Official Trailer for WWE '12 Available Now

http://wrestlersway.blogspot.com

RAW Got Rocked! Who Cares? Why We Have Washed Our Hands of the Rock

by Brian Phelps

http://wrestlersway.blogspot.com

Last night, RAW got "Rocked!". At least that was the big tag line for the Rock's return to Monday night Raw. I'm always glad to see the Rock return, but I also have to tell it like it is. The Rock left wrestling behind nearly a decade ago to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. Now, I am all about a man pursuing his dreams, but the way the Rock went about it left a bad taste in my mouth. When he left to go to Hollywood, he wanted to distance himself as far away from his professional wrestling background as he could. He didn't want to be called "The Rock" anymore. He didn't want to be called a professional wrestler. He didn't want to be associated with the WWE anymore.

So, why does Vince McMahon go out of his way to throw the Rock birthday bashes, parties, parades, and a heroes welcome whenever he finally decides to breeze through? The Rock shunned Vince McMahon even though Vince and the WWE is the REASON he was able to go to Hollywood and achieve success elsewhere to begin with. If it wasn't for the WWE, he wouldn't have been the Scorpion King. He wouldn't have been Walking Tall. So, after shunning the WWE and disassociating himself for nearly a decade... Vince gives him the main event to Wrestlemania 28, and a ticky tape parade every time he makes an appearance? Why should Vince McMahon kiss the Rock's butt after the Rock has spent years acting like the WWE and pro wrestling is beneath him now? It should be the other way around.

Then, let's not forget the now infamous promo where The Rock claimed he was back and would never leave again. What rubbed me the wrong way about it is instead of owning up to the fact that he may have exaggerated that claim, he instead claimed that he meant what he said. He claimed that he was back, that he headlined last year's Wrestlemania and he's headlining this years Wrestlemania. When John Cena tried to hold The Rock to what he himself said... The Rock instead claims that just because he said he's back doesn't mean he has to be at every single show... or every single live event. When you say you are back, and are never leaving again.... I don't think that equates to cutting a couple of promos every 4 months via titantron and showing up in person twice a year either. I also think his claim that he headlined last years Wrestlemania was total crap. He "hosted" it. He didn't wrestle so he didn't headline. I just don't like how the Rock made a bunch of petty excuses when John Cena held the Rock to his own words "I'm back and I'm never leaving again".

I don't like how the Rock made excuses instead of owning up to the fact that he simply misspoke about being back and never leaving again. I don't like how the Rock acts like he's giving US a treat by showing up on RAW. Like we should be grateful that he decided to grace us with his presence. I don't like how the Rock acts like we owe him something for showing up once in awhile. No Rock. You should be grateful that we don't boo you out of the arena for acting like you were too good for wrestling for the past 7 years. You should be grateful that we embrace you and cheer you after you shunned us for the red carpet. Even though you didn't want to be associated with us anymore, we still supported you in Hollywood. We still went to see your movies. We saw Fast Five. We saw Faster and Scorpion King.

You can talk all the heat you want to about John Cena. I'm not a big fan of Cena's either, but in his defense John Cena never tried to disassociate himself with his own biggest fan base. He never acted like he was too good for the WWE. He has always embraced us whether we like him or hate him. He never bailed on us like the Rock did. He has never acted like we owe him something for showing up every week.

In closing, I've washed my hands of the Rock. I'm through hanging on his every word. When he said he was back and never leaving again... and then upped and left again the next day... that was the last straw. The Rock talks a big game about how he cares, but his words are so hollow and meaningless. When it comes to him saying he's back, I don't believe anything he says. I'll believe it when I see it. Say what you will about Cena, but Cena has backed up everything he says. The Rock cares about us so much that on the 10th Anniversary edition of Smackdown (a show that was named after him), he couldn't drag himself to show up in person. He submitted some lame video to put up on the titantron. The Rock is that girlfriend that you loved with all your heart that broke up with you, but still comes around every few months to toy with your emotions. That ex-girlfriend that keeps stringing you along months after the relationship ended. Talk all the Boots to Asses you want... but I'm through with the Rock.

Top 5 WCW Wrestlers Who Were Held Back by the Hollywood Hogan Era (1994-1999)

by Brian Phelps
http://wrestlersway.blogspot.com

Over the course of his career, Hulk Hogan has taken not one... but two wrestling promotions to the moon. He spent two decades dominating the sport of professional wrestling. However, while Hulk Hogan was monopolizing the world title and main event scenes in the then WWF (WWE) and now defunct WCW, there were many wrestlers who were held back. I've gone over the Top 5 WWF Wrestlers Who Were Held Back by the Hulkamania Era in the WWF. When Hulk Hogan left Vince McMahon's WWF for Ted Turner's WCW, he came in riding an incredible wave of momentum. There was even a parade for Hogan. Needless to say, there would be a list of talented wrestlers that were held down by the Hollywood Era. Hollywood doesn't entirely refer to his Hollywood Hogan persona. It also refers to Hogan's joining of WCW all together, as he was starring in movies, receiving parades, and even opening restaurants. I'm here to look at the Top 5 WCW wrestlers who were held down by Hogan's WCW run. In other words, the Top 5 who never reached their full potential in WCW.

5) Diamond Dallas Page - In WCW, if Sting was the franchise then Diamond Dallas Page was the company's heart and determination. DDP was never the prettiest guy, but he was a heck of a fighter. Diamond Dallas Page ascended to the top of the WCW mid-card becoming the WCW United States Champion. He took on all comers defending it against any and every one, including a win over Raven in the Steel Cage. It appeared that DDP moving up to the World Title was imminent. However, to do that he would have to get through Hollywood Hogan and the nWo to get it. However, due to Hogan's constant monopoly of the WCW title, it wasn't until the nWo was dead and gone and Hogan was all but through with WCW that Diamond Dallas Page would become the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Page won the WCW title as the company was beginning it's down hill slide instead of winning it during the company's apex. The same would happen to fellow WCW cohort Booker T.

4) Curt Hennig - The late Curt Hennig is one of the greatest technical wrestlers of all-time. He's right up there with Bret Hart, Benoit, Malenko, and Kurt Angle. During the early '90s, Mr. Perfect couldn't get beyond the mid-card due to Hulkamania. When he went to WCW in the mid '90s, he couldn't get byond the mid-card due to Hollywood Hogan. Hennig couldn't catch a break, and it's a shame because this guy should've been a multi-time World Heavyweight Champion in WCW and WWF/E. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. One thing I noticed is that the majority of guys that had the potential to come up the ranks and move Hogan out of the picture ended up becoming nWo members themselves or members of some other faction. It was kind of a way to keep them busy while Hogan was on top. Rey Mysterio said that the top guys in WCW would convince the brass that cruiserweights for instance were not top level material.

3) Eddie Guerrero - The late great Eddie Guerrero was another wrestler who was held down during the Hollywood Era in WCW. Often told that he was too little to main event, and that cruiserweights weren't main event talent... Eddie like Rey Mysterio was held down as well. Eddie Guerrero had great showings against "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, yet the brass in WCW still had no confidence in Guerrero. He would never overcome the backstage politics of the Hogans, Nash's, and veteran ex-WWF talent. It is because of this that Eddie Guerrero and the rest of the WCW faction The Revolution (Benoit, Saturn, Malenko) other than Shane Douglas would jump ship to the rival WWF and become The Radicalz. It was from here on that Eddie would realize his potential and become WWE Champion. Sadly, it would also be Eddie's last stand.

2) Chris Jericho - Chris Jericho is yet another wrestler who would be held back by the nWo era. Eric Bischoff famously said that he didn't believe that Chris Jericho could be a headliner. Contrary to what Bischoff thinks, Chris Jericho went on after WCW ignored him to become the first Undisputed WWE Champion. He famously defeated Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock in the same night. He's reinvented his character over the years to remain relevant. In WCW, Jericho was nothing more than an opening match guy. Despite having vast international wrestling experience, and fantastic mic skills Bischoff and the rest of WCW passed over him time and time again. In spite of that, Chris Jericho's character is the embodiment of the Attitude Era and will no doubt go down as one of the greatest of all-time.

1) Scott Hall - Scott Hall is the greatest victim of the Hollywood Era. Some might question this, but hear me out. Scott Hall jumped the guard rail on WCW Nitro and started the Monday Night Wars. He fired the shot heard round the world. However, when they adopted Hogan into the nWo... that put Hogan as the leader instead of what we think of now as a more "modern DX style" co-leadership between Hall and Nash in the same mold that Triple H and Shawn Michaels have recently used over the last few years. With Hogan as the figure head, Hall fell in line behind Hogan and would continue to do so until his own personal demons would force us to see less and less of Hall after 1999. Also, Scott Hall famously won the 3-Ring 60-man battle royal World War 3 in 1997 that was supposed to lead to him getting a world title shot at Starrcade 1997. However, due to the large shadow of Hollywood Hogan and his feud with Sting... Scott Hall wouldn't even get a match at Starrcade. Instead, he was in Eric Bischoff's corner as Eric battled Larry Zbysko. It wouldn't be until I believe Uncensored 1998 that Hall would get the title match he was supposed to get at Starrcade, and due to Sting being at the utter height of his career (and that's saying something) after his pay-per-view record shattering numbers he did against Hollywood at Starrcade... Scott Hall was basically fed to Sting. He would never again get a real world title push thus making Scott Hall the worst victim of the Hollywood Hogan era. 

Should Abyss Unmask? A Look Back at Other Stars Who Gambled on Life Without the Mask

by Brian Phelps
http://wrestlersway.blogspot.com

Recently, Abyss gave an interview to Slam! Wrestling where he said he would be open to losing his trademark mask. Now, I'm not the biggest Abyss fan, but I feel like Abyss unmasking may be a mistake. You have to be very careful when it comes to unmasking because history has shown us that unmasking can be a very mixed bag when it comes to that particular wrestler's fortune. Some grapplers have unmasked with great success, and others have unmasked and it flushed their careers down the toilet. I am here to take you all on a look back at other stars of the squared circle who chose to unmask, and the outcomes it had on their careers and perception of their characters. Buckle up.

Juventud Guerrera

Back in WCW's heyday, Juventud Guerrera wrestled under a mask. Under his mask, Juventud Guerrera seemed like just another luchadore along with Psychosis, Ciclope, and other stars of the time. It wasn't until he lost a Mask vs Title match at WCW's Superbrawl pay-per-view to Chris Jericho that Juventud's popularity really took off in the United States. Juventud Guerrera seemingly overnight became the top luchadore in the company, briefly enjoying a popularity burst where he was bigger than Rey Mysterio for a short while. He had a memorable feud with Raven's Flock faction where he defeated 7 footer Reese with an assist from Van Hammer, and then joined up with Rey Mysterio, Kidman, and Konnan to form the Filthy Animals. This was the apex of his American wrestling popularity. He later went on to run his own faction in WWE called the Mexicools.  Juventud is to this day one of the greatest cruiserweights of all-time mentioned right alongside Rey Mysterio, Kidman, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko and Chris Jericho. Other than Rey Mysterio and Eddie Guerrero, Juventud will go down as arguably the number three luchadore of all-time as far as American pro wrestling promotions go. Had he not unmasked, Juventud Guerrera would probably not be mentioned in the same breath as those guys... nor would he be remembered like he is now.


Mortis aka Chris Kanyon 

Kanyon began his WCW career under a masked gimmick wrestling as a character by the name of Mortis. After being denied entry into Raven's Flock, Mortis sought revenge on Raven. During a cage match between Diamond Dallas Page and Raven, Mortis disguised as a riot cop unmasked  much to everyone's shock. From that point on, he became Kanyon. Once unmasked, it was almost liberating to Kanyon as he enjoyed great success that he never did as Mortis. He ended up joining up with DDP and Bam Bam Bigelow to form the Jersey Triad, and eventually became United States Champion. Had he continued to wrestle under Mortis... he may never have ended up enjoying the success that he did. We would probably chuckle and say things like "You remember that goofy WCW wrestler Mortis?" in the same way that we currently say "You remember that goofy WCW wrestler Glacier?"

Rey Mysterio
Even the greatest masked luchadore of all-time was unmasked. During his time in WCW, Rey Mysterio lost his mask at the hands of the Outsiders. The unmasking was a huge blow to Rey Mysterio's career and popularity. I actually believe that he ended up becoming less of a draw when he lost his mask. My feelings are further bolstered by the fact that when Rey went to work for WWE after WCW's demise, Vince put the mask back on Rey as if the unmasking never happened. Look at him now, a multi-time World Champion.

Kane
On the other hand, we have examples of wrestlers who unmasked and the outcome wasn't as kind to them. The legendary Kane is one of these examples. Under the mask, Kane was the "Big Red Machine". He was one of the most dominating forces in WWE history. We were told he wore a mask because the Undertaker burned their house down, killing their parents and as a result Kane was burned beyond recognition. So when Stone Cold Steve Austin convinced Kane to unmask, we were given a guy that just looked like he had some chimney soot on his face, two different contact colors for his eyes, and the front half of his head shaved. Hmm... it was very... weird to say the least. It was such a let down for us all, and this is one unmasking that we want to take back so badly. Everyone thought masked Kane was awesome. No one likes unmasked Kane. He's boring and lame. I haven't been interested in Kane since he unmasked, and 30 feuds (exaggerated) with the Undertaker since then isn't going to change my mind. Kane is particularly important to note because his gimmick is VERY similar to Abyss's gimmick, and therefore there is some logic in assuming that Abyss would wind up in the same situation.

In closing, I think Abyss would face a very similar situation to Kane's unmasking as it was essentially the death of his popularity. Abyss should think about the gamble that unmasking is on a wrestler's career before deciding. I vote to keep the mask. Please Abyss, do not open Pandora's box.

Paul Heyman Interviews Brock Lesnar! Says Stone Cold Was Threatened by Him

by Brian Phelps

http://wrestlersway.blogspot.com

Paul Heyman just put up a video interviewing "The Next Big thing" Brock Lesnar. In the interview Lesnar covers his time in the WWE, and made some interesting comments. During the interview, Brock says that he didn't get to go through Stone Cold Steve Austin because Austin was 'threatened' by him. Now, I actually remember hearing rumors back during Brock's WWE run that Austin refused to job to Lesnar. From what I understand, that's why Brock Lesnar was traded from RAW to Smackdown back at the time.

If that is indeed the truth, then I feel like Austin was acting like a baby. Even Hulk Hogan, the ego of all egos, agreed to job to Brock Lesnar on an episode of WWE Smackdown back then. Undertaker, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Big Show all jobbed as well. So, if it is true, why did Stone Cold think he was so special? I would love to hear Stone Cold Steve Austin's side of this story. However, it is nice to see Brock Lesnar back in a WWE capacity even if it is just a video game. Maybe one day, he will make a return to the ring. Only time will tell.

How the WWE Spoiled Us With Main Stream Rock Themes and Pyro

by Brian Phelps
http://www.wrestlersway.blogspot.com

Boy, times have changed haven't they? In particular, the sport of professional wrestling. I remember a time when there was no pyro. There was no titantron. There were no theme songs by main stream rock bands. The only time you got pyro was at Wrestlemania if you won the MAIN EVENT. Even then, it was just the simple spray. The face of the company didn't even get pyro, let alone a mid-carder. Hulk Hogan in his prime didn't get pyro. Ric Flair didn't get pyro. No one did. Every one had stock music, and it sounded like some regular Nintendo music. The only person who had an actual song was Hulk Hogan and it wasn't a main stream song. Everyone else had some old NES sounding music. But times have certainly changed.

Nowadays, everybody gets pyro and a theme song from a main stream rock band. You've got Triple H coming out to Motorhead, The Undertaker coming out to Johnny Cash (Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock before that), Batista coming out to Saliva, and even Edge coming out to Alter Bridge. Back in the '90s, it was unimaginable that wrestlers would be coming out to radio music. Now, even mid-carders come out to main stream rock music when you flip on WWE. Drew McIntyre's theme song was done by Shaman's Harvest

Then you have the pyro. As I said earlier, back in the day not even Hulk Hogan came out to pyro. No wrestler had pyro for their every week regular entrance. That was unfathomable. The only time Hogan got pyro is when he won the main events at Wrestlemania. You would never have seen the Big Bossman come out to black and blue pyro. Flip on WWE now, and even mid-carders got pyro. Kofi Kingston has had pyro forever now, and he is still just a mid-carder. I bet legends like the Horsemen watch this and laugh. Back in the day, you didn't have the help of massive pyrotechnics and Motorhead to get you over. It was ALL personality and skills.

Knowing this, I surf the internet and laugh as I read WWE die hards making fun of TNA Wrestling for using stock themes. So what? To me, it makes TNA Wrestling themes unique to TNA Wrestling only. I remember when all anyone had was stock themes. WWE has spoiled the current generation with radio rock, and 4th of July caliber fireworks at every show. I think the new generation should stop picking on TNA. TNA uses pretty much all stock themes, and very little pyro. I think the WWE's million dollar production tends to send the wrong idea to fans who decide to give TNA a chance because many think that just because TNA doesn't spend all its money on pyro and radio rock that it's a cheap show. It's not that it's cheap, it's just a more traditional wrestling show. Pyro and radio rock doesn't equal quality. 

Wrestlers Way Podcast - On Hulk Hogan saying Robert Roode isn't the Guy