Jump to content

When it’s Good it’s Fucking Great.


Supremo

Recommended Posts

Nothing will ever top the slow build to Hogan Andre WM3. The charachters involved. Piper, Hogan, Jesse, Heenan, Andre.

Subtle lines on commentery for weeks it seemed like as a kid, but it was probably filmed on one mammoth Superstars taping. Jesse and Piper play their roles to perfection. Never before has so many naturally charasmatic men been involved in an angle.  The biggest wrestling match of all time. 

Think this is the real start of it...

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CHIKARA: A Sweet & Sour Unmasking at the Dark Ciberknetico (AKA The most I've ever marked out)

The Build Up: Uber-heel stable the BDK (Bruderschaft des Kreuzes [Translation: "Brotherhood of the Cross"]) had completely taken over CHIKARA and were tearing it apart. They had the numbers, a biased ref and management in their pocket. Loses were rare. Meanwhile the CHIKARA roster were getting their arses kicked and had to slowly put aside grudges and learn to work together to beat the invaders.

This all came to a head at the Dark Ciberknetico. Two teams of eight in an elimination match. Team BDK led by Claudio Castagnoli (now Cesaro). Team CHIKARA led by Ultramantis Black. This was it. The CHIKARA roster were now one complete army. Fans knew this was the turning point. This was the beginning of the end for the BDK.

There was a wildcard by the name of Vodoker. He was a masked imposter. Fans knew this because the real Vodoker was Tim Donst, a CHIKARA traitor who helped the BDK take over the company from inside by posing as a time travelling robot sent from the future to stop the BDK (hey, it's CHIKARA *shrug*). Fake Vodoker would only appear during Donst's matches and watch from the sidelines. Who was he? It was implied that there actually was a "real" Vodoker and Donst had stolen his look. Was this fake actually the real thing? Fake Vodoker was named 8th member of Team CHIKARA. We'd soon find out.

The Match: At the event Team BDK entered first. Then, one by one came the CHIKARA guys. Fake Vodoker was last. He reached up and triumphantly tore his mask off. It was none other than "Too sweet to be sour" Larry Sweeney. The fans lost it. I lost it. In CHIKARA terms this was the equivalent of Stone Cold returning to the ring. Here was this beloved fan favourite who hadn't been seen in years. He had had serious injuries and "his demons", as it were. We never thought we'd see him again. But there he was with a big shit eating grin on his face.

Every fan was on their feet. They're all chanting for Sweeney. He charges towards Claudio and the full brilliance of Sweeney's return was made clear: it wasn't just a shock return. It also made complete storyline sense. He was Claudio's arch nemesis. He'd made Claudio's life hell for years before leaving CHIKARA. Now he was back and Claudio looked like he was seeing the Ghost of Arse Kickings Past. Time for one more.

Sweeney smashed Claudio in the face with an elbow. The fight back began and all across the arena the CHIKARA and BDK guys started beating the shit out of each other. People are getting slammed onto the floor. Others tossed into chairs. Every fan's on their feet and cheering. The catharsis was amazing. This evil cheating group of scumbags were FINALLY get their arses kicked! Led by a beloved wrestler we never thought we'd see again. For the CHIKARA faithful this truly was a fucking great moment.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

Some excellent shouts in here. Great being reminded of stuff I've seen and even better to read about those PWG and CHIKARA angles that look and sound phenomenal. Is any of that stuff easily accessible? Are PWG still clinging to the business model of only selling DVDs? I feel like I've missed loads of good stuff over the years, having mostly ignored the Independents under the assumption it was all just a load of hand-shaking, flippy bollocks. I'm especially interested in that Kyle O'Reilly stuff, since he's now a firm favourite of mine in NXT.

Anyway, someone mentioning it earlier reminded about that, "This is my addiction," promo that Eddie Guerrero cut before No Way Out 2004. I'd completely forgotten about it.. Holy shit though! Watch this.

Check out those last few minutes before he throws the microphone down. Pure passion. Incredible.

Also @dopper, the only reason I described Cena's One Night Stand 2006 entrance as, "arguably," the coolest he's ever looked was because I can't deny that pose he did when he entered the Royal Rumble in 2008.

image.png.ec56471ca8438995309fb4a7ef380db1.png

Look at that cool motherfucker right there. Completely tears a pectoral muscle, scheduled to be back in six to eight months, shows up in less than four. Absolute hero. I bet he stunk of Growth Hormone, though.

"I think you know the guy...his name is CACTUS JACK!"

image.png.d60e442681d143c6ae5d8976dfaaef47.png

It's a real shame what a number Mick Foley did on his own legacy and reputation. If someone mentions Mick nowadays I think of the money-grabbing, sleazy, tragic loser. If he's not asking you to pay for his lunch then he's probably wanking himself dry over Melina, smashing up TV sets because he didn't like who won the Royal Rumble or referring to Vince as, "Mr. McMahon," because the chump feels he, "lost the right," to call him Vince. What an absolute melt.

It's easy to forget what an amazing performer Mick was, particularly on the mic. This is a prime example. Written down on a page, judged in isolation, there's no way you'd think this angle would work. Fat, broken down Mankind, who's mainly been having shitty tag matches with Al Snow for the past few months, is going to rip off a mask and reveal a new T-shirt. And we're supposed to buy him as a WWF Title contender?! Rubbish. Yet in practice, it hits massively.

This is pure pro-wrestling. Proper comic book stuff. It's a testament to what a great job they'd done building up the Three Faces of Foley that people were able to buy him, "transitioning," from one character to another as making such a huge difference. I recall Mick in his book talking about being apprehensive and not convinced it would work, attributing the way Hunter sells it as what gives it authenticity and pushes it over the edge. It's the perfect example of how you really can create whatever reality you want in pro-wrestling. If you sell it, they'll buy it.

The angle's even better by the time it goes through their production team, too. Check out the promo video for their Royal Rumble 2000 match. It's amazing with the added music.

What a fantastic angle, leading to a brilliant feud, featuring two great matches. The perfect way to round off a career...well, if you're not a money-grabbing, sleazy, tragic loser.

Thinking back, I feel like WWF's great product from late 1999 onwards exposes Russo almost as much as the awful WCW product does. Not only was he producing absolute shit on the other channel, but WWF went on to improve dramatically and do some of their best stuff. You've got Hunter gatecrashing Test and Stephanie's wedding, this angle, the incredible Radicalz invasion, the Angle/Hunter/Stephanie love triangle, that night where Jericho won the Title, so on and so forth. You'd think Russo would be watching completely red-faced, but you know he probably felt like it was all too predictable, bro.

Edited by Supremo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members

Wasn't it more about them wanting characters that were a bit more grounded in reality, Taker was a biker and so BikerTaker was a logical direction to take his character in. I heard WCW wanted to bring him in as Mark Calaway at some point in the late 90s, probably so Hogan can get his win from Survivor Series 91 back  in an overbooked mess. He wrestled Kane at Mayhem In Manchester in 1998 ostensibly in his street clothes apparently because he lost his luggage.

 

Edited by jazzygeofferz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members
1 minute ago, IANdrewDiceClay said:

Luckily Kane didnt lose his luggage. Fake Diesel vs the Undertaker wouldntt have been a worthy match on the card.

Could have dyed his hair, found a while shirt and done the return of Isaac Yankem DDS.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members
5 hours ago, IANdrewDiceClay said:

I dont believe a word of that Taker/WCW story. May 2000 WCW would have had trouble signing Carlton Palmer, let alone someone of the Undertaker's quality. He'd have been mental to even think about it.

If somebody at Turner \ Time Warner and Hogan heard that 'Taker could be available, they'd have stumped up the money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One that really got me like a massive twist in a soap was the Billy and Chuck wedding. It looked like a shit LOL GAYS story was all fizzling out into nothingness but then the old duffer conducting the ceremony said the thing about love lasting forever, years, or three minutes. 

When it dawned on me what was happening I was flabbergasted! When they get it right, they get it right.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Foley's run as commissioner in 2000 was pitch perfect and so enjoyable. Partly because it was a change from a poxy McMahon running things, but also because Mick was so bloody likeable and entertaining back then, he also brought the best out of Angle in those backstage segments, which I think was a big factor in Kurt getting over as quick as he did. Same for Edge and Christian.

They've never captured that magic with any GM they've used since. 

Edited by DCW
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DCW said:

Foley's run as commissioner in 2000 was pitch perfect and so enjoyable. Partly because it was a change from a poxy McMahon running things, but also because Mick was so bloody likeable and entertaining back then, he also brought the best out of Angle in those backstage segments, which I think was a big factor in Kurt getting over as quick as he did. Same for Edge and Christian.

They've never captured that magic with any GM they've used since. 

I don’t think it is about not being able to capture the magic and more to do with the amount of scripting these days. Foley was a loveable goof as Mankind for a good while and so was able to carry on that persona as commisioner, he was also likely allowed a lot of creative freedom in what he said as long as he ticked the right boxes when doing so. 

It’s why Punk’s pipebomb was such a big deal, they are not allowed to do stuff like that anymore without triple checking with Vince and even then the mad old bastard can change his mind mid sentence. Look at the Cena/Roman promo; Cena slaughtered the poor bugger and Roman could only respond with “shut up John.” Imagine Roman had been confident enough to call Cena out and had a go back. 

It just isn’t in the WWE’s nature to allow organic development anymore, yes there are examples of it happening but it is few and far between.

“Hey Vince I was thinking I might make a fool of the Rock by stealing his catchphrase and then doing a lap of the ring as the crowd genuinely laugh and chant my name”

”Are you kidding buddy, make fun of the Rock? He is one of our biggest stars. No you can go to say his catchphrase and then he will rockbottom you and the crowd will cheer him, yuck yuck yuck”  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Paid Members
5 hours ago, Keith Houchen said:

One that really got me like a massive twist in a soap was the Billy and Chuck wedding. It looked like a shit LOL GAYS story was all fizzling out into nothingness but then the old duffer conducting the ceremony said the thing about love lasting forever, years, or three minutes. 

When it dawned on me what was happening I was flabbergasted! When they get it right, they get it right.  

The reaction to them not being gay was the most wrestling fan thing ever, though.

Billy: "Rico ... we're not gay."

Audience: *FUCKING GET IN!*

Edited by IANdrewDiceClay
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...