From the Desk of Mr. V #74
June 17, 2010
By: Anthony J. Valvo of Wrestleview.com
Before I start my column this week, not to sound cheesy or anything but please keep WrestleView Managing Editor Hunter Golden and columnist Joe Baiamonte in your thoughts and prayers. I will not say what happened recently to them, but you may find out later.
Also, congratulations to WrestleView Web Developer Tom Van Stone, whose wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl recently. Ryan Gray, a reader of mine and leader of the division in Fantasy Baseball, also welcomed a new addition to his family as well! Many blessings to the both of you!
Introduction
I don’t have an introduction this week, and that is honestly ok. The reason for the lack of an introduction is because I have a TON of material to go over this week. Welcome to “From the Desk of Mr. V”. I am your WrestleView resident educator and co-host of the popular “The Teacher’s Lounge (w/David Stephens)” Anthony J. Valvo and I will present to you the good and bad of professional wrestling. Expect to be entertained with my theory on Daniel Bryan’s termination, TNA releases, and the upcoming ROH PPV. I also have my usual weekly material in here as well. So students, grab a chair and have a seat. Class is in session for the 74th time!
Quote of the Week
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” – Mark Twain, “Old Times on the Mississippi” Atlantic Monthly, 1874.
This quote goes out to all the fathers out there in honor of Father’s Day this Sunday. I think this quote truly summarizes how most of us felt about our fathers throughout the years. When I was a teenager, my dad would have me help him around the house doing odd jobs like oil changes, drywall installation, etc. Well, I will say that I never truly enjoyed all the experiences (I remember one time “accidently” dropping a pipe on his head, but he thought otherwise), but everything the old man V taught me helped me become a better man. It took me until my college years to realize that he was there for me no matter what happened. He did a lot a heck of a lot for the “V” family. I will never forget that he was the one that introduced me to professional wrestling, how he worked two jobs to get my brother and I WWF Wrestling Buddies (I had the Ultimate Warrior, my brother had Hulk Hogan) and a Super Nintendo for Christmas. I can say he was proud when I received a Batchelors’ Degree in Education at Edinboro six years ago. He won’t admit this, but I bet he is taking a break from the computer and reading this right now (he denies reading my work, but Mama V says he does).
Now, Old Man V is a grandfather of two children (my daughter and nephew) and he loves them both, even though my daughter calls him a “big baboon”. I can proudly say though that my father has given me moral values and support over the years. I am near 30 years old right now and I can truly say that I learn from him a good bit still. He is honest and still hard-working. I honestly wish that I can have that success and traits as well someday.
Happy Father’s Day, Old Man V.
Also, to all the men who are fathers and to who those that will be. To all my readers that may have lost their fathers, make sure you tell them how special they were to your lives. Happy Father’s Day to everyone! May you all continue to treat them right or they still will kick your ass into shape.
Classroom Rules
Again class, you have not sent any classroom rules. I guess I can’t blame any of you since I have not done it. If you have a rule that you want me to announce for a future Teacher’s Lounge Show send them my way at mistervwv@hotmail.com.
Teacher’s Lecture
1) The legend of Daniel Bryan
Ok, so after a long plan here I think I have come up with an answer about this whole Daniel Bryan fired bit. Just to briefly go over the events that led to what happened on June 11th, let me give the “uneducated” a review on Daniel Bryan. After NXT Season One’s finale, he was part of an angle in which all the eight NXT rookies attacked John Cena and it was regarded as one of the best endings to RAW in quite some time. Well, Bryan was a part of this angle and really got emotional to a point where he spit in Cena’s face and choked Justin Roberts with a tie. That Wednesday, he took out (along with the NXT Season One Rookie roster) Christian and The Miz at an FCW taping to further the Rebels vs. WWE feud. I talked to my co-host of the Teacher’s Lounge David Stephens about this and thought this was a pretty good thing that the WWE was doing. Then we get this bomb…
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM. Ok, that was weak, let me find a better way to sum this up…
The Nuclear Bomb heard around the Internet World!
Timeline, if you will please?
June 11th – “WWE has come to terms on the release of NXT first season rookie Daniel Bryan (Bryan Danielson) as of today June 11, 2010. We wish Daniel Bryan the best in all future endeavors.” (Credit: WWE.com)
Danielson changed his official Twitter name to “Bryan Danielson” and wrote, “Just changed my twitter name to Bryan Danielson. The winds of change are stirring.” All indications are this is a fake firing and would be a first for WWE by future endeavoring a talent via their website. (Credit: Twitter and WrestleView).
My reaction: This is totally a work. I can just read other sites comments on this.
But wait, there’s plenty more where THAT came from!
June 12th – According to a report by The Wrestling Observer, the word sent out internally within WWE was that the Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) release was legitimate and the announcement of his departure on WWE.com was as legit as any other release from the company would be.
All of the WWE “higher-ups” in the company were reportedly informed he was gone before it was posted on WWE.com. Given the timing, many were finding it hard to believe. However, the idea the company would work its own employees for an angle was another thing taken into consideration over the news. The creative team was also informed on Friday that Danielson was gone. (Credit: The Wrestling Observer and WrestleView)
My reaction: They can’t be that stupid, can they?
10 minutes later…
The latest on Bryan Danielson’s release from WWE is that people who needed to know were told Danielson was cut for choking ring announcer Justin Roberts with his tie during the “NXT invasion” angle on Monday night. The shot involving Roberts was edited from replays of the show. The only thing that is being discussed right now is that WWE felt choking with a tie was too violent for what is allowed on television right now. From all accounts, Danielson was described as being well liked backstage during his tenure with the company.
My reaction: REALLY???? So if I choke myself accidently with a tie I too could get fired? Then I did this week-long rant on choking and firing (ex: Vickie Guerrero makes adults choke on their vomit, why isn’t she fired?)
Then I read about Kizarny and Stacy “The Kat” Carter getting engaged. I am actually happy for them. It is tough in this world to find true love.
Back to the Daniel Bryan saga…
June 13th – Jim Ross speaks for the first time (credit www.jrsbarbq.com. The BEST Chipotle Ketchup is available online. Stock up on some today!)
“I was surprised to get up Saturday morning and to read that Daniel Bryan or Bryan Danielson had been released from WWE. I am not sure of the exact circumstances and until that information is confirmed it’s hard to make any definitive comments. Bryan is a talented wrestler who is not going to have any trouble finding work. His in ring style is unique, the young man has certainly paid his ‘dues,’ whatever that means now days, and he’s arguably the most talked about performer on NXT. Certainly Bryan leaves WWE with momentum and with more fans knowing his name than at any point in his career. Plus, who is to say that Bryan will never return to WWE? There may be a great deal more to this matter than any of us know or, honestly, need to know at this time.”
My reaction: Ok, maybe this was actually legit. I mean, Good Ol’ JR is in shock! Creative was told to say NO to Daniel Bryan. I could not believe this was happening.
Then I read Jose Marrero’s column on the release of Bryan Danielson. I won’t copy and paste that because it is for VIP members only (besides, I would pay $4.99 just to read this piece and listen to some great audio). It was an excellent piece and then I wondered. If this was “legit”, then I would be recapping his work in ROH once again! Either or, win/win for me, right?
Later that day…SUPERCENA!!
While Adam Martin was preparing to recap TNA’s Slammiversary PPV, Steve Gerweck posted this tidbit on WrestleView.com
I am very upset to hear about the release of bryan danielson. Social networks were formed so people would have a voice, and an opinon. I Know you all have your own, theories and whatnot. I respect that. I have never asked any of you to feel a certain way about me. But Bryan left a lasting impression on the wwe universe in a very short time, and although it came at my expense, I agree with the majority Of you who are caught off guard by this choice.
I know I’m not exactly appreciated by all, nor do I care to be, but I believe what I believe. I would like bryan to come back to the wwe. I would like to sign your petition to bring him back. I was taught to stand up for what I believe in. I tried and failed, so I could Use some help. Tell me how to sign and I will. If for nothing else, to at least have a chance to have a match with him after what was done (Credit: WrestleView and John Cena’s Twitter page).
My first reaction was this:
My reaction: I almost sent John Cena to detention for his bad grammar and lack of capitalization, but I will let this pass (or am I?). This was when I smelled a rat. When WWE releases someone, they are out of sight and out of mind. No one talks about Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, etc. None of them are mentioned again unless they come back to the WWE. I think the only one since I began as a columnist to my knowledge was when CM Punk did a quip on Jeff Hardy after he got arrested. Now don’t quote me on that completely and if I am wrong, so be it. But I gave Cena a ton of credit whether this was real or not. This makes me believe that this is a work. That is why I don’t like to base my thoughts on emotion anymore (remember Kurt Angle).
June 14th – WWE.com promoting “ties”?
This was from WrestleView.com via one of our loyal readers.
10% off and a free neck tie on orders OF $65+ USE CODE father AT CHECKOUT. While supplies last. (Credit: WrestleView.com and WWE.com)
My thoughts: Father’s Day is this Sunday. Fathers like ties (I prefer my Bob the Tomato tie). This was simply a distraction.
After Monday Night Raw…
After I took my notes for a pretty good Monday Night Raw on the 14th, I went to WrestleView.com and checked out David Stephens recap of the show. Mr. Stephens typed the following:
Barret points out the fact that they had one more guy last week, a guy by the name of Daniel Bryan. But, Bryan felt the same way that Hart did. Bryan actually felt bad, and had remorse. Wade says that because of this, we will never see Daniel Bryan again. Michael Tarver holds up an NXT arm band which is meant to represent that they have kicked him out of NXT 1. (Credit: David Stephens of WrestleView.com)
My reaction: So WWE told their writers do NOT mention Daniel Bryan’s name. Well, who told Wade Barrett to say that? WWE writers, of course!
We cut to the back where NXT 1 (now called the NXT Seven) are dragging Bret Hart. The throw Hart into the limo, and the limo proceeds to crash into a bunch of different cars and barriers. The limo then rockets backwards and slams into a car. The NXT 7 pull Hart out of the limo and start to verbally abuse him. They say they want an answer by Sunday! (Credit David Stephens of WrestleView.com)
My reaction: Well, who was that blasted limo driver? Thank goodness Mr. V has DVR and can play it slowly. You could see a head moving around of the Caucasian type. The face was a bit skinny. Hmm… The evidence was tough to find out. I looked over the incident like the sleuth that I am and honestly thought the man had black clothing on and a hood over his head. A friend thought it was Jimmy Wang Yang, but I threw out that accusation.
A still picture was posted, I was still not sold on this being Daniel Bryan.
Now there are “talks” according to Dave Meltzer that Bryan Danielson is in discussions with TNA Wrestling.
My reaction: I know Meltzer is a very smart guy, but maybe he is along with the WWE on this one and just throwing news out there.
So, I gathered this evidence. And I come up with a percentage. One will be if it was a legit termination, the other being a total work and if that is the case the WWE earns 5,000 Mr. V bucks!
Mr. V’s Prediction: This is a 70% chance it is a WORK. I just became a Bryan Danielson mark after typing all this out and I STILL have three more topics to go here. Originally, I thought the reasons for Danielson’s firing was not just and his punishment was among a poor decision by the WWE brass. Then more evidence leaked out. I did not mention this, but I went on corporate.wwe.com (I think that is the site name) and they never announced that Daniel Bryan was released. They announced Carlito’s, but not Bryan’s termination.
There is a code of the WWE when they release wrestlers, once they are gone; they are gone. Yet Daniel Bryan was mentioned. John Cena wants him back, there was talk that the WWE would bring him back. It just smelled real fishy to me. So, with the evidence that I gathered and without any concrete evidence I state that the WWE is really working us…and doing it very well.
However, if I see Danielson go to TNA I would think it would be a big mistake. If he goes back to ROH he can go back to doing what he does best, and that is wrestling around the world and kicking heads in. In honesty if he kicks anyone’s head in, it will be the WWE Superstars. Expect him to be back in the WWE before anything else.
2) TNA is the one that is future endeavoring
I will now transition to legit terminations. TNA let go of the following superstars. I will provide quick thoughts on each of them.
Scott Hall – Well, sadly the demons got to him again. I was a fan of the old Scott Hall/Razor Ramon days. He had brilliant matches vs. Shawn Michaels and was in a tremendous faction in the New World Order. It is unfortunate to see him in this state. He looked better recently, but still does not resemble anything like he was. I will miss him a bit in TNA actually. But honestly, Hall did this to himself. I wonder if he will shoot on TNA in the latest “Last Call with Scott Hall”.
ODB – Apparently, she left on her own terms. I say good for her. She went from being a focal point months ago to being non-existent. I am sure this riled up ODB (though I don’t know her). I don’t know if the WWE would have any interest in her but if that was the case she would have to be PG. I don’t think ODB can go PG for anyone. I will miss her work in the ring and I am sure the TNA fans will as well. It just seems like that Knockouts Division is shot right now.
Roxxi – How low is this? She goes into work about to have a Knockout’s Title match with Madison Rayne. Right before her match, TNA told her “you are going to lose we are not retaining you”. That is a real punch in the stomach. Rumors out there are that Roxxi was visibly upset about the news, and I don’t blame her one bit. She broke her ankle for TNA. She shaved her head for TNA. She bled (literally) for TNA. And THIS is how you treat someone? I seriously wonder about the morale in that company.
To the three of you, I wish you all well. Mr. Hall, I wish that you say sober for a bit and clean up your act. ODB, I wish that you find a company that will appreciate you for who you are and if it has to be in AAA or Japan then let it be those companies. ODB is truly an underrated talent. Roxxi, I hope to see you in a ROH show sometime. She really has heart and determination to be good, and I hope the fans around the world catch her on SHIMMER.
3) TNA’s surprise was…HIM???
Dixie Carter at 6:30am Friday was so excited that TNA will change forever. Then Sunday hours before Slammiversary she retracted her comments. There was one site that was so sure that it was Paul Heyman. If it was Heyman, yes some changes were going to happen. But was it Paul Heyman? Nope. Hurricane Helms? Sorry. Maybe Mickie James or Mike Knox? Nope, they are still under that no-compete clause. So, who was it?
Tommy Dreamer was the surprise! Surprised, classroom? Maybe a couple of you are. I for one was not. However, I can’t blame Dreamer because I am sure he is making some good money with this. I seriously wonder about the TNA President. I want to see TNA survive. They have good wrestlers and characters on that roster. But your “nice surprise” is Tommy Dreamer. I just don’t get it, Dixie.
4) A quick rundown of the ROH Death Before Dishonor VIII Card
As most of you know, I recap ROH on HDNet every week for WrestleView.com. Since I can’t do a Predictions piece on Death Before Dishonor VIII with the students and staff (no worries there, I know some never watched the product and that is understandable), I decided to do one right here!
So, here is the card. Death Before Dishonor VIII will be held in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) on June 19, 2010. The card is only six matches long, so let’s get down to this real quickly.
Scheduled to Appear (but not on the card yet):
Kenny King – The very entertaining wrestler is now improving on his in-ring work. I compare him to a Shelton Benjamin actually with more quickness.
Rhett Titus – Clearly the most underrated wrestler in ROH. He really has skills and his “Addicted to Love” gimmick is one of the best.
Tyson Dux – Dux is an independent wrestler who hails from Canada, so expect a huge pop for him when he enters the ring. He is well-rounded as a wrestler and finishes off his opponents with The Brainbuster. Whatever match he is in, look for it to be very skilled.
Cheech and Cloudy – I really can’t say much about them because they were average at best on HDNet. I heard they are a good tag team, but I guess you will have to watch the show for yourself.
Austin Aries vs. Delirious
Months ago on ROH on HDNet, Aries and Delirious had a match. It ended with Aries kicking Delirious in the throat, then attacked it once again to the point where Delirious has not wrestled on TV since. It was only until last week’s show that we actually saw Delirious (who was watching the show in the stands). I thought about this very easily and I think AUSTIN ARIES will have a very difficult time with Delirious, but will find a way to attack the throat and defeat his opponent.
2nd Annual Toronto Gauntlet
Colt Cabana vs. Steve Corino vs. Eddie Edwards vs. Roderick Strong vs. Shawn Daivari vs. TBA
I actually feel bad for Roderick Strong. Strong went from being the main event guy to wrestling in this match. I think Strong will have a great showing. I expect Cabana and Corino to beat the snot out of each other, so I don’t expect them to win this match. Edwards is the TV Champion and maybe they want to get him over. Daivari is a strong candidate because I think he is that good and a perfect fit for ROH.
Who is the TBA guy? I don’t know, but I am going to predict that it is Petey Williams. He fits the mold in this match and I think he would delight the crowd.
I narrowed it down to Edwards, Strong, Daivari, and TBA guy. If I was a betting man (and I am not), I would pick RODERICK STRONG to win this match. I think he has the most to lose here while the others can build their stories a bit more.
Grudge Match
El Generico vs. Kevin Steen
This feud started all the way back to the Blizzard at Final Battle 2009. Right after Steen and Generico lost their tag match Steen looked like he was about to call it a career. He hugged Generico and out of nowhere gave Generico a low-blow and then clubbed him with a chair! Since then Steen is a controlled man and does not want to hear the name of his former friend. El Generico has slowly gained confidence and is ready to attack Steen and settle this once and for all. This may be the match of the night here, as I predict closure in this feud. Wins and losses were exchanged and now we have the finale, seven months in the making. Usually, the good guy always wins in the end. I will pick EL GENERICO to finally get his revenge and defeat Steen cleanly.
Pick 6 Contenders’ Series Match
(2) Christopher Daniels vs. Kenny Omega
I don’t think there is any rivalry here, but this could keep the energy very high. Daniels may be up there in age now, but he has an amazing gimmick and a great set of moves that can control Omega’s high flying style. Omega is truly a wild card. I was impressed with his work each time I saw him wrestle, but I am not sure if he is going to commit to the ROH schedule since he does wrestle all over the world. As for Daniels, I am not sure if he is 100% on board with ROH as well. He is still on the TNA Superstars page, almost three months after he was released. Regardless I expect this match to be full of action. I think the winner in this match will be CHRISTOPHER DANIELS because as a heel I think he can be a great opponent to Tyler Black (if he is still the champion).
ROH Tag Team Championship Match
The Kings of Wrestling (Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero) vs. The Briscoe Brothers (Jay and Mark Briscoe)
This rivalry has gotten ugly really quick. The Kings would attack The Briscoes. The Briscoes followed by destroying one of the Kings managers in Sara Del Ray. That alone intensified this feud and I expect a lot of Uppercuts, Knockout Blows, and Suicide Dives. I am doing my best not to sound “marky”, but this is going to be a great tag match. There styles (Kings are more mat-based and strikes, while the Brisoces are all-out and have a no-nonsense approach) are going to work well against each other. In the end, I noticed that the Kings of Wrestling are being built as the best tag team in wrestling. I can’t blame ROH for that. Though I am a fan of the Briscoes as well I have no choice but to pick THE KINGS OF WRESTLING in this contest. Castagnoli and Hero will find a way to win, whether it is cheating or not.
ROH World Championship Match
Tyler Black vs. Davey Richards
We all know my feelings for both Tyler Black and Davey Richards. Tyler Black is a guy that I would not put my championship on, but he is still over with the fans when he performs on HDNet. When he is in control, he does it quickly. I think Black is improving a bit, but I think he needs to take control of this match against a guy who is equally as quick in Davey Richards. What is there not to like about Richards? He is a superb technician in the ring. Richards kicks well and shows great quickness. He even left Gabe Sapolsky’s promotions just to be an exclusive member of ROH. I think ROH got a great investment in Richards, but I think he is still a few months away of being a legitimate top champion. This match will be a spectacle, but there was really no story to it other than Cornette mentioning the match a couple times. Even though Austin Aries and Roderick Strong are still on his mind, I am going to predict TYLER BLACK here. Richards will have his moment sooner than later, but I think ROH will keep Black as their champion and potentially have a “end-it-all” feud with Aries, Strong, and Richards down the road. When that happens, expect a new ROH World Champion.
Detentions
Pittsburgh Pirates – What is this now, ten straight losses? However, at least this team is bringing up their talent now. Pedro Alvarez, Jose Tabata, Brad Lincoln, and Neil Walker are going to be very good players for this lackluster franchise.
Drew McIntyre – I am giving him one because the WWE called him “high maintenance”. That might be why he is getting beat up by Matt Hardy.
Abyss – His soon-to-be heel turn was too late.
Mr. V – Hey, I will give myself a proper detention because I have waited until the last minute (again) to complete my Praxis Exam Prep Courses. I have 60 lessons to go and only 14 days. Can I do it and get my refund (as well as Act 48 Credits)? Or will I fail to do so? I will keep you all posted
WWE – **IF ONLY THE “FIRING” IS REAL** What a stupid way to release someone.
Dixie Carter – For lying to your fans about how “TNA will change”. While some thought it was Heyman, you give us Tommy Dreamer. It’s like you were going to give us a Texas Roadhouse Cowboy Cut Sirloin Steak, but instead it turned out to be a hot dog at a gas station.
Eli Cottonwood, Titus O’Neil, and Percy Watson – I have a feeling these guys are going to be the first ones to go in NXT. The other five did a pretty impressive job, while these three were lackluster.
Spain – My World Cup Pick lost their opening match to Switzerland. See, this is why I don’t bet money on these things.
(The following detentions by Deni Danny Sahbrgovic)
PG Era: WWE is officially becoming more like Disney than an actual wrestling company.
Mattel: If the reports are true, then shouldn’t they realize they are dealing with a WRESTLING company, not Nickelodean? They can have the power to get someone fired for choking a guy with a neck tie, but NOT hitting other people with weapons, or trash talking, on the daily basis? What a shame…
Linda Mcmhaon Senate Race: She tries to cover up WWE’s past and wastes millions of dollars for a seat in the Senate, and yet neglects the employees and fails to give them HEALTH INSURANCE.
People who spit on the ground: Read your headlines, they digust me too.
Mark Walhberg: He hates soccer and the World Cup, and opinions are fine, but he acts like a total hotshot about it. Terrible and wooden actor (imo) as well.
Robert Green: I know people will never give this guy a break, but this is the World Cup afterall. Mistakes happen, but you know how it is.
Vuvuzelas: Its hard for me to put this here because I love cultures of all kinds, but these horns are annoying most of the fans and the noise interferes with the game, especially with the players trying to think of strategies.
Mister V’s Honor Roll from June 7 – June 13, 2010
6/07 – Graded WWE Monday Night Raw Matches
6/08 – Graded WWE NXT Matches
6/09 – Column Writing. After that, I watched ROH on YouTube and recap the show.
6/10 – Graded WWE Superstars and TNA Impact Matches.
6/11 – Graded Smackdown Matches
6/12 – OFF DAY
6/13 – It will now be an OFF DAY until I finally get an FCW link.
Distinguished Honors – Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger, Friday Night Smackdown, June 11.
Thoughts: The moves were done well throughout the match. Thanks in part to Jack Swagger’s amateur style and Rey Mysterio’s ability to counter along with his quickness made this match the best of the week.
The start of the match was a bit off, as both tried to get a feel of each other and it did not work too well. However, moments later I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy this contest. I thought Jack Swagger worked well with his takedowns and holds. Swagger’s best move had to be the overhead throw while Rey was at the top turnbuckle, may have been the move of the night on Smackdown. However, Swagger has been losing WAY too much as a World Heavyweight Champion. I am not sure if wrestlers in older generations had this bad a losing streak, but it just does not seem right. As for Rey, he sold all the offense really well and looked like he was in legit pain for a bit. Though Rey is getting older, I give him a ton of credit for absorbing so much punishment. I did enjoy the way Mysterio finished off Swagger. Overall, the match had good length and good flow for the most part. However, Swagger was the one that needed the victory over a top guy and the writers did not allow that to happen (yet).
Who won the match? Rey Mysterio hit two 619 finishers, then hit a Springboard Legdrop to get the pinfall victory.
Grade: B+ (leaned toward a B).
High Honors – Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries, ROH on HDNet, June 7.
Thoughts: Recently, HDNet main events either had some sort of distraction or a dusty finish. Though the end result was a bit dusty I thought the match was well-booked. My thoughts on it was that the match had a quick start, but even paced as both men have worked in the ring together many times. I divided the contest into two halves, since the match went longer than ten minutes. The first half was really good, especially for Black. Black hit is spots very clean which was much better than previous matches on HDNet. Aries’ awareness was excellent throughout the first half of this. Aries knew where he was at and where he needed to be in order to keep the match in his favor. Both wrestlers showed great endurance, as both battled in the ring and out of the ring. I enjoyed it when Aries was in control. Aries slowed the match down drastically when in control, something I think Black will be able to do down the road. When it comes to in-ring psychology, Aries may be one of the best in professional wrestling today. He went for many parts of the body to wear them down. One part that really confused me was Aries took total control of Black’s leg and really went to work on it. When Black gained his energy back, he ran around like nothing was wrong. Again, Tyler Black may be a decent ROH World Champ, but he really needs to sell better. Overall, this was a pretty good, old-fashioned main event. Both really worked a long program nicely, which is why it merited a good grade.
Who won the match? While Austin Aries was attacking the leg of Tyler Black, Black rolled up Aries and got his shoulders down for three seconds. Though Aries dominated near the end, Black was the one who got the win.
Grade: B.
Honors – AJ Styles, Robert Roode, James Storm, and Desmond Wolfe vs. Jay Lethal, Abyss, Jeff Hardy, and Mr. Anderson, TNA Impact, June 10.
Thoughts: TNA, though many would probably disagree, has been good TV the past couple weeks. They told stories and had the occasional good segment. The opening segment on Impact had AJ Styles and Jay Lethal arguing with each other (Lethal did his spot-on Nature Boy impression). That all led to this 8-man Tag Match. Honestly, for the time given here I thought it was done nicely. The start of the match was done well, as Robert Roode and Jay Lethal fought back and forth. Everyone hit their finishers, but the execution on all of them were done perfectly. During the match I thought everyone in the ring told a story against their opponent, which led to a pretty go-home segment for Slammiversary (which already happened). If I had to pick two guys that stood out, it would be Styles and Lethal. You could see their intensity and their ability to put on a good program. I do hope out of all this, Styles and Lethal continue this feud.
Who won the match? After all the finishers were hit and the smoke cleared, AJ Styles hit the Styles Clash on Jay Lethal to get the pinfall victory. On a side note, the heels won on Impact. How funny was it when the faces won at Slammiversary? That is something to think about.
Grade: B- (leaned toward a C+).
Mr. V’s Grade Book on the matches this past week
A+, A, or A-: None to Report.
B+: Rey Mysterio vs. Jack Swagger (Smackdown).
B: Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries (ROH).
B-: John Cena vs. CM Punk (RAW); Kofi Kingston vs. Luke Gallows (Superstars); AJ Styles, Robert Roode, James Storm, and Desmond Wolfe vs. Jay Lethal, Abyss, Jeff Hardy, and Mr. Anderson (TNA); Christian vs. Dolph Ziggler (Smackdown).
C+: El Generico vs. Ricky Reyes (ROH); Steve Corino vs. Jerry Lynn (ROH); Kane vs. Sheamus (RAW); The Miz and Zack Ryder vs. R-Truth and John Morrison (RAW); MVP and Percy Watson vs. Cody Rhodes and Husky Harris (NXT); Zack Ryder and Primo vs. Yoshi Tatsu and Goldust (Superstars); and Kurt Angle vs. Amazing Red (TNA).
C: Alicia Fox vs. Gail Kim (Superstars) and Brian Kendrick vs. Homicide (TNA).
C-: The Big Show vs. Chris Jericho (RAW); Edge vs. Randy Orton (RAW); John Morrison and Eli Cottonwood vs. Titus O’Neil and Zack Ryder (NXT); and The Big Show vs. CM Punk (Smackdown).
D+, D, and D-: Tyson Kidd and DH Smith vs. The Great Khali and Hornswoggle (RAW); Divas’ Battle Royal won by Maryse (RAW); Matt Hardy vs. Drew McIntyre (RAW); and Layla vs. Tiffany (Smackdown).
F or INC: Vladimir Kozlov vs. Santino Marella’s Danceoff and Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Eric Young vs. Matt Morgan and Hernandez (TNA).
BONUS! Current Predictions from the Faculty Standings
There were many changes this week and I hope I did this correctly. See for yourself!
I also want to thank all the columnists, recappers, and especially the readers who made this very successful.
2010-2011 Season (TNA Slammiversary VIII)
1) David Stephens (That’s a Wrap and RAW Recapper)………….44-25 (7-2)
2) Josh Boutwell (Viva La Raza and TNA Recapper)……………….43-26 (5-4)
3) Jose Marrero (Wrestling Rumblings)……………………………………43-26 (8-1)
4) Students of the Week (The Best from Prev. PPV)………………42-27 (6-3)*
5) Matt O’Brien (Notes From The Nosebleeds)…………………………40-29 (6-3)
6) Daniel Browne (For Queen and Country)……………………………..40-29 (6-3)
7) WrestleView Students (The Loyal Readers)………………………..39-30 (5-4)
8) Anthony Valvo (From the Desk of Mr. V/ROH Recaps)……….38-31 (7-2)
9) Mike Tedesco (Smackdown and NXT Recapper)…………………37-25 (5-4)
10) Doug Lackey (Reality From Ringside)………………………………….36-33 (6-3)
11) Jeff Springer (WWE Superstars Recapper)……………………………30-19 (5-4)
12) Sean Hurley (The Sharpshooter)………………………………………..28-32 (0-0)
13) Joe Baiamonte (Baiamonte’s Casa/2009 WV Champ)………24-20 (0-0)
The only student of the week for the WWE Fatal 4-Way is Brian Czygan. Brian went 8-1 for the TNA Slammiversary VIII PPV.
The students of the week from Slammiversary (Evan O’Brien, Jeremy Samples, Crystal Mai, Sam Newstone, and Sean Martin) did not retain. They averaged out to go 6-3. Four of them had 6-3 records and one had a 5-4 record.
Among the Faculty Jose Marrero earned the best record at 8-1 (he missed only the Hernandez vs. Matt Morgan contest).
Overall, we had 21 “WV Students” outside the Students of the Week. They averaged a win total of 5.4. Since I estimate the student’s picks, I had them marked as 5-4.
Past Students of the Week: Evan O’Brien, TJ Patton, Ricky Langston, Craig Alan Cope, Paul Lyons, SUPERSTARZZ, Jeremy Samples, Josh Logan, Eric Marin, David Sumroy, Crystal Mai, Michael Phillips, Sean Martin, and Sam Newstone.
The Gold Stars (Presented by: JR’s Family BarBQ)
**I already promoted JR’s Ketchup earlier, no cheap plug here this week**
This week, since I went really over on my comments and stories I decided to shorten the list of Gold Stars. Or then again, maybe not…
All the Fathers in the world – Happy Father’s Day to all of you!
World Cup Upsets – Let’s see, who thought that Switzerland would defeat Spain? Or the United States drawing even with England? Or even better, how about Japan? This year the World Cup is going crazy and honestly, I like the unpredictability.
Brian Czygan – The WrestleView readers is now the NEW Student of the Week thanks to an impressive 8-1 record in the Predictions Column. Congratulations, Brian!
Jose Marrero – The “Wrestling Rumblings” columnist posted an 8-1 record among the columnists, thus earning a Gold Star this round!
To the recent students of the week – Crystal Mai, Jeremy Samples, Sean Martin, Evan O’Brien, and Sam Newstone did a pretty good job with their picks. Four of them went 6-3, while one went 5-4. If you go out, at least have a winning record, right?
Josh Boutwell – He earns one for being an excellent Dean of WrestleView for the past couple months, but now that belongs to someone else.
David Stephens – He is the NEW Dean of WrestleView! For some reason, I think I hear some “partying in the USA”. Curse you, Miley Cyrus!
Matt O’Brien – Many thanks to you for being a guest on The Teacher’s Lounge. I hope we all can do it again at another date.
WWE – **IF THIS “FIRING” IS A WORK**, then boy did they throw a massive curveball on us. Kind of like what Clayton Kershaw did his rookie year with the Dodgers against Sean Casey (YouTube it because it was sick!)
Claudio Castagnoli – He gets one for staying “Very European”.
Jamel Watson, SUPERSTARZZ, Kevin Hickey, and Deni Danny Sahbrgovic – Thank you for taking an active part in my column this week.
To all who read this in one sitting – It was long, but I guess I had a lot to type about this week. Thank you all for reading this.
Good Ideas, Bad Ideas
(From Jamel Watson):
Good Idea: The locker room chasing off the NXT 7 from the ring.
Bad Idea: Mark Henry trying to run after and catch them.
Good Idea: Getting rid of Scott Hall and stripping them of The Band of their titles.
Bad Idea: Hiring him in the first place and putting a title on him.
Good Idea: Giving the horrid divas divison a chance to grow and having them on ppv.
Bad Idea: Having one of those divas be Alicia Fox.
Good Idea: Mark Feurstein doing the worm as guest host.
Bad Idea: Betty White not being guest host yet.
Good Idea: Ric Flair on ppv…in 1989.
Bad Idea: Waking up and realizing that you have Ric Flair on ppv and it is 2010 not 1989.
(From SUPERSTARZZ)
Good: The NXT Invasion angle.
Bad: Firing a potentially key character in Daniel Bryan.
Good: Giving the fans what they deserve.
Bad: Listening to some toy company who doesn’t know what kayfabe and PG means.
(From Kevin Hickey)
Good idea: WWE starting an amazing storyline where the NXT rookies go on a rampage
Bad idea: Firing Bryan Danielson.
Homework Assignment (From Mr. V #73)
The assignment will be due next week and I will go over them all. Since this was a pretty busy week in pro wrestling (firings, storylines, and an ROH PPV card) I decided to extend the homework assignment. Gold stars will be awarded to those who complete this (and to those who completed it already, I will give you one next week).
1) Please provide me with the wrestling name (has to be real) that you thought was the worst name for a professional wrestler. You can give me up to three. Answers will be posted next week.
Please also vote for James Lacerenza in order for him to earn a grant via the Pepsi Refresh Project.
2) My friend James Lacerenza made a huge comeback for the “Pepsi Refresh Project” and thanks to your votes, he cracked the top 100 and is now in the running still for a $50,000 grant to send children who suffer from muscular dystrophy to a local camp in Spring Valley, NY. This is truly a great cause and all you have to do is just spend a moment of your time and vote. Consider this a homework assignment. Gold Stars to those who vote.
The site is http://www.refresheverything.com/mdcamp. It does not cost money to vote so vote everyday from now until June 30th. Thank you in advance.
Dismissal
Well, that does it for me this week. I thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed this column as much as I typed it out. If you want to get a hold of me during the week, please e-mail me at mistervwv@hotmail.com or by leaving me a message on Facebook. I do get a lot of e-mails and may not reply in a timely fashion, but I will do my best to give you a quicker reply.
Now, students you are allowed to leave the classroom. Please push in your chairs, line up straight, and exit to the closest door around you. Until my latest ROH recap, you are all……DISMISSED!!!!
Look for Mr. V on Facebook under Anthony J. Valvo in the Pittsburgh Network
If you enjoy Mr. V’s WrestleView columns, then take a look at my work on my other site Examiner.com
I will be adding a feature on that website starting in May! I just don’t know what to call my column on there yet.
http://www.examiner.com/x-26526-Pittsburgh-Pro-Wrestling-Examiner
THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE IS NOW PLAYING ON SATURDAYS!
Future Guest: Sean Hurley
Already on the archives we interviewed Jose Marrero (Wrestling Rumblings), Matt O’Brien (Notes from the Nosebleeds), Crystal Mai from Diva-Dirt.com, and The YouTube Sensation who had choice words to CM Punk.
David Stephens (That’s A Wrap and Raw recapper) and I have a weekly Internet show only on the WrestleView Radio Network. It does cost a bit of money, but we will do our best to make it worth it. If you want to be a part of the Lounge for our “E-mails” section, you may drop us a line at teacherslounge@hotmail.com.