This Week in Wrestling

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow.

(Image courtesy of blog.zap2it.com)

Being a UK resident it means that holidays are generally required in order to watch PPVs and Raw live and this past Monday I booked a day off in order to watch Night of the Champions and can’t help but think I shouldn’t have bothered.

It’s near impossible to disagree with the notion floated about on social media afterwards that it felt like an episode of Raw. And a bloated one at that. We kicked off with a terrible 15 minute segment at the start, had two impromptu matches – three if you include the tag titles match which due to challengers needing to win a match first allowed for no proper build up ahead of time – and the worst divas match for a long time, and that’s even by WWE’s standards.

On This Day in Wrestling History: WWF One Night Only

Craig Wilson

(Image courtesy of wikipedia.org)

On this day in 1997 the WWF hosted the UK PPPV ‘One Night Only’ headlined by the European Champion British Bulldog defending against Shawn Michaels. UK based WWF PPVs tend to largely to average at best but this is a fantastic show, a solid 4.5 out of five show and that’s despite three matches in the middle that were poor.

Elsewhere on the show, Bret Hart defended the WWF title against The Undertaker, The Headbangers put their titles on the line against Los Boricuas, Vader met Owen Hart and LOD fought The Godwinns,

Champion Roll Call:

WWF Champion: Bret Hart
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Vacant
WWF Tag Team Champions: The Headbangers
WWF European Champion: The British Bulldog

Top Five Commentators

Craig Wilson, Brian Damage & Jamie Lithgow

Memphis wrestling legend Lance Russell with his regular partner Dave Brown (Image courtesy of blogs.commercialappeal.com)

In writing last week’s appreciation to Jim Ross it became clear that some of the finest moments in wrestling history are just as memorable for the commentary that accompanied them than for the moment itself. I mean, Steve Austin winning the title at Wrestlemania 14 was incredible but would it have been the same had it not been for JR’s “Stone Cold…Stone Cold…Stone Cold” call that accompanied it?

It only makes sense that after JR’s retirement last week we topically look at the Top Five Commentators in Wrestling history this week. It’s of no surprise that JR features. Here; Craig, Brian and Jamie share their views on their favourite commentators…

The Immortal Words And Incredible Pictures Of Hulk Hogan

Brian Damage

“Whatcha Gonna Do When The 24 Inch Pythons And Hulkamania Destroy You!”-Hulk Hogan

I am going to try something a little bit different for this piece. It solely revolves around the man who some may claim is the “Man Who Made Wrestling” or “The Babe Ruth of Wrestling,” The Immortal, Incredible, Icon, Hollywood Hulk Hogan…

What you will bear witness to is quotes from The Hulkster himself pertaining to wrestling, wrestlers, fans, family and himself enshrined on a picture. So look and enjoy…Brother!

Matches from History: Sycho Sid v Bret Hart from Raw is War 17 March 1997

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow

(Image courtesy of historiadawwe.blogspot.com)

Later this year – or early next for UK readers – the WWE will release the 20th anniversary boxset of Raw. In this set will be 20 unedited memorable episodes of Raw. Debate will rage from now until the official announcement as to what shows deserve to be on the set as well as if the “uncut and unedited” description means that Chris Benoit will feature – as Jamie covered last Saturday.

Naturally, all of us at Ringthedamnbell are excited by the prospect of the set and today we following last week’s Top Five Raw Moments article with this ‘Matches from History’ where Craig and Jamie in the steel cage match between then WWF Champion Sid and Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart which took place on the Raw just before Wrestlemania 13.

Raw Rewind: 15 September 1997

Craig Wilson

This #Rawrewind has the next set of Intercontinental Title tournament matches after Stone Cold Steve Austin was stripped of the title whilst the main event sees the WWF Tag Team Champions The Headbangers face Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and The British Bulldog. 

All the previous Raw Rewinds can be located here.

Champion Roll Call:

WWF Champion: Bret Hart
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Vacant
WWF Tag Team Champions: The Headbangers
WWF European Champion: The British Bulldog

Night of Champions 2013 Predictions

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow

(Image courtesy of wikipedia.org)

Tonight the WWE will host the 7th annual Night of Champions pay per view where every champion – bar the Intercontinental Champion – will put their title on the line. In the main event the WWE Champion Randy Orton will defend against Daniel Bryan, in a non title match IC Champion Curtis Axel faces CM Punk with Punk hoping to win to get his hands on Paul Heyman.

Elsewhere; Naomi, Natalya and Brie Bella will take on Divas Champion AJ Lee, Rob Van Dam hopes to win the World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio and The Usos, Prime Time Players, Tons of Funk, The Real Americans and 3MB will meet in a tag turmoil match for the chance to face WWE Tag Champs The Shield later on in the show. Here, Craig and Jamie share their thoughts and predictions for the show.

This Week in Wrestling

Craig Wilson & Jamie Lithgow.

Still a darling of the internet fans but being buried by the WWE (Image courtesy of WWE.com)

Dolph Ziggler’s fall from grace

If you’d said five months ago that John Cena would be out of contention for a while and a new babyface would need to step up, the odds on favourite to benefit would have been Dolph Ziggler. What a difference a matter of months makes.

On Raw the night after Wrestlemania the arena erupted when Ziggler cashed in Money in the Bank to become the new World Heavyweight Champion and that was despite being a heel. Then came the face turns that the fans were crying out for but that’s where the wheels have well and truly came off for Ziggler.

Jim Ross an Appreciation

Craig Wilson & Brian Damage.

(Image courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

On Wednesday 11 September WWE announcer – and producer of the finest BBQ sauce – Jim Ross retired from wrestling. In doing so, he brought the curtain down on a 31 year announcing career that took him from Bill Watts’ Mid-South Wrestling to the WWE via Jim Crockett Promotions, NWA and WCW.

As with every retirement announcement from people in prominent positions, rumours have circulated as to the reason behind this announcement. This piece has absolutely no interest in that. Instead, Craig and Brian pay tribute to one of, if not the, best announcer that’s ever called a wrestling match.