Sunday the 24th of January saw two very different wrestling promotions on opposite sides of the world put on very similar shows. ICW held their Square Go, at Glasgow’s famous Barrowlands, while the WWE hosted the Royal Rumble in Orlando. Both shows are based around a Rumble style match and I was lucky enough to attend one and to watch the other (although I did have to stay up until 4 am so I don’t know how lucky that was). The question is, how did they compare?
Where do you fit a Bullet Club?
It is looking more and more likely that part of The Bullet Club is making their way to the WWE, possibly in order to team up with former leader Finn Balor. It also appears that joining them will be Shinsuke Nakamura, no not Celtic’s former freekick taker, that’s Shunsuke. Instead, he’s the former NJPW Intercontinental Champion, having been stripped of it because of this very move. Put him alongside AJ Styles and the tag team of Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows and you have four incredibly talented and successful wrestlers making their way into the WWE. So what do you do with them?
Wrestle Kingdom 10
Before I get into this, it’s confession time. Wrestle Kingdom 10 was my first experience of New Japan. I’ve seen matches here and there and I’m obviously aware of Nakamura, Okada, and Tanahashi while you’d have to be living under a WWE-sized rock to have missed Bullet Club (although even that seems to be changing). But until now, I have never sat down and watched a full New Japan show. So here’s my thoughts.
NXT Takeover London
The last few weeks I’ve been trying desperately to be positive about WWE. Last night’s NXT Takeover show in London was, therefore, a blessed relief. Because coming up with something positive to say about that show was easy, it was all good.
Looking Forward to Some TLC
TLC is fast approaching and it comes off one of the WWE’s biggest slumps in recent memory. The fans are fed up and even jolly old Mick Foley is taking regular pops at the current content. However, in line with my determination to only talk about positive things in relation to WWE, I am instead going to tell you exactly why I will once again be watching this WWE event.
In Defence of Sheamus
I am fed up of moaning about WWE. The amount of wrestling I watch on a weekly basis fluctuates wildly and yet the amount of complaining I do about the WWE is consistently high. I’ve had enough. So from now on I’m not going to bother. With ICW and NXT, the two other shows I watch regularly, I have more than enough good things to critique. However, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop talking about WWE. I love it too much to do that. So instead, it is time to focus on the positives.
Controversy Doesn’t Always Sell
As a general rule, I am all for being a bit controversial. I like art forms (be it music, wrestling, literature or film) that push the boat out and shock. However, I do think there is a line and I think WWE may have crossed it in the final segment on RAW this week.
Fear and Loathing VIII
The build to ICW’s show at the SECC has been a long one. The biggest British wrestling event since the 80’s, it all seemed a bit improbable and fans and performers alike seemed to share the feeling that it was a bit of a dream. This couldn’t actually be happening, could it? Well, it did and on Sunday the 15th of November ICW took the SECC by storm and showed the world that this is where they deserve to be.
How Do You Solve a Problem Like a Seth Rollins’ Injury?
Seth Rollins’ injury is the worst thing that could have happened to WWE. In the last six months, Rollins has upgraded from the workhorse of the SHIELD to the workhorse of the whole company. Whether it’s dragging decent matches out of guys whose best days were twenty years ago or putting on entertaining feuds with his former stablemates. Rollins has consistently strode above the bad booking With him now likely to miss Wrestlemania, months of preparation have fallen down around him and the company is left in a bit of a mess.
Continue reading “How Do You Solve a Problem Like a Seth Rollins’ Injury?”
ICW
In ten day’s ICW will put on Fear and Loathing VIII at the SECC. It’s the biggest gate for a British wrestling show since Giant Haystacks fought Big Daddy at Wembley Arena and that alone is one hell of an achievement. When you consider that there will be no one under the age of eighteen at the show, it is even more impressive. ICW have set out to prove that if you offer a genuine alternative to the crap we’ve all been being fed for the last few years, the people will come.
Ramblings About Wrestling 