Wrestling

By Brent Wilson (brentwilson5@gmail.com)I don't know what to think about Bellator's attempt to enter the reality show genre. People who have seen the first episode have praised the concept and felt it was entertaining and not at all an Ultimate Fighter clone. On the other hand, while the show may be fine while it lasts, I don't see it having a lasting impact on viewers. Entrance into the Bellator Welterweight tournament is a paltry prize, one that I can't imagine too many viewers care about. And as lame as the prize is, few of the competing fighters even deserve a shot at the tournament, let alone Ben Askren (or hypothetically Andrey Koreshkov). The majority of competing fighters are actually coming off losses in Bellator and there are really no high potential prospects in the bunch. Hard hitting Chris Lozano and Joe Riggs are the most recognizable names while Lelo Aurelio, Eric Bradley, Gareth Joseph, Steve Montgomery, Josh Quayhagen, Cristiano Souza, Bryan Travers, and Joe Williams all at least have somewhat intriguing aspects to their games....if you squint. The intro is narrated by Jimmy Smith and puts over the concept of the show. The 32 chosen fighters have gathered in New Orleans will face off in the preliminary rounds with the 16 advancing fighters getting to choose who their coach will be for the duration of the season. The coaches are the real stars of the show with Randy Couture, Frank Shamrock, Greg Jackson, and Joe Warren as options for the fighters to select. Frank got his braces off! All four coaches are excellent in their roles, speaking with conviction about why they are the OBVIOUS choice for the fighters to make. Warren does express the concern that no one will choose his team, while Couture talks about trying to subtly make lesser fighters avoid choosing him. PRELIMINARY FIGHT #1 CHIP POLLARD VS. TIM WELCH Pollard (7-4) is a Northeastern striker who prefers to stick and move, using footwork and switching stances to stay on the outside and land hard leg kicks, a stiff jab and accurate countershots. Pollard prefers to keep the fight standing but has only decent defensive wrestling and a ground game that is not particularly threatening. Pollard also mentions his grandmother passed away the previous week and that he missed her funeral to come to the show. Ouch. Welch (9-4) is a fiery redhead has already competed in the Bellator welterweight tournament, losing in the first round of the season seven tournament to Russian grappler Michail Tsarev. Welch is aggressive and strong throwing to the body and wild looping hooks to the head with mean intentions and big power in every shot. The brawler also stands out in the clinch with mean dirty boxing and knees. Welch's aggression can work against him as he has bigtime defensive wrestling and grappling issues that opponents who can survive his early onslaught can exploit. The fight is two five minute rounds with a sudden victory third in the event of a draw. No elbows are allowed in the preliminary fights. There's no commentary, the audio is the coaches discussing both fighters technique and appearance which is great. ROUND ONE Both fighters are light on their feet trading jabs and bouncing in and out. Pollard lands a decent right. Welch steps back and counters as Pollard leaps in with another jab. Welch lands his hard straight right and it stands Pollard up. A left hook follows and drops Pollard with some perfunctory ground and pound to finish it. Winner: Tim Welch by TKO (Punches) at 1:22 of Round One. Pollard protests the stoppage a little but Welch displayed his big, big power. His striking technique also looked much cleaner and less wild with a beautiful counter to end things. After the fight Welch comes back out to choose his coach. Welch asks Warren if he's going to run his camp like a hard-nosed wrestling camp or a more modern MMA gym. Welch with more tough questions as he

Yesterday, former Divas Champion and the WWE’s undisputed Queen of Instagram Layla posted a photo showing her goofing around backstage, lounging casually in a tray of ice. Insert your “Layla’s been put on ice” jokes here.. While we’d love to see Layla on TV more, these goofy Instagram pics help fill the void. Keep ‘em coming, Layla! Who’s your favorite Diva on Instagram?

HOSS PRIMEPhoto Credit: WWE.comEpisode 103: The KronikShane Carnes of, uh, this site stops by to be initiated within the family. We celebrate TNA's birthday by talking about the promotion, specifically about how tired Shane is of seeing Sting as the big hero and about how AJ Styles is the oldest up-and-comer in wrestling today. After a brief interlude to discuss the unfortunate passing of Sopranos star James Gandolfini and an interlude about Blockbuster and Netflix, we get into classic wrestling. We talk about Bret Hart vs. Davey Boy Smith at SummerSlam '92, as well as Randy Savage having the first two WrestleMania classic matches and how WWE changed after Hulk Hogan left. We go right into the mechanics of alignment when it came to the main events in WWF/E and NWA/WCW/TNA, and I make a ramshackle comparison of that dynamic to the comic universe. We finish up by unpacking the Ryback/Goldberg debate, and finish by appreciating Mark Henry, because that's what we do.Direct link for your downloading pleasure.

Source: YouTube Reports have been circulating online that AJ Styles had gotten into a confrontation with a fan at a recent TNA Wrestling house show. Video of the confrontation has been posted on a YouTube account. The video comes in after things have gotten heated between AJ and the fan, so it is difficult to surmise what started the conflict. You can view the video below:

Notes from tonight's show on spike;WAR MACHINE VS.  BLAS AVENA, WELTERWEIGHTS First round:  Avena got the takedown.  Machine back up.  Both connecting on shots.  Machine with a takedown.  Machine landed several punches and Avena got up.  Knees by Avena.  War Machine got a second takedown.  He's connecting with some punches.  He moved to side control.  He's landing a lot of punches on the ground now.  He has a crucifix and was landing shot after shot.  Avena's arms were pinned down and he couldn't defend himself, so the fight was stopped by ref Kerry Hatley.  3:55They announced War Machine will be in the welterweight tournament in the fall.They announced Joe Warren vs. Nick Kirk 9/7 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in the first round of the bantamweight tournament.  That's the first of the weekly Friday night shows.VITALY MINAKOV VS. RON SPARKS, FIRST ROUND OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENTFirst round:  Minakov is a 10-0 four-time world sambo champion.  Sparks is 38 years old, 8-1 record, a slugger with knockout power.  Things don't look good for him.  Minakov put him down with a right and pounded him on the ground.  This was over about 30 seconds.  :32RYAN MARTINEZ VS. RICH HALE, FIRST ROUND OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENTFirst round:  Huge height difference.  Martinez just took this fight a few days ago.  Martinez took him down.  Martinez pounded him with hard shots on the ground and John McCarthy stopped it.  Martinez has some power in those fists, it was a left from the top that knocked out Hale, and Hale went to the finals of the last tournament.  Martinez trains with Roy Nelson and seems to have Nelson's power.  Doesn't quite have Nelson's gut.  2:19July 31:  Martinez vs. Minakov, winner gets a title shot.RENATO BABALU SOBRAL VS. JACOB NOE, FIRST ROUND OF THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENTFirst round:  Noe landed a right.  Sobral went for a takedown but didn't get it.  Noe landed more punches.  Noe said he was expecting to be 230 in the cage after weighing in at 206 yesterday.  He looks every bit of it, too.  Big right by Noe.  Low kick by Sobral.  Sobral again trying for a takedown but not getting it.  Sobral with a knee to the groin.  Big right by Noe.  Noe with more punches timing them after Sobral throws a kick.  Sobral is getting low kicks in.  Nice front kick by Sobral.  Body kick by Noe.  Noe 10-9Second round: Noe landing good punches.  Noe has him pinned against the cage taking advantage of his size.  Sobral with a knee to the groin leading to another time out.  Noe is bleeding.  Sobral with another left.  Front kick.  Noe back with hard punches.  Hard right by Noe.  Big left by Noe.  Sobral with a right.  Sobral landing low kicks. Sobral landing a lot of low kicks now.  Right by Noe.  Sobral taunting him now.  Noe  landed a left.   Close round, I've got Noe so up 20-18.Third round:  Left and right by Noe.  Body kick by Sobral and Noe back with a right.  Sobral working for a takedown.  He didn't get it. Sobral with a low kick.  Hard left by Noe and another left by Noe. Sobral is now bleeding. Sobral back wth a punch.  Noe landing more puches.  Hard right by Noe.  Sobral is busted open in a few places.  Left by Noe.  The ref stopped it.  Sobral is furious about the stoppage.  Sobral shoved the ref when he stopped it.  Sobral was wobbly but he was on his feet and still fighting.  He was hurt, though.  3:32KING MO LAWAL VS. SETH PETRUZELLI, FIRST ROUND OF THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENTFirst round:  Something werid happened.  Petruzelli got a head-butt to the eye.  It was accidental as Mo was ducking for a takedown, so Mo is thinking wrestling.  Petruzelli landing good low kicks.  Mo took him down.  Mo landing punches. Petruzelli landing punches from the bottom.  Mo knocked him out with one punch dropping to the ground.  The crowd went wild for that knockout.  1:35Noe vs. Lawal on July 31, that's probably the most loaded show in Bellator history because Ben Askren faces Andrei Koreshkov and Michael Chandler faces Dave "Caveman" Ri

PARSIPPANY, N.J. and STAMFORD, Conn. – WWE Superstar John Cena can add another notch to his WWE Championship title, this time knocking Fred Flintstone® out of the ring, off of the box and out of TV commercials. Post Fruity Pebbles is expanding its existing partnership with WWE and Cena, through the launch of two new TV commercials, a photo app and an on-pack giveaway. Previously, John Cena appeared as a “Pebble-ized” character on special boxes of Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, and now he’s back for more. “We’re thrilled to be expanding our partnership with John Cena beyond the cereal box and connecting him with fans both on TV and at play,” said Sharon Pupel, Marketing Director at Post Foods. “We hope kids enjoy virtually interacting with the ‘champ’ through the launch of the PebblesPics app and on-pack giveaway, and we want to make sure we continue to provide fans with fun and positive experiences, not only at the breakfast table, but throughout the day whenever and wherever they choose to play.” “I am excited to continue to develop WWE’s relationship with Post Fruity Pebbles,” said Cena. “The ability to reach young WWE fans through the brand’s commercials and new mobile app is a great opportunity.” The TV campaign consists of two new spots, both of which are currently on air. The first TV spot features Cena enjoying a bowl of Fruity Pebbles to amp up his morning. In the second spot, Cena drives fans to a new interactive mobile app, PebblesPics, giving them the chance to virtually get in the ring with the record-breaking WWE Champion. PebblesPics, available today through iTunes and in the Google Play store, allows users to create a photo of themselves “posing” with Cena by superimposing an image of him alongside their own image, making it appear as though the user has actually been photographed standing with the WWE Superstar. Two photos of Cena are available upon download, and additional bonus images can be unlocked when the user scans their Pebbles cereal box via a QR code. Users also have the option to share the images with their friends across multiple platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, fans can take Cena home – this time in action figure format. With the purchase of two boxes of Pebbles cereal, fans can receive two free Mattel® WWE® Rumblers® figures. For more information about Post Pebbles™ or to download the photo app, please visit Facebook.com/PebblesCereal or PebblesMania.com/app. To download the television commercial, please visit: http://youtu.be/6AB46_0JKBY. About Post Foods, LLC Post has enriched the lives of consumers, bringing quality foods to the breakfast table since the company’s founding in 1895. Post’s portfolio of brands includes diverse offerings to meet the taste and nutritional needs of all families, including such favorites as Honey Bunches of Oats®, Pebbles™, Great Grains®, Post® Shredded Wheat, Post® Raisin Bran, Grape-Nuts®, and Honeycomb®, as well as Attune Food’s Uncle Sam and Erewhon brands. Post is dedicated to health and wellness, offering consumers a variety of cereal choices to meet their nutritional needs from whole grain and fiber to lower sugar offerings. For more information about Post Cereals, visit www.PostFoods.com. About WWE WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo. Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can b

The 8-Time NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion and 1986 King of the Ring, “Handsome” Harley Race is now available to attend and teach at professional wrestling schools across the country. Race, now retired from active competition and running World League Wrestling, owns the Harley Race Wrestling Academy in Eldon, MO. Since it’s inception in 1999, dozens have graduated from the academy and more have tried out for the Midwest based promotion. Currently, World League Wrestling runs throughout Missouri, as well as in surrounding states. With having the experience of wrestling all across the world, and running WLW, Race has done it all. Race has limited availability for seminars. However, your academy deserves to be taught by the best and having Harley there to teach would add more credibility than ever before. For more information, please email wlwmom@earthlink.net.

There's a certain segment of the pro wrestling fanbase who couldn't care less about television ratings. And while I can understand why that might be the case, we know WWE often makes knee jerk decisions based solely on the numbers they get back from Nielson. That alone makes them important. So let's look at the numbers from this week's (June 17, 2013) episode of Monday Night Raw (estimates come by way of the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which you should have a subscription for): Typical show open at a 3.04 for the Alberto Del Rio explanation and CM Punk challenge for a match later in the evening, leading directly to Punk splitting with Paul Heyman. The next segment featured the return of Christian and while the time slot wasn't exactly the most desirable, you would think they would have done better than losing 194,000 viewers. E Sheamus, who had been doing well of late, did the job for the Rhodes Scholars but their match still lost 164,000 viewers. That's a steady decrease from the start of the show. There wasn't a gain until a couple backstage segments with Triple H getting all over Vickie Guerrero and Brad Maddox and Team Hell No apparently breaking up for good, which gained 226,000 viewers. Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton gained 248,000 viewers at the top of the second hour, which isn't all that great considering the time slot. What was pretty great was the fact that AJ Lee's promo and Stephanie McMahon coming out to interrupt gained 168,000 viewers right after it. That's big for what was on screen and the time slot that it was on screen for. Dean Ambrose vs. Kane and Vince McMahon talking about loving The Shield lost 341,000 viewers. Ouch. Antonio Cesaro hooking up with Zeb Colter before beating William Regal managed to gain 41,000 viewers, which is pretty impressive. Mark Henry's retirement swerve and angle after John Cena's promo gained 738,000 viewers at the top of the third hour, which is a really good number for that spot in the three hour era. Henry's social media marketing in the lead up to the show had to play big part in this. That theory is supported by the fact that the very next segment, featuring Henry's challenge for a match backstage and Chris Jericho vs. Heath Slater, lost a staggering 953,000 viewers. That suggests folks tuned in for the retirement and bailed when the segment ended. Curtis Axel vs. Sin Cara and the McMahon family drama backstage gained 112,000 viewers, which obviously means Sin Cara is a star in waiting. Finally, CM Punk vs. Alberto Del Rio and Brock Lesnar returning to F-5 Punk gained 636,000 viewers to a 3.42 overrun, which is pretty damn good, even for the main event segment of the show. The big angle with Henry was a huge success, and really shows the power of a well laid out story with proper promotion using all the tools available in this day and age. For complete results and the live blog click here. For reactions to the show click here. And for a playlist of the entire night click here.