RassleReview: A Look @ XOW

----I got the chance to watch some XOW the other night. It was a 60 minute DVD recorded for their TV show that was taped on 12.16.06. Let me first say, and if you read this site, you should know it by now, I love Southern indy wrestling. It is my favorite style surpassing the Japanese stuff, ROH and any other brand. XOW runs every Saturday night in New Albany, MS with booker/owner Brody Hawk and his cast of characters. I want to first take a quick look at the matches I watched, then a few final notes.

***Pappy/Colton Anderson beat “Pure Destruction” [Brody & Cody Hawk]. This was my first look at both Pappy and Colton Anderson. Neither one of them are horrible, but Anderson is the better of the two. Brody/Cody were the usual big ass strong men types putting the heat on Anderson. Cody cracked me up when he did a legdrop and bumped almost on his back. Hot tag went to Pappy who set Brody up for a double team pin with a Samoan drop as Anderson did a neckbreaker. Both teams were babyfaces.

***Izzy Rotten beat Jay Webster. My first look at Webster and is a rookie. Not horrible, but he seems to be missing something?? Rotten has always been a decent worker and knows what to do. He had a hard time trying to get a good match out of Webster, but he tried. Rotten has gained about 50 lbs since I last seen him, but that didn’t stop him from working.

***”Extreme” Brett Michaels beat Psycho with Kayte by DQ when “Freakshow” jumped in. This was a pretty good match. Michaels is a lot skinnier since the last time I seen him?? Wonder what that is about?? LOL He is a good worker and Psycho worked good with him. Psycho is on the same diet as Rotten, but still can move, just a bit slower than usual. Michaels did a few hot moves coming out of the heat including an enxuguiri and a superkick. At one point when he should have had babyface fire, he falls over the top rope, when Psycho moved. I cracked up. “Freakshow” jumped in and Tony Dabbs made the save.

***Reverse Battle Royal: 6 wrestlers were trying to jump into the ring to qualify for a tournament. I am being nice here, but it was a total clusterfuck. A lot of times you seen Brody Hawk just walking around the ring. LOL It ended up with Michaels, Psycho, Pappy, Anderson, Webster and Rotten getting in the ring. Funny thing was that they were all in ring together, but were not touching each other. Psycho was playing his gimmick though chasing them around.

***Announcing crew of Michael Thomas known as T-Byrd and Nathan Lee. Byrd had a lot of nominations, so I was looking forward to listening to him. He has a good voice. Smooth and you can understand him very well. The main problem I had with him was that he spent most of the time putting over himself. He even interrupted Tony Dabbs, during an interview. At one point he told Webster that he was stinking and Webster check under his arm. PD even put him over after their match. Major problems when the heel announcer is your focal point. Announcer should get over the show and not step overboard on getting himself over. Nathan Lee was his usual self, but a babyface??

----Final thoughts are that I did like the show. The crowd was small and didn’t pop for the usual things. It has a good feel to it, almost like it could be a fun show, but hard to judge when there is no crowd reaction. For all you guys that worked Malden, MO when I booked, this show reminded me a lot of it. I know Brody puts a lot of hard work into it to have a show every week – I just hope it pays off for him some day.

Five Starr going to New Blood???

----Well, there might be more to the Dustin "Five" Starr story than I first anticipated. I talked with NBW’s Jeff McDonald and he said, “ I would love to have Starr. I promise you I would pay him more than they are in Ripley, TN.” He also said that he wasn’t really a person that would go after other people’s talent, but TLCW is packed. This could get real interesting. I feel Starr is happy working with TLCW and the talent pool there, but if the right amount money would get him at TLCW. He would also have more control over his direction. It will be interesting to see where this story goes.

---For those that might think the idea of a guy from one of the groups jumping is not feasible or just plain ridiculous, then please take notes. A guy working TLCW makes anywhere from $10 to $75. I actually think that since the crew has less people in the last few weeks, but have had the same size crowd, that most guys are making $35 to $50 a show. I do know that when Bill Dundee and Kevin White work, then they are paid more than that. Flash Flanagan and Derrick King has been a major part in getting Starr over with TLCW and might feel it a stab in the back if Starr would leave. But, at this level guys, no promoter or booker should take it personally. If you have more opportunity and more pay, then go for it. Just think of it this way, if Starr is bringing in say $200 a month at TLCW and NBW says I will give you $350 a month, should he take it?? I think he should and would.

RassleBits: Almost There, Ratings, Lawler & porn, Dustin Starr jumping?? and Poem comments

----I am almost there!! I corrected the mistake on the TLCW post, so if you read the other post you will no idea what I am talking about. LOL I still do not have access to my web site pages. So, I will not be posting RassleChronicle until later this week. Please also give me a bit to get some software that I used to put the matches on www.youtube.com. That software died in the crash.

----Also, it will be after the first of the year before I get ratings for the last two Memphis shows of 2006. My source is out of the office until 1.02.07, so we will have a double dose of ratings that week.

----On WWE.com, there is an audio file of Cryme Tyme giving a local news reporter some holiday shopping tips. The reporter asked Cryme Tyme who was on their list, and they named a bunch of people. They specifically named Jerry Lawler. Cryme Tyme, in a joking manner, said that they had to give him his laptop back because it had a lot of kiddie porn on it, and thus they didn't want it. I tired to pull this up on the site, but could not get it to work. I am all about jokes, but Kiddle porn?? Not a joke. I know it is only because Lawler likes young girls, but give me a break. Credit: http://pwresource.com/

----I am not sure if this is pure bs or if he would consider it, but I have been told that Dustin Starr has had “feelers” about coming to NBW. I do know that Alan Steele [who has been working there] and Starr are real good friends. Steele was actually his best man at his wedding. Someone had contacted Steele about Starr coming in, but then Steele said that Starr would need a certain amount of money and nothing else was said. A few other guys in this area have also requested money amounts and turned down. I think for NBW to succeed they have to just treat themselves as a business and invest some money in getting more talent. At that point [not right off], it will pay off in the long run. DCWF was drawing more than them and even though TLCW is doing so well, they are 20 minutes away. Would Starr jump?? Yes..for the right amount of guarantee, any and all would jump.

----For those that wondered about the poem on Christmas Eve, Yes, I bastardized the poem. Hope you enjoyed it!! I had a fun time writing it and from what I heard, all the boys got a kick out of it. For those dickheads that pointed it out – I know the last line does not rhyme!!! It was not suppose to dumbasses!!! LOL

Still Not Completely Up & Running!!

----As you can tell by the post below, I am still not 100% clear of problems. I lost tons of music files [40 gig] and the actual web site files on my computer. I think everything is replaceable, but it might be a few days before I can actual access the web site and do some of the updates. I will try my best to post some news here on the Blog and I have an important story brewing with Dustin Starr that might surprise a few of you. So, stay tuned and read it with the print screwed up..LOL

RassleResults: TLCW Ripley, TN 12.23.06

BLOODY CHRISTIAN JACOBS

----Tim Alfonzo over Crime; Seth Knight by DQ over Jawbreaker; "The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony beat Tatt2; Motley Cruz/Shannon Lee beat Alex Krisis/Tucker; "The Posse" ['Lil Chris/Simon Reed] over by DQ "Blackout Squad" [Bishop/Oz] and in the Main Event: Tim Grind/Derrick King/Stan Lee beat Flash Flanagan/"Rockin" Randy/Dustin Starr.

----Close to $700 gate with 140 in the crowd...Lots of angles building for the January 6, 2007 show..."Rockin" Randy hit Tatt2 knocking him out and TGB put the "Goldi-Lock" on him and Tatt2 passed out....Cruz/Krisis are doing an angle where they are trying to prove who is the most hardcore. Krisis and Cruz were agruing and Lee pinned Alex..."Five Star Showcase" with Starr/Flash/Randy had a video sent in from Chris O'Neal. Then did an angle last Thursday at the Karoke contest where O'Neal was left in a pool of blood. After showing that on the big screen, O'Neal did an interview on the big screen challenging Starr to a "Barbwire" match on the 6th..."Picture Perfect" [Christian Jacobs/Jon Michael] did a stretcher job for BO Squad. Both guys juicing bad. This is to build for the Stretcher Match on the 6th between both teams...Lots of blood in the main event also with everyone taking kendo stick shots...They are building for Lee vs Flash for the belt and I look for a title change...I was told that Seth Knight apologized for spitting on Starr and they were seen shaking hands. So, I hope that is cleared up for the both of them.

Technical Difficulties

----Merry Christmas to me -- I am in the process of reformatting my main hard drive due to viruses. I have lost tons of data and may lose more. I am hoping for clean and fast format. Hope to be back online by late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

RassleResults: Arkansas Championship Wrestling Paragould, AR 12.23.06

----Porkchop Express #1 & #2 beat Blakster/Masked Menace; Porkchop #3 beat Brian Pillow; Arkansas Title Match: Loose Cannon with Rottn’ Randy beat Adrian Banks; Arnez with Bate Masterson beat Big Buster Johnson and in the Main Event: Deadly Dale/Idol Bane with Bate beat Cody Daniels/Big Indian

----Crowd was in the 80 range with a $560 gate…They collected 70 toys for their toy drive…Pillow is the son of area wrestler Midnight Cowboy who worked MCW for years…Adrian Banks is the son of late Steve “Snakeman” Banks…Porkchop Express were Hambone Express under hoods. They did an angle where the Hambones got fired…Nice turnout for Christmas weekend and good job with the toys guys!!

Twas The Night Before Christmas -- TLCW style!!

Twas the night before Christmas, low was the house

Someone else turned on Kevin White, it was Brickhouse

In the dressing room, the TLCW workers were drinking beer

Hoping that Bill Dundee would not be there

The fans were marking out of their heads

Waiting to hear what Dustin Starr said

Out from the back came Chris O’Neal

Who swore he didn’t talk to BT; for real

In the parking lot, arose such a clatter

It was Drew Donavan and he does not matter

Standing by the window, it was Flash

Thinking I wished I was in Puerto Rico for a Christmas bash

As I looked outside again at the new-fallen snow

I don’t put anybody over, you know??

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear

But a black man with blond hair holding a beer

He was so lively and loud

His chest pushed out and he said, “TCLW makes me proud.”

Now Picture Perfect!! Now Tatt2!! Now Rockin Randy Now TGB

On Blackout Squad!! On Seth Knight!! On Pokerface!! On Stan Lee!!

To the dressing room!! To the ring!! To the mat!!

Now hiptoss!! Now bodyslam!! Now rat!!

As the man made himself the center of the show

The fans were chanting “ Go, DK , Go!!”

He yelled at the fans and said go home

I would rather be here all alone!!

He was dressed all in wrestling gear, from his head to his foot

And his gear was all tarnished with vodka and soot

He wore a big crown on top of his head

“I will be the KING!!”, he proclaimed, only when Lawler is dead

His eyes—they were so blurry!! His speech so slurred!

His cheeks were red as cherry!! His vision was blurred!!

His mouth drooled like a sleeping bear

“Do you know who I am?? Do you care??”

The straw of his drink he held tight in his teeth

And smoke encircled his head like a wreath

Standing behind him were the Posse, Simon & ‘Lil Chris

They were cutting Alfonzo’s hair they missed

He was colored and blond, a right grumpy man

And I laughed when he said he was the best in the land

A wink in his eye, a twist of his head

Kelly Warner was scheduled to wrestle again, oh I dread

He sprang out of the ring, to his crew gave a whistle

And away the workers flew behind him like the down of a thistle

But I heard him exclaim, as some young boy drove him out of site

“Merry Christmas to all, and I am Derrick King….DAMMIT!!’

RassleResults: USWF Corinth, MS 12.22.06 Psycho wins USWF Title!!!

----Little Steve Davis beat “Prime Time” Nick Grymes w/ Nathan Lee and Cassanova Kidd in a 3 way match; Diamond Daisy beat Miss Heather; Number One Contenders Battle Royal --- Psycho[in action to the right] won, after the match Neil Taylor turned heel and attacked Psycho; Izzy Rotten and Tysin Starr beat Keith Haynes Jr. and Keith Haynes Sr; Cassanova Kidd beat Buzz Harley and in the Main Event: Psycho beat Neil Taylor to become the new USWF Champion.

----Crowd was around 30 with a gate in the $150 range…This is this group’s last show in Corinth, MS. I guess they have finally decided it will not draw. January 5, 2007 they will be in Selmer, TN and then on January 12, 2007 they will start running shows weekly in Hickory Flat, MS. Their shows will be on Friday nights, but this is also real close to Jumpertown, MS and New Albany, MS and JWS and XOW only draws around 75 for both shows…The show in Hickory Flatt will feature a new ring set up similar to the UFC octagon. The ring will still be round, but they will be wrapping it with cage and fan barriers will be cage. At least it will be different.

RassleResults NBW Dyersburg, TN 12.23.06

----Jerry Weezy over A.W. James when Gunner Thompson came out and nailed James;A.C. Havoc over Slim "the Bulldog" Pickens after a "Reeking Havoc"[spin out juvi driver]; Gryffon X over The Sicilian Kid; “Risk Taker” Title Match "Upset Kid" Jeremy Moore over "Real Deal" Tim Edwards & Gaylon Ray in a 3 way match to win the belt and in the Main Event: NBW Heavyweight Champion TANK over "Southern Outlaw" Kilo by submission in a non -title match.

----Crowd was in the same range of 60 with a gate of over $300…Isn’t Moore kin to someone in this promotion?? LOL…After the Main Event Tank kept the crossface locked in re-injuring the already torn rotator cuff on Kilo’s left arm. [legit injury/worked angle]…Santa Clause came out with all the babyfaces and handed out gifts to the kids, which got a pop…Where were Alan Steele and Sir MO??...I really did not like the booking of the Kilo/Tank match. I would have kept them apart until next week. But, the fans will get behind the underdog to win the belt. Also, why doa title change for the week before a big show?? The fans have to think the show is bigger than the other shows, so hold the title change off until then…Is the “Risk Taker” division cruiserweights or “X-Division”?? If it is cruiser, then Tim Edwards belongs no where near that title..wait..what “Risk Taker” move does he do?? I am confused…Next week is New Blood Eve and I still only know of one match – Tank vs Kilo.

Memphis Wrestling TV Report 12.23.06

----“Christmas Chaos” opens with Corey Maclin introducing the show. “Battle of the Brutes” is announced, which is a triple threat tag team match and that make no sense?? “Too Cool 2” [Flex/Tim Grind] come out doing a Christmas rap. “Insane Clowns” [Bobo/Giggles] with Rashard are interview and finally Flash Flanagan/Reggie B Fine come out.

----Flanagan/Fine vs “Clowns” vs “Too Cool 2” ended in No Contest when the ref Bill Rush just walked out. There were only two people in the ring at the same time, but I thought it was a triple threat?? This was a clusterfuck!! The moves didn’t look bad, but nothing made sense. All of them got in the ring and finally Rush just walked out.

----They air the Brickhouse Brown jumping Kevin White angle – just him hitting White, not the whole angle. White/Dustin Starr interview was next. Starr makes a comment about how they might have new tag champs tonight having to wrestle R&R. He was trying to put over R&R, but then Maclin says, “Well, you don’t have much confidence.” Maclin is so bad!! Southern Tag Team Title Match: “Rock n Roll Express” [Ricky Morton/Robert Gibson] vs Starr/White was No Contest. R&R were working almost heel. White/Starr took the beating most of the bout. No hot tag. White grabbed Morton [since R&R had been heeling] and Starr went to give him a punch, but he ducked and White went down. R&R go to Starr and Brick hits White with a chain. Morton refuses to pin White because he hears the fans say something about a chain. White goes after Brick behind the curtain and Starr breaks them up. [pic above] Match was nothing. It would have been much better if they would have just let them work.

----Derrick King interview and he brings out a cane out [pic below] for Johnny Dotson for Christmas. King beat Drew Donovan. Total squash with Donovan only get a few spots. King pinned him after a superkick. Dotson jumps King after the match. King then uses the cane on Dotson leg and Dotson sold it real good. Maclin did a good job here selling Dotson’s recent injury as he just came back from a legit broken leg. Good angle and interview.

----Koko Ware walks out as Dotson is still in the ring and I thought they were going to try to interview Dotson. But, just bring Ware out to kill the heat!!! Ware brings Maclin a DVD player as a gift, but Maclin knocks it out of his hand and it breaks. Ware goes crazy and knocks some Christmas flowers [that were on the announcer’s desk] out on floor. This was horrible!!

----Jerry Lawler interview. He wishes everyone a Happy Holidays and thanks everyone for asking about his mom this year!!

----Fire/Flame/”Hillbilly Assassin” Jethro with Nate the Rate beat Bill Dundee/Chris O’Neal/Tatt2 in the only good match on the show. Fast paced and good bumping from everyone. Heat on Tatt2 after he got dumped over the top rope by Fire [pic to the left]. O’Neal got the hot tag. Nate tried to trip him and he turned around – when he turned back around Jethro hit him with a big boot and the pin.

----Jerry Lawler and Tom Nunnery finish the show singing “Jingle Bells” with the crowd. Nate interrupts it and Nunnery nails Nate with the guitar. The show ends with the crowd singing “Jingle Bells”.

----“Battle of the Brutes”????....Maclin made a comment that if you are Southern Tag Team champions you get a World tag team shot?? What World tag team titles??...It makes you wonder how you can have talent like R&R and Flanagan in the first two matches and they still screw up the booking. Only on Memphis Wrestling!!!...Crowd was almost half filled with this being the second hour of tapings. They need to get people to stay!!... Maclin called a “high knee” a “knee lift”…I wonder if they just sit in the back and see how they could kill any heat that they have?? No one cares about Ware/Maclin – it drew only 300 fans last time!!! They are building Dotson, but then they kill it…Tell me why you get Jethro to wear a different gimmick, but still call him “Hillbilly Assassin”??...This was probably one of the worst shows they have aired all year long. Maclin was horrible – worse than usual and even though they are overflowing with talent, they don’t know what to do with it…Next week is a “Best of 2006” show from Maclin’s house.

----This Memphis Wrestling TV report is also posted every week on http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/, http://www.pwinsider.com/, http://www.declarationofindependents.net/ , Yahoo Mempho Group, http://www.pwtorch.com/,

and new sites added this week -- http://www.world-wrestling.net/

and Pro Wrestling Resource.

Feature Article: "A View From Afar" by Mark Bravura

----Mark Bravura should be known by many of your in this area. [CLICK HERE for the Bravura entrance video] In his shoot job, he is a Senior Consultant in Video and MultiMedia Production for Booz Allen Hamilton [and international consulting firm] Basically he produces video and multimedia project for internal and external clients like Medicare, USMC, Installation Management Agency, Harris Bank, The Chicago Mercantile Exchange and more. He also does freelance work for various companies and produces films and shorts in his free time. Bravura will be celebrating six years in the wrestling business in April and has been a loyal subscriber to Wrestling Observer Newsletter since 1998.

----I first met Bravura during my last stint in wrestling. I watched his stuff and thought he had all the raw talent in the word, but needed a bit polishing. I sit down with him one night to talk about his match, but I think we ended up talking about movies and the newsletters. Bravura is a very smart guy and would be an asset to any promotion in the world – if not as a worker, but as a writer. I am working on an interview with him for next year, which he will tell how he was hired to work as a writer for the WWE, but actually turned the offer down.

"A View From Afar" by Mark Bravura

"Sometimes you have to step back from a situation to really get perspective."

It's been really interesting observing the happenings in Memphis from nine hundred miles away for the past year. Reading things online. Emailing back and forth. Dropping in every month or so. Calling the guys who's cell phones weren't repossesed.

Some things that have happened have made me laugh. Others have made me shake my head, but the latest big dustup between Dustin Starr and Seth Knight just makes
me say...

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

Sometimes I just don't get it. Really I don't. Nobody in the wrestling business at our level is making a living at it. None of us are getting rich. Some of us do it because we hope that one day we will make our living with it. Others try to make a little money off it. Others used to make a living at it and want to again. Others don't give a shit if they make a dime, but we all have one thing in common... WE ALL LOVE THE BUSINESS. If we didn't we wouldn't beat the shit out of ourselves every weekend and go limping into work all sore every monday. Doing something you love is supposed to be fun so what the fuck is the point of taking it so fucking seriously that you kill the fun of it. If they ask you to job fucking job. Who gives a shit? You don't like how a guy works. So what? Who gives a shit. If a guy annoys you. Deal with it. Who gives a shit? I'm not saying don't take the business seriously. Everyone who knows me knows that I do. When you are in front of that crowd to respect the business. When you're at the show you respect the other workers. You respect the business above all else. You work your ass off out there every time you perform or you don't deserve to be out there, but when it comes to the little stuff... Grow up.

I've never had a problem with Dustin or Seth. Dustin can come off like an arrogant prick, but in my experience if you stand up to him in the right way and respect the business he'll be cool with you and be respectful back. When I first went up to D-burg and was floundering at the bottom with nothing to do, he gave me a shot and suggested something for me to DK for no reason other than he's a stand up guy. He's a good guy and nobody can say he doesn't respect the
business and didn't work his ass off to get where he is.

Seth talks a lot, but so do a lot of guys. He and I tagged for over a year. We disagreed about shit all the time, but that's what made the team work. There was a contrast. We'd argue about finishes and psychology all the time. I'd call him an idiot. He'd call me a dumbass, but I'd team up with him again in a second cause he's a good guy and a good worker. He works hard and he respects the business. Does he think a lot of himself? Yeah, but so what? If you don't think you're good then what the fuck are you doing in the business? Just cause you think you're good doesn't mean you think you know everything or that you have nothing to learn.

I'm sure Dustin thinks he's good and he is. He wouldn't be doing squashes on SD if he wasn't, but I'm sure he knows there's stuff he can improve on. Does he have an ego? Hell yeah, but you have to have an ego to even be in the business. You have to have an ego to want to go out in front of however many people in your underwear and have them stare at you. It's essential. If you don't have confidence in yourself YOU WILL NEVER BE ANY GOOD. Look at CM Punk when he started on ECW. At first he was nervous and unsure and he didn't look that good, but the crowd started getting into him, people starting complimenting him and now he looks great.

Dustin said in his commentary that Seth can't work. I'm sure Seth would say the same thing about Dustin. Well guess what? They are both wrong. Both of them can work. They just work differently. And there's nothing fucking wrong with that. Flair doesn't work like Austin who doesn't work like Mysterio who doesn't work like Misawa who doesn't work like Foley who doesn't work like Perro Jr who doesn't work like Joe who doesn't work like Hart who doesn't work like Savage, but all of them can work. If everyone worked the same THE SHOWS WOULD BE FUCKING BORING. Dustin works a heavyweight style that gets over. It works for him and he has good matches. Seth works a more x-division high spot style. It works for him and he has good matches. Both are good workers in entirely different ways. That's one of the things that's great about the business. If you don't like the style of match A maybe you'll like the style of match B or C. Instead of shit talking each other see what you can take from each other to appeal to the fans who like that other style of work. Disagree. Argue about it. At worst you'll learn something.

Why the fuck would you refuse to job on an indie show? OK, so you disagree for whatever reason. Talk it over with the booker privately, but don't be a dick and say "I'm not jobbing cause I'm a big star" in front of the locker room. That's just fucking ridiculous. You're just asking to make enemies. What the fuck do you think every other guy on that show who's putting someone over thinks of you right then. Sure we'd all like to win every fucking time, but fuck its a work. That's the beauty of it. You can get over even if you lose. What happens when a mid-major college basketball team nobody thinks of loses a close game to Duke or UNC or Arizona? People think more of them even though they lost. You can get over when you lose so get over yourself and do the fucking job.

All this crap with shooting water on people in the back is fucking stupid. It goes on all the time, but its still fucking stupid. That being said should Seth have spit on Dustin? No. To me it's one of the most disrespectful things you can do. I've fought people for spitting on me before, but if he doesn't have a water gun what should he do? Piss on him? Try to fight him? Like Dustin said he's 225 and Seth is maybe 170. That's a losing proposition, but the guys already blasted you now he's fucking with you in front of everyone so what do you do?Ignore it and don't put it over.Yeah, that's probably best, but things have already escalated so its a no win situation. Frankly both guys were in the wrong.

One last thing about ribbing, how does the fact that it goes on in the WWE locker room make it cool. Guys in the WWE are making their living of the business. None of us are. Those guys are with each other more than they are with their families. We're not. We work the show and go home. There's little traveling together. The only time we hang out, in general, is at the shows. That's a HUGE difference. There's ribbing in NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, and whatever other pro-locker rooms cause they are together all the time, but I've never gotten ribbed on any adult league football, basketball or soccer team I've played on. When you're around people all the time you can rib them and its all in good fun. I prank my best friends all the time. They might be pissed off for a minute, but they know I did it because we're friends and they'll just get me back.

You want to fuck around with your boys... Cool. You want to play a harmless prank on someone... Cool. I've done it. We've all done it, but when you're doing it to start something with someone. When you're not doingit out of fun then you're just being a bully picking
on someone.

RassleRiot Awards 2006 Race

----I would like to thank my committee from last week. I had a response of over 90%, which surprised me, but thanks a lot. And for those that did not read this last week, here is how this is going to work. I will be sending out e-mails to a committee of workers/promoters/writers from this area each week. They will be asked to nominate 5 candidates in each category. They can not nominate themselves. I will narrow it down to 3 candidates per category. Starting on January 1^st to midnight on January 10^th will be “10 TO VOTE” where all 14 categories – each with 3 candidates - will be presented on one page where everyone will be able to vote. January 14th will be considered the site’s SUPER SUNDAY as I will release all the winners along with a “Yearbook” of facts & figures of 2006 from this area.

----This is the final week of nominating. Next Friday I will revealing all the nominees and voting will start on January 1, 2007.

--Promotion of the Year – What promotion along with promoter was the best this year in promoting, drawing crowds and paying the guys??

--Rookie of the Year – This person either a manager, wrestler, promoter, booker or announcer debut sometime in the year 2006 in this area. This person is eligible only if they have worked at least 26 dates this year. If they have not worked at least that many dates, then I would consider them a rookie next year.

--Ref of the Year – The third man in the ring. The enforcer. The bumpmeister. Who was the best ref in this area this year??

Fandom Awards

--Wrestling Site of the Year – Who has the best wrestling site in this area?? Everyone is eligible as in fan sites, personal worker web pages, myspace.com sites and news sites. Everyone BUT WWW.RASSLINRIOTONLINE.COM!!! Because this site is giving out the awards, I felt it would be silly to be nominated.

--Columnist of the year – Who is the guy/gal that you love reading the most?? Everyone is eligible for this award, even columnists that do stories on my site. I am not eligible – see above.

RassleBits: Mid-South Coliseum Update and TLCW Event Tonight!!

----It looks like that the Mid-South Coliseum will be closed and used just for graduations and such, but will not be torn down as many expected. I talked with Brian Heap [I linked his story about the Coliseum a few days back] and he e-mailed the following, “I don’t think the city can afford to keep the Coliseum open for regular use. Unless a team or tenant had enough money to make the building and compliant and pay for some renovations to it, I don’t see how that hockey thing is possible. I think it will be effectively be shut down December 31, 2006, but maintained well enough it could be used a few times a year for simple events like graduations. “ He also noted that his speculation of the hockey team not coming in was his opinion, not based on anything else.

----TLCW is doing a free show of sorts tonight at 7:30 PM in Ripley. It is free to everyone and if you attend the show, then you get $1 off Saturday night’s show. They are doing a Karaoke sing off with Dustin Starr and Derrick King.

Shows for the Weekend 12.22 to 12.23.06

ATTENTION: If you are a promoter, please send me the address of the wrestling building. I will then be able to Google map your show, just like I have done to a few of the shows below. I have fans that write this site wanting to know directions to different buildings every week. If I get a street address, then may apply it to Google Maps.

IF I MISSED YOUR SHOW, THEN PLEASE DROP ME A LINE. I WILL ADD IT IN A LATE FRIDAY EDITION FOR SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWS.

Shows for the Weekend

----Friday night in Humboldt, TN for NWA Mid-South with “Picture Perfect” V2 [Jon Michael/Chris O’Neal], “The Cowboys” [Ricky Murdoch/Big Bill Nasty], Christian Jacobs [maybe], Gaylon Ray, Pat McGuinness, Eric Hayes, Jazz and more.

----Friday night in Osceola, AR for MCW includes The Hambones, Loose Cannon, Chris Hollywood, Big Daddy LaFonce, Derrick King, Flash Flanagan, “The Posse” [Simon Reed/’Lil Chris] and more.

----Friday night in Tupelo, MS for TFW has Tony Dabbs, “Pure Destruction” [Brody & Cody Hawk],The Gold Diggers, POPULAR [Shawn Reed/Ryan Williams]with Anita Page, Scott Porteau and more.

----Friday night for USWF in Corinth, MS with Kross, Keylo Green, Izzy Rotten, Nick Grymes, Psycho, Buzz Harley, Danny Morris, “Concrete Cowboy” Johnnie Reno, Neil Taylor, Tysin Starr and more.

----Saturday night New Blood Wrestling @ Country Nights 1901 Saint John Ave - Bell time 7:30 PM in Dyersburg, TN –Jeremy Moore, Sir MO, Tim Alfonzo, Tank , "All That" Alan Steele, the Dyersburg return of LOOSE CANNON !!!! and more.

----Saturday night in Jumpertown, MS for JWS with Chris Styles, Little Stevie Davis, Homeless Joe, Mario, Devon Raynes, Dalton Storm, Kage, Cyrus, Chaz, and more.

----Saturday night in Paragould, AR for ACW at the National Guard Armory with Loose Cannon with Rott’n Randy, Big Indian, Deadly Dale, Idol Bane, Cody Daniels, Cujo, Hambone Express, Ed Love, Big Buster Johnson, Blakestar, Farmer Tucker, Arnez and more.

----Saturday night in New Albany, MS 107 McGill ST [right off the square] with XWO will have Storm, Scott Porteau, "Pure Destruction"[Brody & Cody Hawk],Thomas Knox, " Danny B, and more.

----Saturday night in Ripley, TN with TLCW 207 Washington Street – Christian Jacobs, Derrick King, Stan Lee, Flash Flanagan, Chris O’Neal, Jon Michael , Dustin Starr, Oz, Bishop, Kevin White, Big Steve, Pokerface. Bill Dundee and more.

---- Saturday night Batesville, AR at the Old Miller Gym for Main Event Wrestling. Admission is free Crazy Luke Graham Jr. & Gerry "Chubby" Graham Casino Kid, Scott Fury, Ray Ray, Tommy Lane, The Danger Zone ( Hotrod Ellison & Danger Dave Foxx) and many more.

Memphis Wrestling TV Rumors and Gossip

----I got the following ramblings from various sources backstage at Memphis TV tapings from last Saturday: Memphis Wrestling site is down…”Cowboys” [Ricky Murdoch/Bill Nasty] got pissed and stormed out of the dressing room because they were not scheduled to be on the tapings…Ricky Morton stole the show backstage. He had everyone in tears telling road stories about them and Bill Dundee...A “Legends” show is planned for March…There are plans to run house shows including possible Thursday and Friday shows at a casino in Tunica, MS…Jon Michael had the flu…Flame was heard saying he messed up their match on the second show and it might be because Tatt2/Chris O’Neal called so many spots before going out…Chris Rocker was back at the studio [arrested there a few weeks ago for child support I believe] and he will probably be back at the next tapings…They really wanted Hogan vs Lawler. Apparently Maclin was telling everyone that Hogan wanted $100,000 to do the show?? That sounds like way too much…Drew Donavon was getting his ass chewed by Derrick King for trying to make himself look good. DK told him something about the match being about him, not Donavon, which is true. Drew is a jobber!!...Ricky Morton said working FOP was like working a fencepost – stiff and wouldn’t move. LOL… The most distasteful part of the day Koko said in front of Robert Gibson that he told a friend that the R&R Express would be at Memphis today and the guy said, “Not Robert and Ricky cause Ricky’s dead [Ricky Gibson] and Koko said, “No not him he did drown, but the other Ricky would be there.” Robert was very hurt as you could tell by the expression on his face.

Scott Hall Interview: Shock You or Not??

----Long time subscriber to RassleRiot Jeff Bowdren e-mailed this to me a few weeks back and I have been meaning to post it. Jeff wrote, “This is a quote from Torch Talk from http://www.pwtorch.com from Scott Hall. I don't know what to say. Most of you know I've done a lot of stories on wrestlers dying young and helped with the LA Times and USA Today stories but this is just crazy if true.” Even though it is shocking that Hall is telling this to the public, nothing Vince McMahon does surprises me. Sad thing is that most people in this biz just consider it “normal” when it comes to the drugs. On top of that, it didn't personally shock me when he talked about his habits. BTW, this photo of Hall was taken last month – “G-Unit” – that cracks me up every time I see it!!!

Get My Point? by Randy Cresswell

Sorry for last week’s no column, I doubt it was missed that much. I have a very hard week and a half, so if I am short this week on the column, so be it.

I have to give a shout out the 4 teams at the Armageddon PPV who really put their bodies on the line to give the fans something they haven’t seen in awhile if they watch WWE solely, something worth watching. I hate the Mercury went out like that, but that is the danger of Ladder matches and WWE better give him a respectable spot in two months when he gets back on the road again.

Someone posted on a message board that reading the TNA Spoilers is like reading WCW Thunder. While I haven’t seen the spoilers, I can agree TNA has a few Thunder like spots on the show that I think they could shape a little better. They also really need to get a better taping schedule. If taping costs THAT much money, they may need to look around some places, I am sure with the name they have now that Angle is with them, they can get a better deal. None the less though, this is the time I say once again that if TNA wants to take the next step in their evolution, they need to do it now with WWE fans waning as hard as they are.

WWE really needs to make Wrestlemania look at something to look at, normally by this time the buzz is high on the next huge match, but lets be honest. John Cena Vs Triple H (a rumored Main Event), that isn’t going to make someone go buy a ticket that quickly. While many people of crapping on it, fans will buy for Hogan and Hogan/Show match wouldn’t be that bad of an idea for the hardcore WWE fan. There was a rumor back that Stone Cold wants to be involved with Wrestlemania, just not wrestling. To be honest, SCSA sells with just his name these days.

They need to do two things with ECW, fix it or dump it. Said and done.

Ok, that is all I have to say this week. I would talk about the 3 hour RAW, but I didn’t watch it and after reading the results, I am glad I didn’t it. I can at least say that the 3 hour RAW wasn’t WWE’s idea, but USA Network’s. So, can’t blame WWE on that one.

Take Care

RassleTube, RassleChronicle and 10 Years Ago in Memphis Wrestling

----RassleTube this week features -- a video showing Jim Cornette’s collection, some CWA commercials, a Flash vs Batista bout, a Flash IWA video, and a Joe LeDuc video [one of my faves when growing up]. I also added a Fargo vs Lawler clip that I think is the first 5 minutes of the same bout they showed on “Opening the Vault”. Both Lawler and Fargo throw some of the best punches!!! These have all been added to MY FAVORITES. Memphis Wrestling clips include from 12.09.06: Fire/Flame/Jethro vs Picture Perfect/K Hill; Brooke and Hulk Hogan interview; “Opening the Vault” with Lance Russell – Bill Dundee; and “Too Cool 2” [Tim Grind/Flex] vs “The Posse” [Simon Reed/’Lil Chris]. From 12.16.06: Lawler & Corey shoot on Mid-South Coliseum.

----RassleChronicle covers the results of RAW/Nitro 10 years ago. This week is posted. I have also added a Herb Kunze Wrestling Tidbits column that was published at this time. This week Herb gives a review of the year 1996 with his thoughts and views. Interesting stuff.

10 Years ago in Memphis Wrestling - USWA: Bill Dundee turned babyface this past week. On the December 14th tv show, Dundee faced Jerry Lawler for the Unified title. PG-13 interfered and Wolfie D accidentally hit Dundee with a hubcap shot, costing him the match. Later in the show. PG-13 asked Dundee to join the Nation of Domination but he declined. Wolfie D then said that was typical, as he never does anything for his son (his son being Jamie Dundee, Wolfie’s tag team partner). Bill Dundee decked him and the two brawled out into the parking lot, where the rest of the NOD (including Jamie Dundee) jumped him and supposedly ‘broke his hand’. Jerry Lawler and Brian Christopher made the save for him…… Also on the tv show, Wolfie D won the USWA title from Brian Christopher, after a ton of interference from Randy X (Randy Hales), Queen Moishe (formerly ‘Miss Texas’, later Jacqueline in WWE), Akeem Muhammad (Reggie B Fine) and Jamie Dundee….. Great Meltzer line in this section: ‘The Hooters Girls are gone, which is a sign Jerry Lawler is no longer booking’…… Ian Rotten had started running opposition shows to the USWA in Louisville, across the street from them. He’d increased his weekly attendance from 55 to nearly 200 per week, through heavy bloodbaths and weapons matches. Credit: www.wrestlingobserver.com