WWE Extreme Rules Results and Afterthoughts

w/ Alex Archer and Violet Buttle


John Cena defeats Brock Lesnar in an Extreme Rules Match

Alex: One word to describe this match: Brutal!  I was expecting a hybrid style from Lesnar, combining some MMA style shooting with some of his old WWE repertoire.  Instead, we mostly got Brock Lesnar beating the shit out of John Cena with an absolutely savage barrage of strikes.  I was legit scared for Cena and expected a stoppage after he was busted open as bad as he was.  Amazing match with a finish that seems a bit strange.  I'm not going to pass judgement on the finish until I see where they go with this one.

Violet: This match was downright scary, and at times, I was legitimately scared for Cena. I was surprised to see Cena win but not necessarily disappointed by the result. I have no idea what WWE is going to do with Lesnar now. He is a savage. What character in the WWE would be brave enough to face him?

CM Punk (c) defeats Chris Jericho to retain the WWE Championship in a Chicago Street Fight

Alex: The crowd wasn't as hot as anyone expected them to be, especially early on in the match.  Once they stopped using the weapons so exclusively and got to wrestling, the crowd was more alive, and the match seemed to kick into overdrive.  Not sure where Jericho goes from here after losing at every pay-per-view since his return.

Violet: Initially, I was bored by this match. Jericho and Punk are both talented wrestlers who should and could be doing more than assaulting each other with weapons. Luckily, the two abandoned the weapons near the end of the match and started wrestling, which is where the action became more interesting. I’m not totally surprised by Punk’s victory, but I’m not sure what WWE will do with Jericho for the next few weeks (before he leaves to go on tour) after two important and decisive losses to Punk.

Sheamus (c) defeats Daniel Bryan to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match

Alex: Just imagine this match at WrestleMania.  We all knew Bryan was capable of a great match like that, but Sheamus deserves a lot of credit of keeping up his end of the deal.  My only issue is that the finish was too easy.  I didn't like Sheamus calling for the Brogue Kick,  hitting it, and scoring the pin.  It would've been much more exciting if he hit it out of nowhere or at the end of a really intense back and forth exchange.

Violet: After the shot of her lurking backstage, I was very surprised AJ did not get involved in this match. I was pleased to see Bryan look so dominant throughout the action, and there were times I thought they might actually put the belt back on him. Naturally, I expected Sheamus to win, but I expected it to be much easier for him to do so.

Cody Rhodes defeats Big Show for the Intercontinental Championship in a Tables Match

Alex: A lot of people were really heated over the finish, but I loved it.  It gives Show an out and gets the belt back on Cody where it can actually mean something.  I've got my fingers crossed that both men move on to new things from here.

Violet: While I’m not usually amused by fluke victories, I’ll take this one for two reasons: Rhodes rightfully reclaimed his Intercontinental Title, and the look on Show’s face after he went through the table was downright funny. Easily the best thing I’ve ever seen Big Show do.

Randy Orton defeats Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere Match

Alex: I can't stand the storyline, and I'm sick of these two fighting every other time I turn on WWE programming, but this was easily one of their best bouts.  I think the work through the crowd did a lot to make me forget how slow I usually find their matches.  Hopefully this is the end of this feud... finally.

Violet: This match was as boring as I expected, and it gave me the ending that I expected. I can only hope this feud is finally over. I just feel badly for the next unfortunate victim of Kane’s misdirected hate.

Layla defeats Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship

Alex: I feel bad for everyone involved.  Once Layla was announced as the mystery opponent, I feel like 50% of the audience stopped paying attention due to the lack of Kharma, and the other 50% was already taking the Diva's match bathroom break.  Layla actually looked better in the ring than she did before her injury; but no one cared, they just wanted Kharma.

Violet: Layla looked great in the ring; but, unfortunately, her return fell flat. It will be interesting to see how the Bellas and Layla tie into Kharma’s imminent return.

Brodus Clay defeats Dolph Ziggler

Alex: I hate to say it, but I'm over Brodus Clay at this point.  Having Hornswoggle in the mix just makes things worse.  Ziggler did his usual amazing job of making his opponent look good.  Can we get a title belt of some kind on this guy?

Violet: I am growing tired of Brodus Clay. Ziggler deserves so much better than this match.

Ryback defeats 2 Jobbers in a Handicapped Match

Alex: PPV squash matches are whack.  Honestly, I'd rather see the "two is greater than one" guy again than Ryback.  I think WWE got a little too squash match happy with Brodus, Tensai, and Ryback all doing the same thing in such a short time.  It lost its flavor real fast.

Violet: I am not into Ryback whatsoever.

Santino Marella (c) defeats The Miz to retain the United States Championship

Alex: Where to begin... Santino winning and successfully defending the US Championship has stripped the title of any remnants of integrity the belt might have had left.  Miz losing to a comedy face on a pay-per-view pre-show is just awful.  The live crowds love Santino, but seeing him do nothing offensively but hit his hip toss, head butt, and cobra to win matches against former WWE champions is just so bad.

Violet: From this match, I get the sense that they have no idea what to do with the US Title or the Miz.

Contact us on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :

@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

WWE Extreme Rules Predictions

w/ Alex Archer, Violet Buttle, and Mike Bradford

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena in an Extreme Rules Match

Alex: Cena and Lesnar have both done a great job selling this match.  Their interactions on Raw over the last few weeks have been really enjoyable.  I see Lesnar winning this one with some small form of Laurinaitis-instructed interference.  Not enough to make him look weak, but just enough to give Cena some kind of out.

Violet: This past Monday on Raw, when Lesnar and Cena were in the ring together for the contract signing, I was legitimately scared for Cena. Lesnar has to win this match. I think Cena's losing streak is the most interesting thing that's happened to him in awhile.

Mike: There’s no way Cena wins this one. They have him on this losing streak right now, and it’s got to lead somewhere, right? I know there’s not going to be a fabled Cena heel turn anytime soon, but I think a lot of people would get behind Cena after watching him get knocked down to the point where he can look like an underdog. Unlike The Rock, Brock is legitimately not leaving, so this feud has the opportunity to continue if more money can be made from it. If that happens, I really hope Brock lets his matches do his talking for him, otherwise he needs a manager.

CM Punk (c) vs. Chris Jericho for the WWE Championship in a Chicago Street Fight

Alex: The Chicago crowd is going to be insane for this one, but I think Jericho is going to take the title with some kind of dirtball tactics.  I don't see this feud ending just yet, and without a Jericho win, I don't know how it carries on.

Violet: Since Punk got the win at Mania, I think Jericho will win here. Punk won't be without the title for long, though, as Jericho is leaving shortly to tour with his band. Plus, think about how good that belt is going to look under the Jericho jacket. WWE wouldn't deprive us of that sight.

Mike: We’ve seen what these guys can do, and it’s all awesome. I think Jericho wins in this one, and the two keep the feud going until the next PPV where Punk will regain the title as Jericho is currently planning a tour with his band. If Punk loses in Chicago, the heat on Jericho will be amazing.

Sheamus (c) vs. Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match

Alex:  Sheamus retains after they split the first two falls to set up the Sheamus / Del Rio feud.  I'm interested to see how they use AJ on this one and how it will further the AJ / Daniel Bryan storyline.

Violet: With the push Sheamus has been getting for months, I expect his title reign will last longer than a month. Although, I wouldn't be totally surprised to see Bryan regain the title. I hope that the two out of three falls stipulation allows these two get a chance to show what they could have done at the past two WrestleManias.

Mike: I have such high hopes that this match will be a show stealer and these guys will get at least 30 minutes to work with. I think it will come to the third fall to determine the winner, and ultimately AJ will have an impact. I love Bryan as WORLD! HEAVYWEIGHT! CHAMPION!, but I think Sheamus will retain after some interference and go on to feud with someone else when the night is through. Hopefully Bryan gets so show off his skills and it’s not just two straight brogue kicks.

Big Show (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Intercontinental Championship (stipulation TBD)

Alex: I've learned you can't put anything past the WWE, but I think they put the belt back on Cody this weekend and put a fork in this terrible feud.  Big Show has been dominating Cody for weeks, so hopefully that's evidence that my theory is correct.

Violet: Please, WWE, take the title away from Show and give it back to its rightful owner: Cody Rhodes. If Show wins against Rhodes again, I'll be disgusted. Show looks ridiculous caring around that little belt.

Mike: This feud will hopefully be over by the end of this match. I would love to see Cody working towards a world title run, but with Christian and ADR returning, I can’t see it happening right now. I think Cody wins and hopefully brings back some honor to the IC title by feuding with someone he can really work with in the ring.

Kane vs. Randy Orton in a Falls Count Anywhere Match

Alex: Please just make this feud end and get Kane off my television!  I think Orton wins, but honestly, I don't think anyone cares.

Violet:Well, Kane won at WrestleMania, so I predict Orton will get the win here. But I really don't care.

Mike: I’m honestly not that interested in this match. I think Kane wins this one, and the feud continues for one more match. Let’s be honest, Orton will NOT be feuding with Jinder Mahal after this and both he and Kane need something to keep them on TV for a while.

Nikki Bella (c) vs. Beth Phoenix for the Divas Championship

Alex: With rumors of Kharma returning on Monday night, I think Nikki will hold on with the help of some Twin Magic so that she can be destroyed on Raw.

Violet: I think the "ankle injury" gives Phoenix an excuse to lose this match. Nikki Bella will retain the title only to be destroyed by Kharma on Raw. See ya, Bellas.

Mike: The word that surrounds this match is “rumor.” It’s rumored that the angle here is that Nikki Bella won the belt from Beth because Kharma is set to be making her return. Another rumor is that Beth’s ankle injury is not legit, and that WWE wants to build up to a Beth vs. Kharma match. Even more rumors surround the Bellas, whose contracts are expiring.  The returning Kharma would then destroy the Bellas and give a storyline reason as to why they aren’t around any longer. I predict Kharma returns at Extreme Rules, Nikki retains somehow, and then Kharma destroys the Bellas on Raw to start a title run and feud with Phoenix. I’m a fan of women’s wrestling so I hope WWE does this right.

Santino Marella (c) vs. The Miz for the United States Championship

Alex: While this would be the perfect opportunity to make the pre-show seem important by booking a title change, the fact that Miz hasn't done anything since WrestleMania leads me to believe that Santino retains.

Violet: This match is difficult to predict, because so little has preceded it. I'd love to see Miz win, because he career and character have been in a lull since last year's loss to Cena at Extreme Rules.

Mike: I’m a fan of Santino, and I think the US title run he’s currently on is a reward for getting himself over with the crowd. On the other hand, I can’t stand The Miz. WWE, however, obviously sees something in him. I see Miz winning the US title in this one.

Contact us on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | @Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

IWF - April 28th - Before the Bell

by Mike Bradford

This Saturday night, April 28, the Independent Wrestling Federation is hosting an event at the Parks and Recreation building (44 Park Ave) in Nutley, NJ. There is a fan access event that starts 7:00pm and bell time is listed as 7:45. The event is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. If you attend, not only are you supporting independent wrestling, you’re also supporting a damn good cause. There are tickets still available and I encourage everyone who can attend to show up and have a good time. Fun fact about IWF: the man known as Darren Young on NXT and Smackdown trained and competed there, as did Angelina from the Jersey Shore.

While WWE legends Tito Santana, Marty Jannetty, and Jim Powers are all slated to make appearences, there is one homegrown IWF star that I’m looking forward to watching, and that is Mr. Casino. I’ve been to quite a few independent shows in my time, but this is first time I’m getting the chance to see someone I grew up with perform in the ring. Mr. Casino and I have known each other since grade school, and although he was trained by IWF, Mr. Casino got his first taste of "in ring action" in my backyard. As did many other teenage boys during WWE’s Attitude Era, Mr. Casino, Alex Archer, and myself participated in backyard wrestling. It definitely wasn’t the prettiest wrestling, or the smartest way to kill time as a kid, but we thought we were awesome. (A note from Alex: We were awesome, damnit!

It is with great pride that I will be sitting front row to watch an old friend follow a dream. He and his tag team partner, All-Star Austin Williams, will be going up against The Master Frank Scoleri and Absolutely Edwin for the IWF Tag Team titles. I’ve been excited for Saturday night since the moment he told me that he’d be wrestling, and I’m going to mark out like never before when he’s announced. For a full line up of matches, and schedule of events please visit www.campiwf.com

Good luck, Mr. Casino Do PCW proud.

Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling : @Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

Thoughts on WWE's and TNA's New General Managers

by Violet Buttle

WWE and TNA are making changes to their weekly television shows under the guise of fresh, new General Managers (in all fairness, Laurinaitis was the Interim GM for Raw prior to his successful WrestleMania outing where he acquired GM duties for both televised WWE shows). Some of the changes that have been introduced by Hogan (TNA) and Launinaitis (WWE) are intriguing, while some, not surprisingly, are just baffling. Below, I take a look at the work both men have done thus far.

John Laurinaitis: General Manager of Raw and SmackDown

While I am a fan of the Laurinaitis character, I admittedly am not sure about his “People Power” gimmick. I get that he is referring to his belief that he is giving the people what they want by booking interesting matches. But, ultimately, the people or the WWE Universe have little power here. If they were to be literally empowered, Laurinaitis would be would be more engaged with the audience, which could mean a more frequent use of Twitter, website or text polls, and so on. Perhaps, the empty promise of power to people is part of what makes Laurinaitis such a successful heel, but I find the whole concept somewhat puzzling.

In addition to being a well characterized heel manager, Laurinaitis also has a wonderfully crafted sidekick in David Otunga. When Otunga was a part of Nexxus and the Corre, I was bored by him; however, his Harvard Law School graduate gimmick has been great for him and Laurinaitis. These two have great chemistry together, and the crowd certainly reacts to Otunga as the evil henchman he is supposed to be.

Laurinaitis is also being credited with bringing new talent to the WWE rosters. The arrival of new talent is always exciting as it means new character dynamics, alliances, and feuds.

Hulk Hogan: General Manager of Impact Wrestling

I get that Hogan is a legend and probably still has some devoted fans, but, to me, he’s just a washed-up old star still clinging to the fame he once had. If anything, he’s more of a turn off than a reason to tune in every week.

However, Hogan’s character made some very interesting announcements last week that will alter the weekly televised Impact show that we’re all used to. While I have some qualms about his plans, I am pleased to see the Television Title will be defended weekly on the show. Prior to this, not only was the Television title never mentioned, but the champion was rarely even on Impact. This decision is a good way to ensure that guys that may not have otherwise given TV time (what with all of the Roode/ Bully Ray/ Storm segments that plague the show) also get a chance to showcase their work.

Conversely, I’m a little been concerned about the introduction of Open Fight Night. Logistically, I’m not sure how this can be organized without everyone calling everyone else out. Also, will it lead to feuding wrestlers meeting in the ring before the opportune moment? Will it decrease the value of PPVs? Won’t everyone be trying to challenge for a title? Was this idea even remotely thought through? While I’m interested in seeing new talent introduced, this seems like a sloppily executed concept.

Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling : @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

Indy Spotlight #3: Combat Zone Wrestling

by Mike Bradford

Promotion Name: Combat Zone Wrestling
Founded: 1999
Based Out Of: Philadelphia, PA
Website: www.CZWrestling.com
Twitter: @CombatZone

CZW World Heavyweight Champion
Masada


CZW Tag Team Champions
Azriel and Bandido Jr


CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion
Sami Callahan


CZW Wired TV Champion
Dave Crist


CZW Ultraviolent Underground Champion
Masada


Thoughts: CZW prides itself on being ultra violent entertainment, and that it is. If it’s said that ECW brought the Japanese death match style to the United States, in my opinion, CZW perfected it. CZW has a variety of hardcore matches involving barbed wire, thumbtacks, light tubes, beds of nails, and glass. They’ve even converted an entire ring into a barbed wire spider web. It has to be seen to be believed. If you are a fan of hardcore wrestling, and need some blood mixed in with your matches, then CZW is an absolute must for you.

Fear not traditional wrestling fans, CZW has much more to offer than just blood, guts, and weapons. CZW not only hosts Tournament of Death every year as their signature show, but they also host Best of the Best which puts the focus on the athleticism of professional wrestling and brings together some of the best technical wrestlers in the game for a great PPV.

Because of it’s appeal to hardcore, death match style wrestling fans, CZW is one of the leading independent wrestling promotions in the country today. Buy a DVD or iPPV from them and you will not be disappointed by their production value, as it is better than most. Fans looking for blood and guts will absolutely love this promotion, and fans of the traditional style can be surprised with what CZW has to offer if they give it a chance. For anyone skeptical about CZW, keep in mind that their May 12 iPPV, Proving Grounds, will be available for just $4.99 at www.hybrident.tv.

Note: I’ll be doing a different “Indy Spotlight” each week, which will hopefully be posted on Wednesdays. All “Indy Spotlights” are written by me, and me alone and my opinions may not match the other writers on this site. If you are wrestler, promoter, or fan of a promotion that you think I should take a look at, please drop me a line at mikebradfordftlow@gmail.com or on twitter @Bradford_FTLOW. I’m not expecting anything free, I have no problem supporting you by buying a DVD.

Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling : @Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

A Quick Look at the Current WWE Feuds

by Alex Archer


Chris Jericho and CM Punk
Both of these guys are doing a great job on the microphone to get this feud over, but I don't know how much the fans are really buying into the the whole "Punk's going to break edge" angle. Bringing up personal issues with Punk's family is a good touch and it gives him the opportunity to show off an angrier side of his babyface persona, but I still don't think it's any reason to think Punk would break edge over losing the title to Jericho. Other than that, though, this angle has featured some great mic work and some solid in-ring action. I'm looking forward to their match at Extreme Rules in Chicago. 4/5

Brock Lesnar and John Cena
I'm glad they went the exact opposite direction with Lesnar than they went with The Rock. Rather than having Cena and Lesnar trade poorly written, juvenile one-liners for the sake of a Twitter trend, they let these guys get right into it physically. The pull apart brawl they had was great, and Cena getting busted open makes their claims of legitimacy that much more valid. The only thing bringing this feud down right now is the involvement of John Laurinaitis. The comedy heel GM shouldn't be involved with any angle that is using legitimacy as its platform. I also think they're missing out by not having Heyman work as Lesnar's mouthpiece, although he did do a pretty good job in the pre-taped segment that played during the UK episode of Raw. 4/5

Daniel Bryan and Sheamus
What's strange about this one is that Sheamus seems to be the least important part of this whole angle. Personally, I'm far more interested in the story between Bryan and AJ and where this feud will leave the two of them. The two out of three falls stipulation could make the match itself interesting, but then again, who knows if WWE has something up their sleeve to make that suck as bad as the WrestleMania debacle. 3/5

Dolph Ziggler / Jack Swagger and Brodus Clay
I don't have a problem with them putting Clay over Ziggler and Swagger as they have the past few weeks, but Ziggler is too damn good to have it happen so quickly and so effortlessly. We've seen Brodus squash the new Job Squad, and Ziggler is established as a solid mid-carder, so why not make this competitive? Maybe it'll get there before all is said and done, but they aren't doing anyone any favors with the way they're currently booking this feud. Ziggler is a selling machine. I don't understand why they wouldn't him in the ring with Clay for more than 30 seconds and have him look like even more of a monster by tossing Ziggler all over the arena. 2/5

Cody Rhodes and The Big Show
I'm really disappointed with the way that these guys have been booked since WrestleMania. Big Show as Intercontinental Champion does absolutely nothing for me. On top of that, the whole angle where Show is interrupting Cody's matches with old clips isn't interesting at all. It wasn't interesting when Cody was doing it to Big Show, but at least then it made sense. Hopefully after Extreme Rules this feud disappears (along with Big Show) and Cody can work his way up the ladder. 1/5

Randy Orton and Kane
We've seen these two wrestle way too many times in the last few months. I honestly couldn't care less about either guy or this feud at this point. The reason they're feuding is even more ridiculous than Kane's welder's mask. My only hope is that they stick a fork in this one after Extreme Rules and they get Orton back on track with a program that matters. 1/5

Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
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Indy Spotlight #2 : Women Superstars Uncensored

by Mike Bradford

Promotion: Women Superstars Uncensored
Founded: 2006
Based Out Of: New Jersey
Website: www.WSUWrestling.com
Twitter: @WSUWrestling

WSU World Heavyweight Champion:
Jessicka Havok


WSU Spirit Champion:
Jessicka Havok


WSU Tag-Team Champions:
The Midwest Militia (Sassy Stephie and Allysin Kay)



Thoughts: Let me get this out of the way right from the start: WSU is a Northeastern US promotion that focuses on women’s wrestling. If WWE is your only source of wrestling, I could understand why you would be turned off by the idea of women’s wrestling. WWE reduced its Diva's division to models competing in two minute matches which are less than stellar. There is hope for WWE's female division, as they have Beth Phoenix, Natalya, and Kharma under contract, but unless things really heat up upon Kharma’s return, it would just be more of the same. The women of WSU are not models or Divas, they are legitimate wrestlers doing what they love.

If you’re looking for mistletoe on a pole, mud wrestling, or bra and panties matches, then WSU is the absolute wrong place. Some of these matches have more action and tell a better story than those featuring male counterparts. As I mentioned, these women are WRESTLERS and wrestling is the primary focus.

While the matches are great, the thing that stood out most to me in the time I’ve been following WSU was the storyline involving Mercedes Martinez and Jessicka Havok. It’s still taking place and it’s absolutely captivating how these women have made it so believably personal. You feel the emotion and hatred in their promos, and that really brings an intensity into the ring that’s hard for me to describe. Their match at the 5 Year Anniversary event made me want to follow the promotion for years to come. The build up and the anticipation I felt for that match must’ve been what WWE wanted me to feel for The Rock vs. Cena. Realizations like that are why I love the independent wrestling scene. The stuff that these women put out is pure, and it shows.

Note: I’ll be doing a different “Indy Spotlight” each week, which will hopefully be posted on Wednesdays. All “Indy Spotlights” are written by me, and me alone and my opinions may not match the other writers on this site. If you are wrestler, promoter, or fan of a promotion that you think I should take a look at, please drop me a line at mikebradfordftlow@gmail.com or on twitter @Bradford_FTLOW. I’m not expecting anything free, I have no problem supporting you by buying a DVD.

Contact me on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
@Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

TNA Lockdown Afterthoughts

w/ Alex Archer and Violet Buttle


Bobby Roode (c) defeats James Storm to retain the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: I just don't understand the logic behind keeping the title on Roode at this event. Roode hasn't won a title match clean in god knows how long, and this makes it two pay-per-views in a row that his opponent essentially defeated themselves. These guys can go together, but the finish here was just so stupid.

Violet: I'm so uninterested in Roode and Storm that I went to bed before this match. I don't think things are over between Roode and Storm yet, as they have obviously been grooming Storm to be the new champion for some time now.

Team Garrett Bischoff defeats Team Eric Bischoff in a Lethal Lockdown Match

Alex: I had forgotten how awful Lethal Lockdown matches were until all the guys were in the ring and the top of the cage came down with all the corny weapons. They had a lot of talent in this match, but it seemed to get lost in the insanity. Garrett got the pin on Eric. Whoppity doo. Get this punk off my television, and stop wasting such good talent on trying to get him over.

Violet: Between the way they filmed the action, the addition of the weapons, and all of the guys in the ring, this match was muddled and uninteresting. When is TNA going to realize that Garrett is never going to get over? Ever.

Samoa Joe and Magnus (c) vs. The Motor City Machine Guns for the TNA Tag Team Championships

Alex: Great match from all four guys. There were a few sloppy spots, but nothing really glaring. The right team went over and hopefully this will set up a nice feud between the two teams. I'm so impressed with the chemistry between Magnus and Joe.

Violet: While I'm glad Magnus and Joe retain their titles, I'm not sure what this does for the Motor City Machine Guns after their big return. Will they just get another title shot? The story could have been written in a way that gave the Machine Guns an excuse for the loss and also set up an entertaining feud.

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy

Alex: Both of these guys were doing their damnedest to put on a great match and they succeeded in my mind. The near falls in their matches always seem pretty believable and that really adds a level of excitement to their contests. You knew that at least one of these guys was going to come flying off the top of the cage, and Hardy's Swanton was nuts. Very happy to see Hardy finally get a win.

Violet: Hardy and Angle put on one of the few exciting matches of the evening.

Gail Kim (c) vs. Velvet Sky for the TNA Knockouts Championship

Alex: I was surprised and pleased that they didn't take the strap off Gail Kim here. She's an incredibly gifted wrestler and is a great person to have representing the Knockouts Division as their champion. I knew Kim would deliver, but it was nice to see Velvet Sky doing a decent job of keeping up.

Violet: Kim was obviously the stronger performer in this match and she did a good job of picking up the slack for Sky. I was a little worried that Sky was going to take the title, and after the screwy finish, I think there's a chance she still might.

Devon (c) vs. Robbie E. for the TNA TV Championship

Alex: The fact that TNA has made the TV Title completely worthless did these guys no favors. They actually had a pretty good match, but the live crowd couldn't have cared less. It's honestly sad to watch a babyface like Devon pounding the mat to get some kind of crowd response and getting nothing in return. The blame lies with TNA for the way they've booked the TNA Title, as well as giving this feud no exposure.

Violet: This was uninteresting. TNA didn't do either man any favors by keeping them off TV after their last match together.

Matt Morgan vs. Crimson

Alex: I understand the heel trying to escape as soon as the match starts, but within the first two minutes, Morgan had dropped Crimson and could've won the match. Crimson ended up winning, but that spot in the beginning where Morgan opted to stay in the ring rather than win make Crimson look like a punk, not an undefeated monster. I know they were playing up that Morgan wanted revenge and not a win, but he just looked like a dope for not taking the W when he could've.

Violet: I just wanted one of these guys to get a clean win so that this storyline would be over. So much for that.

Contact us on Twitter to discuss this article or anything wrestling :
@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

TNA Lockdown Predictions

w/ Alex Archer and Violet Buttle

Bobby Roode (c) vs. James Storm for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship

Alex: With all the build going into this match for the last 6 months, I see James Storm winning the title here. I wouldn't put it past TNA to give us a screwy finish and have Roode go over to setup a rematch, though.

Violet: With all of the positive exposure Storm has been given, I expect him to win this match. I also don't think TNA can get away with another cheap Roode victory.

Team Eric Bischoff vs. Team Garrett Bischoff in a Lethal Lockdown Match

Alex: I really only care to see Austin Aries in this one, but I think Team Eric wins with some kind of cheap tactics.

Violet: I only care about this match because I'm excited to see Austin Aries and the return of Rob Van Dam. Otherwise, I think the Bischoff family feud is strange and uncomfortable to watch. I predict Team Eric will win, because Garrett is getting over with no one.

Samoa Joe and Magnus (c) vs. The Motor City Machine Guns for the TNA Tag Team Championships

Alex: Magnus and Joe have great chemistry together, and the Guns are one of the best tag teams in the world when they're on. If TNA has any idea what they're doing, they'll turn this into a money feud. This is TNA, though, so who knows.

Violet: I hope it isn't too easy for The Motor City Machine Guns to return and win the tag titles. Plus, Magnus and Joe are a good match, and I'd like to see their run last a little longer.

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Hardy

Alex: It seems like Jeff Hardy hasn't won a match in ages. It seems like every contest he's in ends with some kind of screwy finish, so he finally goes over clean in this one.

Violet: It will be interesting to see if Angle's current ailment effects the quality of this match. It's about time Hardy wins a match, especially one with a clean finish, so I expect him to go over here.

Gail Kim (c) vs. Velvet Sky for the TNA Knockouts Championship

Alex: They've been building Velvet Sky for awhile now so she's my pick in this one. She has no business getting in the ring with Gail Kim, though. She's nowhere near Kim's level.

Violet: Plenty of performers that are more talented than Sky have lost to Kim, so it makes sense to me for Kim to retain here. That might be just wishful thinking, though.

Devon (c) vs. Robbie E. for the TNA TV Championship

Alex: The TNA TV title is still a thing?

Violet: We have no reason to care about this match. I had forgotten that Robbie E had lost the title until he tweeted about it earlier this week.

Matt Morgan vs. Crimson

Alex: There's no way they're going to end Crimson's undefeated streak here. Either way, though, I'm not excited for this match at all. Crimson is one of the most boring wrestlers in TNA, and Morgan hasn't been interesting in months.

Violet: I don't see Morgan ending Crimson's undefeated streak. But I honestly really don't care either way.

@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

My First Look at ECW, 15 Years Later

by Mike Bradford


I first heard about ECW because of the internet. I remember being on Wrestlezone in my cousin's basement looking at wrestler's real names, prior characters, and entrance music. What drew my attention to ECW was the fact that they used real music. After some old school internet research I ended up on their website. From there I learned that ECW was available in my area on Saturday's at 1am.

Once I saw the product, I was hooked. I was in my teen years and I already knew that wrestling was scripted, but there was so much realism in ECW that it had me questioning what I thought I knew. It's because of ECW that my mind is so open to the independent wrestling scene, and I learned that you don't need a million dollars worth of production and pyro to put on a great show. ECW's impact on the sport of professional wrestling is both unmistakable and undeniable. They paved the way with their creativity and innovation, creating an underground legend and gaining fan support while giving us the opportunity to see wrestlers we may not have seen in Attitude Era WWE or on the undercard in WCW.

It is in my belief that if they would have had the luxury of iPPV, ECW would still be alive today.

Thank you, Paul, for the revolution.

@Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

Indy Spotlight #1 : Ring of Honor

by Mike Bradford

Promotion: Ring of Honor
Founded: 2002
Based Out Of: Bristol, PA
Website: www.ROHWrestling.com
Twitter: @ringofhonor

ROH World Heavyweight Champion:
“The American Wolf” Davey Richards


ROH World Television Champion:
Roderick Strong


ROH World Tag Team Champions:
The Briscoe Brothers



Thoughts: Ring of Honor is what I consider to be the king of the indies. There’s a very good reason that they are considered the number three promotion in the nation right now, and that is because ROH features the cream of the crop in independent wrestling. While the in ring work is off the charts, many wrestlers in ROH seem to fall short when it comes to the mic. However, in the independent circuit, that is not uncommon, and ROH does have it’s fair share of wrestlers that have the “gift of gab.” People like Kevin Steen, The Briscoes, and Jay Lethal all shine during promos. If you want the best WRESTLING that the indies have to offer, then ROH is absolutely the promotion you need to check out. If you only check one match, it HAS to be Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin from this year's Showdown in the Sun PPV. This match is so good that it is an early match of the year candidate. Quite simply, if you’re fan of professional wrestling and prefer it to sports entertainment, then ROH is where you belong.

Note: I’ll be doing a different “Indy Spotlight” each week, which will hopefully be posted on Wednesdays. All “Indy Spotlights” are written by me, and me alone and my opinions may not match the other writers on this site. If you are wrestler, promoter, or fan of a promotion that you think I should take a look at, please drop me a line at mikebradfordftlow@gmail.com or on twitter @Bradford_FTLOW. I’m not expecting anything free, I have no problem supporting you by buying a DVD.

@Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

Why TNA Should Drop Hulk Hogan

by Alex Archer


Hulk Hogan may be the most recognizable name in professional wrestling history. Fans and non-fans alike are all familiar with his famous catch phrases, his t-shirt tearing, his reality show on VH1 from a few years back, and, of course, his alleged sex tape. Hulk Hogan is more than a wrestling personality; he's a pop culture icon. But even with all of this name recognition, TNA is making a terrible mistake by bringing Hogan back to TV as the General Manager of Impact Wrestling.

To really understand why Hogan is bad for wrestling (and TNA in particular), let's look at who they may be trying to draw by having him on their program.

Current fans
Wrestling fans that are knowledgeable of the current product know what to expect from Hogan in the year 2012. If you're reading this, you're probably a wrestling fan. Let me ask you : are you interested in seeing Hulk Hogan anywhere near a wrestling ring? If you answered yes, we have no more to discuss.

Old fans
There are, without a doubt, millions of former Hulkamaniacs out there that aren't currently watching TNA (or wrestling at all, for that matter). If they haven't already seen and been turned off by the terrible story lines surrounding Hogan in TNA in the past (Abyss and the Hall of Fame ring or the Immortal saga, just to name two), they may be inclined to flip on Impact Wrestling to see what Hogan has to offer. If they remember and expect the yellow and red Hulkamaniac, they'll be disappointed. If they remember and expect the black and white New World Order Hulk Hogan, they'll be disappointed.

New fans
One thing that wrestling promotions are always trying to do is draw in new fans. Booking semi-celebrities or people in the news seems to be the most common way for promoters to draw new eyes to their product, and TNA is no different. If a new viewer is tuning into Impact to hear Hogan talk about his sex tape scandal or the debacle with his ex-wife, they'll be disappointed. It is very unlikely that they'll stick around to hear Hogan blab about how great Eric Bischoff's kid is.

Hogan is a shell of what he used to be, and with all the talent that TNA has at its disposal, giving Hogan as much air time as they are is just embarrassing. Hulk Hogan is a legend and an icon, and perhaps, if used properly, he could still be an asset to TNA and professional wrestling. In the current situation, however, he is a waste of airtime and an embarrassment to himself and the sport of professional wrestling.

@TheAlexArcher | #FTLOW

Colt Cabana is the New NWA World Heavyweight Champion

by Mike Bradford


Check out @ColtCabana on Twitter
Last night during an event for NWA Hollywood, Colt Cabana beat Adam Pearce and began his second reign as NWA World Heavyweight Champion. In my opinion, the NWA Board of Directors could not have chosen a better man to represent them. It’s news to absolutely no one that the National Wrestling Alliance is no longer represented by wrestlers like Harley Race, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and Lou Thesz. However, the fact that men like them have held the title gives reason for fans and wrestlers alike to continue to look at it with integrity and respect. In it’s heyday, the NWA title was given only to those wrestlers who could work great matches, make their opponents look good, and most importantly, to the promoters at least, draw money.

Despite it’s name, the NWA is far from a national entity. The old territories that made up the organization are long gone. When promotions like WCW and TNA gain national exposure on television, they are quick to grow frustrated with the restraints put in place by the NWA Board of Directors and ultimately dump the NWA tag. If the NWA currently has any representation on national TV, I’m completely unaware of it. Sticking to it’s roots, the NWA exists, still enforcing the territory rule in various regions around world. Although it’s doubtful that the NWA will ever rise to the prominence it enjoyed in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s, their various promotions and world champions should not be ignored, as they are a symbol of tradition in the sport of professional wrestling.

Colt is an independent wrestling sensation. These days, fans of independent wrestling look for shows that are local and have someone they recognize on the card. While Colt isn’t a huge star (he didn't even get to use the Colt Cabana name in his short stint with WWE), he still has plenty of fan recognition. His role in The Wrestling Road Diaries, weekly Art of Wrestling podcasts (check www.welovecolt.com), on air mentions from CM Punk, and comedy shows all make him a darling among even the smartest of marks. The bottom line is that the NWA wants to put asses in seats, and the way to do that is fairly simple: use the best star power that’s available to you. Dusty Rhodes, Harley Race, and Ric Flair were all hard workers, had a ton of charisma, were willing to travel, and knew how to entertain a crowd whether it was 10 people or 10,000 people. It’s my opinion that with his known work ethic and great mind for the business, that Colt Cabana deserves to hold the same title as those men.

@Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

A Look At Cena's New Look

by Violet Buttle


As soon as Cena entered onto the stage of WrestleMania 28 in new gear, I knew that WWE made a mistake. Sure, they're probably making money in merchandise sales; but, in terms of storytelling and character development, Cena’s lively, green new look is a step backward.

When I saw pictures of the gear online prior to WrestleMania, I knew for sure that I could rule out the possibility of Cena turning heel anytime soon. Would a man wearing a t-shirt covered in phrases like “rise above hate” and “never give up” be a villain? Probably not. To top it all off, this new design features an image of Cena standing against the backdrop of a globe and saluting. Clearly, Cena is going to remain the military-loving, hustle-loyalty-respect touting guy that a substantial part of the WWE Universe is tired of.

However, this is not what bothers me most about Cena’s new look. While I think a heel turn would be a refreshing change for the character, I would accept any kind of evolution. Unfortunately, Cena is back to wearing jorts and the bright colors that inspire the corny “Fruity Pebbles” chants. The return to this dated and frequently mocked get-up is sign that the highly publicized feud with The Rock has done nothing to push Cena’s character forward, which is surely going to leave a lot of people disappointed.

@VioletButtle | #FTLOW

5 Reasons You Should Be Watching NXT: Redemption

by Mike Bradford



1. It’s not the NXT of old – Seemingly, WWE has gotten away from the pseudo reality show that was originally envisioned as. It’s now a show with a core cast of Superstars and Divas that serves its purpose as a stepping stone to the bigger shows.

2. The talent – Let’s face it, NXT is a step above WWE’s developmental territory FCW. As a result, you’ll see young superstars who are hungry and ready to make an impact in the business. Next Wednesday, Tyson Kidd (the last product of the legendary Hart Dungeon) and Michael McGillicuddy (Joe Hennig) are going to face off for the third time in four weeks, and I couldn’t be more excited. These are two underrated technical wrestlers who have put on absolute clinics in their previous encounters. As far as backstage segments go, the chemistry between Maxine, Kaitlyn, Johnny Curtis, and Derrick Bateman is some of the best WWE has to offer right now. Sadly, it’s going mostly unnoticed.

3. William Regal – William Regal is the “Match Coordinator” and commentator on the show. He gives a veteran presence and a validity to the show. His character doesn’t aim to favor the faces or the heels, but he seems to be a man who helps progress the story lines by making matches and providing stipulations when necessary. As far as commentary goes, his dry sense of humor absolutely makes for great sound bites and hilarious one liners.

4. Future stars – There’s a good chance that one or more of the people on the show will be a star in the future. It may not be any higher than mid-card, but there’s always a chance of finding a diamond in the rough. David Otunga, Daniel Bryan, and Wade Barrett all got their start on NXT.

5. There’s wrestling – You’ll see an average of 30 minutes of wrestling per episode. This is where WWE takes its chances. There are Divas matches that last longer than 2 minutes; there are tag-team matches that sometimes offer new pairings to see if the performers have chemistry; and, of course, there are singles matches that showcase the skills of the next crop of stars. While you get some good matches, you also have to sit through a Raw Rewind (as per the usual with any show that isn’t Raw), advertisements for whatever movie WWE is putting out, and vignettes you’ve seen played on the other shows that play up the upcoming PPVs. Whatever time is left after matches and filler is reserved for backstage segments that progress the NXT storylines.

You can catch NXT on WWE.com or on their YouTube channel.

@Bradford_FTLOW | #FTLOW

WrestleMania Afterthoughts

w/ Alex Archer and Violet Buttle

The Rock defeats John Cena

Alex : The match itself wasn't terrible. While there were some intense and exciting moments, a lot of this match seemed slow. I'm not impressed with the finish, but if this is what it takes to get to a Cena hell turn, I'll take it. If Cena comes back as the same happy go lucky Super Cena, we've had our time wasted.

Violet : Rock pinned Cena. Poor Cena.

CM Punk (c) defeats Chris Jericho to retain WWE Championship

Alex : I wasn't a fan of the added DQ stipulation. It made the match seem a little too gimmicky with Cole and Lawler making it a big deal every time he took advantage of the refs 5 count. Other than that, though, Punk and Jericho were great. The multiple applications of the Walls of Jericho and the Anaconda Vice were great. I expect this feud to continue into the next pay-per-view.

Violet : Punk and Jericho had a good match, but it gets kind of lost amongst the more memorable matches and travesties of the night. I’m pleased with Punk’s retention of his title.

Sheamus defeats Daniel Bryan (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship

Alex : Ugh. As the clock hit 7, I was almost out of my chair in anticipation of this match kicking things off. I was expecting savagery. What we got was a joke. A complete slap in the face. To say I'm disappointed would be a huge understatement.

Violet : I was really looking forward to seeing Sheamus and Bryan get the opportunity they missed out on last year after their WrestleMania outing was turned into a dark match. Instead, Sheamus won the title in a matter of seconds. The only good thing that came out of this injustice was crowd’s support of Bryan. Between the “YES” signs and the sporadic “Daniel Bryan” chants throughout the night, Bryan may have gained something in this loss.

Undertaker defeats HHH in HIAC w/ Shawn Michaels as guest referee

Alex : Match of the night. Hands down. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one considering we haven't seen Taker in the ring in a year, but they tore it up. Those chair shots that Taker took were absurd. If that was either mans last match, they very proudly hang their hat on that match.

Violet : Undertaker, Micheals, and Triple HHH told a wonderful story during the Hell in the Cell match. They delivered everything I hoped they would and more. Easily the best moment of the night.

Team Johnny defeats Team Teddy

Alex : Other than getting more guys on the show, there was no reason for this match to be a 12 man tag. Note to WWE : if you feel the need to have each team wear color coded shirts so viewers know who's on which team, it's probably overbooked. Eve getting involved was predictable, but I was hoping for a Ryder heel turn. I'll take a Miz pinfall victory though. He could use the boost.

Violet : I’m not sure if scoring the pin in this match is going to do much for Miz’s fledging character and frequent poor booking, but it was fun to see him celebrate in the ring with Johnny. With the amount of talented men in this match, I was disappointed to see so few cool spots and several men never tagged in. I am, however, happy with the result and excited to see Johnny in charge of both shows. I’m also interested to see what happens between Eve and Ryder after their hostile post-match confrontation.

Big Show defeats Cody Rhodes (c) for the Intercontinental Championship

Alex : Another disappointment. Show won the IC title. Cool. Get back to me when Cody Rhodes is a god damn World Champion.

Violet : It is absolutely infuriating to me that an untalented, washed up goof like Big Show is given WrestleMania glory over a young and promising talent like Rhodes. This worsened by the fact that Big Show also won the Intercontinental Title that Rhodes held for so long.

Kane defeats Randy Orton

Alex : Other than being surprised that Kane won, zzz.

Violet : As I expected, Kane and Orton had a horribly boring match. Unlike what I expected, Kane won. I’m not sure what Orton can do from here.

Kelly Kelly & Maria Menounos defeat Beth Phoenix & Eve Torres

Alex : Beth Phoenix, the WWE Divas Champion (yes, the same one that has been dominating every diva in the division) was pinned by a d-lister with multiple injuries. Sigh.

Violet : Why would WWE let their dominant Diva’s Champion be beaten by a celebrity guest with broken ribs? What a mistake.

@TheAlexArcher | @VioletButtle | #FTLOW

No Excuses, WWE. You screwed us.

by Alex Archer



As I sit down to write this article, 13 hours have passed since the opening match of WrestleMania (seen almost in its entirety above). The shock and disbelief I felt when it happened still hasn't seemed to dissipate. I still feel like I've been screwed.

Going into WrestleMania, I expected the World Heavyweight Championship match between Daniel Bryan and Sheamus to open the show. It made sense. Sheamus and Bryan were sure to put on a brutally stiff match and get the live crowd booming. We've seen how stiff Sheamus can work, and anyone that has seen Bryan's work in ROH knows just how intense and brutal his matches can be. This match had all the makings of a WrestleMania classic. At least in my living room, this match was set to steal the show.

As amped as I was for this match before their entrances, I was even more excited when Daniel Bryan made his way to the ring a fresh American Dragon robe. It was so perfect. The guy that's traveled the globe and put on some of the greatest matches in modern wrestling history finally gets his moment on the biggest stage of them all, and he brings a piece of his past with him. I had goosebumps.

YES! YES! YES! Ringside was a sea of YES! The live crowd, at least the parts we could see around ringside area, seemed to be ready to burst at the seams for this match. As a Bryan Danielson fan, this was what I'd been waiting for since he signed with WWE. WrestleMania, The American Dragon, the World Heavyweight Championship; this was it!

Kiss, Kick, Pin. Just like that, it was all over.

There has to be a plan, right? This has to lead to something, right? Honestly, it doesn't matter. WrestleMania isn't the stage to further storylines with fluky endings, and it isn't the place to crown a new champion with a one-shot victory. Especially not when you alienate the a large portion of your audience in the process.

Daniel Bryan and the fans weren't the only ones who got the shaft here. Sheamus deserves better. Sure, he looks like a monster. Sure, he's the World Heavyweight Champion. WrestleMania is about more than winning and losing. As cliche as it has become in the last few years to say this, it's true : it's all about getting that WrestleMania moment. Sheamus has a very promising career ahead of him and I don't doubt for one second that he'll be main eventing plenty of WrestleManias in the future. Even still, after getting dark matched last year, Sheamus deserved to earn his title in front of 78,000 people.

WWE screwed Daniel Bryan. WWE screwed Sheamus. WWE screwed its fans.

@TheAlexArcher | #FTLOW