Bryan Alvarez: figure4@ix.netcom.com

Dave Meltzer: hsmeltzer@juno.com

We’re looking for reports on Thursday night’s WWE house show in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, as well as Friday’s show in Ponce, PR, and the PWG Battle of Los Angeles show in Reseda, CA.

Saturday has Raw in San Juan at the big Coliseum, Smackdown in Binghamton, NY (Kane vs. Big Show) and TNA in Woodstock, VA (Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle, Abyss vs. Rhino), and more Battle of Los Angeles in Reseda.

Sunday has TNA’s No Surrender PPV, as well as a Smackdown house show in White Plains.

Monday has Raw in Washington, DC at the Verizon Center and Impact tapings in Orlando

Tuesday has Smackdown and the beginning of season three of NXT in Baltimore at the First Mariner Center, as well as more Impact tapings in Orlando. Impact will also be taped Wednesday in Orlando as all the Bound for Glory tapings are being done this week.

We’ve got notes on three different promotions, including one of the largest in the business right now, all with their backs against the wall and with bad signs about their long-term future, covered in the two issues coming out next week of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

We also have bios on the likes of Luna Vachon, Anton Geesink, Kotetsu Yamamoto, Tony Borne, J.C. Bailey and Mickey Garagiola, who all passed away in a crazy week.

We also look behind UFC 118, along with having a rundown of the major UFC events planned between now and February

We look at the history of wrestlers vs. boxer, the background of how Couture vs. Toney first became an idea, what Toney is reported to have gotten paid, his conditioning, reaction to the match, business notes on the show, as well as the aftermath of the UFC lightweight division with Frankie Edgar as champion, Gray Maynard as the top contender, and B.J. Penn out of contention. We look at Dana White’s comments regarding the marketability of Edgar as champion. We also have complete coverage of UFC 118, with match-by-match coverage and poll reaction.

We also have preview of season four of NXT, running down the six women, their background, and where they stand ability wise, including who is the favorite, the motive of the show, why it’s an all-women’s show, and what guys who were under consideration for the show until the idea changed.

The first issue will be on the site today. We will have the second issue on the site tomorrow along with a back issue from June 1993 new to the site. All are available right now for web site subscribers in the Wrestling Observer listings on the top of the page. You can also get the Observer delivered by mail, with details below. For those who are web site subscribers, not only do we have issues once and in big news weeks, twice every week, but also release one back issue per week, covering 1993.

We look at the death of Luna Vachon, how she was regarded in wrestling, her personal battles, her background, her wrestling hero, how she got involved in pro wrestling and her first job, and her transitioning from wrestling into the real world.

We also have a WWE statement released regarding the inordinate number of deaths of wrestlers.

We also look at the future of Chris Jericho, the WWE’s mentality regarding championships changing and future plans, John Cena talks UFC and gets MMA fans upset, UFC vs. WWE in the Boston market this past week, Bret Hart Appreciation show, Bryan Danielson honors a former pro wrestler and his reaction, update on Randy Orton’s injury and how it changed bookings this past week, as well as Carlito talking being out of the promotion. We also look at the probable shortest WWE championship match in history. Big Show talks about his attempts to be a boxer, where WWE gets its names from, as well as business notes from the past week shows in WWE and highlights from three different tours.

We look at Kotetsu Yamamoto and why people considered him the backbone of New Japan Pro Wrestling for three decades.

We also look at the life and sports career of Anton Geesink, an Olympic gold medalist who became one of the highest paid pro wrestlers of the 70s. We look at his fame from judo, how he got into pro wrestling, how the sport of judo evolved in so many ways due to him dominance, what pro wrestling legend he beat in the finals of the world judo championships, why he was banned from competing in the Olympics in wrestling, notes about his pro wrestling training, his most famous matches and why his matches with Don Leo Jonathan were talked about by wrestlers for decades.

We also have an article on the linear history of the world championships in MMA, as we trace each title back to the inception of the weight class and follow the line of to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man, and find out where the line ends. It’s actually quite an interesting look, especially where each line finishes.

We also look at the Canadian Medical Association’s attempt to get MMA banned.

We also have coverage of the biggest pro wrestling events of the week, the WWE’s 900th Raw and All Japan’s show at Sumo Hall, featuring the return to wrestling of the Great Muta, and a Triple Crown title change.

We also have an update on Scott Hall, and an update on Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming movies.

All subscriptions for 12 or more issues will include what is traditionally our most talked about issue of the year, the 2010 Hall of Fame issue that comes out in September.

We also look at the ratings for every national MMA and pro wrestling television show in the U.S., as well as the segment-by-segment numbers for the major shows.

We also have our weekly results from the major league arena events held around the world as well as the major TV show reviews.

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– El Olimpico lost the CMLL Cage of Death match at the Aniversario show last night in Mexico City and was forced to unmask as Joel Bernal Galicia. It came down to Olimpico and Sombra and Sombra pinned him with a small package. The show was a complete sellout, standing room only.

– Pro Wrestling Guerrilla Presents 2010 Battle of Los Angeles tonight and tomorrow from American Legion Post #308 – 7338 Canby Ave., Reseda, CA 91335. Full bracketing:

1. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Ricochet

2. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: Brandon Bonham vs. Brian Cage

3. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: Austin Aries vs. Rocky “Azúcar” Romero

4. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: Joey Ryan vs. Chuck Taylor

5. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: “Intrepid Traveler” Paul London vs. Roderick Strong

6. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: Brandon Gatson vs. Ryan Taylor

7. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: “Mr. Instant Replay” Matt Jackson vs. “Slick” Nick Jackson

8. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: El Generico vs. Akira Tozawa

9. 2010 Battle of Los Angeles First Round Match: “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels vs. Chris Hero

I will be at the shows tonight and tomorrow and we’ll be doing reports both online and on the audio shows. This is one of the biggest independent events of the year, and every one I have been to has been spectacular in terms of in-ring action. You can try to get tickets but I think they’re sold out.

– WWE Monday Night Raw on November 15th, 2010 will be a 3-hour show, airing from 8 to 11 PM on the USA Network. Thanks to Devin Cutting.

– On WWE.com, the guest hosts are now being referred to as “guest stars”.

– Karl Stern has a huge editorial here called “RAVEN IS WRONG” about a post Raven made about a week ago taking fans and “dirt sheet writers” to task about the concussion issue. Raven’s original post is here

– Many of the TNA stars will be appearing on a future edition of Family Feud.

– The TNA website is now listing Motor City Machine Guns vs. Desmond Wolfe & Brutus Magnus as the PPV match for tomorrow, which would make the most sense based on TV (which doesn’t ever mean that’s the direction they’re necessarily going). Generation Me are in LA tonight for BOLA and they’re facing each other in the tournament, meaning unless they do a fuck finish one of them has to advance to the finals, which take place tomorrow right after the TNA PPV ends. So my guess would be that they won’t be going to Orlando.

– Tony DelFonzo, Bobby Robinson, Biff Busick and Brandon Locke were the local talent used on Smackdown Friday night.

– Although the October 7th Impact is a live show, it’s a one-time thing as they’re scheduled for tapings in Orlando on October 11th and 12th for the following two shows.

– Jim Ross’ latest blog is up here with some random Friday thoughts.

– No official update on the Aloisa situation in WWE, but the feeling is that it’s not a real firing and she’s just way too green to appear on TV, so they’re sending her back to FCW to train.

– Jim Cornette is on Twitter at twitter.com/TheJimCornette. If you’re fan of old school Smokey Mountain Wrestling you need to check out the show that Todd Martin and I did with Cornette on Thursday, which includes a great story about the Boots the Cat angle.

– As noted a few days ago, we split my twitter so now you can follow me personally at twitter.com/bryanalvarez and the site at twitter.com/wonf4w. The website twitter is the site RSS feed. I’ll be throwing up notes from LA on my feed.

– WAR Wrestling “Trick or Treat”, Saturday October 2nd, 2010, UAW Hall 1440 Bellefontaine Ave., Lima, Ohio 45804

– TWA Pro Wrestling, Saturday, September 18, 2010, Wescott Field located at the corner of Fairview Dr. & Burlington Ave., Sewell, NJ 08080, Bell time 2PM

We've got notes on three different promotions, including one of the largest in the business right now, all with their backs against the wall and with bad signs about their long-term future, covered in the two issues coming out next week of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

WWC TV Report 8/22 featuring Konnan

First match: Abbad defeated Chicano via pinfall.

This match took place during the second night of Aniversario 2010 in Ponce and also this match originally was air by WWC TV on the 8-1 program.? Way to go WWC!? Just as last time the match is joined in progress, the big difference is that now we know how both wrestlers became a bloody mess.? Abbad is carving Chicano?s forehead with a fork just like Abdullah the Butcher did a thousand times in his heyday against Carlos Colon. ?Again WWC TV does one of their annoying dissolves and now we see Abbad laying face down in the arena floor and Chicano has the fork and proceeds to give Abbad a taste of his own medicine.? Like I said before, Abbad knows everything about how to bleed the old fashion way.? That?s all I have to say about this match.? The rest of the encounter is exactly the same match WWC TV presented on the 8-1 episode.? So if you haven?t read the review of that program, do yourself a favor and go the archives.? You will find that report and a lot of interesting reading and hearing material for your wrestling pleasure.? ???

Second match:? Super Gladiador defeated Konnan via DQ in the Wrestling Classics segment.?

This week?s classic took place in the Hector Sola Bezares Coliseum in Caguas, circa 2001-2002.? ?Konnan and Super Gladiador are brawling in the arena floor and Super Gladiador dominates.? Back in the ring the tables turned and Konnan is dominating the action.? Super Gladiador is hulking up and start throwing punches until Konnan stops him attacking Super Gladiador?s throat.? Konnan starts working effectively over the left knee of Super Gladiador.? For some unknown reason, Konnan stops the pressure, goes outside, grabs the house mic and starts saying something to the fans.? Everybody knows that Konnan is one of the best talkers in the business, but WWC TV simply decides to cut all the ambient sound of the arena so we as TV viewers never get the chance to know what Konnan was telling to the live audience.?

Before returning to the ring, Konnan grabs a chair and when he enters the ring, he hits Super Gladiador?s back with it.? And yes? no DQ by the referee.? Konnan goes for the top rope and is received with Super Gladiador?s boot to the jaw.? Super Gladiador proceeds to do one of the worst spine busters I have ever seeing and goes for his finisher, the Full Nelson.? A desperate Konnan with the hold applied on him fouls the Puerto Rican wrestler and NOW the ref orders to ring the bell and DQ Konnnan for the foul. ?I suppose the ref thought that no one is entitle to mess with other man testicles.? Attacking the back of a wrestler with a chair is ok, but the testicles? a big NO-NO.??? Konnan doesn?t give a shit about Super Gladiador?s testicles, about the ref (rightfully so) and decides to give more punishment when he applies the Zip lock also known as the single leg Boston grab with armlock on Super Gladiador.? And that was your weekly Caribbean wrestling classic.

Third match: Chris Joel defeated The D?Jour Twins, Los Fugitivos de la Calle, JDS, El Adorable Florence, Rikochet, Tommy Diablo and ?The Man-Beast? Angel in the Puerto Rico Open Challenge to become the #1 contender for the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship.

Every single year when the Aniversario card approaches, a lot of mid and low card wrestlers in the roster don?t have a match or a feud that could be promoted in the event.? WWC solution is to always book a battle royal or any similar gimmick match to give those wrestlers an opportunity to be part of the card.? This year, that match was the Puerto Rico Open Challenge.? Obviously the action is joined in progress and what we basically start seeing is a mess.? Niche does a big spot from one of the top turnbuckles to the outside where several wrestlers are ready to catch him.? Then we see variations of basically the same sport now executed by The D?Jour Twins, Lynx, Florence (one half of the comedy tag team Los Adorables) and Chris Joel.? When JDS tries to join the rest of his comrades, Black Rose enters the ring and stops JDS intentions. Thanks to her efforts, Black Rose?s ass was spanked several times by Dick Murdoch?s former prot? and she was thrown to the outside.?

Tommy Diablo jumps from the top turnbuckle trying to surprise JDS, but the cancer survivor wrestler received Tommy with a Choke Slam.? JDS pin attempt on Tommy was interrupt by both Fugitivos.? Niche and Lynx attacked JDS and both go for the cover and the ref refuses to do the count because both Fugitivos are pinning JDS.? Angel enters the ring fights both Fugitivos and gets the near fall on Niche.? This time was Florence the one who stopped the count.? And so it goes with Florence looking to get the win and his pin attempt was stopped by Rikochet.? Rikochet algo got a near fall that was stopped by Tommy Diablo.? Tommy fouls Rikochet and seconds later, a sneaky Chris Joel fouls Tommy and drop kicks him.? Rikochet tries to emulate Chris Joel when he uses the top rope as a springboard but Tommy gets out of the way and Chris Joel received Rikochet with a Rock Bottom and that?s how Chris Joel got the pin, the win and the #1 contender spot for the Puerto Rican title.? ???????????????

Wizard Analiza.

The Wizard starts saying that today?s word is OPORTUNIDAD which in English means opportunity.? Today he is giving ?Sensacional? Carlitos an opportunity to address the TV viewers.? Carlitos waste no time a challenge Orlando Colon to put the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Championship on the line in a cage match at Septiembre Negro.? Wizard calls Orlando and basically Orlando accepts the challenge saying that he already beat Carlitos in Aniversario and at La Revolucion.? Orlando says that he is very confident that he is going to beat that monkey called Carlitos one more time.?

Carlitos is quite excited because he will get another chance for the title and Wizard tells him that now we have three official matches for Septiembre Negro.? Carlitos looks Wizard strange and then Wizard breaks the news to Carlitos and the TV viewers that also in Sepiembre Negro will be a ?Battle Royal? to determine the new WWC Caribbean Heavyweight champion.? With that sort of ?breaking news? the program ends.?

Final thoughts:

WWC TV is continuing the pattern of throwing matches just to fill the hour with no other purpose than that.? Those actions only produce boring programs.? Is quite evident that in terms of TV production, the management decision of only doing two wrestling cards during August has hurt their TV offering.? That?s why even till this day they have being relying on showing matches from the Aniversario weekend.? Those matches took place almost two months ago.? It?s always good to have another ?Sensacional? Carlitos vs. Orlando Colon match, but again, WWC is only using talent that is working part time or even worst on special occasions. Like Orlando Colon, Shelton Benjamin, etc.?

The announcement of the Battle Royal for the WWC Caribbean Heavyweight Championship was a surprise.? That title has being inactive since the year 2002.? That title was held by wrestlers like Hercules Ayala, Dick Steinborn, Invader I, Jose Rivera, Don Kent, Hurricane Castillo, Sr., Crazy Luke Graham, Jack Brisco, Abdullah the Butcher, Pierre Martel, ?Nature Boy? Buddy Landel, T.N.T, Scott Hall, Miguel Perez, Jr., Harley Race, Greg Valentine and Leo Burke among many others.? So this title has a lot of history in the former Capitol Sports Promotions now WWC.? But on the other hand, if they already had championships like the Universal title, the Puerto Rican title and basically they are doing nothing with those championships, why bring another title?? Let?s wait and see.? In the meantime let?s do another report.?

WWC TV Report 8/28 featuring a lot of jobbers.

The program starts with Alejandro Rodil giving the Breaking News that the card of Septiembre Negro is now taking place in ?the Capital of Puerto Rican Wrestling? Bayamon.? This is the second change of venue that WWC has done for the Septiembre Negro card in just two weeks.? On August 14 they announced Septiembre Negro was taking place at the Guillermo Angulo Coliseum in Carolina.? Then on the 21 they change the venue to the Roberto Clemente Walker Stadium also in Carolina.? Now on the 28 WWC announced that the big show in September is taking place at the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum in Bayamon.? This is the same venue where the last two Aniversarios has being presented. If they are planning to do heavy papering on two sides of the Coliseum (just like they did for Aniversario 2010), they will be just fine.? But if not, boy I think Septiembre Negro will have a lot of empty seats.? More on that later. All the matches in this program took place at the Rebekah Colberg Coliseum in Cabo Rojo.?

?First match: Hiram Tua vs. Black Pain was a No Contest when both wrestlers were counted out.

Black Pain is brawling and seriously beating Hiram Tua in the arena floor.? Tua is trying to fight back but Black Pain seems to be too much for him.? Back in the ring, Tua manage to apply a desperate sleeper hold but Black Pain breaks the hold but misses a leg drop.? Tua again tries to do a comeback but it is pointless.? Back Plain finally hits the Samoan Drop on Tua and goes for the pin.? Surprisingly Black Pain lifts Tua?s head to stop the ref?s count.? Black Pain wants to hurt Tua at least that?s what the Wizard says.? Black Pain throws Tua to the outside.? Tua somehow is able to jump to the top of the apron and does a botch moonsault that almost killed him.? They continue brawling outside the ring and the ref counted out both wrestlers.

Second match: Los Fugitivos de la Calle (Niche Lynx) defeated Steve Joel Pedro Diaz via pinfall.?

My favorite jobber Pedro Diaz is getting a beating courtesy of Los Fugitivos.? Even Black Rose gets inside the ring and foul Diaz.? Lynx is mocking Diaz and is so full of confidence that when he climbs to the top turnbuckle, he waist a lot of time and misses the Shooting Star Press.? Diaz is able to tag Chris Joel younger brother, Steve and Steve Joel dominates the action for a while.? The problem is that Steve Joel offense looks so weak.? Diaz sees that his partner is being double team and he tries to help, but Diaz looks like he is out of gas.? Steve Joel got some near falls but that was about it.?

At one time, Diaz, Steve Joel and Lynx are sandwich in one corner and Niche runs at full speed with the intention of hitting a running dropkick.? Who received the impact?? You got it, our favorite jobber Pedro Diaz.? Steve Joel is thrown to the outside and Diaz received a combination of a kick in mid air while the other Fugitivo hits the Death Valley Driver.? I thought that was the end but Diaz is able to break the count.? But believe me, the end was near.? Finally Diaz received a Code Breaker and a finishing combination of leg drop and a diving splash both from opposite top turnbuckles for the pin and the decisive win.? I will not get tire of saying this, Los Fugitivos de la Calle are quite good as a tag team.? Down the line they should have a feud with Thunder and Lightning for the WWC Tag Team titles.

Before we got to a commercial break, we see Rikochet?s back and his choosing which mask he is going to put on to go to the ring.?

Third match: Black Rose defeated Roxxy via pinfall.?

Black Rose is dominating this match against the newcomer Roxxy with kicks to the head, the lower back and several suplexes.? The first pin attempt by Black Rose looks? well, very sexually orientated.? Black Rose decides to work and put pressure over Roxxy?s left arm.? In just two minutes, Black Rose has showed more charisma and in ring psychology than Steve Joel and Pedro Diaz combine.? Later on, Black Rose misses a leg drop and Roxxy comebacks with punches and an effective head scissors.? After hitting the Code Breaker on Black Rose, Roxxy got a near fall.? Roxxy decides to climb the top turnbuckle but Black Rose also decides that she is not going to sell the impact of the previous move anymore, and climbs also to the top and hits Roxxy with several elbows to the face.? Roxxy tries to do some kind of tornado DDT from the top rope in mid air but Black Rose breaks the attempt basically in mid air.? Seeing that Roxxy is down in the mat, Black Rose goes for the top rope, hits the Frog Splash and gets the win.

Fourth match: Gilbert ?The Precious One? defeated Latin Boy via pinfall.

Since BJ no showed at the card in Cabo Rojo, Gilbet took the mic and challenge anybody in WWC who wanted to face him.? Latin Boy answered the challenge and Gilbert basically squashed him.? Gilbert demanded more competition so?

Fifth match: Gilbert defeated Rob Sanders via pinfall. ????

Wizard on narration claims that Rob Sanders had an excellent run in the state of Nebraska.? Well, I don?t know about that but I know that this was also a squash.? Gilbert finishes Sanders with the Rock Bottom.? Gilbert is insisting on getting real challengers and Chicano decides to confront Gilbert and they exchange blows in the ring and when Chicano is about to superkick Gilbert, ?the Precious One? takes a hike.? The main narrator for the TV Program, Jose Herrera says that Gilbert is a coward and we get to see a shot of Gilbert watching the program and he gets quite upset with the Herrera?s comment.? He decides to go to WWC Production offices to resolve this matter with Herrera.?

Lo que esta pasando en WWC con Alejandro Rodil.

The segment starts with Alejandro Rodil plugging the WWE Raw World Tour in Puerto Rico.? They announced the winner of a contest and then Alejandro proceeds to do a recap of the situation regarding the WWC Junior Heavyweight title.? Tommy Diablo was supposed to defend the title against Rikochet in Cabo Rojo but he grabs the mic and said to the fans that he was quite upset because the Puerto Rican Wrestling Commission was planning to fine him for his actions of unmasking Rikochet at La Revolucion card.? Tommy said that he refuses to defend the title against Rikochet and he basically quits the company right there in the ring.? The ref declares Rikochet the winner via forfeit and at the same time Rikochet once again becomes the new WWC Junior Heavyweight champion.?

We then see Rikochet cutting a promo in which he says that he never expected Tommy Diablo?s actions and he explains that the titles were meant to be defended and he challenges Tommy Diablo for a match in Septiembre Negro putting the title on the line.

Then we see Gilbert in the TV studio of WWC looking for Mr. Herrera.? Since Herrera is nowhere to be found, Gilbert cuts a promo on Chicano saying that Chicano was an opportunist trying to beat Gilbert after Gilbert just fought two wrestlers in his WWC debut.? Gilbert says that Chicano is going to face him when the time is right.? At the end of the promo, Gilbert demands a public apology from Herrera before the program ends.?

We return to Rodil that basically says that everyone, including Herrera has the right of Freedom of Speech.? After that remarked, Rodil plugs Septiembre Negro and finishes the program.? In reality the program ends after a brief video recap of the feud between Carlito ?Caribbean Cool? and El Tres Veces Mega Campeon (Mesias Ricky Banderas).? Gilbert never got the public apology he demanded.? ?

Final thoughts

At the beginning of the 8-28 report I predicted that Septiembre Negro in the Ruben Rodriguez Coliseum will have a lot of empty seats.? The event was announced for the first time on 8-14 show.? Since that time we haven?t seen any single promo from Carlito or El Tres Veces Mega Campeon.? The second match announced was the encounter between ?Sensacional? Carlitos vs. Orlando Colon.? Great match but is something that the fans have seeing before.? Plus Orlando is not able to come down to the island to spice things up previous the match.? The Battle Royal to determine the new WWC Caribbean Heavyweight title seems to be just a filler like the Puerto Rico Open Challenge in this past Aniversario.?

On the other hand, the building around Gilbert in terms of vignettes and promos has being quite effective.? Gilbert looks like a young Ray Gonzalez circa 1999-2000 when Gonzalez heel character sky rocket in terms of ratings and fans approval.? Gilbert?s mannerisms and way of talking is so similar to Gonzalez that is almost like d? vu ten years later.? By the way, Gonzalez, like Shelton Benjamin (the Universal Heavyweight champion) and Thunder and Lightning (WWC Tag Team Champions) are M.I.A since July 31.? I hope is not the same case with Tommy Diablo.? A possible feud between Chicano and Gilbert will be interesting, but then again what happens now with the feud that Chicano and BJ had with Thunder and Lightning?? So far Septiembre Negro is only a three match event so I hope WWC starts moving their wheels as fast as they can.? ??

For questions or comments you can reach me at denizard78@yahoo.com?????

By Bryan Alvarez

bryan@wrestlingobserver.com

Opener was supposed to be Max vs. Jeremy Buck in a battle of Generation Me but they came out and said they weren’t wrestling each other. Excalibur, the MC and voice of PWG, tried to force them to do it, but they just double superkicked the ref. So the Cutler Brothers ran out and it turned into an impromptu tag match. I can only presume that means the Bucks are working the PPV Sunday. This also explains a tournament with nine first-round matches. Generation Me are far more entertaining as heels than they are as babyfaces in TNA. Cutlers made a comeback, they traded about six million nearfalls, then the Cutlers got the win with a combo stuff piledriver. All-action opener that the fans loved.

Brandon Gatson beat Ryan Taylor. Gatson was a gymnast and dancer (Google him) and his brother was an Olympian, so he’s far more agile than you’d think looking at him. The highlight of this match was when Ryan put him in a wacky lucha hold and the people chanted “UFC!” Gatson did a roundoff into a Stinger splash and a DVD variation for the pin.

Joey Ryan beat Chuck Taylor in a good match. I don’t know if it was an inside joke or not but there were tons of WWE spots in this match, including Bob Backlund’s crossface chicken wing (Taylor was watching Best of Raw), Gail Kim’s finisher, Austin’s finisher, and Shawn Michaels’ finisher to name a few. Ryan used a second superkick for the pin.

Roderick Strong beat Paul London. The first ten minutes of this match was built around the fact that London had stuffed his trunks to a ridiculous degree, like there was a good-sized water bottle in there. Lots of penis-related comedy and chants. When they actually got to wrestling it was very good, probably the best wrestling match on the show thus far. Lots of great stuff at the finish, then Roddy hit his stomach breaker and running sliding dropkick for the pin. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that London has a new manager, a man in an owl costume. He called him Finnegan the Space Owl. There is a photo on my Twitter.

Claudio Castagnoli beat Ricochet. This was the PWG version of Batista vs. Rey Jr. Aside from one spot near the finish where it appeared both guys forgot what spot was next, it was a fantastic big man vs. little man match, and it was by far my favorite thing on the show. Claudio is astounding and it was s star-making performance for Ricochet in front of this crowd, as it was his first time here and when it was over they chanted “THAT WAS AWESOME!” and “PLEASE COME BACK!” Claudio tapped him out after a super European uppercut. This was worth the DVD price.

Austin Aries beat Rocky Romero. Very good match. They traded a bunch of submissions at the finish, including an armbar and a triangle by Romero, but Aries powerbombed his way free and then hit the soccer kick to the face and the brainbuster for the pin. Romero got a good ovation leaving.

Brandon Bonham beat Brian Cage. Cage, the former Brian Logan, is currently in WWE developmental. They worked really hard but the crowd was more into finding creative ways to entertain themselves, like chanting “NXT DIVA~!” They did a million nearfalls, then Bonham hit him with a Canadian destroyer and Cage kicked out. He had officially kicked out of everything, so Bonham had to hit him with a second Canadian destroyer for the pin.

Akira Tozawa beat El Generico. Generico has an injured shoulder and is really hurting but it wasn’t evident much in this match. They had a pretty damn great match marred by whatever it was that happened at the finish. Tozawa hit his delayed German suplex and Generico didn’t appear to kick out, but the ref held up his count anyway. The fans started booing. Tozawa then trapped his arms and hit a second German for the pin, but the fans were too busy chanting “YOU FUCKED UP!” at the ref to pop for the finish. It was sad because they’d had a hell of a match up to that point.

Chris Hero beat Chris Daniels. Very good main event. They did a lot of technical wrestling early, then Daniels turned on him and worked the entire match as a heel. Hero made a comeback, they traded a bunch of nearfalls, and Hero finally did a switch into a stretch plum for the submission. Daniels turned back babyface afterwards, putting Hero over and saying if he was going to root for someone in the tourney it would be someone that was good enough to tap him out. Hero did a promo saying the last time he was in a BOLA he went to the finals and lost to Low-Ki, and while he couldn’t do that match again he could return, beat three men tomorrow, and win the whole thing.

By Jason Hess

Disclaimer 1: I am a Protestant minister whose doctrine is close (but not completely the same as) to the Southern Baptist tenets as Mr. Adam Groza. The church I serve is technically non-denominational.

Disclaimer 2: I am not trying to proselytize with this writing. I’m simply looking to add another view to think and muse about regarding UFC and MMA from the perspective of a person of religious faith.

My name is Jason Hess, and I am a 37 year old minister living in Houston, Texas. I I recently read an article that Dave Meltzer linked in an Observer daily update by Mr. Adam Groza of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary that discussed why people of the Christian faith should not only dislike MMA and UFC , but should hate it. I disagree with Mr. Groza’s viewpoint and wish to state that his view does not speak for all people of the Christian faith.

For disclosure purposes, I just didn’t attend UFC , I like UFC.

I like MMA.

I like WWE (when logical and good).

I even like TNA (the house shows, not the TV).

Further, I enjoy football, baseball, hockey, and basketball viewing. What do the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, and even UFC have in common?

Violence.

More and more, thanks to hard-nosed reporting and possibly the need to fill television time, the impact of hits in the NFL has risen to the forefront in news coverage. In fact, many “Plays of the Day” from previous years during football season have focused on bone-rattling and concussion-giving hits during sports recap shows. Football is not exempt from blood or broken bones. Furthermore, football contains 32 teams of scantily-clad cheerleaders who parade around during every game at every stadium. Is football either pornographic or intentionally violent? I would argue “no” on both accounts. Does the possibility of violence exist in a football game? Quite naturally, yes.

Ray Fosse and Pete Rose’s legendary All-Star collision was two years before my time in 1971; yet is frequently referenced anytime baseball players have violent collisions on the field. Furthermore, the frequency of bench-brawls is still fairly high. Combine that with more pitchers receiving specialized “Tommy John” pitching due to the demands placed on them for throwing a ball in excess of 90 miles per hour, a collision with which can either see that ball hit more than 400 feet or concuss a player with a batting helmet with roughly the padding of a UFC glove, and you have a sport where the potential for violence can run high, even with the best of precautions.

While Houston does not have the privilege of having an NHL team, we do enjoy the Houston Aeros. One oft-repeated phrase in regards to the Aeros is “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out.” Local newspaper articles have stated that players, especially those wishing to be called up to the big leagues, are encouraged to be intense and aggressive in their play. Often, that aggression overflows into a fight. I do not have fast facts to back the following premise up; however all it takes is a few cursory looks at both the faces of hockey players and the impact board-checking and fights can have on the their bodies to surmise the following: IF UFC is violent, the NHL is at best “Just as” violent, and potentially more so. Yet hockey is not finding trouble clearing arenas and cities/states like MMA has in the past.

The recent history of the National Basketball Association with violence in the stands and on the court has been troubling; however the overwhelming amount of coverage on the NBA is focused on where it should be: on the game itself. Basketball is not exempt from violent displays, or from copious footage of cheerleaders and/or dance squads. Nearly all of the ones shown are comprised of females in skimpy wear that rivals the “porn” Mr. Groza speaks of in regards to UFC presentations. Does Mr. Groza advocate us not watching basketball because of the violence and small focus on provocatively clad dancers?

I would hope not.

I have had the pleasure of attending UFC live (April 2007), and recently Strikeforce (August 2010). Was there blood? Sure. Were people hit? Of course. Did people cheer when Serra beat GSP and King Mo lost? Absolutely. Did either event cause me to want to beat up my friends (incidentally who were all Christians) in the parking lot after? No. Did I go home with UFC girls in my mind? Honestly I didn’t know they were there.

My point is simply this: The aforementioned sports all have levels of violence as a part of their sport that is different than the violence Mr. Groza references in his article and from the Bible.

The Bible verse that Mr. Groza quotes from Psalm 11:5, “the Lord examines the righteous and the wicked. He hates the lover of violence,” is dangerously mis-quoted. When looking at any religious text, context is a key component to figuring out its meaning. The violence Mr. Groza references in Psalm 11:5 deals with the exploiting and harm of others. Within the ancient realm of the day that passage was written in and considering the modern realm of our day; one should think on slavery, sex trafficking, or child prostitution as examples of the violence described in Psalm 11:5.

Not sports.

I have other issues with Mr. Groza’s article other than his premise. He was not completely accurate in his research (stating UFC gate revenue was 2.8 million dollars), and made some assumptions about alcohol that not all people of faith (Christian or other) hold to. Further, comparing UFC and MMA to the violence seen in the “Saw” movie series is wrong categorically. UFC and MMA in general have never been “gory for gory’s sake.”

His article did not go deep enough in consideration of other views; only enough to develop a “straw-man” to attack and defeat……violently. Further he states that UFC is the kind of graphic horror condemned in Psalm 11:5 and a “vehicle for lust.” I assure you, we were not lusting at UFC or Strikeforce, for blood, girls or anything else. Many of the near 9,000 fans there at Strikeforce were there to see the science and strategy behind it all, myself included. Are there a few rowdy fans in any sporting event? Sure. However, in talking with different people from different backgrounds, most were there because of their interest in the sport of it….not because of blood, booze, or babes.

Also, I think Mr. Groza may be at odds with the Bible itself, as one of the New Testament writers, Paul, compares himself to a boxer (surely a display of graphic horror Mr. Groza feels is condemned in Psalm 11:5, and surely a verse Paul knew well given his Jewish upbringing.) in 1 Corinthians 9. If ever there could be a sport that was violence for the sake of violence could we not use boxing, where many more have died participating than major UFC or MMA? I would argue that St. Paul was thinking of the sport, not the violence. Mr. Groza quotes Jesus as saying “Blessed are the peacemakers,” an accurate rendering of Matthew 5, but fails to mention that Jesus also stated five chapters later in Matthew’s Gospel that he had not “come to bring peace, but a sword.” Further, the gospels describe Jesus with the imagery of a lamb (innocent, peaceful) and a lion (not so peaceful). That is simply violent imagery, one type the Bible doesn’t condemn.

If Mr. Groza feels like MMA, UFC in particular offers un-checked violence and potential pornography, is he just as inclined to protest football, baseball, basketball and hockey? If so, I respect his belief in the stance that he’s being consistent. But I tried to find and reference other articles from him that stated that. I found no such articles. I apologize for not referencing them if he has written them, but there are no current missives stating his condemnation of other sports that have a much deeper, longer history of violence than MMA.

Mr. Groza needs to either cease speaking of UFC and MMA more fundamentally different in violence than other pro sports, or write up articles asking Christians to avoid watching the aforementioned sports. Many fans of UFC and MMA, me included, are not checking their brains at the door, nor are they bloodthirsty and lustful as a result of repeated viewing. If anything, my appreciation for the skill, technique, and training of such athletes has risen as I have watched their bouts. Is God smiling when UFC is on? I can’t say for sure. But we can’t say He’s frowning either.

Respectfully,

Jason Hess

jason@southway.org