It's The Survivor Series (Even Though No-One Knows It)

Anyone remember this?

I am self-described mark for the old school Survivor Series. I remember watching the 1987, 1990 and 1992 ones through Blockbuster (yes I know South Park recently joked about that dinosaur) and 1993 and 1994's live on pay-per view on Thanksgiving Eve Night. I love the dynamic of the Survivor Series matches and I love that for years there would be several Survivor Series matches on each show. Of late the most we saw was in 2006, 8 and 9 when you had three each.

Especially with a three week build, I thought it would be the return of the Survivor Series match. Then we saw this:

I was excited at the possibility of the big talents in a Survivor Series match. Then this happens...

It is safe to say I am entirely let down. I was honestly looking forward to the Survivor Series match (and more) but now the steam is taken away from it. Particularly because now it is Dolph Ziggler leading a team against no-one. I am not happy about it. It is safe to say I am not looking forward to my third favorite event of the year.

So here's what I would do.

Firstly I would keep one match as is: Big Show taking on Sheamus with the World Heavyweight title on the line. I feel that there should be one regular match plus there are not enough guys to fit on a six match show at 5 guys on each team for the male matches. Plus length-wise it would most likely run the ppv too long...

The first Survivor Series match I would have is a diva's 8-woman tag. I would have Diva's Champion Eve captain a team with Aksana, Alicia Fox and Natalya take on team captain Kaitlyn, AJ, Layla and Tamina. In an old throwback I would bring back team names. For Eve's team it would be The Heartbreakers and Kaitlyn's team is The Chick Busters. Not much to describe here.

The next match I would have is the Heath Slater captaining his 3MB buddies Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre with Hunico and Camacho to take on the team of captain Santino Marella, Zack Ryder, Jimmy Uso, Jei Uso and Ted DiBiase. It would The Encore vs. The Cobras. This is basically the lower card guys that would not typically get a shot on a pay-per view but would this time. this match would be the shortest of the men's match.

The next match is kind of predictable. I would have Alberto Del Rio and Randy Orton captain teams to face off. Alberto Del Rio would captain the Prime Time Players (Darren Young & Titus O'Neil) and the team of Epico and Primo to take on Randy Orton leading Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara, Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd. It is The Aristocrats vs. The Vipers.

My next to last Survivor Series match will be controversial match. Dolph Ziggler will captain Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow), David Otunga and JTG to take on John Cena leading WWE World Tag Team champions Team Hell No (Kane & Daniel Bryan), Brodus Clay and Mason Ryan. It is The Show Offs taking on The Chain Gang. Now why would I take two guys that are not on the main shows and slot them in? Here's why, if you look at the roster, there are only a few guys not injured (Alex Riley, Mark Henry and Evan Bourne are still out with injury and Jack Swagger is not active) Of the guys remaining JTG best fits Ziggler's team while Mason Ryan is a guy that you can have as a force for a bit until someone gets the better of him.

Last but not least is the original match, Team Foley vs. Team Punk. I would have WWE Champion CM Punk lead a team with Wade Barrett, The Miz, WWE United States champion Antonio Cesaro and Tensai to take on Mick Foley leading Ryback, WWE Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston, R-Truth and Christian. It The Best In The World taking on Team Foley. (I apologize that I cannot think of a team name for Foley that worked for everyone...)

I honestly think these match-ups will be better than anything else WWE will come up with.

Top 10 Gimmicks WWE Should Bring Back for the PG Era and Perhaps Saturday Morning Slam

In September WWE debuted a new show that I personally like. It is a kid's show but I enjoy it. Saturday Morning Slam debuted as a part of The CW's new Vortex Saturday morning cartoon block. To me, it is a throwback to the old days of WWE's original Superstars (of Wrestling) and WWF Mania only 30 minutes shorter. These shows had good action that put over popular talent directed at kids and sometimes had back in the past.

After watching some of these "from the vault" segments with  wrestlers and gimmicks from the past, I wonder why some of these from the 90's wouldn't work today? This is a top ten list of gimmicks from the past kid's era that I think could work in today's WWE. Maybe not the wrestlers due to age, death or any personal issues. BUT, they could always repackage wrestlers into these gimmicks or similar gimmicks.

10) Battle Cat

Brady Boone adopted the gimmick of a masked wrestler who wrestled a fast paced offense. Back then this was one of the most revolutionary wrestlers in WWE as most wrestlers never did handsprings or ranas. I think a Justin Gabriel type wrestler would do well in this gimmick.











9) Killer Bees

Jumping Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair were a tag team of athletic individuals who wore black and yellow striped trunks, had yellow high-tops as well as wore masks to confuse their opponents and referees. These two men were two of the best to never win a tag team title. Personally I would make Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel the modern killer bees. That or a similar tag team...







8) Doink The Clown

In 1992 Doink The Clown emerged on the scene as an evil clown. Within a year, he was a good clown pulling pranks on his oppoenents with a midgit clown in Dink. I know a LOT of people hate clowns in wrestling but it is a gimmick that has worked. In Mexico they have had many different clowns from Los Super Payasos to Los Payasos to even Los Psycho Circus. These gimmicks do indeed work, but they can't be at the top of the card.








7) The Jynx Brothers

In 1996 Matt and Jeff Hardy were not known. They wrestled in squashes and the independents. Jeff used a gimmick named Willow The Whisp, basically an American style Jushin Liger in a way. In 1996, Matt too a name similar to Willow to act as a tag team partner for Willow named Ignis Fatuus (Willow's name in Latin.) They got a chance in WWE to do this gimmick but sadly it didn't go anyway. Personally WWE could use a flashy gimmick for two smaller guys like this.


6) Real Man's Man

"He's a man, such a man..." After a few short matches in WWE, Steven Regal dropped the "Lord," dawned a fanel shirt, jean shorts and a hard hat and became a "Real Man's Man." I loved this short lived gimmick though I cannot see Regal back in this role again. To me Regal is too established in the traditional Brit role but we can always give this to another Brit perhaps.









5) Demolition

Ax and Smash, were originally WWE's "response to the Legion of Doom" however they were more than that. Instead of being brutes, Ax and Smash could wrestle and didn't just man-handle and destroy opponents. Their look is scary at times, but I feel that they were one of the best slight gimmicks that can be given to a team who will be married together for some time.
Admittedly, I am a mark for Demolition.




4) The Hurricane

"And they save a hero can save us..." OK there are a lot of superhero movies and television shows out there but only a few crime-fighting wrestlers. One of them is The Hurricane. I always loved the idea of the crime fighter though it was short-lived the last time as he was released rather quickly after the WWE ended ECW (and Hurricane got drunk and fought with Chris Jericho in a taxi...)









3) Los Conquistadores

Two masked "luchadores" that can be portrayed by anyone. You can bring up two developmental guys or you can just end up using two guys that are jobbers to the stars on the current rosters. They would stay in this role...







2) Max Moon

Max Moon debuted in 1992 as "The Comet Kid" but quickly renamed. Unlike rumors, Paul Diamond was Max Moon from day one (on tv and click here for proof.) Moon was similar to Battle Kat by being a very high flying wrestler with a colorful gimmick that lasted about the same amount of time. Unlike Battle Kat, I saw Max Moon when I was growing up. I really enjoyed the look and high flying of Max Moon and I know that this gimmick could have some sort of shelf life in WWE today.





1) The Boogey Man

In 2005 he was coming to get us and we all thought it would be wrestlecrap. But when I first saw him, I was not laughing at the stupidity. I was laughing because the gimmick was awesome. I think this is a scary enough gimmick to be creepy but like Disney's Haunted Mansion, it is campy so it gets the laugh. I rather laugh at Boogey Man than Santino.

An Apology and a RAW Rant

I am sorry for the lack of updates on the blog. I had serious writer's block for a while there and then put it on the back-burner. I have also started to look at jobs.

Watching RAW last night has driven me to want to do the blog again. RAW sucked entirely. Here's a list of comments and questions I have from watching it.

1. It seemed like a slow show. I know the International shows are historically less promos but when  you have a 3 hour RAW it does not work. Try again WWE.
2. I HATE THAT WWE dumped the Team Punk vs. Team Foley Survivor Series match. I will get to the Survivor Series in a blog that will be up either tonight or tomorrow because I have some fantasy booking for that...
3. I liked the possibility of a Dolph-Cena feud but now it is on the back-burner just so Cena could get a title shot, one he gave up? My guess he will finally lose to Punk so Ryback is screwed again...
4. If Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara are a team, why do they get separate ring announcements and why don't they have a team name? Sandow and Rhodes teamed one week before becoming 
5. If Vickie Guerrero is complaining about an alleged affair between AJ and Cena, what does she call what she did with giving title shots to La Familia members whether it was her husband Edge or nephew Chavo Guerrero?
6. If Miz agreed to be on Team Punk and then left because Punk walked out on them because he is afraid of Ryback, didn't Miz expect that?
7. They were in England and Drew McIntyre is Scottish but he wasn't with his 3MB buddies Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater (wrestlecrap here we come) while Sheamus is Irish and was on the show?
8. Primo and Epico must be the Los Conquistadores of the 2010's... except they aren't wearing gold masks and bodysuits.
9. Did anyone else forget Rosa Mendes was on the WWE roster or was that just me dropping the ball on that one?

That is all I got. Thank you for reading. If you have any suggestions PLEASE tell me via e-mail.

I would suggest checking out my friends to the blog twister-rat and dan's video den. I also suggest to check out Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling Podcast because even if you don't know the guests, it does make you like most of them in the end. Also if you like me like to follow Japanese professional wrestling checkout iHEARTdg.com for Dragon Gate results and Open The Dragon Gate for Dragon Gate Infinity, pay-per views and past content and then there's Osaka Hurricane which does coverage for Osaka Pro. I assure you, Dragon Gate and Osaka Pro are fun promotions.