Today I Learned (Wrestling Edition)

[Chris B]

16 hours ago, Merzbow said:

Her response is gold too.

[lanky316]

Fletcher and Mizuki Vs Yuka and Takeshita in a "winner wins wife back" match. Book it Tony, if you don't DDT will.

[air_raid]

1 hour ago, lanky316 said:

Book it Tony, if you don't DDT will.

Do it in a pub car park.

[air_raid]

I bet everyone else knew this but TIL Adnan Al-Kaissie (Billy White Wolf/General Adnan) was in the same class as Sadaam Hussein at school.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

Not so much a today I learned but more a today I rediscovered that, after listening to it for the first time in years on Apple Music on my way to work, that Christian Cage’s TNA/AEW theme is the instrumental to Evanescence’s ‘My Last Breath’

[The Gaffer]

Somehow ended up looking through a list of who has won the U.S. title. 

Of note, Terry Funk won it from Lance Storm at a house show in the dying days of WCW - in his hometown - for a one night only type deal. Not recognised by WCW but recognised by WWE:

 

And Bret Hart beat the Miz for it in 2010! Christ, that's a Content Era forgotten/never really committed to memory! There's a few of those from the dreaded Bret 'Hitman' Jorts run, though. 

 

Absolutely rubbish belt. The only time I can remember it having much relevance in the modern era is when Cena had it on his way to the tippy top. Didn't care for his open invitation elevation attempt of the belt much later on in his career, because it was all hoo-rah jingoism by that point. 

 

Edited June 25, 2025 by The Gaffer

[LaGoosh]

2 minutes ago, The Gaffer said:

Absolutely rubbish belt. The only time I can remember it having much relevance in the modern era is when Cena had it on his way to the tippy top. Didn't care for his open invitation elevation attempt of the belt much later on in his career, because it was all hoo-rah jingoism by that point. 

Also tied in with Cena's weird run where he wrestled like an indie spot monkey. His matches during this run were fucking awful.

[The Gaffer]

2 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Also tied in with Cena's weird run where he wrestled like an indie spot monkey. His matches during this run were fucking awful.

Aye, dreadful. But probably objectively thrilling to the core audience. 

Whacky inflatable offence, submission holds my dad pissed on New Years could get out of and EVEN BIGGER DRAMATIC FACES! all got so much worse when you could tell he was trying to win over the NXT crowd. 

[hallicks]

12 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

Also tied in with Cena's weird run where he wrestled like an indie spot monkey. His matches during this run were fucking awful.

Was this the Springboard Stunner|DIDN’T GET ALL OF IT era? He never put anyone over in that open invitation run either, not properly. Lost it to del Rio in 8 minutes in a mid card nothing match.

Edited June 26, 2025 by hallicks
Aron Gunnarsson

[tiger_rick]

15 hours ago, LaGoosh said:

Also tied in with Cena's weird run where he wrestled like an indie spot monkey. His matches during this run were fucking awful.

Absolutely not. I did hate that springboard stunner but otherwise, they were matches that really worked. People were into the surprise challengers, there was a sense of jeaopardy in all of the matches that he might lose and it created some excitement. Maybe not objectively brilliant ring work but matches that created some sense of feeling. The gimmick has been done to death now but that was a good little run.

Wasted on Del Rio. 

[wordsfromlee]

That Open Challenge era of Cenas also gave us that great main roster debut of Kevin Owens.

[Callum1993]

It also provided the less memorable debut of Sami Zayn endorsed by Bret in Montreal where he then proceeded to injure his shoulder with an over exuberant entrance. 

[Merzbow]

If it wasn't for that shaky era where his workrate wanker stuff bordered on parody we likely wouldn't have also had the excellent AJ Styles feud.

[Carbomb]

TIL and had my mind blown that Arrrrrmando Alejandrrrrro Estrrrrrada is actually Palestinian!

 

He was a great manager, and I thought he was superb as the GM of WWECW as well. Never understood why they never really committed to using him - his various roles always seemed very stop-start and quite piecemeal.

[LaGoosh]

2 hours ago, Carbomb said:

TIL and had my mind blown that Arrrrrmando Alejandrrrrro Estrrrrrada is actually Palestinian!

 

He was a great manager, and I thought he was superb as the GM of WWECW as well. Never understood why they never really committed to using him - his various roles always seemed very stop-start and quite piecemeal.

I assume it was because Vince just generally disliked managers as a concept.