Top 5: Rising Stars in FCW

Top 5 … Rising Stars in FCW

The professional wrestling year finishes the moment that the curtain falls on Wrestlemania and a new year brings new chances for the development talent at FCW. Inevitably some of the hopefuls will not make it. A recent example of this being the release of Tough Enough winner Andy “Silent Rage” Leavine for failing to show improvements since his 2011 win. However, there are plenty of decent prospects working at WWE’s Florida based training facility. 

Who are most likely to make the step up in 2012?

5. Kassius Ohno

Making his name in Ring of Honour as one half of the Kings of Wrestling, more commonly known as Chris Hero, Ohno has taken FCW by storm in a very short space of time.  Ohno possesses a fantastic look and is pretty good on the mic too. 

Preferring to knock his opponent out rather than attempting to go for a pinfall, Ohno is unlikely to be competing in FCW for very long. At 32, Ohno is one of the oldest competitors in FCW. However, with age comes experience and with a few minor improvements to his character, Ohno is undoubtedly ready for a huge push.

I would love to see Ohno and Cesaro team up as they have done to great effect in Ring of Honour. However, Vince McMahon is notorious for doing the opposite of what is expected and therefore we may have to settle for two more than capable singles competitors. Given the state of the tag team division, maybe this is a wise decision.

4. Paige 

The only Diva on this list, Paige is new addition to FCW.  She made her television debut in February, making an instant impact, forming an alliance with FCW Divas Champion Raquel Diaz (daughter of Eddie and Vickie Guerrero) and Sofia Cortez (Ivelisse from Tough Enough). The 19 year-old from Norwich, England is a breath of fresh air in a failing division.

Paige has a relative wealth of experience and is far more polished than her age would suggest. Despite being a member of the Anti-Diva Army (a gimmick that failed miserably for Beth Phoenix and Natalya), Paige stands out from the rest of the FCW Divas in terms of both in ring ability as well as her unique look. Like Sheamus, Paige has shunned convention, replacing the orthodox fake tanned look with a paler, distinctive, almost vampiric look. 

A feud with Kaitlyn (in my opinion the most underused Diva in the company) appears to be forming. Even with limited ring time the pair have produced women’s wrestling to a standard that has not been seen in the WWE for a long time.

If the WWE want to revive the Divas division they could do a lot worse than calling on this raven-haired beauty. 

3. Seth Rollins

 Another former ROH star known to many as Tyler Black, Rollins is the current Florida Heavyweight Champion. He has been on the FCW roster longer than the other wrestlers on this list and despite appearing in Smackdown pre-show dark matches on several occasions, Rollins has been unable to break onto the main roster.

Rollins has reached cult hero status amongst indy fans with good reason, and has shown ring work comparable to CM Punk in terms of both style and quality. However, he is let down by the quality of his promos at times. That being said, there is a clear improvement in his mic work recently.

I sincerely hope that Rollins receives the push he deserves. Taking into consideration the serious lack of babyfaces on WWE television at the moment this push could come sooner rather than later for the tried and tested babyface.

2. Antonio Cesaro

 The other half of the aforementioned Kings of Wrestling, Antonio Cesaro is an already accomplished professional wrestler. Despite the signing of former tag team partner Chris Hero, it appears that Cesaro will be used as a solo competitor and has all the tools to be successful as a singles star. 

Of all the FCW developmental talent, Antonia Cesaro is the most ready for a push to the main roster and has already been used on the Smackdown live tour on several occasions.  At 6’5”, the Swiss born wrestler shares a similar physique to current main roster talent Jack Swagger. Primarily a mat-based wrestler, Cesaro possesses an abundance of power and has been utilised to great effect.

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen Cesaro introduced to the main roster as one part of John Lauranitis’ newly formed stable of henchmen and I look forward to seeing his character develop on Smackdown for weeks and months to come.

1. Dean Ambrose

 Of all the talent in FCW, Dean Ambrose is the most likely to be a future main eventer. He possesses an excess of in-ring ability, excellent mic skills and an already fully formed character that could easily fit on Raw or Smackdown. 

Having seen him defeat Alex Reilly in the dark match before the UK episode of Raw, it is easy to see why it is only a matter of time before Ambrose joins the main roster. Ambrose has already caught the eye of both William Regal and Mick Foley, with Foley seemingly ready to come out of retirement to have one more match with the self-proclaimed “real hardcore icon”.

Ambrose is currently in the middle of an excellent feud with FCW and NXT commentator William Regal. Following a loss to Regal in November, Ambrose has become obsessed with Regal and his refusal to provide Ambrose with a rematch. He has adopted the Knee Trembler and the Regal Stretch as finishing moves as a result of this feud.

Ambrose is a smaller wrestler with similar physique to Daniel Bryan but it is his unique demeanour in the ring that sets him apart from the other developmental talent.  Unhinged characters have been used to great effect in WWE, however, Ambrose brings a something new to the table. CM Punk and Daniel Bryan and Jim Ross have all publicly praised Ambrose. With a little help from Regal, Foley, Ross, Bryan and Punk, Ambrose could be wrestling in main events for years to come.

Honourable Mentions

Honourable mentions go to Damien Sandow, Maxine, Bo Rotunda, Husky Harris and Xavier Woods.

Craig Wood

@CraigWood88

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Blind Tag! Podcast #22

Once again the Smark Alecs enter the Studio/Flat. Two men enter, one man leaves...to go home after the Podcast is done.

We talk about the build up to Over The Limit, the Fatal 4 Way drama and, of course, the firing of The Big Show.

So tune in, and get your Smark On!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #21

Steve and Joe are in the Flat/Studio to round up this weeks action in the WWE. We talk about The Big Show being a Big Bully, the WH Title scene, D Bry finally being able to move on and the return of the one, the only; Paul Heyman!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #20

Guess who's back. Back again. Steve is back, tell your friends!

The full team are in the house for Steve's return and the big TWO OH. We review Extreme Rules 2012, discussing in depth the Brock Lesnar push, Sheamus title reign and D Bry's Chicago fan base. Not only that, but we've got the full fallout of the extreme with our Raw and Smackdown reviews!

So stick around and be sure to get your smark on!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #19

Its time to Get Your Smark On! We are back to talk all things WWE as we leading in to Extreme Rules 2012. Join Brad and Joe as we look back at the last week and also talk about topics such as 'Wheres The Miz?' and so much more.

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IPW: UK Revolution

Allow me to preface this review with the fact that this event, put on by IPW:UK (after NWE pulled out only three weeks prior), is the first IPW:UK event that I have attended in, perhaps, four years.

I was an avid IPW:UK fan from the first event I went to, which incidentally was the second show they ever put on. I'm talking back in the day, when IPW:UK called the Orpington Halls its home. Myself and Brad were there month after month in those early days of IPW, hooked on everything it did; from bringing in Samoa Joe to face off against Super Dragon (in the infamously lost Return Of The Dragon event) to introducing me to El Generico, Martin Stone's domination and even Andy Boy Simmonz heel turn. We were there.

That was also the year that I started University. Now that I was, in wrestling speak: 'residing' in North London, I fell away from attending IPW:UK shows. In truth, I fell away from British Wrestling as a whole. Sure, I kept up to date now and then by infrequently checking their website or by reading about them in FSM but, overall, I fell away.  

But with IPW:UK Revolution, I felt that something could be great happening here. The IPW want to revolutionise the British Wrestling industry, to elevate it and make it more than what it is. I admire what they are doing, especially considering their roots, but have they done enough? Have they cracked the code and redefined an industry?

When I enter the London Troxy, first time I've ever been here incidentally, the first thing we see are the merchandise tables they have laid out. Well, that's a lie. The first thing I noticed was the kick ass art deco style through out the building. Seriously, it looks like something out of Bioshock or Batman: The Animated Series.

The merch tables themselves look a little paltry, regular tables with no dressing or logos adorning them. Instead, the tables have the merchandise simply...on them. I know this sounds a little dumb, but it looked a little 'car boot sale'-esque.

Thankfully, the actual ring area looked great. Like, really, REALLY, good. At least in comparison to the Orpington Halls, which is my only point of comparison. The use of a lighting rig, with advertising, a stage and, hell, even a titantron of sorts all helped towards making this look like a big deal. I'm sure it'll look amazing on DVD! If redefining the industry boils down to better production values, then IPW:UK are on the right path. A few issues here and there that are easily fixed stood out: audio levels in promo videos were seemingly all over the place, spiking and dropping. The lights of the rig were too bright to watch anything on the main titantron, which almost defeated the purpose of it. Surely bringing the lights down for any promo video, to ensure audience attention, would benefit it too. In reality, these are all easily fixed.

But what about the card itself?! Let's go.

High Stakes Ladder Match


I only recognised a few of the wrestlers involved in this match. Thankfully, this being professional wrestling after all, it wasn't too hard to figure out who I liked and didn't like.

There was some great spots in and out of the ring, plenty of high flying from the likes of Lion Kid, et al and some nice use of the ladder. The ladder being the potential highlight of this match. Not in a positive away, I've gotta add. In short, that ladder got fucked up pretty much instantly. Like, from when it was first opened. It didn't open right, it got bent and suddenly became pretty dangerous to climb. The fact a huge event like this only had the forethought to provide two ladders is, to be truthful, shortsighted. You would've thought they may have been at least a back up out the back? I guess IPW:UK put way too much stock into B+Q.

Kris Travis won the match up with the assist from his tag partner, Martin Kirby. These guys played great heels throughout, being vocal with a crowd that had yet to warm up properly.

Amazing this match was on first.

Mark Haskins (w) vs Joel Redman


I am familiar with Mark Haskins. I am not familiar with Joel Redman.

There was a lot of (drunk) fan support for both these guys from certain pockets of fans (read: 2 vs 3, pretty much). My first thoughts when seeing Joel Redman was that he could definitely be utilised as a WWE guy if the calling came, and from what I hear he might be heading to Florida very soon.

Great match.

Blossom Twins (w) vs Perfect Storm


I've never seen EVE, but I've read some positive things about them. This was a solid match with women who are more than capable of wrestling in an environment that, refreshingly, allows them to do so.

That being said the Blossom Twins coming out to S Club 7 was fucking retarded. They shouldn't do that. Seriously.

Carlito vs Leroy Kincaide (w)


I remember Leroy Kincaide from way back in the day. His gimmick hasn't seem to have changed at all. Then again, neither has Carlito's.

An okay match that didn't go anywhere near reflecting what either of these guys can do. Carlito coasted on this one and, despite some humble comments on the mic, it was kind've disappointing considering where he once was in the WWE scene. This could've been longer and been better for both guys. That being said, it wasn't bad. Just...kind've...middle of the road.

Nice to see Carlito do the job for the British talent though.

INTERMISSION


Chris Masters (w) vs Stixx


In a surprise to me, Chris Masters was the total opposite of the Carlito match. I've never seen Stixx wrestle before, but he put on a great show putting over Masters. Masters, in turn, put on a great match after a slow start. The crowd was way into Masters (a few guys, I'm pretty sure, did not stop chanting from beginning to end of the match) and it was clear Masters appreciated it. Masters went in and delivered. I was expecting him to coast through, not Carlito, and I got the opposite! Who's booking this thing?!

Either which way, a great showing.

Also, Chris Master's theme music kicks ass.

Dave Mastiff/Martin Stone/Terry Frazier (w) vs Sha Samuels/T-Bone/Rockstar Spud


FINALLY, some names/faces I recognise. Moralez is now Mastiff, right on. He's also double the size since I last saw him, the dude literally looks like a fleshy wall. On the flip side, Martin Stone is fucking phenomenal shape looking almost like a cut Michael Bisping. Also, Rockstar Spud is amazing. I remember him having a great ladder match against Jack Storm back in the day when he was a big time baby face.

This was a fun match that spilled all around the floor of the arena, taking in a lot of beatings for all involved. Fun stuff and great match filled with faces that I instantly recognised. Stone went out of the match a bit too quick for my liking, with Mastiff eventually picking up the win by eating Spud.

Marty Scrull (w) vs Sami Callihan

I'm going to throw this down on front street: Party Marty is the most retarded name for anyone ever. It sounds like a second rate birthday clown. Party Marty? Seriously.

I've heard nothing but positive things about Sami Callihan coming into this match, and the hype paid off. These guys wrestled a fantastic back and forth match with a few near falls, all building up to a quick finish. What really stood out to me was that this match was a great technical, psychological, wrestling match. Callihan worked the leg throughout the match, which really paid off in the closing moments of the match up. Great ring work, great psychology, great fan engagement...great main event.

Additionally, it doesn't make sense having an American winning the British title. Was never going to happen, and would never really make sense.

So, did Revolution revolutionise the industry? It certainly had amazing production values, in a fantastic looking building. I heard there were seating issues for some people, the ring being angled too sharply to the point that they couldn't see. Surely if you are going to revolutionise British Wrestling the first thing you want to do is make sure people can SEE British Wrestling? Right?

The card was fun from beginning to end, but it certainly wasn't the best wrestling I've ever seen. In fairness, Wrestlemania 28 and the proceeding Raw would always be difficult to follow. I admire what IPW:UK are trying to do; I support what they are trying to do, hence why I wanted to be at the show, but there wasn't as many people there as I thought there would be, with plenty of empty chairs near the back. If they were to fix their seating plan and adjust a few tiny technical aspects, the product will continue to improve without a doubt.

Will it revolutionise British Wrestling? I don't think it has done that, despite being a great card and a great night throughout. But has it made an old IPW:UK fan interested in its product once again?

To quote Daniel Bryan, and every person chanting throughout the night: Yes. Yes. Yes.

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Blind Tag! Podcast #18

Sorry for the delay but we are back. Lets talk all post Wrestlemanina and look to what could happen over the next year! So join Brad and Joe as they get there Smark On?

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Greatest Rivalries: Shawn Michaels vs Bret Hart

Greatest Rivalries: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels

There’s always a certain level of intrigue involved in a new WWE documentary release and the first title in WWE’s Greatest Rivalries series was no exception. While many people know the history that exists between Bret “The Hitman” Hart and “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, there is always plenty of interest about the inner workings of the WWE. Greatest Rivalries: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels provides an honest and at times emotional account of the Hall of Famers’ feuds in the company and it certainly does not disappoint.

Main Feature


The main feature of this box set is a two hour kayfabe breaking interview with Hart and Michaels conducted by Jim Ross. Interlaced with high quality video packages introducing each of the pivotal points on the journey, the interview runs in chronological order.
Ross starts with a discussion of both superstars’ introduction to the World Wrestling Federation in the tag team division: Hart’s as a member of the Hart Foundation with Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and Michaels’ as a member of The Rockers with Marty Jannetty. This is the first of many parallels that are expertly drawn between the two very similar careers.
I particularly enjoyed the discussion of the adversity that both wrestlers faced convincing the big men to sell their moves in both the tag team division and latterly in transition to singles competition. Tag teams such as the Natural Disasters and singles stars such as Hulk Hogan possess a clear strength advantage, but smaller are wrestlers able to provide a technical side of the game, performing moves that the big men could not dream of executing.
The conversation then moves onto one of my favourite wrestling matches of all time, the sublime Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania 12 for the then WWF championship. This discussion is one of the highlights of the whole interview, providing an insider’s view of how the match was worked. Michaels is notorious for spending vast amounts of time fine tuning details of upcoming matches with his opponents. As a viewer, I feel it is a nice addition to get some insight into this.
The next major topic is one of the most infamous nights in the history of the company, the “Montreal Screwjob” and the events leading up to it. This is the reason a huge share of the viewership purchased this title and very few people will be left disappointed. While there are many people who know parts of this story (or at least claim to), so much is revealed that even the most clued up wrestling fan will learn something new. Ross inspires an extensive and detailed conversation about the build-up to Survivor Series 1997 and the intricacies event itself. All parties involved speak more honestly and earnestly than anyone could have realistically expected, keeping you gripped the whole way through this great saga.
The interview could easily have lost the audience’s attention following the discussion of such a monumental even. However, the level of genuine emotion shown by Hart while talking about difficult subjects such as; his brief stint in WCW, his reconciliation with Vince McMahon, Hart’s induction into the hall of fame and finally the moment Hart and Michaels reunited on Monday Night Raw, keeps the viewer to be entirely immersed in the story.
As a whole, this interview is incredibly insightful and completely compelling from start to finish. Controversial subjects such as the” Montreal Screwjob” are discussed a lot more openly than I was expecting and while not all the details are revealed, given the delicate nature of the subject this is no surprise.
Hart speaks passionately about the whole ordeal without it ever becoming tawdry and Michaels seems to genuinely regret the part he played at Survivor Series 1997.
It must also be said that Jim Ross does a great job in the role of interviewer, asking the right questions and encouraging debate between Michaels and Hart without making it even slightly about himself. This is something very few people in the WWE would have been able to achieve. Without Jim Ross’ flawless use of tone and timing, as well as his vast knowledge of the subject matter, this release would not have been so insightful.
We have all come to expect an incredibly high level of production from all WWE releases, this is no exception. The video packages do a fantastic job of outlining the history of the rivalry to viewers who are new to it or unaware of some of the workings, without dumbing down the subject matter the members of the audience who were watching the story unfold at the time. A perfect balance is struck, showing enough footage to get a feel of the matches without detracting from the matter at hand and leaving you ready to put disc 2 in as soon as the main featurehas finished.

Extras


Greatest Rivalries: Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels comes with a shed load of extra Hart/Michaels matches. Anything that is discussed in the interview or shown in the video packages is included in the Blu-ray edition.
The most notable inclusions are;
Iron Man Match at Wrestlemania 12,
Both Wrestlers’ Hall of Fame Inductions,
WWF Championship Match at Survivor Series 1997
Outtakes from the interview itself.
There are also many more segments and promos from Raw, as well as, other tag team and singles matches featuring Hart and Michaels. While the quality is lacking in some of the early footage, this is to be entirely expected.
The selection of extras as a whole is excellent; you would be hard pushed to find many matches missing from this collection. One possible improvement would be an alternative commentary by Hart and Michaels added to some of the old matches, which the WWE has used in some of its other releases.
It is important to mention that there are some major omissions from the DVD format of the title, the biggest of which is the 1997 Survivor Series match. This is the only major downside from the entire package. This means that is well worth forking out the extra money for the Blu-ray if you can.
Even though the Iron Man Match and the Survivor Series Match are both extremely good, the highlight of all of the bonus features for me is the ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship from 1992. It is fantastic to see two of the most recognisable wrestlers developing into the characters we know and love. Michaels had only just made the transition to singles competition, while Hart had only won his first singles title at the previous Summer Slam. In this match we see two of the best wrestling minds, still trying to prove themselves as singles stars, in a match that just seemed to work perfectly.
I also particularly enjoyed watching some of the early tag team matches. The matches exude quality and innovation. It is obvious why The Rockers and The Hart Foundation were able to elevate the division to main event status. Fans of tag team wrestling will be left with a pleasant feeling of nostalgia watching these matches. it is real shame that the state of the WWE tag team division today means we are unlikely to see matches of this quality for some time.
It is hard to find anything that does not warrant its inclusion to this collection. However, I feel that the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies may be the least exciting addition. I am unsure whether this is because of the availability of the both inductions on other WWE releases, how recently the events happened or a combination of the two. That being said any inclusion does not detract from the package as a whole and due to the nature of this title, inclusion is almost certainly justified. Besides, anyone who has watched their Wrestlemania 27 DVD recently can always reach for the skip button on their remote.

Overall
The inaugural title in the Greatest Rivalries series is a brilliant way to introduce a new concept of WWE releases. It is in depth, insightful and most of all entertaining and even better with Jim Ross in the interviewers chair. Quite simply put, this is the best shoot release by the WWE so far. Despite the omissions from the DVD set, this comes highly recommended from me.
I look forward to the development of the Greatest Rivalries series and highly anticipate the next release.

Craig Wood
@craigwood88

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Blind Tag! Podcast #16

Brad and Joe are back this week to talk about the last week in WWE. We discuss the on going but confusing down fall of Mark Henry, that the build to Cm Punk Vs Jericho has gone a different way and also Daniel Bryan soft lips. All that and so much more!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #15

The Smark Alecs join forces once more in their new (W)WEkly series discussing loads, including; HBK confronting HHH, the US title scene, The Rock's accuracy with his history lessons and of course the monumental collision between T-Lo and J-Lo! 

All this and more as they go on even more tangents, in the way only they can.

Also, be sure to check out our latest PPV Sim: John Cena vs The Rock at, of course, Wrestlemania XXVIII!!

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Wrestlemania XXVIII Tickets

Steve unpackages the WWE's Wrestlemania Package that was FedEx'd over and goes through the contents for you curious smarks!

Ever wonder what's inside a Wrestlemania Package? Now you can find out!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #14

Steve and Joe host the show and discuss the following; Cena infusing himself once again with Word Life, Eve becoming Eve(il) Torres, Jericho becoming #1 contender, Sheamus' lack of impact and The Rock's return promo. All this AND a special announcement as we march forth together!

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Elimination Chamber 2012

The Smark Alecs review the WWE's latest PPV, and the last stop before Wrestlemania XXVIII: Elimination Chamber!

The Smark Alecs discuss in depth the last stop to Wrestlemania, the Jericho dilemma, Cena "Embracing The Hate" and certain Superstars proving their worth.

So tune in, and make sure to get your smark on!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #13

Steve and Brad return to discuss the past two weeks of wrestling, including; Undertaker being an emo kid, Big Show turning heel again, D Bry's Veganism and John Cena showing no Loyalty or Respect to his former, broken hearted, Broski, Zack Ryder.

All this and more, including our Blind Tag! Elimination Chamber Predictions for tonight!

So tune in, and get your smark on!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #12

Steve is joined in the studio with one half of The BJ Podcast, but it's not Brad! Nothing will stop the Smark Alec's, not even the London snowfall!

In #12 we talk about the WWE attempting to appeal to the Internet fans, Sheamus' 'impact' since his Royal Rumble win, Ziggler's fall and, of course, the return of The Undertaker!

Also, be sure to check out our latest BT!P Sim, the first Dream Match: CM Punk vs Kurt Angle!

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Royal Rumble 2012

The Smark Alecs analyse the first PPV of the new year; the Royal Rumble!

Does this beloved PPV live up to their expectations? What did they make of Ziggler vs Punk, or the World Heavyweight Title match? And what about THAT ending?

Tune in, and get your Smark On!

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Blind Tag! Simulation #1 - Ziggler vs Punk @ Royal Rumble

The Smark Alecs introduce the first ever Blind Tag! Simulation with the anticipated rematch between Ziggler and Punk at the Royal Rumble 2012!

If you like the video, please get in contact and let us know. Any feedback would be appreciated; so rate, comment and tell your friends!

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Blind Tag! Podcast #11

The Smark Alecs return with Snake Eyes!

We discuss whether John Cena is embracing the hate, Daniel Bryan's heel persona, whether Zack Ryder actually knows how to change a tyre and whether the tag team division is officially dead. As if it wasn't already.

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Genesis 2012

Today I filled in for Joe on Blind Tag!'s sister show; The BJ Show Podcast as they reviewed TNA's first PPV of 2012: Genesis.

I know, I know - it's not the WWE and I haven't watched TNA in approximately 8 months, but I watched the PPV specifically to review it and help Brad out, so enjoy as I try and struggle to understand what TNA are doing, and why they are doing it.

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Blind Tag! Podcast #10

The Smark Alecs are back with a special guest from their sister show; The BJ Show!

In this episode the Smark Alecs host their Wrestling Round Up, with a focus on Dolph Ziggler's push, Drew McIntrye being the new MVP, the return of Kane and, of course, the return of Y2J himself, Chris Jericho.

So tune in, and get your smark on!

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