Wrestling

The above video is a short, parody commercial made by WWE advertising a fictional 800 service for Brogue Kicks on demand. When I first heard about the number being used as a gimmick thing for Sheamus, I thought it was pretty lame. Then I saw the video, and my opinion changed immediately. Obviously, it still accentuates a lot of Sheamus' awful character traits, especially when it comes to stealing a dude's girlfriend after he saved him from choking in the least likely way possible. However, there's a certain whimsy bordering on absurdity about even making a video like this in the first place.Wrestling, at its heart, is absurdist entertainment. It's why I pop aneurysms when people argue they want more "realism" in the product. I mean, people are welcome to their opinions and tastes and all, but I can't really imagine liking an artform that doesn't go full tilt on the absolute wackiest strains associated with it. I know asking for more of these kinds of videos with other wrestlers might be asking for trouble, but similarly, if this is what WWE is going to start to pass off as comedy, I'm all for it. Hell, maybe they can actually, in short bursts, do what Seltzer and Friedberg have failed to do and in fact probably mangled in the process - do justice to the spoofs of old like Airplane.

In a news story that has gotten international coverage due to the WWE connection, a 13-year-old boy, Devalon Armstrong, has been charged with the murder of his 5-year-old half-sister, Viloude Louis, after she died from her half-brother apparently using a series of professional wrestling moves on her, causing the broken ribs, internal bleeding and lacerated liver that led to her killing. Initially, Devalon's story was that Viloude had complained of stomach ache, went upstairs to brush her teeth and 30 minutes later he found her still in the bathroom, lying on the floor, still in pain from the stomach ache. He then said that he helped her downstairs, laid her on the sofa and called 911 when she stopped breathing. However, when interviewed by police later, Devalon admitted to practicing World Wrestling Entertainment style moves on his sister, like body slams, punches to the stomach and elbow drops. He continued for two to three minutes even after Viloude complained of being hurt, only stopping when his mother called him to check on how the babysitting was going. Devalon told investigators that he knew WWE was fake, but seemed to take pleasure talking about the wrestling moves that he had used to kill his half-sister and their physical abuse. Unsurprisingly, WWE quickly issued a statement distancing themselves from the incident: "The death of Viloude Louis is a tragedy, and our condolences go out to her family. WWE urges restraint in reporting this unfortunate incident as if it were the result of a WWE wrestling move. As in similar cases, criminal intent to harm and a lack of parental supervision have been the factors resulting in a tragic death. Authorities have already charged the accused with second degree murder and determined that this was not an accidental death due to a wrestling move." The incident is reminiscent of the murder of 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick by her 12-year-old playmate Lionel Tate in 1999, who callously inflicted a multitude of injuries that led to her death including a lacerated liver, a fractured skull, fractured rib and swollen brain, by mimicking wrestling moves. The fallout from that crime was messy for WWE, as it led to the Parents Television Council launching a campaign against the company over the levels of sexuality and violence on their SmackDown! TV show, and led to some advertisers withdrawing their commercials from airing during WWE programming. However, WWE eventually won a $3.5 million settlement from the PTC and obtained a public apology from their founder Brent Bozell III for defamatory statements the group made to WWE's sponsors in order to damage the promotion and, at the same time, raise money for themselves and promote their organization. It's unlikely that WWE will face such a backlash this time around, given that they produce much more family friendly programming than they did 14 years ago. The question is whether they could do more to prevent such incidents from happening again. There are already calls for WWE to be more aggressive with their "Don't try this at home" message found on all their DVDs and videogames. That would certainly be a positive proactive move, as would being more careful about how their babyfaces are portrayed, who sometimes come across as being bigger bullies than the heels they face. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, there is no foolproof solution, as the very nature of the WWE product is marketing cartoonish, simulated violence to young children. It's sadly almost inevitable that one day there will be another fatality just like this where an adolescent enacts his violent fantasies on a defenceless younger child, even if WWE takes every feasible measure to try and prevent such an occurrence from ever happening again.

In pro wrestling, it's sometimes impossible to distinguish what is reality, what is a work but is masquerading as reality, and what is a downright shoot. Sometimes all three mingle together and when that happens, typically no one knows what to believe but everyone will act like they know what they're talking about. And the truth isn't always somewhere in the middle. It can be as far out as deep left center. All that is to lead into the situation with Daniel Bryan from Monday Night Raw this week (June 17, 2013), which has become a source of great fascination for the information that has come to light. First, we learned that the injury he suffered that caused his match to be stopped was legitimate and not part of an angle. The stoppage of the match was also a shoot, as Triple H made the call to have the doctors/referees inform both Bryan and Randy Orton that they were done and it was time to head to the back. Now, we're learning that that sequence of events led to a very pissed off Bryan confronting Triple H at the gorilla position just as soon as he got back behind the curtain. PWInsider.com has the details on what actually occurred: When Bryan returned to the back, he was "irate" according to a source and complained to Triple H that the match should not have been stopped. The two got into a loud argument over it. The argument went down in the gorilla position with a lot of eyeballs on it and people were shocked because Bryan is generally soft spoken and good-natured and he was standing up to one of the most powerful men in the company. The reason Bryan was so pissed off, apparently, is that he was supposed to get a clean win over Orton that would have helped establish him even further as he heads into the biggest run of his career, one that will culminate in a main event program with John Cena feuding over the WWE championship. Obviously, that's a big deal, and learning that his match was stopped over a stinger he felt he could work through in a situation like that would obviously lead him to think any number of things, none of them good. Where it gets murky is the fact that WWE is now playing this confrontation up to the fullest, turning it into a storyline for television. This isn't he first time this has happened and it most certainly won't be the last. The following are comments used to benefit a story but are both coming from a very real place. Here's Bryan, from a video you can watch here, giving his side: "Well, I mean, obviously I'm upset. I've never had a match stopped on me in my entire career. I've been wrestling over 13 years. But I understand where he's coming from; they're trying to protect their talent. We're both passionate guys, we both get heated. I get angry, people have seen it on TV. Triple H gets angry, you can see that on TV too. I just love this business, love this industry, and we just have conflicting ideas about what should have happened. And that's that. We've settled our differences now and we're on good terms. Can't say anything more than that." And Triple H, from a video you can watch here, giving his side: "So Daniel Bryan got injured, I did make the decision to call the match off. Whether anybody likes it or not, it's my job as COO of this company. I made that call. And I made the call that Daniel Bryan's health was important and I called the match. He came up to gorilla and I admire his passion. But anybody that knows me knows that I'm very passionate as well about this. I don't need to really elaborate further on that. Everything is fine now, he's apologized to me, I've apologized to him, but here's the thing: I'm the COO of this company; when it comes to the health and welfare of our talent I will make the right call every single time, whether anybody likes it or doesn't like it. Bottom line." Bryan ended up working the SmackDown taping the very next night (read full spoilers here) but his match with Orton didn't go the way it was supposed to on Raw. However,

Former Divas Champion Kaitlyn seems to have rebounded from a terrible past week, taking on a tone of redemption. She tweeted earlier today: The lower you fall, the higher you'll fly. Day #3 on my journey to reclaim what is mine. #Payback #FightClub — Kaitlyn (@KaitlynWWE) June 19, 2013 We wonder where her journey will be on day 28, when Money in the Bank airs on Pay-Per-View. Let’s just hope she doesn’t take her Fight Club inspiration too literally and manifest a split personality to take down AJ Lee. Do you think Kaitlyn will redeem herself at Money in the Bank?

The most enduring image of 2011Photo Credit: WWE.comI meant to put this up last night, but hey, well, uh, hey look over there! No, I kinda had a rough day yesterday so I took a mental health day from writing. I feel a lot better now. Usually, when I miss on a feature, I skip it, but I felt this was a Six Pack that needs to be written. On RAW Monday night, it felt like WWE did a soft reset on the last eighteen months and went back to 2011, when CM Punk was a good guy, Alberto del Rio was a bad guy, and they were at odds with one of them holding a Championship belt. There are far worse years to be transported back to.In The Wrestling Blog Era (shut up, I don't care if it sounds pretentious), 2011 may have been the finest total year for overall quality across a large quantity of promotions. Sure, Ring of Honor was mired with the dregs of the Jim Cornette-mandated malaise, but they even still had their moments. TNA was turning the corner, and local indie promotions were on point. However, the three promotions carrying the banners in the vanguard for pro wrestling, at least from my point of view, were WWE, Chikara, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. Here are the six specific shows and eras that made 2011 for me as a wrestling fan, which all happen to be from those three aforementioned companies, chronologically, of course.1. The Royal RumbleThree of the last four Rumble matches have actually been insanely fun, with 2012's being the only exception. I don't know if 2011's was the best of the three good ones, but I guess it's a testament to how well WWE has laid those battle royales out. This particular Rumble is going to be remembered for the false finishes to end all false finishes. del Rio looked like he had the match won until Santino Marella, of all people, sneaked back into the ring after being forgotten on the outside. When he COBRA'd del Rio and tossed him, the TD Bank Garden ERUPTED as if the Bruins had just clinched the Stanley Cup on home ice. Of course, we all know the end result; del Rio skinned the cat and tossed Marella to get himself on the road to his destiny.There were a bunch of other fun threads in the Rumble match itself, like the infamous New Nexus vs. Corre turf war - the only good thing to come out of that feud, the best Hornswoggle appearance ever, the insane reactions that Diesel and Booker T got, and The Miz dumping John Cena to set up their WrestleMania match. The pitfall of having 40 participants in this Rumble match was perhaps stretching a great concept too thinly. Appropriate pacing was able to nip that fear in the bud. Additionally, the Dolph Ziggler/Edge match for the Big Gold Belt was rollicking and lively, and that's always a plus.2. DDT4This was probably my most favorite event that PWG had ever run, definitely up to that point. I'm not sure they came close to replicating it since. The lineup was loaded, I mean, absolutely packed to the gills. When Kevin Steen and Akira Tozawa, aka the Kings of Sexual Intercourse, drew the Briscoe Brothers in the first round without any real complaint to it leaving a weak spot in the other three matches, then it's incontrovertible proof the star power contained within. Furthermore, while a tournament as loaded as this one was always has the inherent danger of flopping under its own crushing weight of expectation, nearly every single match delivered, including and especially the final match, which featured Steen holding his own against the Young Bucks while Tozawa was in the back getting medical attention. It had everything I could want in a tag match: valiant if unorthodox babyfaces, an injury angle, true prick heels in the Bucks, a potential warrior's death, a dramatic return, and an amazing if somewhat disheartening ending (setting up for catharsis down the line). I became a stone cold fan of Tozawa's with that DVD viewing, and it cemented PWG's reputation with me of having all their shows become priority must-buys.3. King of TriosI attended all three days and all four

HBK Reveals Thoughts On WWE Tag-Team Future During Exclusive 60 Min “Iron Man Interview” One of the most iconic names in the history of pro wrestling, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels joined up with the Ministry Of Slam wrestling radio show for an exclusive 60-minute talk. Dubbed the “Iron Man Interview” the hour long chat goes in-depth on Shawn's career, specifically focusing on several notable aspects of his lengthy tenure in wrestling. In this snippet, “The Showstopper” tells MOS his thoughts on recent rumours WWE may be about to put more focus on the tag-team division once again. “I really don't know (what the future holds for tag-team wrestling)”, Michaels stated. “When we were doing it, there were a lot of talented and very different tag-teams, but I think it might be fair to say that the business is more individually-oriented now. That's why I don't know if things can go back to the way they were, as phenomenal as it was. I also think that when there was a number of different territories, it wasn't a strange thing for the tag-teams to be the main draw. Obviously that's something, perhaps from a business standpoint, people don't think can be a reasonable expectation now, so it's more focused on individuals.” “Regardless, I think a lot of it comes down to the guys themselves – I think they're more individually focused, and a lot of folks look at being in tags as a stepping stone to get towards an individual career. I know that's something I obviously did, but it was never really the intention at the time. Marty and I of course talked about it, but when he and I got together it was really our first break. That's all we thought about, how we could be the best team possible.” “As for any resurgence of tag-team wrestling? I really can't say, it's impossible for me to get into the minds of individuals, but I don't know if that's a real focus now with the guys. Not a lot of guys seem to go into tags looking to make that team the absolute best it can be. Whether the company standpoint is that guys have to be individuals in order to be successful, or that comes from the wrestlers themselves, there does seem to be more emphasis on single success now than there was back when I started.” The full interview is available on a bumper 3-hour edition of MOS Radio, available via Podbean, iTunes and by visiting www.MinistryOfSlam.com. MOS Radio goes LIVE each and every Monday from 9pm GMT/4pm EST, with a special mid-week podcast, “Rewind” looking at a Pay-Per-View from wrestling history. Special, subscription only premium content is available through MOS Elite. Visit the website for more details! Ministry Of Slam; Right Stories, Right Guests, Right Time.

HBK Reveals Thoughts On WWE Tag-Team Future During Exclusive 60 Min “Iron Man Interview” One of the most iconic names in the history of pro wrestling, “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels joined up with the Ministry Of Slam wrestling radio show for an exclusive 60-minute talk. Dubbed the “Iron Man Interview” the hour long chat goes in-depth on Shawn's career, specifically focusing on several notable aspects of his lengthy tenure in wrestling. In this snippet, “The Showstopper” tells MOS his thoughts on recent rumours WWE may be about to put more focus on the tag-team division once again. “I really don't know (what the future holds for tag-team wrestling)”, Michaels stated. “When we were doing it, there were a lot of talented and very different tag-teams, but I think it might be fair to say that the business is more individually-oriented now. That's why I don't know if things can go back to the way they were, as phenomenal as it was. I also think that when there was a number of different territories, it wasn't a strange thing for the tag-teams to be the main draw. Obviously that's something, perhaps from a business standpoint, people don't think can be a reasonable expectation now, so it's more focused on individuals.” “Regardless, I think a lot of it comes down to the guys themselves – I think they're more individually focused, and a lot of folks look at being in tags as a stepping stone to get towards an individual career. I know that's something I obviously did, but it was never really the intention at the time. Marty and I of course talked about it, but when he and I got together it was really our first break. That's all we thought about, how we could be the best team possible.” “As for any resurgence of tag-team wrestling? I really can't say, it's impossible for me to get into the minds of individuals, but I don't know if that's a real focus now with the guys. Not a lot of guys seem to go into tags looking to make that team the absolute best it can be. Whether the company standpoint is that guys have to be individuals in order to be successful, or that comes from the wrestlers themselves, there does seem to be more emphasis on single success now than there was back when I started.” The full interview is available on a bumper 3-hour edition of MOS Radio, available via Podbean, iTunes and by visiting www.MinistryOfSlam.com. MOS Radio goes LIVE each and every Monday from 9pm GMT/4pm EST, with a special mid-week podcast, “Rewind” looking at a Pay-Per-View from wrestling history. Special, subscription only premium content is available through MOS Elite. Visit the website for more details! Ministry Of Slam; Right Stories, Right Guests, Right Time.

Mickie James has released the second single from her second album, Somebody’s Gonna Pay. The track is called “I’m Gone Song”. A lyric video of the song has been released, featuring footage of Mickie’s recent Knockouts Championship win, photoshoot shots and various clips of old school wrestling and NASCAR. Take a listen below: What do you think of the Knockouts Champion’s new track?

The latest episode of Off The Top Rope is here! The Cagesider's Pro Wrestling Podcast - made for you - by fans like you, has been made available for your listening pleasure as of today (June 19, 2013), by none-other-than your fellow Cagesiders, Mike (vfn) & Rex Ivanovic (the author formerly known as Buckeye Brawler). Each episode features the guys discussing the latest news and goings-on of note in the pro wrestling world. Plus, they review a classic professional wrestling event! This week's episode features chatter from Mike & Rex on the mic discussing: 0:00:30-0:24:00 - We talk about Payback and... man, what a Raw. Mark Henry's Oscar, Christian, Money in the Bank predictions, and more! 0:24:00-0:30:00 - It's Impact time, as we talk the Bound for Glory Series and Mike's unique prediction for the TNA World Title picture. 0:32:30-1:19:00 - TNA Unbreakable 2005, with us asking if TNA is racist or incompetent, an amazing three way match, garbage brawls and their place in modern wrestling, and how not to get a wrestler over. 1:19:00-1:26:00 - MVPs, LVPs, What show we're reviewing next week (WrestleMania V), and what we have going on this week. Remember, next week we will reveal which shows are finalists for the next Listener's Choice! You can nominate shows via Twitter or on Facebook! FOLLOW OFF THE TOP ROPE: A PRO WRESTLING PODCAST -- ON TWITTER | ON TUMBLR | ON FACEBOOK | EMAIL THE SHOW SUBSCRIBE VIA RSS or VIA ITUNES | LISTEN ON STITCHER Direct download: Episode_17_-_TNA_Unbreakable_2005.mp3 Mike & Rex of Off the Top Rope would like to add these thoughts ~ "Don't forget to let us know what you thought of this episode, your thoughts on AAA/IWC When Worlds Collide, or just flat out what you think about our show in general, via any of the ways to get in touch with us... "Feel free to email us your thoughts and we might read them on the air! Be sure to follow us on social media:@Mike & @Rex on Twitter, Mike on Tumblr, and subscribe to Rex right here on SBNation. ~ Thanks for listening!" _______________________________________ Editorial Note: This Fan-Podcast has been promoted to the front page and various sections within Cageside Seats for your enjoyment, Cagesiders! It is however, solely a production created by Fans for Fans, please remember, the opinions expressed herein are solely the subjective opinions of "Mike & Rex" and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats Management, Editors or Staff.

It looks like Stacy Keibler has definitely made the big time! The former WWE Diva graces the cover of the Summer 2013 edition of New Beauty magazine. Keibler joins the likes of Sofia Vergara, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Longoria and many more of Hollywood’s elite women as a cover girl for the beauty magazine. The magazine also features an exclusive piece on Keibler and shares some of her beauty regimens. It’s no surprise New Beauty featured her, as after landing a gig as host of Supermarket Superstar, becoming a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society and being half of one of Hollywood’s hottest couples, the leggy blonde has been turning more heads than ever before! The article doesn’t focus too much on Keibler’s time in the WWE, but rather how she keeps fit. Being from Baltimore, the magazine asked what it’s like to be on the west coast now. She told New Beauty: “Los Angeles is more conscious of health and wellness, and it’s probably because of the weather. But there’s more of an emphasis on that kind of energy here. It just seems that the best trainers, energy healers and wellness experts gravitate out west.” Keibler also opened up about what “energy healing” she’s tried, saying:”I’ve tried it all. Cupping, acupuncture, Reiki, chakra cleansing. It sounds a bit crazy but it works.” Wondering how Keibler stays so fit? The 33 year-old actress, model and host dished on that too, sharing: “My life changed when I did the 21 day cleanse program. It changed the way I look at food and how I eat it- and it changed all my family and friends’ lives too. There’s so much knowledge out there now that tells us that eliminating certain foods in our diets might be linked to pinpointing an allergy or something more serious – and I’m fascinated with that. I eliminated sugar, fruit, beans, corn and gluten, and I looked at it like an experiment with my body and my mental clarity.” Check out full-sized preview photos below: Stacy’s issue of New Beauty will be on newsstands at the end of the month.