Instant Classic: Ibushi Versus Alexander

 

Wednesday night saw the second round of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic open up. The first bout saw Gran Metalik defeat Tajiri- but the main event was a match that wrestling fans all around the world have been looking forward to since the CWC bracket debuted: Kota Ibushi versus Cedric Alexander.

On paper, the result looks like this: Kota Ibushi defeats Cedric Alexander with the Golden Star Powerbomb. But when you watch it, there’s so much more that went into making this match an instant classic and possible MOTY candidate. Here’s why.

Professionalism: Like most bouts in the CWC, the match is based on pure competition and not various kinds of typical “wrestling” finishes. There are no distraction roll-ups or cheating the ref. The CWC is predicated on the very best cruiserweights showing why they were invited to the tournament and what they can do. Ibushi and Alexander met in the middle with each showing proper respect to their opponent. There were no egos here- only pride in one’s abilities and representing their country on one of wrestling’s biggest stages.

Flow: The match progressed naturally, starting slowly and building to a crescendo of strikes, counter strikes and possible winning maneuvers. Both Alexander and Ibushi showed their physical advantages early and were essentially even for most of the match. The rapid pace had fans at a fever pitch, and didn’t allow for eyes to leave the ring/screen. Due to the twenty-minute time constraint and the fact that both men are amazing talents, the fans were left wanting more- and that’s not a bad thing at all.

Believeable Offense: Coming into this match, we knew to expect a striker’s affair between two high flyers. Submission/ground-based wrestling wouldn’t be the focus here. Alexander’s back elbows to Ibushi’s head were brutal. I don’t recall seeing ones connect that hard before. Ibushi is famous for his incredibly powerful kicks, and surprisingly his first kick didn’t connect until a few minutes into the match. The buildup was worth it, as it floored Alexander and left you generally feeling bad for “Queen City’s favorite son”.

Later in the match-up, Alexander would hit a sickening chop to the face of Ibushi. Ibushi sold it like he was just hit with a ton of bricks, crumpling to the mat. At one point, Ibushi connected woth one of the most devastating dropkicks, seemingly sending Alexander into a state of semi-consciousness. All of these strikes were incredibly accurate, with neither whiffing even once. This brings us to the next point.

Selling: Offense can only look as good as one’s opponent sells the damage. Both Ibushi and Alexander ran a clinic on showing the effects of being on the wrong end of a great move. (CWC competitor Zack Saber may be a prodigy, but this is where he could improve.)

Ibushi’s selling of the jaw chop was one example. He also sold a springboard elbow by landing on the back of his head and kneeling on the mat before Alexander could pin him to it. Despite those examples, Alexander excelled here. He sold the kicks, chops and Ibushi’s “Pele kick” brilliantly. Alexander staggered, eventually succumbing to gravity as he fell to the mat.

Athleticism: Both cruiserweights are on the shortlist of athletic specimens in the CWC. Agility, balance, coordination and accuracy despite going full-tilt never suffered or looked off. To put it in a nutshell, none of this resembled a Sin Cara match whatsoever. The timing from both was there all match, with counters and pin attempts fast, furious and unpredictable.

Ibushi’s standout athletic moment was his second attempt at his running moonsault out of the ring. In almost one motion, he leaped to the top rope, turned and executed a beautiful backflip. The part that amazed me most about it was that while on the top rope, both feet remained level and never quivered- making it look like he was standing on a flat surface five feet above the mat. A runner-up for him was a corkscrew moonsault from the mat onto a prone Alexander. Yes, a standing corkscrew moonsault was Ibushi’s second most impressive move in this match.

Alexander showed off, too with his landing feet-first after Ibushi attempted the hurricanrana from the top rope. It was hard to tell if the timing was intentional, but nonetheless it was a stellar counter from Alexander.

Competitive atmosphere: The CWC has delivered in spades on feeling like an actual tournament and not just a predetermined series of wrestling matches- and this match was a beautiful microcosm of that.

This didn’t feel like “just a match”. There would be no Dusty finish here. The stakes were evident, as the winner of this would be an even bigger favorite to win the entire thing. The two countering each other with moves and pins showed how badly they wanted it. Near falls and moments of temporary befuddlement showed the desperation of each fighter. This allowed for the audience at Full Sail and at home to get lost in the match.

This was never clearer than when Alexander hit a brainbuster and tried for a pin, with Ibushi kicking out after a close two count. Immediately following the pin attempt, Ibushi didn’t even inhale a breath of air before Alexander dropped him back to the mat with a spinning kick to the head and another pin attempt. After what seemed like 2.99 seconds, Alexander looked absolutely lost trying to figure out the Ibushi conundrum. Which brings us to….

Facial expressions: Alexander edged Ibushi out in this department as well. His ability to convey a multitude of motions with just a facial expression was astounding. I put him right up there with Alexa Bliss in that category. Need an example? Here’s his face at two crucial points: following a Michinoku driver and after the spinning kick to the head:

Virtually mistake- free: There’s not much more to be said than despite a few hiccups, the two were almost flawless. The hurricanrana looked just a bit off, while an Ibushi exploder suplex to Cedric could have ended up a lot worse. Thankfully, both stayed healthy.

Audience: When NXT is at Full Sail, the audience balances a line between being endearing and being too into themselves and sabotaging matches. During the CWC, they are purely fun and add so much to every match (aside from Dar/Singh).

Tonight they were at their best, with a solid “FIGHT FOREVER!” chant following Ibushi’s moonsault. But a moment that stood out to me was when they reacted to Ibushi’s dropkick like Alexander had been put through a table. I don’t recall many times the cameraman cut to a live shot of a crowd after a dropkick, but that’s how good it was.

Their post-match “PLEASE SIGN CEDRIC!” request was perfect and caused Alexander to lose it. That bit of validation was a moment in time, and one fans and the talented star will remember forever.

Announcers: Both Mauro Ranallo and Daniel Bryan have been just as good at the announce table as the cruiserweights have been in the ring, and tonight they were at their absolute best. Ranallo has a bad habit of reaching for pop culture tie-ins during Smackdown Live, but leaves that at the Full Sail door for the CWC thankfully. Bryan’s been a natural and breaks down matches with insight like only he can, and both show a level of announcing intensity lacking on both RAW and Smackdown Live. (Looking at you, Michael Cole and Byron Saxton. Corey Graves-never change.) The announcing duo focuses strictly on the match and not superfluous/irrelevant things.

Not everything in WWE comes off authentic, but this match and everything after it will remain genuine forever. Here’s the audience showing their appreciation afterwards:

Ibushi and Alexander both gave post-match interviews:

 

The wrestling world was on fire following the match. Here's just a few examples of the universal validation for both competitors:

What an incredible match between @CedricAlexander and @ibushi_kota! The crowd chanting #PleaseSignCedric says it all. #RealEmotion @WWE_CWC

— Daniel Bryan (@WWEDanielBryan) August 11, 2016

That @CedricAlexander @ibushi_kota match was nothing short of incredible! @WWENetwork @mauroranallo @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/FxGDMKIzsz

— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) August 11, 2016

This seems appropriate right about now. Congratulations, my brother. @CedricAlexander https://t.co/GAAkpUA6R5

— Tommaso Ciampa (@ProjectCiampa) August 11, 2016

Just got into Melbourne Australia went to @WWENetwork @ibushi_kota @CedricAlexander what a match, goosebumps watching it. What a competition

— Fit Finlay (@ringfox1) August 11, 2016

This may be nitpicking, but there’s a few slight things that may have improved this instant classic:

-It would have been great to see just one Lumbar Check used for a 2.9 count. I understand protecting their finishers, so that’s likely why it was not used.

-The time limit did put a cap to the potential of this match. If not for that, seeing them go 30-40 minutes would be a dream come true.

-The one gripe I have that was in complete control of the WWE was where this match took place in the tournament. It had the feel of a semi-final or even the final match. I would have had the two separated until at least the “elite eight”.

What do you feel made this match special? Anything I left out? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

 

NOVA Pro: Building Something Special

Many talented people are working hard to make NOVA Pro a household name.

Northern Virginia is known for various things: awful traffic, a high cost of living and a melting pot full of people from all over the country. One thing it’s not known for is professional wrestling. NOVA Pro Wrestling is looking to change that and in short order.

In charge of the wrestling promotion are the Kings- Mike, Jr. and his son Mike E. King. The father/son duo have an infinite passion for professional wrestling that spans all levels from the indies all the way to the WWE.

I recently had a chance to sit down with the younger King. He’s twenty-two, but King is wise beyond his years with plenty of industry experience on his resume. I picked his brain about the beginnings of NOVA Pro, the life of a promoter and where things are headed for the young company- starting with Friday night’s American Slang.


Just like the promotion, you’re a product of Northern Virginia. Where did you go to school?

Mike E. King: I went to West Springfield, then Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University.


Where did your wrestling fandom begin?

King: WCW’s Starrcade ’97. I remember sitting on the couch and loving what I saw. Ever since then I watch as much wrestling as I can. Tapes, DVD’s, Youtube, WWE Network- all of it.


When did it first occur to you that you wanted to start up a promotion?

King: Whenever I thought to myself “what do you want to be when you grow up”, I always knew I wanted to be a promoter/booker. I was never in the dark about wrestling. It’s pre-determined, but there’s so much more to it than that. Going to all the independent shows, you get to know the wrestlers on a deeper level and see how they tick. You see how their character works and the story they tell in the ring.

Growing up in Virginia, this area has never had anything to call our own in regards to wrestling. My dad and I for years would discuss how we would run things if we had a promotion. He’d go to shows with me and we’d fantasy book. After researching and planning it out, we co-founded NOVA Pro. Sometimes a job is just a job- but running NOVA Pro is way more than just a job to me. It’s a passion.


What experience helped prepare you to run your own promotion?

King: I’ve been helping out at different promotions for years. I worked with a lot of talented promoters/wrestlers and learned how to handle a locker room. I’m still learning every show but that experience in different promotions has been invaluable.

A cornerstone for NOVA Pro has been another Northern Virginia product, Sonjay Dutt. He went to Lake Braddock and George Mason and has wrestled all over the world. I met him when he was cutting his teeth in the business at a show in Dale City, Virginia. It was one of his first matches. Ever since then, we have built a solid relationship. When he heard about our idea to start NOVA Pro, he was all for it and has been instrumental in its success.

CWF Mid Atlantic out of North Carolina is a very well-run promotion. It’s a hotbed for wrestling down there. Then there’s the CZW Academy out of Blackwood, New Jersey. There’s Absolute Intense Wrestling out of Ohio and Maryland Championship Wrestling in Joppa. The management and talent from all those promotions are very professional and a pleasure to work with.


What goes into the thought process when selecting names for your shows?

King: We always referred to the idea as “The NOVA Project”, hence the debut name. We want that show every year to be our Wrestlemania. I- along with a lot of other people in NOVA Pro- am a huge Simpsons fan. Our last two shows our names of Simpson’s episodes. American Slang is our ode to the Great American Bash as our July show. It’s also the name of a song by Gaslight Anthem.


The unique show names are accompanied by great artwork as well. Who’s behind that?

King: I have a friend in Michigan named Hayze who designs them. I’ll give him an idea of the concept of the show and wrestlers involved, and he runs with it.



What goes into the selection process for venues?

King: People don’t respond well when you mention “professional wrestling” in Virginia. There are a lot of hang-ups on the phone. But like applying for jobs, you have to keep at it and call as many as you can. You have to make sure it won’t cost you an arm and a leg and that it is acceptable and accommodating for the workers and wrestlers. We lucked out with the Jewish Community Center in Fairfax. They have been real easy to work with and we look forward to more shows there in the future.


Speaking of talent, you have quite a knack for building shows with elite stars. Aside from Sonjay, who else has helped NOVA Pro get to where it’s at?

King: So many wrestlers have helped make it a special promotion. Tim Donst, Veda Scott, Cedric Alexander, Logan Easton Laroux, Cutie and The Beast and Bobby Shields are just a few. I’ve been told if Shields has a bad match on your show, you aren’t doing your job right. That guy is a class act and very skilled.

The reason we can put on the best shows is because everyone works towards making each card better than the last. They aren’t solely trying to get themselves over, but the rest of the talent and NOVA Pro.

One name that stands out is current PWI Ultra J Champion Cedric Alexander. He is a part of WWE’s Cruiserweight Classic later this month on the WWE Network. Your thoughts?

King: Cedric totally deserves it. He is one of the absolute best in the world. His personality and character are leaps and bounds ahead of the curve. Like the rest of our roster, he is a true professional and not just in it to get himself over.


How do you look to shine the spotlight on women’s wrestling?

King: We look to have at least one women’s match on every card. There is trouble booking female talent, as the pool doesn’t run as deep as the men’s- especially in Virginia. There’s two schools in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area: GXW in Richmond and MCW in Maryland.

Veda Scott has been incredible to work with as a promoter. I met her at an AIW show, and we knew

various friends in the same circles. She’s welcome on any card whenever her availability allows. She’s one of the elite female wrestlers out there.


What other types of obstacles do you run into when trying to set up a show?

King: Dealing with the state athletic commission can make it more difficult. People will tell you, “sign this guy, or that girl, and this team”. But it’s not that easy. In Virginia each wrestler needs a license to perform. There’s an application process and a fee attached. If you wait too long and don’t obtain it, we cannot let you wrestle. It’s taken very seriously.


American Slang will be your fifth show. How did NOVA Pro get to where it is today?

King: In September 2015, we co-promoted our first show Nova Project with GXW Wrestling. I think of it as a pilot episode, gauging interest in the product. Then in January, we had Stay Vicious. In March we had Last Exit to Springfield, followed by our most recent show in May, You Only Move Twice.

Each show is a learning experience. Now five shows in, we have a core roster who we can rely on and book around with more certainty than when we started out last September. We also get to know our audience better and send feelers out via social media to see how they will respond to certain thing- like merchandise.


You’ve mentioned the talent fans have seen so far. Which new stars should they be on the lookout for in the future?

King: American Slang will see the debut of Donovan Dijak from Ring of Honor against the “Ace of the Mid-Atlantic” Arik Royal. It’s an honor to get him on our card and let fans in Virginia see him live.

We also signed Shane Strickland for our August 12^th show One Crazy Summer. He’s out of Southern Maryland and has been on Lucha Underground as Killshot. Bringing in new talent like them will only make it better for everyone involved.


What’s on tap for the rest of the year for NOVA Pro?

King: After our August show, we are holding Nova Project 2 in September. After that, we plan on holding one on October 22nd. November 25^th’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light will be our final show of 2016. We’d love to book shows as often as we can.


Any last words for anyone who is on the fence about attending?

King: If you’re a wrestling fan in the DMV area, I want you to see for yourself that we put on great shows, and the best ones in the Mid-Atlantic. It’s something special and we are only improving every show. You don’t want to miss out on it.


NOVA Pro Wrestling’s American Slang is Friday, July 1^st at the Jewish Community Center in Fairfax, Virginia. Tickets can be purchased on their site here.


Follow them on Twitter @VAWrestling and Youtube.


All images used in this article were from NOVA Pro Wrestling’s Facebook page.

Like it? Love it? Let me know @SeanNeutron

Arrow Season 4 Finale Misses It's Target

Season 4 of Arrow was all over the place, failing to play to its strengths.

Wednesday night saw Arrow wrap up its fourth season. In what should have felt anything but anticlimactic, one of The CW's brightest shows came up short in its final act. Like the entire season, Episode 23 (Schism) was all over the place. I may sound like Stefon from SNL, but it had everything. And not in  a good way. Nuclear weapon threats, magical powers, an entire city destroying itself, child hostages, constant flashbacks, mercy killings and many a character questioning their motives.

I'm all for having many dimensions to a show, especially one as good as Arrow- especially in a finale. But this wasn't a case of adding layers. It seemed to be adding things for the sake of it, like a Michael Bay film with explosions.

Damien Darhk was his usual brilliant self, but his character's reliance on magic doesn't play to Arrow's strength as more of a street-level crime show. The focus on Darhk's strength growing with last week's nuclear attack in a different city (costing at least 10,000 casualties) was quickly swept under the rug. Darhk goes from opening the show an nearly killing Felicity's mom and Oliver to being unable to use his powers mysteriously twenty minutes later.

I admire Arrow for trying to include numerous plot points, but it felt a bit much. Here are some of the season's biggest events:

- Oliver and Felicity becoming engaged
- The two re-entering the crime-fighting life 
- Oliver discovering he had a son
- Darkh emerging with his magical powers
- Oliver running for mayor
- Felicity becoming paralyzed
- Felicity becoming unparalyzed
- Olicity breaking up
- The death of Laurel
- Diggle's brother Andy being a Darkh sleeper cell
- An entire fake city being destroyed
- Nuclear threats

The show runs from October to May with multiple breaks in between. Maybe The CW and Arrow should consider a shorter season? Or at least not spread it out as much as they do. Just like Fox's 24 a few years ago, having so many episodes waters down the quality of the show with unnecessary side plots as filler.

Another microcosm of season 4 that came to light in the finale was Arrow's love of flashbacks. While a useful and creative tool in the first few seasons, over the last two and more-so in season 4, they seem overwhelming. With a few per episode, they all begin to blend together and don't always add something significant like they once did. They should be used only when needed, and not even every episode.

Of course with so much going on, major plot points had to be tied up with extreme brevity.Star City is a free for all, and miraculously Oliver decides to hop on a taxi and pull off a Braveheart-style rallying speech. The speech felt incredibly generic (never mind the fact that the angry mobs of people all turn their attention to him almost immediately). Then with a collective shrug of the shoulders, everyone's on board and that's that.

Then with an estimated 27 minutes until 15,000-plus warheads destroy the entire planet, Felicity and Curtis whip together a plan in mere minutes that averts certain destruction, beginning with a missile heading directly towards Star City. I'm all for them figuring out a solution, but to make the odds so stacked and then fixed so easily downplays the entire scenario.

Towards the end, after the multiple crises have been taken care of, the fallout is felt by the characters. Instead of celebrating saving the world, everyone is down on themselves. Former Detective Lance and Felicity's mom bolt. Thea and Diggle decide they need to leave the city for an indefinite amount of time. Oliver is his typical dark self. Felicity is uncharacteristically chipper despite being a drag for the majority of the season. In a very odd scene, after Diggle, Oliver and her are left in their headquarters having a serious heart-to-heart, Felicity mentions that they are the "OG's" and forces a high-five from Diggle. It seemed so out of place and random.

Then at the very end, Oliver and Felicity are the only two left, hinting towards the two reuniting in season five. It seemed forced like most of the episode, as Felicity was an absolute pessimist all season.

I really wanted to come away feeling more from this episode and the season as a whole, but there's no denying they both underwhelmed greatly. Here's to hoping season five returns to its roots and gets back to the basics of what makes Arrow and its cast so strong.


Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

Win and In Trouble

Win, and they’re in.

Most teams would be envious to be controlling their own playoff destiny like the Houston Rockets can Wednesday night. Beat a 33-48 Kings at home team with nothing to play for and seemingly no one to play for them. Sacramento will be without stars DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Rudy Gay.

For a Houston team averaging 124.6 points per game over their last three games, this should not be in question. Fans in Clutch City shouldn’t get ahead of themselves, though. Nothing has been a sure thing this season for a 40-41 Rockets squad. If there’s one thing they’ve been consistent at, it’s being inconsistent.

But if the last two games (wins) are any indication, James Harden and company have found a semblance of rhythm and are showing signs of actual chemistry. That said chemistry has been missing for a majority of the season.

It seems too little, too late for James Harden and company. If this was their version of using the regular season to get in shape for the postseason like Rasheed Wallace was known for, they picked a hell of a time for it. Sure they might beat Sacramento- but they’ll most definitely be in trouble come playoff time.

Morey and the Rockets will need to pull out all the equations if they face the Warriors.

Houston’s general manager Daryl Morey may have an MBA from MIT and known for his unique statistical analysis, but no formula can calculate exactly how all the pieces he’s gathered fit together.

Last year’s roster overachieved and came back from the grave to beat the Los Angeles Clippers and get to the Western Conference Finals. While they may have accomplished more than anyone thought possible, no one could foresee the struggles the team has gone through in 2015-2016.

After bringing back most of last year’s team (even a returning Josh Smith who they let sign with the Clippers last offseason), Houston got off to a rocky 0-3 start before reeling off four straight. Instead of staying on a consistent path, the team would be 4-7 after eleven games. Heads would roll, and the only one who could be held accountable was Kevin McHale’s. Some argued it was too early, while others felt a change sooner than later was a good idea.

There’s no way to figure out how many wins McHale would have led Houston to, but with all their on-court instability, managing personalities and line-ups that gel together have seemingly overwhelmed interim head coach JB Bickerstaff. While a superb assistant coach, Bickerstaff doesn’t hold that same level of credibility as McHale had.

Hovering around the .500 mark almost all season, there was plenty of turmoil to be had amongst Red Nation. The team aggressively shopped Dwight Howard, then had to kiss and make up after no other teams were willing to take on a rental for half a season- a rental with lots of baggage. The team even shopped power forward Donatas Motiejunas, finding a spot for him in Detroit. But ultimately the deal fell through after concerns over Motiejunas’ back were expressed.

I originally thought of Ty Lawson as a redemption story of sorts (that role would go to Michael Beasley) Offseason addition Ty Lawson was on the block as well, with rumors of a deal to the Jazz buzzed. The offer was never solid, and Houston would be so desperate to rid themselves of Lawson that they’d just buy him out.

None of this is what you expect to hear from a team that won its division and finished as a conference finalist last year. But “expect the unexpected” seems to be the team’s unofficial slogan this season.

So here they are. A best case scenario sees them go 41-41 to snag the eighth seed in the West.

Behind door number one? The Golden State Warriors.

This might be the match-up Harden desired at some point in the playoffs after last year’s turn of events- but not like this. The Rockets were mentioned as preseason contenders briefly, especially after many believed getting Ty Lawson was a steal of a deal. Yet once the regular season was underway, the team was never once seen as a contender- and deservedly so. Houston had eight separate occasions where they lost at least three games in a row. They never once managed to win more than three games in a row.

To put that in perspective, Golden State never once lost back to back games, and had seven streaks of 5 wins in a row or more (including starting the season 24-0).

Instead of returning to that “almost MVP” caliber of play from last season, James Harden struggled out of the gate. He did finish strong, coming in second to Curry in scoring (28.9 PPG). Harden had the most 40 pt/ 10 assist games since 1975-1976 (5, matching '05-'06 Allen Iverson and '88-'89 Michael Jordan). Yet those numbers throughout the season often failed to correlate to wins.

Curry outdid himself in fantastic fashion: 29.9 PPG, 6.7 APG and 5.5 RPG. He’s also completing the ever elusive 50-40-90 season as well (50% from field, 45% from three and 90% from the free throw line). Curry blew his three-point record out of the water as well, drilling 392 after 81 games.

And that’s just Curry. I haven’t even gotten to how good Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Maurice Speights and the rest of their team has been. Their unrelenting depth and ball movement is deadly and has helped them be in position to finish 73-9 Wednesday night.

So, does Houston have anything they can lean on in a potential series against the Warriors? Last year they were an afterthought heading into the WCF and did little to change that perception. This year, they’re not even a blip on anyone’s radar. Some even have joked whoever secured the eighth seed doesn’t really make the playoffs. But if there’s one thing Houston can use to their advantage, it’s that no one expects them to do anything at this point. This will cause them to play looser, with less pressure. This in no way guarantees them even one win, especially since they couldn’t beat the Warriors during the season.

Whether or not Houston wins tonight, little can be done to get rid of the stench of underachieving all year. There is plenty of commotion to be had in the offseason, and not just in the free agent market with Daryl Morey. Owner Les Alexander had little patience for Kevin McHale, so who knows how much more he has for Morey- or JB Bickerstaff for that matter.

A silver lining in all of this: if Houston loses to the Kings, and the Jazz win their game, Houston keeps their only draft pick in this year's draft. It might not mean much ultimately, as Morey and company don't have a stellar track record for developing younger players. (Clint Capela, Chandler Parsons and Montrezl Harrell have been rare exceptions.)

Even Wednesday night against the Kings isn’t guaranteed for this Rockets team. A loss would be quite possibly be the most Rockets thing for them to do. And if they can’t win in that advantageous scenario, they don’t deserve to be in the playoffs at all.


Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

Welcome to WrestleMcMahonia

Talk some sense into him, Shane.

Sunday night saw the WWE put on their grandest show of them all- Wrestlemania. I may sound like Stefon from Saturday Night Live- but it had everything.

Ladders. Tables. New championship belts. Legends. Moments that left you speechless. Great wrestling. Poor wrestling. 

And off-screen behind the scenes, there was an older gentleman pulling the strings behind a curtain a la The Wizard of Oz, paying no attention to those who voice their displeasure. It may be called Wrestlemania, but I refer to it as WrestleMcMahonia since it all boils down to what Vince McMahon- and only McMahon- wants.

Heck, even ESPN acknowledged the faux sport with all-day coverage courtesy of former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman on site, and his Sportscenter peers back in Bristol. The show was hyped up to be the biggest of the year, even with the rash of injuries that had severely depleted the card and forced WWE in to certain booking decisions. On a night where even the most sour of wrestling fans could find something to cheer for, the end left the majority of the WWE Universe with a bad taste in their mouths.

Ever since the 2015 Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, a good amount of fans have showed their disdain for current champion Roman Reigns. WWE even sent out long-time fan favorite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to give Reigns the rub. As this photo shows, it had little to no effect. And if The Rock can't sway a crowd to like you, who or what will? 

Despite the fervent negative reactions to the company pushing the young star to the moon, Vince McMahon continued on his desired course. Instead of adjusting on the fly like a year earlier with Daniel Bryan as champion, McMahon refused to listen to the internet wrestling community. (If you don't know who comprises that section of the wrestling world, here's a hint: you, me and anyone else discussing or reading about wrestling online.) The IWC used to have a stigma of being made up of solely those of the 18-40 male demographic- but with the dawn of Twitter and the 24/7 coverage of wrestling, the IWC has grown exponentially from casual fan to the most expert of wrestling analysts.

Wrestlemania 31 ended on a far different note than Sunday's 32. (newsready.org)

WWE did manage to surprise fans at Wrestlemania 31 when Seth Rollins cashed his Money in the Bank briefcase to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The parting shot of Rollins raising the WWE title over his head as fireworks went off left fans wondering what was next. To say Sunday's final result was rather underwhelming would be an understatement.

With long-time company flagbearer John Cena at thirty-eight years old, Vince McMahon is in dire need of a replacement. 

Reigns is looked at as Cena's successor. While in 2014 fans were digging this possibility, McMahon's forcing of Reigns on the audience has left them -at best- indifferent to the former Shield member. For the better part of 2015 and all of 2016, Reigns has been met with incredible levels of rejection not only from the IWC, but also live crowds. The go-home show (final show before a special event) to 'Mania 32 in Brooklyn was significantly telling. Instead of being on full display for the fans, Reigns was kept mostly backstage in segments. His opening monologue was kept short and sweet to soften the blow of the arena's dislike. He was even attacked by the Dudley Boyz and HHH. The final segment which was a brawl between the two was no different, despite an impressive outside dive by Reigns onto a mass of wrestlers.

All week, I wondered how the WWE could make this main event interesting. It was too late to insert Dean Ambrose and Brock Lesnar into it. And they even tried making it a "No Holds Barred" match mid-week to garner more interest. They had only one logical decision in my mind: make Reigns a bad guy, and channel the negative reactions he elicits into something positive. Like "goody two shoes" Rocky Maiva in 1996, turn a new leaf and see what happens. Ironically enough, use the former Rocky Maiva as the vehicle for this turn. Simply have him show support like he had at the 2015 Rumble, then Reigns lays him out.

Did WWE take this course of action similar to Steve Austin's turn at Wrestlemania 17? 

Nope. Instead of giving fans something intriguing to discuss for tomorrow's RAW, the company forged ahead with their plan as Reigns playing the top babyface. To make matters even worse, the championship bout went on last. HHH and Reigns delivered a main event worthy of a RAW or even a lesser event- but for the "show of shows"? Not even close. The crowd sat on their hands for the entirety of it, only getting up briefly for Reigns' accidental spear of Stephanie. The reactions were Goldberg/Brock Lesnar Wrestlemania 20 bad. Instead of leaving fans wondering what could happen tomorrow on RAW, all we were left with was "see Roman and Charlotte Flair on the 'Good Morning Show' tomorrow."

WWE could have made history at Wrestlemania by repeating it. (nerdchairshot.wordpress.com)

On a night where WWE proved it could surprise us (Ryder winning the Intercontinental title/HBK, Foley, Austin, Rock and Cena returning/ Corbin winning the Battle Royal), it chose the status quo for most of the card- most noticably its two highest-billed match-ups.

The second match of the night saw AJ Styles face Chris Jericho for the fourth time. With Styles' impressive crowd reactions and rumors of Jericho riding off into the sunset again, Styles was a lock to win- right? Wrong. Jericho came out the victor in decisive fashion.

The WWE even began anew with the Divas division, christening them with the fresh Women's Championship. It was decided by Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. I pegged Banks to lead the new charge. Wrong again. Charlotte came out the victor.

The Rock returned, interrupted by the Wyatt Family. The Wyatts would finally look like a threat and move up the ladder for once. Wrong. The Rock ran them down and beat Erick Rowan in an impromptu in six seconds.

Shane McMahon's shocking return to television a few weeks ago had fans at a fever pitch with the brand new possibility of something fresh- anything but the same Authority storyline beaten to death since 2013. He came back in impressive fashion with claims he held dirt on his old man and demanded control of RAW. With his son having leverage over him, Vince did what anyone in an inferior position would do: schedule a match between his blackmailer and one of his longest-tenured employees (The Undertaker). Shane (the one in a position of power in this scenario) was to defeat The Undertaker if he wanted control of RAW. If Undertaker had lost, he would have to retire. Before we go any farther, let us count the holes in this storyline.

1. What exactly did Shane have on Vince?
2. Why only RAW and not the entire WWE?
3. Why would Shane agree to this almost certain loss if he had leverage?
4. Why would face Undertaker do heel Vince's bidding? Wouldn't this make Undertaker a heel by association?
5. Why did Undertaker let Vince call him a b*tch with no rebuttal?
6. If the Authority were to be ousted, why was HHH never involved in any of these segments to show concern for his faux job?

I can't answer those specific plot holes, but to answer the entire scenario: because Wrestlemania. With a depleted roster and a need for a quick fix, Vince decided to add this surreal match-up to a card that lacked mainstream appeal. SHANE MCMAHON. THE UNDERTAKER. HELL IN A CELL. THE FUTURE OF THE WWE RAW. THE FUTURE OF UNDERTAKER.

"Screw logic, I want viewership," Vince must have thought.

The lack of depth in writing was masked by a stipulation on the grandest stage, with all sorts of spots (most of which Shane came out on wrong side of). Yes, we'll remember Shane's legitimate 20-foot dive through the announce table for years to come, but does it matter in the grand scheme of things? McMahon with all his heart and courage came out the loser, and the Authority still controls RAW. Reigns is still the good-guy champion.

Wrestlemania 32 had the chance to be something special. It vies for mainstream appeal and publicity, so it can't be everything to everyone. But if it's intention is to kick off the new "season" for WWE, it failed miserably. For all the talk of NXT and envisioning a bold new world, nothing will change if Vince McMahon continues to hold on to the past with nostalgia at every turn. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results, Vince McMahon is certifiably insane.

Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.

TIME I$ MONEY

Money waits for no one, and neither does Conor McGregor.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog." - Mark Twain

We associate Twain's famous quote with the vision of a scrappy underdog trying to fight to survive against insurmountable odds. We envision a David versus Goliath scenario. In most cases, that imagery rings true.

Conor McGregor is no underdog these days- but it's the size of the fight in him that is admirable. And it directly relates to the size of his wallet as well.

Some may get turned off to McGregor's brash nature. He has a willingness to verbally come up to the line, cross it and kick dirt over it with a smile on his face. McGregor may say things that offend some- but in a world where people back track all the time and never truly say how they feel, it's very refreshing.

The trouble with people who talk as much as McGregor does is that they can't possibly back up their claims. People were rubbed the wrong way when Chael Sonnen came in with his pro-wrestling inspired promos to boost hype for his Anderson Silva and Jon Jones fights. It worked, too- up until it didn't. Sonnen dominated Silva for twenty-four minutes and forty-two seconds. Then came the triangle he'll never forget. For all intents and purposes, that was the beginning of the end of Sonnen's relevance.

Yet, the 27 year old McGregor has done so time and time again against elite competition. He's an impressive 19-2 and riding a 15 fight win streak (7-0 in the UFC). His bold predictions against Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes proved not to be empty promises. And while you may not like him, you must respect his abilities.

What likely frustrates many of McGregor's foes in the UFC is not only his endless smack talk, but the fact no one has found answers on how to shut him up. While it may madden some, the hunger to be the one to defeat " The Notorious One" is motivation enough. This wasn't more evident than earlier this week when McGregor and his opponent at UFC 196- Nate Diaz- were talking to CNBC's Rachel Wells via satellite.

The interview was right up Connor's alley: all about the Benjamin's. He's just as happy to discuss all facets of his financial status (well, outside of his net worth as seen in the video) as well as answer anything related to fighting. But the same can not be said for Diaz, who looked about as comfortable as Barack Obama at a Donald Trump rally. The two had been run ragged over the media circuit throughout the week. Just as much as McGregor trains to go deep into his fights, he was far more conditioned to handle the media responsibilities more so than the short-fused Diaz.

Yet this fight never had to happen. McGregor's previous opponent, lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out of their scheduled UFC 196 clash due to a broken foot from training. Had he won, McGregor would have been the UFC's first ever dual champion. Without a chance at securing that historical feat, Connor had no legitimate reason to accept any other fight and risk his hot streak or drawing power. But it's that size of fight in the Irishman that couldn't let him pass up an opportunity to put on for his fans- and add to his bank as well.

Speaking of size, that's all the more reason to respect McGregor's decision. He had been cutting to 145 and looked rather gaunt at times at weigh-ins. Despite the drastic cut, the Irishman still dominated his foes. Now that he is fighting at Diaz's weight, he doesn't look gaunt at all. He looks plenty healthy and very happy. That's a scary thought heading into this fight. If I'm Diaz's camp, I'm worried.

Time is money, and while he could have sat around and rested on his laurels, McGregor knew that time could be better spent adding to his legacy. He stands to earn around $1 million for Saturday's bout, the highest purse ever for a UFC fighter. And that doesn't include bonuses, either. When asked by Wells how much he plans to rake in overall, Connor estimated he'd "breeze past $10 million".

It'd be easy to say the loud mouth champion is just in it for the riches and fame. While that may ring true, Connor McGregor has shown immense appreciation for his fanbase at home and in the United States as well. His recent run in with a fan in Los Angeles is proof The Notorious One doesn't take them for granted:

The twenty-seven year old out of Ireland hasn't lost since 2010, and none of his wins in the UFC have seen him go past the third round, either. Six out of seven of McGregor's wins inside the octagon have seen him finish his opponent handily, too. If there's one thing Dana White loves, it's fighters who finish fights.

McGregor's mouth might writes the checks, and his impressive striking arsenal cashes them. He's no smoke and mirrors act, either. His dynamic fighting style isn't just from raw talent or athleticism. The work ethic is there, and that drive to see the big picture even beyond fighting keeps McGregor hungrier than ever.

 "The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you will become comfortable." - Connor McGregor

We have seen it many times in boxing where dream fights are made too late- or not made at all- causing an uproar among fight fans. Whether it's up to the ego of the promoters or fighters, viewers are the ones who end up the victims. The UFC and Dana White do their damndest to put the best product out for fans, and even that can't overcome fighters' egos at times. The most unfortunate of scenarios saw Jon Jones' refusing to fight a very game Chael Sonnen end up in the cancelling of UFC 151.

Dana White was fuming at the time would be an understatement: 

"Jon Jones said I'm not fighting Chael Sonnen on eight days' notice'. A world champion turned down a fight- that's never happened."

 "He's a f***ing sport killer." 

(via bloodyelbow.com) 

Look no further than the very same UFC 196 card to see another premier champion (Holly Holm) with the same fighting spirit. After Ronda Rousey made waves about a fighting hiatus, rumor had it that she wouldn't be ready at the earliest until UFC 200 in the summer. Sure, Holm could have waited until then to cash a huge paycheck even with a loss- but the long break from fighting was not ideal for the UFC Women's Bantamweight champion. She puts her belt and future earnings at risk at UFC 196 against a game Miesha Tate.

Like automobiles, the human body is constantly depreciating. Even with the best diet and training, time is against us all. Both Holm and McGregor realize this, and are making the most of their careers.

You can continue to bash McGregor if you'd like. I doubt it bothers him.  But while you might be waiting to see who knocks him off his supposed high horse like Holly Holm did to Ronda Rousey, appreciate not only the greatness that is The Notorious One- but the transparency and willingness to be a true fighting champion.


Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know @SeanNeutron.