on, Andre The Giant left him alone.

There has also been a story from Theodore Long in a Shoot Interview about Ric Flair calling him a racist name.

The big difference between them and Hulk Hogan is that they were never recorded.

Well, at least we know that Bret Hart is not racist. Have you seen the woman he is married to? Same with Cody Rhodes "Stardust".

I am not one of those black wrestling fans holding a black power fist screaming for black champions left and right. I care about talent regardless of the color of the skin. However, the topic of race will be handled with more awareness considering who made these remarks.

This is not some nameless jabroni in Alabama or Tennsessee that hates black people as they proudly wave their confederate flag. This is HULK FREAKIN' HOGAN!! A global figure that creates attention no matter what he does.

However, there have been many celebrities and fans coming to Hogan's side including black celebrities. Names like Shaq, George Foreman and Dennis Rodman have come to Hogan's defense regardless of the things that he has said.

I believe that this issue will also cause people to examine what they say behind closed doors when it comes to people of other ethnic backgrounds. Even if it is a simple senseless joke, this will cause people to check themselves.

Once again, I am in no way shape, or form justifying Hulk Hogan's comments. However, if we are honest we know of someone in our family or inner circle who has those feelings towards people of other races. They are just not recorded. Those same people do not have the same status as Hulk Hogan.

The best thing for Hulk Hogan to do at this point is to lay low for a while and just do a legitimate apology tour to show how sincere he is. It is going to take some time for The Hulkster to repair his image.

The best thing that I or anyone else can do is simply look at someone like Hulk Hogan in a different light.

This should also be a reminder not to place people on the pedestal. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

As fans, we grew up wanting to paint this imaginary, kayfabe world where these problems don't exist. At the end of the day, they are flawed humans like the rest of us.

Showstopping Champions: Shawn Michaels

Today, I would like to pay tribute as I highlight the journey of one of the most honored champions in wrestling history. This man was a Headliner, Showstopper, well you know the rest. In the words of the Undertaker, this man was an Icon amongst men.

His path to success is very similar to that of his arch nemesis Bret "The Hitman" Hart. He is one of the most accomplished gladiators of the squared circle. That man is none other than "The Heartbreak Kid" himself, Mr. Shawn Michaels. Much like Bret, Shawn was one of my favorites growing up because of the excitement and flair that he brought to the ring. Bret was technique, Shawn had technique with flash and athleticism. Shawn was also part of Vince McMahon's vision to move from the Giant, Barbaric style of wrestling to a more fluid and faster pace of wrestling. Michaels has become synonymous with big matches as he has earned the moniker of "Mr. WrestleMania". He was a highlight waiting to happen. Shawn has been a lightning rod in the ring because of how he has been able to spark value in whatever match or storyline that he was involved in. Those that did not like Shawn's personality still had to respect how exceptional he was when he stepped through those ropes.

Shawn Michaels was not built like the traditional Vince McMahon prototype for a wrestler. He did not have the size of Hogan, Warrior, etc. Whatever Shawn lacked in size, he more than made up for in resilience and his ring skills.

Ladies and Gentleman, here is the Journey of an Icon:

Origins:

Born on July 22, 1965, Shawn Michaels grew up as a fan of professional wrestling in San Antonio, Texas. He was inspired by watching greats like Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, The Von Erichs and others. Shawn would wrestle in high school while also playing football. By the time he was 19, Shawn entered the world of wrestling as he made his start in World Class Championship Wrestling. He naturally started as a jobber (enhancement talent) for the top names of that time. Not long after that, he would join the American Wrestling Association (AWA) to team with his future tag team partner Marty Jannetty. From that point on, the rest was history.


Rockers Era (1986-91):

The Rockers were heavily inspired by The Rock & Roll Express and the Midnight Express with their high-flying and tag team chemistry. They were the heartbeat of the AWA during its twilight years. Their primary feud was with the team of "Playboy" Buddy Rose and Doug Sommers. During their time in the AWA, Shawn and Marty would win the AWA Tag Team Titles. Their success would open up doors for the move to Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1988.

Initially, the Rockers had wrestled in the WWF in 1987. However, they were fired because of their reputation out of the ring. By the following year, Vince was willing to give them another chance to prove themselves. They took the chance and ran with it. The Rockers made their WWF debut in July 1988, as they brought an element of aerial action that had not been seen before.

The Rockers were involved in the main event of Survivor Series 1989 during the 4-on-4 elimination match as they teamed with Ultimate Warrior and Jim Neidhart. Warrior's team won the match.

From the outset, it seemed that Shawn had something special during his time in the tag division. The chemistry that he and Marty had was amazing for the world to see.

The Rockers wrestled a variety of teams from The Hart Foundation, The Brainbusters to the Twin Towers. In spite of their popularity, the Rockers could never capture the Tag Team Titles. The closest that they came to winning the gold was in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match with The Hart Foundation on the Main Event. The decision was reversed after the top rope came apart.

The Rockers continued their run until the end of 1991. Everyone knows about the most famous segment of the Barber Shop in January 1992. The Rockers had been going through some turmoil at this point, and Marty Jannetty wanted to make peace with Shawn.

HBK came to the Barber Shop wearing a black leather jacket, black sweatpants, and black boots. He carried himself like a heel, so you can see that the seeds were being planted for his upcoming Heartbreak Kid Character.

Even the look on Shawn's face says it all. Shawn superkicks Marty and threw him through a glass window on the set of Brutus Beefcake's talk show. HBK would rise to the top and have a remarkable singles career while Jannetty would flounder as the afterthought of the Rockers.

For years, it has become a running joke to call a sidekick "Marty Jannetty" because of how Marty fell into Shawn's shadow.

Intercontinental Title Era (1992-95):

Just as Vince McMahon was moving Bret Hart away from the Tag Team Division to become the face of the WWF, Shawn Michaels was also part of the plans to change the face of the promotion. It is no surprise that Shawn was separated from Jannetty after Bret was separated from Anvil. They would both be catalysts for a New Era/Generation of Wrestling, along with The Undertaker.

In January 1992, Shawn Michaels was paired with Sensational Sherri Martel. Sherri had been the valet for "Macho Man" Randy Savage and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase respectively before managing Shawn.

Having Sherri at his side accelerated Shawn's growth as a singles star, because he was becoming famous by association.

Shawn was making a strong impact in the mid-card, with signs of main event potential written on him. He would battle veterans from Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Roddy Piper as well as Randy Savage. HBK would start his feud with Bret Hart for the second most prestigious prize in wrestling, the Intercontinental Championship.

FIRST EVER WWF LADDER MATCH.....
July 21, 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title Ladder: Bret Hart (c) defeats Shawn Michaels (13:46)
WWF House Show @ Civic Center in Portland, Maine, USA
In total, The Hitman defeated Shawn Michaels a total of 44 times during this particular run of matches.
The most notable match during that time was the first ever Ladder Match that took place on July 21, 1992. Bret emerged as the winner, as he continued to have Shawn's number. They would not see the last of each other.

By the end of the year, Shawn would start to transition away from Sherri. She would side with Marty Jannetty after Shawn pulled her in front of Marty to get hit with the mirror.

The Chapter with Sensation Sherri was closing, as Shawn was looking forward to another Chapter in his career to become Intercontinental Champion.

October 27, 1992
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels defeats Davey Boy Smith
Saturday Night's Main Event

Just two months after Summerslam, Shawn Michaels dethroned The British Bulldog after Davey defeated Bret Hart in the match of his career to become IC Champion. The win over the Bulldog would launch one of the most storied tenures as IC Champion in WWE History.

Champion vs Champion:

Following his victory for the IC Title, HBK would become the next contender for Bret Hart's WWF Championship. This would prove to become the biggest threat to Bret's title by that point, because Papa Shango and Berzerker don't exactly scream "World Champion". Bret and Shawn wrestled each other multiple times during the year, but the stakes were higher this time around.

Survivor Series 1992 was set as a Champion vs Champion Match. There was only one catch: Shawn did not have to defend his title, but Bret did. The Hitman would win with The Sharpshooter. Even though Bret was poised to win, Shawn posed as a strong enough challenger to give The Hitman a run for his money.



Following his match with Bret, Shawn would transition into his feud with former tag partner Marty Jannetty. Michaels defeated Jannetty at the 1993 Royal Rumble to retain his title. Shawn would also feud with other contenders such as Tatanka. HBK would hold the title for seven months until he lost in a surprise match to Marty Jannetty on Monday Night Raw (5/17/93). It was the first Match of the Year Award of Shawn Michaels career. During this time, Shawn would enlist Diesel as his bodyguard.

HBK would win the title back from Marty in June 1993. However, Shawn would have to forfeit the title in September as a result of a suspension. During his time away, Razor Ramon wins a Battle Royal to become the new champion.

Real IC Champion:

Shawn returns with a counterfeit title as he claims that he was never defeated before leaving. This storyline culminated in the First Ladder Match in WrestleMania History at WM X. This match is what helped Shawn become the "Showstopper" because this match stole the show.

 Michaels displayed his early flashes of WrestleMania brilliance in this match with the incredible feats that he made using the ladder. It was very innovative considering the time period. Razor would become the winner of the match, but Shawn would create waves following this match.

Dudes with Attitude:

Even though Shawn was still in the IC Title picture, he would team with Diesel to capture two out of a future five WWF World Tag Team Titles. Ironically, he won his first tag titles without Jannetty. Shawn and Diesel defeated the Headshrinkers to become champions. You could tell they had a chemistry because of their connection with the Kliq.

By late 1994, Shawn Michaels was moving away from the Intercontinental Title picture as he would start his feud with Diesel by giving him Sweet Chin Music at Survivor Series.


Main Event:

1995 would create a new Chapter in the Career of Shawn Michaels. HBK drew number 1 for the 1995 Royal Rumble. Michaels would become the first man to win the Rumble after becoming the first entrant. Shawn and The British Bulldog started as the first two wrestlers and ended as the final two. HBK maintained his balance so that only one foot would touch the ground. When Shawn got back in the ring, he attacked the Bulldog during the celebration and threw him over the top rope to win the Rumble.

Shawn Michaels would headline his first WrestleMania with Diesel at WM XI. Shawn lost the match but made Kevin Nash look better than he could ever look in a match with anyone else.

Following the loss to Diesel, HBK would have one last run as IC Champion. The highlight of Shawn's last run was his Ladder Match with Razor at Summerslam 1995. This time, HBK won.

Shawn would forfeit the belt following a fight at a bar in Syracuse. The Heartbreak Kid would return just in time for the 1996 Royal Rumble where he would win by eliminating Diesel with Sweet Chin Music.

Boyhood Dream (1996):

1996 became another flagship year for Shawn Michaels. In the Main Event of WrestleMania XII, The Heartbreak Kid would wage war in a 60-minute Ironman Match with Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. After a grueling test of endurance, HBK won his first WWF Heavyweight Championship. As Vince McMahon said "The Boyhood Dream has come true for Shawn Michaels".



Shawn's dream had been realized of becoming WWF Champion.

Most Notable Matches:

Iron Man Match
March 31, 1996
Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart to become WWF Champion

Good Friends, Better Enemies
Shawn Michaels defeated Diesel

Mind Games
Shawn Michaels defeated Mankind

Summerslam
Shawn Michaels defeated Vader


While Shawn Michaels delivered great matches in his first run as Champion, business was suffering as RAW started to lose the Monday Night War to WCW during the rise of the NWO. Shawn did his best to keep things afloat as he was the draw that they needed to stay as competitive as possible.

Bret Hart took time off. Stone Cold was just being built. There were no box office names like Hogan or Savage around at the time because they were in WCW. Undertaker was not built to be the face of the company, but rather as the backbone. Shawn was all that they had.

The first title run of HBK lasted for eight months from WM XII to Survivor Series where he lost the title to Sid Vicious. Some could say that Shawn's boyhood dream turned into a nightmare. This is one reason why there are many people who criticize his legacy as WWF Champion. That and the idea that he "lost his smile".

D-Generation X (1997-98):

HBK would display more color in his character as the founder of DX during his last WWF Title run. Shawn has always had charisma, but he was at his best as a heel whenever he was champion. During this timespan, Shawn would become the first ever Grand Slam Champion in WWF/E History. 1997 was another banner year for HBK, as he started the year winning the WWF Title and he would end the year as Champion.

The seeds were planted for DX as Shawn and Triple H feuded with the Hart Foundation. At the In Your House PPV in Manchester, HBK gained even more heat when he defeated Britain's biggest star Davey Boy Smith to become European Champion. (Shawn would later give the title to Triple H, making a mockery of that belt)

The Renegade attitude of Shawn Michaels and DX would grow even more during his feud with The Undertaker, which took place at the same time as his feud with Bret. Shawn and Taker made history with the first ever Hell In A Cell Match at Badd Blood in October 1997. The win made Shawn the number 1 contender for Bret Hart's WWF Championship.

The Montreal Controversy added even more fuel to the DX fire, as it enhanced Shawn's image as a villain.

HBK would continue his business with Undertaker going into the Royal Rumble, where he retained the WWF Title in a Casket match after interference from Kane.

Unfortunately, Shawn would injure his back during the match. However, he still marched into WrestleMania XIV to drop the title to Stone Cold Steve Austin.


Return:

After a 4-year hiatus, Shawn would return in a rejuvenated form. During his time away from the ring, Shawn became a Born-Again Christian as everyone knows. He would also start a family. Once HBK returned, his perspective was much sharper than ever before.

At Survivor Series 2002, Shawn Michaels would win the first Elimination Chamber to become World Heavyweight Champion.

Even though he did not win many titles during his second run (2002-2010), Shawn Michaels was a Champion who did not need a belt to validate him. He elevated the champions that he faced from John Cena to Randy Orton to Chris Jericho.

There have been many great and defining champions, but there is only one champion that could be a showstopper. That man is Shawn Michaels. HBK, I would like to wish you a Happy Birthday as you make 50 look fantastic.

Portrait by: Rob Schamberger (Twitter: @RobSchamberger)

Road To The Battleground

Monday Night's "Go Home" Episode of RAW leading up to BattleGround was explosive! This has been one of the best episodes of RAW this year so far, along with the RAW's during the Road To WrestleMania. This past Monday, we saw some major shifts take place as WWE is shaking up their landscape heading into Sunday.

RAW presented some momentous segment, but none more so than this:

Diva Takeover (#GiveDivasAChance):

This segment was the talk of the entire Internet Wrestling World, as the #GiveDivasAChance Movement is coming to life from Twitter to the live WWE Product. The Bellas and their whipping girl Alicia Fox come to the ring as Nikki blows her horn about how dominant she has been. (We know the real reason why she is having a long reign) She talks about how there is no more competition left in the Divas Division. Suddenly, WWE Princess Stephanie McMahon interrupts Nikki's rant.

Stephanie shuts Nikki down like she knows how to. She follows up by saying that the Divas Division needs some competition and that it is time to make changes. Steph proceeds to introduce contenders for Nikki Bella's title, as Paige is the first to come to the ring. Nikki tells Stephanie about how many times Paige has failed to win back the title. Stephanie puts Nikki in her place saying that Paige came out because she wanted her to be there. When it comes to dealing with the Bella Twins, I am always on Stephanie's side.

Finally, WWE pulls the trigger to inject new blood into a dying Division. Stephanie introduces the NXT Women. First, she calls up Becky Lynch. Next, Steph gives clues for Sasha Banks by calling her the "Boss" before bringing her out. Last but not least, Stephanie introduces a woman who can style and profile: Charlotte Flair!!!

These three women came out to a monstrous ovation from the crowd because this is what fans have all been crying about and begging for across Social Media. Stephanie then asks Nikki if this is what she had in mind when she said she was looking for competition.

This segment made my night, as Stephanie is putting the pieces in place across the Chess Board of the Divas Division. Brilliant move by the heiress to the McMahon Empire. WWE has heard the cries and the complaints from the Internet about #GiveDivasAChance on Twitter, starting from AJ Lee. Maybe that AJ is gone, WWE decided to finally push the button since she is not screaming about it anymore.

It would have been nice to see them teamed up together to battle the main roster. Instead, Charlotte and Becky join Paige while Sasha joins Naomi and Tamina. I won't complain. Stephanie says that she has set the table of opportunity, and she wants to know who will take it. The action kicks off from their, as the contenders corner the Bellas.

Nikki bumps into Sasha Banks and war breaks out. Banks grabs Nikki by the hair and throws her to the mat before everyone else joins in on the fight. The NXT Divas put the Main Roster Divas on notice as they dominate them. Charlotte locks Alicia Fox in the Figure Four. Becky Lynch locks Brie Bella in an Armbar. Sasha Banks gives Nikki her finisher (Bankrupt) before locking her in a modified Crossface as the Divas Champion taps out.

Paige's Team and Naomi's Teams stand strong in victory as the Bellas and Alicia Fox crawl out of the ring in defeat. Meanwhile, Stephanie stands at the ramp with a smile on her face. WWE has been known to drop the ball many times, even when it comes to the women.

At the same time, they have not dropped the ball with every woman that has come through the company. Great Female Stars like Melina short-changed themselves with poor decisions. That is one of the exceptions.

However, I don't think it will happen this time because they cannot afford to make the same mistakes this time around. Stephanie McMahon has thrown down the gantlet as she has lit a brand new fire among the females in wrestling. I have high hopes for the Women of NXT on the Main Roster.

Even though plans are set for Nikki Bella to break AJ Lee's Record, I believe that the Bella Twins will be exposed badly by first class female wrestlers like Sasha Banks, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch. The Bellas do not outshine them at all from looks wise, to in-ring wise. Compared to them, The Bellas are pretty mediocre.

Nikki and Brie are the faces of Total Divas, but they don't have much to offer after that. The Bellas place in the company is frowned upon, because of the men in their lives.

They have made it to the top, mostly because of John Cena and Daniel Bryan's wallets. I am just telling it like I see it. Nikki has improved in the ring and on the mic, but she is not Trish Stratus or Lita. One would think that Brie would have improved as an in-ring technician because of her husband Daniel Bryan. Clearly, that talent was not transmitted as AJ Lee would say.

Nikki is the better Bella because she simply amplifies her narcissistic attitude.

Each of these three ladies from NXT has their own special qualities. Charlotte has greatness in her DNA because of who her Dad is. She is much better than her brother David ever was. Initially, there were people who picked Charlotte as the lead female. However, that is not the case as Sasha Banks is fantastic in the ring as well. The biggest difference between Sasha and Charlotte is charisma. Banks has the edge in personality and attitude, so that gives her an edge.

Meanwhile, the rest of the women on the roster are pretty much left in the dust. Nattie, Cameron and Summer Rae have fallen into the background. Natalya has wrestling in her bloodline like Charlotte, but she does not draw the kind of interest as the Bellas and Paige. Cameron was clearly the weak link between her and Naomi. Summer Rae is stuck in this dreadful Love Storyline between Rusev, Lana, and Dolph Ziggler.

Bayley is the next to make the move to the Main Roster. That way, we can finally have the Four Horsewomen.

Triple H has already made his presence known through his impact on the Men of NXT (Owens, Neville, Balor, Zayn). Now, Stephanie is making her imprint with the Females. I believe that Dusty would be proud.

Battle for the US Title:

John Cena originally came to the ring to place his Open Challenge to anyone willing to take the US Title. Rusev comes out to challenge Cena. Before the match starts, Kevin Owens sticks his nose in the scene. Owens cuts a great line about Summer Rae calling her a Lana wannabe. Cesaro steps into the picture, as Cena steps away. The match becomes a triple threat, with outstanding action.

The Value of the US Title has increased exponentially, because of John Cena. Now, it has become a hot commodity that others scratch and fight for. The match ends with Rusev pinning Cesaro after a Superkick. Rusev then goes one on one with Cena. The match ends with Kevin Owens attacking Rusev while having John Cena locked in the Accolade.

This makes the buildup for the US Championship Match even stronger, as Cena and Owens have put together back to back "Match of the Year" Candidates.








Brock Lesnar vs Seth Rollins (Beast vs Architect):

Seth Rollins and Brock Lesnar come to the table for a contract signing for their WWE World Heavyweight Championship match to close the show. Anytime Brock Lesnar is involved in a contract signing, bad things happen. They did on Monday.

Paul Heyman is a master of the mic as he cuts a terrific face promo talking about how everyone wants to see Seth Rollins get killed. Heyman emphasized how Brock will destroy Rollins.

Earlier in the night, Seth warned Kane that if anything went bad during the contract signing, that it was all on him.

The Contract Signing completely melted down as Lesnar flipped the table over Rollins and attacked him. Kane did his best to keep The Beast away but failed. Lesnar finally wipes his hands of the Big Red has been with an F5 before smashing Kane's ankle with the steel stairs.

After Brock leaves, Seth cuts an intense promo about how he will slay the Beast. Rollins turns his attention to a fallen Kane for a moment that many people have been waiting for. Seth insults Kane and calls him a disappointment before stomping on his broken ankle.

This is how Brock Lesnar should be booked and utilized. Watching Lesnar put Kane out of his misery is what I enjoyed.

"Suplex City" has taken on a life of its own, and Brock is enjoying his greatest marketing success since he Broke The Streak. I believe that phrase had to come from Lesnar himself, and the fans can tell that it feels original.

Seth could very well be on his way to Suplex City.

Going into Sunday, Seth Rollins is on his own. Kane and J&J Security are finally out of the picture. Honestly, I don't know who will win. Brock could dominate him to win back the title. However, Seth could find a way to screw Brock out of the title.

This is what Seth Rollins seriously needs because I believe his title reign has been greatly diminished. Kane and The Midget Squad have been dragging him down during this title reign. Rollins has gone from being a potential Shawn Michaels to becoming The Miz.

Great heels know that they could win clean, but chose to cheat when they need to. Edge, Ric Flair, and Eddie Guerrero knew that they were great, but cheated when they saw it was time to. Seth Rollins has gone from someone who cheated when he knew he could beat someone to cheating because he is not able to. 9 times out of 10, Seth's wins have come because he needed two semi-retired Cruiserweights and a washed up Monster to help him win.

Ric Flair has had the Horsemen help him here and there, but Naitch has also shown that he could take care of business by himself. Edge has had help to win before, but many of his matches ended with his own dirty tactics. Same goes for HBK. Seth has had to have others fight his battles for much of his tenure as Champion.

Rollins has gone from being an Architect to an Imbecile. The Miz's WWE Title run has become more believable than Seth Rollins, and that is terrible.

Now, Seth has the green line to shine the way that he is capable of since Kane and J&J "Security" are out of the picture. WWE has been slowly planting the seeds for Seth to break away from the Authority. We have seen this plan progress even more on Monday.

Who knows? Maybe The Shield could come together to take down Lesnar.

Overall, this RAW leading up to BattleGround receives 4 Ric Flair "Big Gold" World Heavyweight Titles out of 5.

Beast In The East Review

Over the 4th of July Weekend, WWE took an International Trip to the Far East in Tokyo, Japan for their "Beast In The East" Live Event. The Show took place Exclusively on the WWE Network at 5:00 in the Morning. I was one of those who refused to wake up that early, but I did watch it later in the morning. For me, this show did not disappoint. In the opening match, Chris Jericho defeated Neville by Submission with the Walls of Jericho. Y2J is a legend in Japan from his years wrestling in the Super J-Cup Tournament in WAR (Wrestling Association R), and he always receives a great reception. Jericho and Neville told a terrific story during this match. When Neville landed for the Red Arrow, Jericho blocked it and locked him in the Walls of Jericho (Liontamer version) to secure the win. This became one of the standout matches of the night. The loss does not hurt Neville because he was in the ring with one of the greatest warriors in the history of the sport. As I have said, Jericho is beloved in the Far East so it does nothing to bury Neville. This match gets a B+

The next match was a Triple Threat Match for the Divas Championship between Nikki Bella, Paige, and Tamina. In predictable fashion, Nikki won to retain her title on the "Race to 300" as she climbs the mountain to break AJ Lee's record of 295 days. I was not very impressed because I knew that it was part of the plans for Nikki which is why I cannot respect this reign (another story). Nikki has made improvements in the ring, but I just did not like the finish of the match. C-

The next match featured the Beast In The Far East himself, Brock Lesnar! Lesnar was the marquee attraction in the Land of the Rising Sun, and I was impressed with the marketing. Brock was booked to wrestle Kofi Kingston. The Internet immediately exploded at the announcement of Brock wrestling Kofi. The Memes about Kofi were hilarious. I don't know who booked this match, but it was hilarious. Lesnar murdered Kingston as he threw him around the ring from pillar to post like a ragdoll. Brock finished his massacre with an F5. The Beast continued to lay waste when he gave Big E and Xavier Woods the F5. Since this was in Japan, Brock Lesnar is the Broly of the WWE. He made Kingston, Woods and Big E look like Yamcha, Krillin and Tien for my Dragon Ball Z fans out there. I guess WWE needed a black guy to take the fall against Brock. Kofi and The New Day were just punching bags as Brock prepares for his WWE World Heavyweight Title Match with Seth Rollins. Lesnar looks at the camera and says "Seth, I am coming for you". B+

The Biggest and Best Match of the Night featured NXT Champion Kevin Owens defending the title against Finn Balor. Kevin started the match in tradition heel fashion by throwing the bouquet of flowers out of the ring before the match starts. This match was spectacular, especially since it took place in Japan. This was a homecoming for Balor, as he made a huge name for himself in NJPW. Michael Cole even acknowledged their past when he made references to their names away from WWE. He mentioned that Kevin Owens was Kevin Steen and Finn Balor was Prince Devitt. Owens mocked John Cena during the match with the Attitude Adjustment and Five Knuckle Shuffle. Kevin mocked Finn throughout the match saying "You can't beat me", but Balor would not back down. Balor countered Kevin's Pop-Up Powerbomb and sent the champ to the ground with a lariat. Finn nailed Kevin with two straight drop kicks before finishing with the Coup De Grace to win the NXT Championship. The Celebration was incredible as recent WWE Hall of Famer Tatsumi Fujinami came to the ring to congratulate him. Backstage, John Cena approached Balor to shake his hand and congratulate him as well. In typical heel fashion, Owens refused to shake Balor's hand. This match was A.

The last match of the show was Tag Team match featuring John Cena & Dolph Ziggler versus Kane & King of the Ring Wade Barrett. Cena and Ziggler received a huge reaction from the crowd during their entrance. The match was a fairly decent quality, but it could not follow up the excitement of the incredible match right before it (Balor vs Owens). Dolph gives Kane the Superkick, as the 7-foot stooge gets set up for the Attitude Adjustment from John Cena. The match ends with Cena giving Barrett the AA for the win. After watching Balor vs Owens, it was hard for me to be invested in this match. Cena is the franchise of WWE, but the night ultimately belonged to Finn Balor. C

This was a very impressive show as it is the first International WWE Show streamed on the Network. The work rate of Japan is superior to that of the United States because they pride themselves on the technique in the ring. I look forward to more WWE Events in Japan in the future. Overall, the show gets a B.

As far as Titles, this Event gets 3 IWGP Championship Belts out of 5.

WWE 2k16 goes 3:16

This week of wrestling started off with the bang as WWE Shattered The Glass across the Wrestling Community by revealing Stone Cold Steve Austin as their Cover Star for WWE 2K16. With WrestleMania 32 in Dallas, TX (Austin's home state), WWE is pulling out everything at their disposal to create enormous buzz for a WrestleMania filled with historical potential. As we know, Vince McMahon & Co have been on a mission and media frenzy to break the WrestleMania III Attendance Record of 93,173 from the Silverdome. Along with Undertaker, Stone Cold is seen as the man that could be the Ambassador for next year's Mania in the Lone Star State. Lately, Austin has been creating his own waves across the wrestling world with his recent Podcast with Paul Heyman. He went from the mild-mannered, working man Steve Austin back to Stone Cold within a moment once Heyman threw out the idea of wrestling Brock Lesnar at WM 32. Austin's reaction to a match with Lesnar went viral. 2016 could be a very big year for Austin with a possible match at WM in front of the largest crowd in WWE History and being the cover star for the next game. It came as quite a surprise by many that the Biggest Star of the Attitude Era made the cover of the latest game. Austin was the Central Figure for WWE '13 because of the Attitude Era Mode. If you pre-ordered the game, you received the Limited Edition version of WWE 13 that included exclusive Stone Cold content from posters, shirts, and even a DVD. With this game, there could possibly be a 3:16 Mode similar to "Path of the Warrior" from WWE 2K15 where you take a journey through the Career of The Ultimate Warrior.

On the flip side, there are people within the IWC (Internet Wrestling Community) who have an issue with Stone Cold being on the cover of the latest WWE 2k Video Game that will be released this Fall. They look at this as part of the WWE pattern of sticking with familiar names (legends/veterans) to promote their product. Ever since WWE moved away from the Smackdown vs. RAW Era, the Superstars that have been the biggest promoters of their games have been established stars. Fans will quickly grow tired of someone that is familiar.

WWE 12: Randy Orton (The Rock was DLC)
WWE 13: CM Punk (Austin 3:16 Limited Edition, plus The Attitude Era Mode)
WWE 2k14: The Rock (30 Years of WrestleMania Mode)
WWE 2k15: John Cena
WWE 2k16: Stone Cold Steve Austin

I am sure that you have noticed a pattern with the latest WWE Video Games. They have been promoted by the nostalgia for the most part. Even with CM Punk as the Cover Star for WWE '13, I will still say that Stone Cold was the biggest reason why I purchased the game. The Attitude Era Story Mode was the strongest marketing tool for the game, even though Punk was gaining incredible momentum during the summer on his way to becoming Champion. Randy Orton and John Cena are the names that make the IWC cringe because of how much of the spotlight that they receive. 2k14 was completely about nostalgia, because The Rock was on the cover as they also featured the 30 Years of WrestleMania Story Mode to celebrate the History of WrestleMania. The Ultimate Warrior also played a major part in promoting the game. Another reason why The Rock was on the game was because he became the WWE Champion earlier that year. Even though The Rock gets criticism for his part-time status, he still did great business during his return. He deserved it. Now, Stone Cold is the latest legendary star to promote the game.

When you look at the current WWE Roster of Main Event Talent (Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt), those are generally the names that come to mind for today's fans. However, I think that people would still find something to complain about with either one of them. I also believe that each of those names have their share of flaws when it comes to being the face of a product.

Roman Reigns: Everyone knows about Roman's flaws on the mic and the way that he has been booked. The Internet has grown tired of him. Fans killed WWE for booking Roman to win the Royal Rumble as he was showered with boos. WWE went through a PR Nightmare heading into WrestleMania 31 because the fans threw dirt at them for making it too predictable for Reigns to defeat Lesnar. That is why they went with an alternative by sending Seth Rollins out to cash in the MITB Briefcase to win the WWE Title. I believe that WWE has learned from that mistake, and they don't want to repeat the backlash they created by putting Reigns on the cover.

Seth Rollins: Seth may be the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but I don't see him as doing enough to warrant the cover of the game. Even though he is a heel champion, I think his credibility as a great heel has been hurt by having the Midget Squad help him win his matches for the most part. Rollins as Champion is not enough to draw the numbers they are looking for to promote this game. I think WWE recognizes that which is why he was not chosen to make the cover.

Dean Ambrose: Since the Shield went their separate ways, Dean has lost every PPV match that he has been involved in. The closest that Ambrose got to win the "Big One" was at Elimination Chamber. However, the decision was reversed since he won via Disqualification. Seth kept the title. While Dean may be very popular, his losing streak does not help his case for being on the cover.

Bray Wyatt: Wyatt has been promoted as the "New Face of Fear". However, no one is really afraid of him since he has lost so much steam in the eyes of the wrestling community. After losses to John Cena and Undertaker, Bray is generally seen as someone that cannot be taken very seriously. He is booked as someone who does not back up what they say. As a result, Wyatt is disqualified.

The only other star that I could see making the cover would be Brock Lesnar. Lesnar is a Box Office Attraction in his own way, even on a part-time schedule. He is the only wrestler that I see right now that makes the best case next to Austin. NXT is also on fire, but they do not cater enough to casual fans that are not familiar with their work outside of WWE.

Right after this news went viral, Austin got involved in some heat with Roddy Piper in regards to their Podcasts on Podcast One. Piper claimed that Austin got him fired from PodCast One after an episode where he had former Mad TV Star Will Sasso as his guest. Sasso did an impression of Stone Cold, as both he and Roddy went into some very personal information that Austin did not want to be shared over the Internet. Steve addressed Roddy's claims with facts and denied that he got Piper fired. Following this controversy, WWE fired Piper from their Legends Deal. Vince McMahon will always find value and dollars behind Stone Cold Steve Austin, and he has to protect one of his most valuable stars. Vince could not afford to have Austin's name involved with any kind of controversy while promoting the release of this game along with the promotion of the biggest WrestleMania of this generation.

Overall, Stone Cold Steve Austin is still a strong commodity in the world of marketing as I have no problem with him marketing the latest WWE 2k Video Game. WWE has been on a crusade to promote the Attitude Era as of late. They are just responding to the requests of a legion of fans who have been crying for it and now they have what they wished for. There could be a possible Monday Night Wars Mode where you could relive the events of the greatest War in Wrestling History. And That's The Bottom Line 'Cause Stone Cold Said So!

What Could have been: Bulls vs Rockets in NBA Finals

There are always events or situations in history where we look back and wonder "What Could have been?". Whether it was a great team that could not win a championship ('90s Orlando Magic), or a great match that never happened (ex: Shawn Michaels vs The Rock). There are also dream matchups that never manifest (Hogan vs Flair at WrestleMania VIII, Austin vs. Hogan at WM X8). In this case, I would like to look at what would have been the ultimate dream series (pun intended) between the two best players of their respective era. In this case, I would like to examine what could have been the premiere Finals series between Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets. If only Mike did not put the Basketball down to pickup the Baseball bat. We would have the best Finals series of that decade in my view.

People always like to run with this idea that the Chicago Bulls would have won eight straight championships if Michael never left for baseball. First and foremost, Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever pick up a basketball. He is to Basketball what Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin are to Wrestling and what Jerry Rice is to Football. I just wanted to clear that point. However, I would like to take a quick flashback to the year 1984. There was a young man from the University of Houston by way of Lagos, Nigeria who was drafted two spots ahead of Michael as the 1st Overall Draft pick. His name was Akeem Olajuwon (later Hakeem). MJ was incredible in North Carolina, but Dream was very close in his own way as he carried the U of H on his back. For the record, I knew nothing about the University of Houston until I found out that Hakeem Olajuwon played there. Plain and simple, this man put that school on the map. Hakeem was not some nameless scrub player. He did not have to carry the regret of being the player that his team passed over Michael Jordan to draft (Sam Bowie). The Dream had a remarkable career in his own right.

In fact, I would like to fast forward to 1986. That season, Jordan was injured for most of that season. As we all know, Michael torched the 1986 Celtics Empire for a Playoff Record 63 points. Unfortunately, the Bulls were swept in that series. Meanwhile, Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to the NBA Finals against that same Boston Celtics team led by NBA MVP Larry Bird. Boston would capture their 16th Title in that series. Remember, the Dream led his team to the Finals five years before Jordan would conquer Magic Johnson's Lakers for his first championship. What makes this fantasy series even more special is that Olajuwon was THE Dominant Center of his Era/Generation in a time where you had at least four other Hall of Fame (future Hall of Fame) Centers in their prime or entering their prime. You name the player, Hakeem has given him a lesson at some point. Out of that era, he was the most versatile. He had the quickness and handles that wing players envied, along with a presence that traditional pivotmen were not able to match.

Whenever this topic is brought up, everybody wants to put an asterisk next to Houston's two championships as if they meant nothing. At least Hakeem stepped to the plate to become a champion, instead of becoming another ringless statistic like Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley or Karl Malone. None of them took advantage of that window of opportunity, and their legacies have suffered because of that. It is hard to argue against Michael going undefeated in the Finals (6-for-6). On his path to the Championship, Jordan went through some giants such as the Celtics led by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Bad Boy Detroit Pistons as well as Magic's Showtime Lakers.

Jordan's first three-peat was his most statistically dominating run as the Bulls defeated the Lakers, Blazers and Suns (his numbers speak for themselves). However, there is one common denominator in each series. None of those teams had a dominant Center like Hakeem Olajuwon in Houston. The Dream would give Chicago matchup nightmares in the Finals. Chicago's defense would be faced with threats that they never had to face in the first or second three-peat. Kareem was retired by the time the Bulls played the Lakers. Hakeem's post moves and footwork would have Bill Cartwright and Horace Grant pretty much dumbfounded. The Sonics and Jazz did not have Centers that created major threats either. Next to Michael Jordan, I would say that Hakeem was the 2nd best player of the 90's. These two titans dominated in what is considered by many to be the "Golden Era" as it was a time where every team across the league seemed to be loaded with Hall of Fame talent.

On one hand, I won't say that the Bulls would have had a run of eight straight championships. The Rockets have proven that they can give Chicago matchup issues in the regular season. On the other hand, I will not say that Houston would have won two straight over Chicago. You could go with either season, and Houston would have walked away with at least one trophy. The Rockets are the one team that has a career winning record against Michael Jordan. From 91-93, Jordan went 1-4 against the Rockets.



Figuring out a defensive scheme against Olajuwon would have been much harder than creating a defensive scheme against Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

Just like Jordan in 1988, Hakeem won both MVP and DPOY during the 1994 Season. However, Dream won Finals MVP in that same season where he picked up the other two awards. That 1994 team defeated Chicago's rival New York Knicks in seven games during their first championship run. New York was led by Hakeem's rival Patrick Ewing. For the 1995 campaign, Houston managed to win their second title as a 6th seed with under 50 wins (47-35). They were called "Road Warriors" for a reason as they never had home court advantage during their playoff run. Along the way, Houston defeated the No. 3 seed Utah Jazz (60-22), No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns (59-23) and the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs (62-20). Those teams featured very decorated players: Karl Malone and John Stockton (both 1st Team All-NBA), Charles Barkley (2nd Team All-NBA) and David Robinson (1st Team All-NBA, MVP). In the finals, they would squash a young Orlando Magic Team (57-25) led by Shaquille O'Neal (2nd Team All-NBA, Scoring Champion) and Penny Hardaway (1st Team All-NBA). Houston conquered the top teams and stars of the league during that two-year window. During the second run, the second biggest factor next to Hakeem was Clyde Drexler.

Clyde was acquired by The Rockets during a trade midway through the 1995 Season as the Blazers traded him in exchange for Otis Thorpe. Despite the rough start, Drexler was able to play a key role in Houston's second title chase. Clyde was looking to redeem his image after Michael Jordan demoralized him in the 1992 NBA Finals. If Houston plays Chicago, Drexler would be looking to seek revenge. Drexler's legacy was revived once he reunited with his former College Teammate Hakeem Olajuwon. Clyde needed Hakeem more than Hakeem needed Clyde. Drexler's window was closing to win a championship as he was in the twilight of his prime.

If I had to lean to any one of those Rockets teams to defeat Chicago, I might lean towards the 1995 Team slightly. Michael Jordan was the main player who demanded double teams, because of the damage that he can do on the offense. Scottie Pippen did a great job in Michael's absence, but he only averaged 16.7 ppg while Jordan was gone. That would not fly when you are trying to establish yourself as a leader away from His Airness. Scottie was not a player who screamed "Double Team". Meanwhile, Olajuwon and Drexler each demanded double teams as they could create problems in their own way.

As for the series outcome, Houston wins in a 7-game series as Olajuwon wins Finals MVP. It would have been great to see this happen. All we can do is fantasize about what could have been.