Big change on Masterpiece’s popular drama Miss Scarlet and the Duke.
Stuart Martin, who played William “The Duke” Wellington in the previous four seasons, will not return for season 5. Kate Phillips will return as Miss Eliza Scarlet for a fifth season of investigations, and the series will be retitled Miss Scarlet.
“It has been such an incredible joy to bring Duke to life through Rachael’s beautiful, brilliant writing, and to get to play him for the past four years,” said Martin in a statement. “But it felt like the time was right for Scarlet to explore new stories and challenges for now, as the show continues to grow and evolve. I will miss working with my amazing partner in crime Kate and the rest of our brilliant family and team, but I’m excited to continue following Eliza and her escapades as a huge fan and newly enrolled Scarleteer!
Stuart Martin, who played William “The Duke” Wellington in the previous four seasons, will not return for season 5. Kate Phillips will return as Miss Eliza Scarlet for a fifth season of investigations, and the series will be retitled Miss Scarlet.
“It has been such an incredible joy to bring Duke to life through Rachael’s beautiful, brilliant writing, and to get to play him for the past four years,” said Martin in a statement. “But it felt like the time was right for Scarlet to explore new stories and challenges for now, as the show continues to grow and evolve. I will miss working with my amazing partner in crime Kate and the rest of our brilliant family and team, but I’m excited to continue following Eliza and her escapades as a huge fan and newly enrolled Scarleteer!
- 2/29/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Hossein Khosrow Vaziri, the Iran-born wrestler known as the Iron Sheik, who channeled America’s hatred of his homeland to build a career as one of the most despised ring villains of his era, died Wednesday. He was 81.
“Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling,” read a statement posted to the Iron Sheik’s Twitter account announcing his death. The WWE also paid tribute on Twitter; a cause of death was not disclosed.
A former bodyguard for the Shah of Iran, Vaziri came to the U.S. in the late 1960s. For his wrestling persona, he shaved his head, grew a mustache, sported a ghutra headdress and curled-toe boots, and swung a pair of 75-pound Persian meels above his head as a demonstration of his strength.
“Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling,” read a statement posted to the Iron Sheik’s Twitter account announcing his death. The WWE also paid tribute on Twitter; a cause of death was not disclosed.
A former bodyguard for the Shah of Iran, Vaziri came to the U.S. in the late 1960s. For his wrestling persona, he shaved his head, grew a mustache, sported a ghutra headdress and curled-toe boots, and swung a pair of 75-pound Persian meels above his head as a demonstration of his strength.
- 6/7/2023
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Iron Sheik, the notorious pro-wrestling villain who warred with Hulk Hogan in the 1980s and whose gimmick capitalized on U.S. tensions with Iran, has died at 81. The Sheik’s death was announced Wednesday via his popular yet polarizing Twitter account, which helped turn the sports-entertainment cult figure into an online presence.
“Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling,” the post read. “We also...
“Today, we gather with heavy hearts to bid farewell to a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling,” the post read. “We also...
- 6/7/2023
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
Former WWE star, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, detailed a scary incident that took place in his home last week.
In an interview with Wrestling Inc. last Friday, the ex-wrestler explained how a man in his mid-20s had entered his home in South Carolina around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday. Duggan, 68, told the outlet that he tackled the man to the ground and took possession of his .44 caliber pistol and held the intruder at gunpoint.
Read More: Robert De Niro’s House In New York Reportedly Burglarized While He Was At Home With Daughter
After hearing commotion in his neighbourhood, which Duggan and his wife, Debra, believed could be related to the man in their home, they decided to turn off their Christmas lights and told the startled intruder to be quiet, given the information he had told the couple — that people who wanted him dead were after him.
Until police arrived,...
In an interview with Wrestling Inc. last Friday, the ex-wrestler explained how a man in his mid-20s had entered his home in South Carolina around 6:45 p.m. on Thursday. Duggan, 68, told the outlet that he tackled the man to the ground and took possession of his .44 caliber pistol and held the intruder at gunpoint.
Read More: Robert De Niro’s House In New York Reportedly Burglarized While He Was At Home With Daughter
After hearing commotion in his neighbourhood, which Duggan and his wife, Debra, believed could be related to the man in their home, they decided to turn off their Christmas lights and told the startled intruder to be quiet, given the information he had told the couple — that people who wanted him dead were after him.
Until police arrived,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Production is underway in Serbia for a fourth season of Miss Scarlet and The Duke, the Masterpiece mystery starring Kate Phillips as the first-ever female detective in Victorian London. The PBS series also features Stuart Martin as her childhood friend, professional colleague and potential love interest Inspector William “The Duke” Wellington.
The Masterpiece broadcast of season three of Miss Scarlet and the Duke starts on January 8, 2023 and is currently streaming on PBS Passport and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. Masterpiece is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.
The cast also includes Cathy Belton, Evan McCabe (Doctor Who), Felix Scott, Paul Bazely, Curtis Kantsa, Simon Ludders and Tim Chipping.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke is from Element 8 Entertainment and...
The Masterpiece broadcast of season three of Miss Scarlet and the Duke starts on January 8, 2023 and is currently streaming on PBS Passport and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. Masterpiece is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.
The cast also includes Cathy Belton, Evan McCabe (Doctor Who), Felix Scott, Paul Bazely, Curtis Kantsa, Simon Ludders and Tim Chipping.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke is from Element 8 Entertainment and...
- 11/29/2022
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Please be advised that in the interests of maintaining contemporaneous consistency I will be referring to WWE as WWF throughout this article. This clarification should prevent you from imagining giant men in spandex fighting pandas for money.
On August the 29th 1992 the WWF came to Wembley Stadium for its annual SummerSlam. It was the first time the organisation had strayed outside the States for an event of this scale, and the reason was purely financial: Vince McMahon and his backers realised that while enthusiasm for the sport was waning – or at least plateauing – in the US, fans in the UK were in the fevered grip of Wrestlemania, Hulkamania, and – perhaps most crucially of all – Gladly-Spend-Thirty-Pounds-on-a-Giant-Foam-Finger-amania. The WWF’s instincts proved correct: the first round of tickets for SummerSlam sold out in five minutes, and the event helped to shift over a million pounds in merchandising. UK fans would do anything...
On August the 29th 1992 the WWF came to Wembley Stadium for its annual SummerSlam. It was the first time the organisation had strayed outside the States for an event of this scale, and the reason was purely financial: Vince McMahon and his backers realised that while enthusiasm for the sport was waning – or at least plateauing – in the US, fans in the UK were in the fevered grip of Wrestlemania, Hulkamania, and – perhaps most crucially of all – Gladly-Spend-Thirty-Pounds-on-a-Giant-Foam-Finger-amania. The WWF’s instincts proved correct: the first round of tickets for SummerSlam sold out in five minutes, and the event helped to shift over a million pounds in merchandising. UK fans would do anything...
- 8/29/2022
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
Stars: William DeCoff, Alexandra Cipolla, Sarah Michelle, Lizzie Havoc, Alexander Hauck, Ralph Regine, Christina Costello, Stephen Cwiok, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Melantha Blackthorne | Written and Directed by Richard Chandler
You would think that the worlds of horror and professional wrestling would meet and make magical beautiful music together, wouldn’t you? Both are brash, bright, crazy and incredibly fun when they’re good. Sadly… both are bloody awful if done poorly. I’ve seen a few movies that have attempted to blend horror and wrestling and I’m yet to see one that has done it particularly well. So… is Parts Unknown, directed and written by Richard Chandler (Witch Hunt), a wrestling horror flick that manages to blend the two mediums into an entertaining film?
It’s a simple premise, as you’d expect, with a violent family of wrestlers (not sports entertainers) who look for another way to satisfy their lust for blood.
You would think that the worlds of horror and professional wrestling would meet and make magical beautiful music together, wouldn’t you? Both are brash, bright, crazy and incredibly fun when they’re good. Sadly… both are bloody awful if done poorly. I’ve seen a few movies that have attempted to blend horror and wrestling and I’m yet to see one that has done it particularly well. So… is Parts Unknown, directed and written by Richard Chandler (Witch Hunt), a wrestling horror flick that manages to blend the two mediums into an entertaining film?
It’s a simple premise, as you’d expect, with a violent family of wrestlers (not sports entertainers) who look for another way to satisfy their lust for blood.
- 7/29/2020
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE legend "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan says he's thankful to be alive after a serious medical scare over Thanksgiving weekend ... telling TMZ Sports the whole experience was terrifying. 64-year-old Duggan was hospitalized last week after feeling "out of shape" and sensing a pain in his chest ... and says he had 6-8 people working on him in the ICU at one time. Turns out ... Hacksaw's heart had gone into atrial fibrillation -- aka AFib -- which, according to medical sites,...
- 12/1/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan tells TMZ Sports ... WWE is making the Right move pushing forward with the Saudi Arabia show -- explaining, "You can't shut down a whole operation over a horrible incident. Vince McMahon's company announced Thursday the 'Crown Jewel' event in Riyadh will proceed as planned on Nov. 2 ... despite pressure to postpone after the murder of reporter Jamal Khashoggi. But, Duggan says even though Khashoggi's death is a tragedy -- the WWE legend...
- 10/25/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Gavin Jasper Nov 12, 2018
Whether four-on-four or five-on-five, the traditional Survivor Series tag team match tends to give us some memorable moments.
In the early days of PPV, WWE had its Big Four system down. There was the biggest show of the year, the second biggest show of the year that happened in the summer, the show where they had the cool 30-man match, and the show with the elimination tag matches. Even though it nearly got dropped once or twice over the years, Survivor Series is a tradition that I fully embrace. The traditional elimination tag gimmick is seriously underrated as a fun showcase that stretched good stories, ended bad stories, gave us random battles, and built stars when necessary.
See related WCW WarGames: Ranking the Matches Every Royal Rumble in WWE History Ranked WWE Elimination Chamber: Ranking All The Matches
Unfortunately, the company has been more obsessed with giving...
Whether four-on-four or five-on-five, the traditional Survivor Series tag team match tends to give us some memorable moments.
In the early days of PPV, WWE had its Big Four system down. There was the biggest show of the year, the second biggest show of the year that happened in the summer, the show where they had the cool 30-man match, and the show with the elimination tag matches. Even though it nearly got dropped once or twice over the years, Survivor Series is a tradition that I fully embrace. The traditional elimination tag gimmick is seriously underrated as a fun showcase that stretched good stories, ended bad stories, gave us random battles, and built stars when necessary.
See related WCW WarGames: Ranking the Matches Every Royal Rumble in WWE History Ranked WWE Elimination Chamber: Ranking All The Matches
Unfortunately, the company has been more obsessed with giving...
- 11/16/2017
- Den of Geek
January 24th, 1988 was a great day in wrestling history. On that date, live on the USA Network, the WWE held their first ever Royal Rumble. In classic Vince McMahon fashion, holding this event for free on cable was a way to keep folks from ordering the Bunkhouse Stampede pay per view Jim Crockett Promotions put out that same day. The Royal Rumble match itself was revolutionary. Starting with two performers in the ring, at regularly timed intervals, another performer would come out until, in the case of the 1988 Royal Rumble, all twenty participants were in the ring. The winner of that first Rumble was Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
Fast forward 29 years and here we are at the 30th Royal Rumble. Unlike the Rumble’s that have occurred the past five years, the WWE has done an amazing job of promoting this event. They have some great matches in store as well...
Fast forward 29 years and here we are at the 30th Royal Rumble. Unlike the Rumble’s that have occurred the past five years, the WWE has done an amazing job of promoting this event. They have some great matches in store as well...
- 1/29/2017
- by Tim Jousma
- LRMonline.com
WWE.com
WrestleMania is close. So close you can smell it. And it stinks! It’s like being drenched in a mixture of Kane’s and Fake Kane’s sweat. There’s so many unanswered questions right now, that WWE may or may not bother to address, that it makes the show feel as lackluster as that time every announcer wore a toga to Mania.
For starters, what is Bray Wyatt going to be doing at the show? Why does no one bother to tell us that Kalisto already beat Ryback in a televised tournament match? And how did Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and their driver not see Roman Reigns walk towards them from approximately 200 feet away? And all they had to do to protect themselves was lock the doors or start driving!
The Big Show had the worst line of the week when he exclaimed that Andre the Giant...
WrestleMania is close. So close you can smell it. And it stinks! It’s like being drenched in a mixture of Kane’s and Fake Kane’s sweat. There’s so many unanswered questions right now, that WWE may or may not bother to address, that it makes the show feel as lackluster as that time every announcer wore a toga to Mania.
For starters, what is Bray Wyatt going to be doing at the show? Why does no one bother to tell us that Kalisto already beat Ryback in a televised tournament match? And how did Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, and their driver not see Roman Reigns walk towards them from approximately 200 feet away? And all they had to do to protect themselves was lock the doors or start driving!
The Big Show had the worst line of the week when he exclaimed that Andre the Giant...
- 3/27/2016
- by Andrew Soucek
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Bursting through the curtain for his first ever WCW World Title bout, Hulk Hogan looked slimmed down, healthy, and eager to make a great first impression. At World Championship Wrestling’s Bash At The Beach event on July 17, 1994, Hogan was set to face ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair in a match pro wrestling fans had waited years to see.
This was the dawning of a new era for WCW, and many backstage felt the company – upon signing Hulk – had finally hit the big time. There was a sea of change on the roster, quickly evolving into a line-up which greatly resembled the WWF roster of the late-1980’s and early-1990’s.
Hogan brought pals like Jim Duggan, The Honky Tonk Man and Ed ‘Brutus Beefcake’ Leslie along for the ride. The latter even headlined Starrcade 1994 opposite Hulk himself, a decision WCW VP Eric Bischoff would later dub a mistake that he regrets.
Bursting through the curtain for his first ever WCW World Title bout, Hulk Hogan looked slimmed down, healthy, and eager to make a great first impression. At World Championship Wrestling’s Bash At The Beach event on July 17, 1994, Hogan was set to face ‘Nature Boy’ Ric Flair in a match pro wrestling fans had waited years to see.
This was the dawning of a new era for WCW, and many backstage felt the company – upon signing Hulk – had finally hit the big time. There was a sea of change on the roster, quickly evolving into a line-up which greatly resembled the WWF roster of the late-1980’s and early-1990’s.
Hogan brought pals like Jim Duggan, The Honky Tonk Man and Ed ‘Brutus Beefcake’ Leslie along for the ride. The latter even headlined Starrcade 1994 opposite Hulk himself, a decision WCW VP Eric Bischoff would later dub a mistake that he regrets.
- 3/21/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Bret “Hitman” Hart began his career in his father’s Stampede Wrestling promotion, before achieving global superstardom in the World Wrestling Federation in the ’80’s and ’90’s. His no-nonsense attitude, and the legitimacy that came with being a Hart Brother from the infamous family Dungeon enabled Bret to bypass the cartoon gimmicks that were handed out to his WWF colleagues.
And so, while his peers on the WWF roster were saddled with ludicrous personas (such as the gifted Terry Taylor being made to cluck and strut as The Red Rooster), Bret was able to sidestep all of the cornball nonsense and continually be presented as a serious athlete.
Forget the multiple championship wins, being presented simply as a wrestler in Vince McMahon’s 80’s universe,was perhaps Bret’s greatest accomplishment.
That being said, even a guy as respected and decorated as ‘the Hitman’ would still occasionally find...
Bret “Hitman” Hart began his career in his father’s Stampede Wrestling promotion, before achieving global superstardom in the World Wrestling Federation in the ’80’s and ’90’s. His no-nonsense attitude, and the legitimacy that came with being a Hart Brother from the infamous family Dungeon enabled Bret to bypass the cartoon gimmicks that were handed out to his WWF colleagues.
And so, while his peers on the WWF roster were saddled with ludicrous personas (such as the gifted Terry Taylor being made to cluck and strut as The Red Rooster), Bret was able to sidestep all of the cornball nonsense and continually be presented as a serious athlete.
Forget the multiple championship wins, being presented simply as a wrestler in Vince McMahon’s 80’s universe,was perhaps Bret’s greatest accomplishment.
That being said, even a guy as respected and decorated as ‘the Hitman’ would still occasionally find...
- 3/16/2016
- by Daniel Donnelly
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Today, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts looks healthy, coherent and happy. Just a few short years ago, that wasn’t the case and the man’s life was in pretty poor shape. The demons which have plagued Jake during his life have been well-documented, so it’s heartening to see the man getting his existence back in fine fettle.
Thanks to the help of Diamond Dallas Page and his closest friends, Roberts has turned the sinking ship into a more healthy vessel. The former WWF and WCW star also has pro wrestling fans to thank for getting things back together, but at the same time he can’t help but think back to a time when they pretty much cost him a lot of money.
In this week’s article, find out about Jake’s thoughts on the feud that never was against Hulk Hogan. Words spoken to him...
Today, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts looks healthy, coherent and happy. Just a few short years ago, that wasn’t the case and the man’s life was in pretty poor shape. The demons which have plagued Jake during his life have been well-documented, so it’s heartening to see the man getting his existence back in fine fettle.
Thanks to the help of Diamond Dallas Page and his closest friends, Roberts has turned the sinking ship into a more healthy vessel. The former WWF and WCW star also has pro wrestling fans to thank for getting things back together, but at the same time he can’t help but think back to a time when they pretty much cost him a lot of money.
In this week’s article, find out about Jake’s thoughts on the feud that never was against Hulk Hogan. Words spoken to him...
- 3/11/2016
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Professional football and wrestling have a long, intertwined history that goes back generations. In the early days of the National Football League, many players moonlighted as professional wrestlers during the off-season to supplement their salary. Others whose football careers wound down (or never really took off) found their way into the squared circle as a new vocation.
The landscape of modern wrestling is littered with wrestlers who tried their hand at professional football, such as Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ron Simmons, Lex Luger, Brian Pillman, Goldberg, Ernie Ladd and many others. Even today, there are several WWE and Nxt stars who gave it a go on the gridiron before switching to wrestling: Mojo Rawley, Baron Corbin and even Roman Reigns.
But there is a very select group of men who have reached the pinnacle of both sports. Only a handful of athletes have played in the NFL’s Super Bowl and competed at WrestleMania.
Professional football and wrestling have a long, intertwined history that goes back generations. In the early days of the National Football League, many players moonlighted as professional wrestlers during the off-season to supplement their salary. Others whose football careers wound down (or never really took off) found their way into the squared circle as a new vocation.
The landscape of modern wrestling is littered with wrestlers who tried their hand at professional football, such as Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ron Simmons, Lex Luger, Brian Pillman, Goldberg, Ernie Ladd and many others. Even today, there are several WWE and Nxt stars who gave it a go on the gridiron before switching to wrestling: Mojo Rawley, Baron Corbin and even Roman Reigns.
But there is a very select group of men who have reached the pinnacle of both sports. Only a handful of athletes have played in the NFL’s Super Bowl and competed at WrestleMania.
- 2/7/2016
- by Scott Carlson
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
To many wrestling fans, the annual Royal Rumble is the most enjoyable PPV of the year. Sure, WrestleMania may have the glitz and glamour, but the Rumble show usually has at least one or two great matches on the card, not to mention the over-the-top titular match itself.
The reason that fans love the Royal Rumble match is down to a whole variety of reasons; there’s the anticipation of possibly seeing a debuting face; there’s the hope of an old favourite of yesteryear appearing; there’s the chance that the match is used to make somebody into a main event player; and there’s even the slightest of hope (which is seemingly getting slighter with each passing year) that will be given an unpredictable finish.
Quite often, though, the real key to a Royal Rumble match is its anchor; a superstar who slugs it out and...
To many wrestling fans, the annual Royal Rumble is the most enjoyable PPV of the year. Sure, WrestleMania may have the glitz and glamour, but the Rumble show usually has at least one or two great matches on the card, not to mention the over-the-top titular match itself.
The reason that fans love the Royal Rumble match is down to a whole variety of reasons; there’s the anticipation of possibly seeing a debuting face; there’s the hope of an old favourite of yesteryear appearing; there’s the chance that the match is used to make somebody into a main event player; and there’s even the slightest of hope (which is seemingly getting slighter with each passing year) that will be given an unpredictable finish.
Quite often, though, the real key to a Royal Rumble match is its anchor; a superstar who slugs it out and...
- 1/23/2016
- by Andrew Pollard
- Obsessed with Film
WWE
The Hasbro line of WWF toys is much-heralded and remains a favourite amongst wrestling action figure fans everywhere, with the articulation and cartoony feel putting them ahead of the static Ljn range that had preceded it, not to mention WCW’s similarly-limited Galoobs.
To this day they are not particularly rare or expensive – a few notable exceptions aside – but as they were released from 1990-1994, a time when most collectors were still wide-eyed children, they remain a nostalgic favourite with fans across the world.
However, as great as Hasbro figures were, the company was occasionally lazy in its output. Did we really want that second Jim Duggan figure wearing the singlet he donned for a couple of months in 1993? Was a repaint of the Bushwhackers from grey, black and white camos to brown and yellow ones something collectors had been yearning for? Was it really necessary to put out a second Yokozuna figure,...
The Hasbro line of WWF toys is much-heralded and remains a favourite amongst wrestling action figure fans everywhere, with the articulation and cartoony feel putting them ahead of the static Ljn range that had preceded it, not to mention WCW’s similarly-limited Galoobs.
To this day they are not particularly rare or expensive – a few notable exceptions aside – but as they were released from 1990-1994, a time when most collectors were still wide-eyed children, they remain a nostalgic favourite with fans across the world.
However, as great as Hasbro figures were, the company was occasionally lazy in its output. Did we really want that second Jim Duggan figure wearing the singlet he donned for a couple of months in 1993? Was a repaint of the Bushwhackers from grey, black and white camos to brown and yellow ones something collectors had been yearning for? Was it really necessary to put out a second Yokozuna figure,...
- 1/22/2016
- by James Dixon
- Obsessed with Film
Gavin Jasper Jan 13, 2020
With WWE Royal Rumble 2020 almost upon us, we look at every match and see the best and worst of what they had to offer.
In 2003, a rapping John Cena said it best. “Besides open mics, one thing that gets me boiled is an old school 30-man battle royal.” Actually, he didn’t say that best at all! What was I thinking quoting him?
What I mean to say is that the Royal Rumble match is one of the best things WWE has had going for them since the '80s. Pat Patterson’s brainchild has given us well over a day’s worth of footage and a lifetime of great memories. WWE may act like the Royal Rumble is the appetizer to WrestleMania’s main course, but as far as I’m concerned, the Rumble is the main course and Mania is just a lengthy dessert.
As...
With WWE Royal Rumble 2020 almost upon us, we look at every match and see the best and worst of what they had to offer.
In 2003, a rapping John Cena said it best. “Besides open mics, one thing that gets me boiled is an old school 30-man battle royal.” Actually, he didn’t say that best at all! What was I thinking quoting him?
What I mean to say is that the Royal Rumble match is one of the best things WWE has had going for them since the '80s. Pat Patterson’s brainchild has given us well over a day’s worth of footage and a lifetime of great memories. WWE may act like the Royal Rumble is the appetizer to WrestleMania’s main course, but as far as I’m concerned, the Rumble is the main course and Mania is just a lengthy dessert.
As...
- 1/15/2016
- Den of Geek
Mark Lennihan/AP/Press Association Images
Professional wrestling is no stranger to the word ‘scandal’. By virtue of this, the industry has never elected to shy away from courting controversy.
The (sports) entertainment medium known as pro wrestling is pre-determined. In 2015, that’s hardly a shocking statement, but there was certainly a time when it was.
In 1987, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan and The Iron Sheik played polar opposites on WWF television. Duggan was a patriotic babyface, whereas the Sheik was portrayed as a foreign heel menace. Behind the scenes, the men were good friends and travel partners. When they were busted by police for drugs whilst riding together on the road, it caused some problems for the company that employed them. In ’87, the idea of wrestling being outed as ‘fake’ was appealing to the mainstream media, and they jumped all over the story.
Turning a negative into a positive for his company,...
Professional wrestling is no stranger to the word ‘scandal’. By virtue of this, the industry has never elected to shy away from courting controversy.
The (sports) entertainment medium known as pro wrestling is pre-determined. In 2015, that’s hardly a shocking statement, but there was certainly a time when it was.
In 1987, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan and The Iron Sheik played polar opposites on WWF television. Duggan was a patriotic babyface, whereas the Sheik was portrayed as a foreign heel menace. Behind the scenes, the men were good friends and travel partners. When they were busted by police for drugs whilst riding together on the road, it caused some problems for the company that employed them. In ’87, the idea of wrestling being outed as ‘fake’ was appealing to the mainstream media, and they jumped all over the story.
Turning a negative into a positive for his company,...
- 12/8/2015
- by Jamie Kennedy
- Obsessed with Film
wwe.com
One of the very first wrestling matches I remember watching as a child was Dino Bravo vs. ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan. Duggan won via disqualification, and looking back it seems that a lot of matches ended in either a Dq or a count out back then. The listed finishing moves don’t show too much in the way of creativity either; Bravo used a side slam, Duggan a clothesline.
Fast forward to 2015 and the moves performed inside the ring have never been more innovative or impactful. Neville’s ‘Red Arrow’, Bray Wyatt’s ‘Sister Abigail’, Cody Rhodes’ ‘Queens Crossbow’ and countless others show off a new level creativity when it comes to finishing off opponents inside the squared circle. There are seemingly no limits to what the men and women can do inside the ring today.
That isn’t entirely true, however, as there are still a few limits.
One of the very first wrestling matches I remember watching as a child was Dino Bravo vs. ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan. Duggan won via disqualification, and looking back it seems that a lot of matches ended in either a Dq or a count out back then. The listed finishing moves don’t show too much in the way of creativity either; Bravo used a side slam, Duggan a clothesline.
Fast forward to 2015 and the moves performed inside the ring have never been more innovative or impactful. Neville’s ‘Red Arrow’, Bray Wyatt’s ‘Sister Abigail’, Cody Rhodes’ ‘Queens Crossbow’ and countless others show off a new level creativity when it comes to finishing off opponents inside the squared circle. There are seemingly no limits to what the men and women can do inside the ring today.
That isn’t entirely true, however, as there are still a few limits.
- 12/8/2015
- by John Bills
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
In today’s WWE Universe, the Survivor Series has turned into just another pay-per-view (or “WWE Network special presentation”, however you want to say it), but, back in the day, it was one of the premiere events on the WWE calendar.
An Original Four event, the Survivor Series featured an entire card stacked with teams of four wrestlers taking on another team in an elimination tag match. In its earliest incarnation, the “survivors” of the matches on the card would meet in the main event in an Ultimate Survivor Match to determine the king(s) of the Survivor Series.
However, with the Attitude Era came changes in the product and WWE felt that the late 1990s audiences didn’t have the attention span for Survivor Series matches, which sometimes ran as long as 40 minutes to tell a proper story. This made the event far less important and less...
In today’s WWE Universe, the Survivor Series has turned into just another pay-per-view (or “WWE Network special presentation”, however you want to say it), but, back in the day, it was one of the premiere events on the WWE calendar.
An Original Four event, the Survivor Series featured an entire card stacked with teams of four wrestlers taking on another team in an elimination tag match. In its earliest incarnation, the “survivors” of the matches on the card would meet in the main event in an Ultimate Survivor Match to determine the king(s) of the Survivor Series.
However, with the Attitude Era came changes in the product and WWE felt that the late 1990s audiences didn’t have the attention span for Survivor Series matches, which sometimes ran as long as 40 minutes to tell a proper story. This made the event far less important and less...
- 11/6/2015
- by Mike Shannon
- Obsessed with Film
Known for his signature finishing move the Ddt, and for coming into the ring with his pet snake Damien, Jake The Snake Roberts was one of the most colorful performers in the classic era of the World Wrestling Federation. But his life outside of the ring was far different than what his fans knew. Battles with drug and alcohol addiction wreaked havoc with his personal life and eventually his professional life. Now the story of his greatest battle of all is told in the upcoming documentary "The Resurrection Of Jake The Snake" premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival. Directed by Steve Yu and featuring any wrestling fan's dream array of talent including Scott Hall (aka Razor Ramon), Stone Cold Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Ted Dibiase, Adam Copeland (aka Edge), Gene Okerlund, Jim Duggan (aka Hacksaw Jim Duggan), Jim Ross and Jerry Mires (aka J-Rocc), the film chronicles the relationship between...
- 1/16/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
WWE.com
The 1990 Royal Rumble came at a time when it felt like WWE was ready to make some big changes. Even though Hulk Hogan was still the man, it was the 1990s and there were questions about how long he was going to keep being featured as the top guy.
The Ultimate Warrior was really catching fire and gaining popularity while Hogan was in his sixth year as the top guy. Both were in the Rumble match, so if we were looking at it the way we look at wrestling 25 years later, the smart thinking would be for Warrior or somebody else to win the match. That’s not what happened, though.
It was also a time when the roster wasn’t really that good on the heel side. There were the likes of Mr. Perfect, Ted Dibiase and Randy Savage in heel roles. They are some of the best heels ever,...
The 1990 Royal Rumble came at a time when it felt like WWE was ready to make some big changes. Even though Hulk Hogan was still the man, it was the 1990s and there were questions about how long he was going to keep being featured as the top guy.
The Ultimate Warrior was really catching fire and gaining popularity while Hogan was in his sixth year as the top guy. Both were in the Rumble match, so if we were looking at it the way we look at wrestling 25 years later, the smart thinking would be for Warrior or somebody else to win the match. That’s not what happened, though.
It was also a time when the roster wasn’t really that good on the heel side. There were the likes of Mr. Perfect, Ted Dibiase and Randy Savage in heel roles. They are some of the best heels ever,...
- 1/4/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The 1989 Royal Rumble was a historic show because it was the first time the Rumble was a pay-per-view show. The previous year’s Rumble was a three hour event on USA Network that was done as a counter to an Nwa PPV on the same night. After the success of that show in 1988, WWE decided to make it an annual PPV event.
With the launch of the Rumble as an annual January PPV event, it meant that WWE would have four standard PPVs every year with the Rumble starting the year off, then WrestleMania in late March or early April, SummerSlam in August and Survivor Series in November. They became known as the “big four” events in the WWE year until King of the Ring started in 1993 and monthly PPVs began in 1995.
The WWE Champion going into the show was Randy Savage, who held the title for nearly ten months at this point.
The 1989 Royal Rumble was a historic show because it was the first time the Rumble was a pay-per-view show. The previous year’s Rumble was a three hour event on USA Network that was done as a counter to an Nwa PPV on the same night. After the success of that show in 1988, WWE decided to make it an annual PPV event.
With the launch of the Rumble as an annual January PPV event, it meant that WWE would have four standard PPVs every year with the Rumble starting the year off, then WrestleMania in late March or early April, SummerSlam in August and Survivor Series in November. They became known as the “big four” events in the WWE year until King of the Ring started in 1993 and monthly PPVs began in 1995.
The WWE Champion going into the show was Randy Savage, who held the title for nearly ten months at this point.
- 1/2/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s biggest shows of the year. For a lot of fans, it’s second only to WrestleMania. WWE likes to bill it as one of their “big four” because it’s an event that goes back to 1988 as a regular January show that was a great way to build things up to WrestleMania in the spring.
Throughout the month of January, I’ll be posting “7 Things You Should Know” about every Royal Rumble event starting with the first one in 1988 right up to the 2014 event. A new one will be posted every day leading up this year’s Royal Rumble on January 25. Since there are 27 of them in all, there will be a couple of days with two posts that go up. Be sure to visit WhatCulture daily to see all of the Royal Rumble features this month.
To start it all off,...
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s biggest shows of the year. For a lot of fans, it’s second only to WrestleMania. WWE likes to bill it as one of their “big four” because it’s an event that goes back to 1988 as a regular January show that was a great way to build things up to WrestleMania in the spring.
Throughout the month of January, I’ll be posting “7 Things You Should Know” about every Royal Rumble event starting with the first one in 1988 right up to the 2014 event. A new one will be posted every day leading up this year’s Royal Rumble on January 25. Since there are 27 of them in all, there will be a couple of days with two posts that go up. Be sure to visit WhatCulture daily to see all of the Royal Rumble features this month.
To start it all off,...
- 1/1/2015
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
Perhaps the name Khosrow Vaziri isn't immediately familiar to you, but if you're a person of a certain age, than you remember growing up with The Iron Sheik. One the most fearsome villains in the heyday of the WWF, the wrestler has gained a new life outside the ring thanks to his unique, outrageous social media presence. And the forthcoming documentary "The Sheik" dives right into his digital world. Directed by Igal Hecht, and featuring Hulk Hogan, Dwayne Johnson, Mick Foley, Seth Green, Jack Black, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Bret Hart, King Kong Bundy, Koko B Ware, Brother Love, Ron Jeremy, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and more, the doc goes all the way back to tell the story of Vazirir's journey to America, and what's it like to be a 72-year-old father, husband, and grandfather, who also happens to be a sensation online. And in this exclusive clip, you can get...
- 11/26/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
WWE
Pro wrestling is, and should be, wacky. It’s a live action puppet show that kids and adults alike can go to so they can cheer and boo their hearts out. Theater for all ages
Just look at the above photo: There are likely few wrestling-related images in history evoke “live action puppet show” like this. It appears to be “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan (in is King Duggan guise) visiting Hershey Park…where he’s greeted by anthropomorphic chocolate and what I’d hope is some kind of tour guide in…what is that? Is it an elf costume? A chocolate-making elf? But it’s a pro wrestler who’s best known as a living, breathing cartoon character being flanked by costumed confectionaries and, well, it actually looks kind of normal.
Pro wrestling has a long, storied history of great photography, first with decades of magazines all over the world,...
Pro wrestling is, and should be, wacky. It’s a live action puppet show that kids and adults alike can go to so they can cheer and boo their hearts out. Theater for all ages
Just look at the above photo: There are likely few wrestling-related images in history evoke “live action puppet show” like this. It appears to be “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan (in is King Duggan guise) visiting Hershey Park…where he’s greeted by anthropomorphic chocolate and what I’d hope is some kind of tour guide in…what is that? Is it an elf costume? A chocolate-making elf? But it’s a pro wrestler who’s best known as a living, breathing cartoon character being flanked by costumed confectionaries and, well, it actually looks kind of normal.
Pro wrestling has a long, storied history of great photography, first with decades of magazines all over the world,...
- 9/30/2014
- by David Bixenspan
- Obsessed with Film
If you haven't heard about Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies prepare yourself because we're about to educate you on the most ridiculously over the top looking thing in… well, months.
It's exactly what the title suggests: a bunch of old time wrestlers duke it out against a bunch of zombies. There's a plot but who needs it when you have "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Kurt Angle (ha!) and Matt Hardy duking it out against a bunch of dead alives? It looks as ridiculous as you could possibly imagine and I expect that with a group of people, this will play like gangbusters.
Check out the ridiculous trailer and if you're game for some trashy viewing, you can pick up a special edition of Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies [Continued ...]...
It's exactly what the title suggests: a bunch of old time wrestlers duke it out against a bunch of zombies. There's a plot but who needs it when you have "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "The Franchise" Shane Douglas, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Kurt Angle (ha!) and Matt Hardy duking it out against a bunch of dead alives? It looks as ridiculous as you could possibly imagine and I expect that with a group of people, this will play like gangbusters.
Check out the ridiculous trailer and if you're game for some trashy viewing, you can pick up a special edition of Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies [Continued ...]...
- 8/15/2014
- QuietEarth.us
The WWE launched its much-spoken of, much-publicized and much-advertised by its announcers on television every single week, Network at the end of February and now we are just over five months on from the launch, so I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the Network now that the issues have been ironed out, more content has been added and rumours have begun to swirl that WWE are planning to launch it in the rest of the world before 2014 comes to a close.
When it launched five months ago the WWE Network was a big of a mess in terms of glitches and errors, from people experiencing numerous problems with the sign-up process, people being charged twice, people being charged even though they cancelled before the end of the “free trial”, and then the issues that came once you signed in. Freezing during the on-demand portion of the service,...
When it launched five months ago the WWE Network was a big of a mess in terms of glitches and errors, from people experiencing numerous problems with the sign-up process, people being charged twice, people being charged even though they cancelled before the end of the “free trial”, and then the issues that came once you signed in. Freezing during the on-demand portion of the service,...
- 7/28/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
Pat Patterson, a WWE exec and WWE Hall of Fame wrestler, came out publicly as a gay man for the first time in the season finale of WWE reality series “Legends’ House.” The emotional admission (above) arrived during dinner while reflecting on his career in the wrestling business alongside seven other “Legends,” including Roddy Piper, Jimmy Hart, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Hillbilly Jim. Also read: WWE's Stone Cold Steve Austin Slams ‘Motherf-kers’ Who Don't Agree With Gay Marriage (Audio) “Sitting here tonight, I'm going to say something that I would never want to say publicly,” Patterson said. “But being here with you guys,...
- 6/13/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
WWE.com
WWE Legends House is the first reality television program available on the WWE Network. Eight WWE legends: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Hillbilly Jim, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Tony Atlas, Jimmy Hart, Pat Patterson, “Mean” Gene Okerlund and Howard Finkel all move in together and the hilarity ensues. While we best know these legends from watching them in the ring, Legends House offers us a look at the personal lives of our beloved childhood heroes every Thursday at 10pm on the WWE Network.
Seven episodes in and we know things about these grapplers that we may have been better off not knowing, like Tony Atlas’ foot fetish (more on that later.) Ashley, the show’s host, and her now infamous “hello boys” catchphrase puts the legends in different activities on a daily basis. The legends so far have been male models in Las Vegas, participated in a “Larping” battle and filmed...
WWE Legends House is the first reality television program available on the WWE Network. Eight WWE legends: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Hillbilly Jim, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Tony Atlas, Jimmy Hart, Pat Patterson, “Mean” Gene Okerlund and Howard Finkel all move in together and the hilarity ensues. While we best know these legends from watching them in the ring, Legends House offers us a look at the personal lives of our beloved childhood heroes every Thursday at 10pm on the WWE Network.
Seven episodes in and we know things about these grapplers that we may have been better off not knowing, like Tony Atlas’ foot fetish (more on that later.) Ashley, the show’s host, and her now infamous “hello boys” catchphrase puts the legends in different activities on a daily basis. The legends so far have been male models in Las Vegas, participated in a “Larping” battle and filmed...
- 6/2/2014
- by Anthony Ruggiero
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
World Wrestling Entertainment has seen its fair-share of foreign objects used in its 50 years of existence. There was a time when foreign objects were limited to objects found around ringside- folding chairs, the time keeper’s bell, ring steps. Foreign object brought to the ring by a manager- a manager’s cane, megaphone, or loaded purse- have always been in vogue, as have items smuggled into the ring in a wrestler’s tights- brass knuckles, a roll of quarters, a pencil- or boots. But with the popularity boom of the WWF’s Attitude Era in the late-90s to today, more and more outlandish weapons have been used to the entertainment (and sometimes embarrassment) of wrestling fans. While bodyslams through tables, Con-Chair-Tos, and leaps off of ladders still garner greater reactions, WWE Superstars seem bent on one-upping each other in terms of creativity and originality; some objects work,...
World Wrestling Entertainment has seen its fair-share of foreign objects used in its 50 years of existence. There was a time when foreign objects were limited to objects found around ringside- folding chairs, the time keeper’s bell, ring steps. Foreign object brought to the ring by a manager- a manager’s cane, megaphone, or loaded purse- have always been in vogue, as have items smuggled into the ring in a wrestler’s tights- brass knuckles, a roll of quarters, a pencil- or boots. But with the popularity boom of the WWF’s Attitude Era in the late-90s to today, more and more outlandish weapons have been used to the entertainment (and sometimes embarrassment) of wrestling fans. While bodyslams through tables, Con-Chair-Tos, and leaps off of ladders still garner greater reactions, WWE Superstars seem bent on one-upping each other in terms of creativity and originality; some objects work,...
- 5/2/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
Professional wrestling legend “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has grappled with Ric Flair in the ring and engaged Keith David in an alleyway brawl in They Live, but in Troma’s Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies, he faces his most relentless enemy yet: the living dead.
Trapped in an abandoned prison by a growing zombie horde, Piper and a group of fellow pro wrestlers, including “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, must utilize their body-slamming skills to survive the night. For the latest part of our Q&A series, we caught up with Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies writer/director Cody Knotts, who told us all about his experience making the movie.
The cast of Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies is comprised of just that: pro wrestlers and zombies. From “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan to “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, there are some huge pro wrestlers attached to this project. Could...
Trapped in an abandoned prison by a growing zombie horde, Piper and a group of fellow pro wrestlers, including “The Franchise” Shane Douglas and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, must utilize their body-slamming skills to survive the night. For the latest part of our Q&A series, we caught up with Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies writer/director Cody Knotts, who told us all about his experience making the movie.
The cast of Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies is comprised of just that: pro wrestlers and zombies. From “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan to “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, there are some huge pro wrestlers attached to this project. Could...
- 5/2/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
There are so many great docs on the various institutions, characters, fans and businessmen that make up professional wrestling. Stories about Hulk Hogan, the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, Bret Hart, and even the feature film "The Wrestler" have not only stocked festivals like Tiff and Hot Docs, they have also been very successful in theatres and on television. "The Sheik" is yet another tale from this so-called sport, but this time it features one of the most disliked heels to ever enter the ring. Lucky for us, the story of Khosrow Vaziri and his roller-coaster of a life is just as compelling as fake wrestling.
The Iron Sheik is one of the most memorable and iconic characters to ever come out of Vince McMahon's WWF/E machine. In a time when caricature (or maybe even racism) was something a little more up-front in the culture, the Sheik and his...
The Iron Sheik is one of the most memorable and iconic characters to ever come out of Vince McMahon's WWF/E machine. In a time when caricature (or maybe even racism) was something a little more up-front in the culture, the Sheik and his...
- 4/25/2014
- by Mark Wigmore
- Moviefone
WWE.com
A lot of people have been talking about Benjamin Morris’ 538 piece, “Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?”
Like Morris, I am neither an actuarial scientist nor a demographer. So, our interpretations of the data should be taken with a grain of salt. My results were somewhat different from Morris’ due to a difference data set and changes in how we calculated actuarial predictions.
Differences in methodology from Morris
I also used Social Security Actuarial Life Tables, but my “expected mortality rates” for the age groups were not the same as Morris’. For each wrestler, I calculated what their age would have been as of today. Then, based on gender, I looked up the number of lives (out of 100,000) that were expected to still be alive and converted that to a percentage. His analysis looked at wrestlers who were on 20+ WWF PPVs through 2002. I went with a...
A lot of people have been talking about Benjamin Morris’ 538 piece, “Are Pro Wrestlers Dying at an Unusual Rate?”
Like Morris, I am neither an actuarial scientist nor a demographer. So, our interpretations of the data should be taken with a grain of salt. My results were somewhat different from Morris’ due to a difference data set and changes in how we calculated actuarial predictions.
Differences in methodology from Morris
I also used Social Security Actuarial Life Tables, but my “expected mortality rates” for the age groups were not the same as Morris’. For each wrestler, I calculated what their age would have been as of today. Then, based on gender, I looked up the number of lives (out of 100,000) that were expected to still be alive and converted that to a percentage. His analysis looked at wrestlers who were on 20+ WWF PPVs through 2002. I went with a...
- 4/22/2014
- by Chris Harrington
- Obsessed with Film
We’re back with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes a new clip from Preservation, release details for Lfo, App, the first photo from Altergeist, an interview with Felissa Rose, and much more:
First Clip from Preservation: “Actor Christopher Denham takes his second turn in the director’s chair with this finely crafted horror-thriller starring Pablo Schreiber (The Wire, Orange is the New Black), Aaron Staton (Mad Men), and Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire). Brothers Sean and Mike Neary, along with Mike’s wife Wit, head out on a hunting trip that doubles as a distraction from their troubles at home. But ignoring the “closed” sign and heading deep into an overgrown nature preserve, they soon find their troubles are only beginning. When all of their gear is stolen, they immediately turn on each other. But the hunted...
First Clip from Preservation: “Actor Christopher Denham takes his second turn in the director’s chair with this finely crafted horror-thriller starring Pablo Schreiber (The Wire, Orange is the New Black), Aaron Staton (Mad Men), and Wrenn Schmidt (Boardwalk Empire). Brothers Sean and Mike Neary, along with Mike’s wife Wit, head out on a hunting trip that doubles as a distraction from their troubles at home. But ignoring the “closed” sign and heading deep into an overgrown nature preserve, they soon find their troubles are only beginning. When all of their gear is stolen, they immediately turn on each other. But the hunted...
- 4/20/2014
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Here we are, finally, at the thirtieth annual WrestleMania event, live from the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Let’s get to the results shall we?
There was a two hour long pre-show for this event that aired on the WWE Network and in other areas of media. The pre-show featured a panel of guys like Mick Foley, Booker T and Shawn Michaels, along with Josh Matthews, discussing the upcoming matches and the spectacle of the event itself. The second hour brought us the pre-show match.
The match in question that aired on the pre-show was the four-way tag team elimination match between the defending champions, The Uso’s, The Real Americans, Ryback & Axel and Los Matadores. The match was okay, allowing each team to get some chances to show their capabilities and shine. The final two teams in the match were The Uso’s and The Real Americans, with...
There was a two hour long pre-show for this event that aired on the WWE Network and in other areas of media. The pre-show featured a panel of guys like Mick Foley, Booker T and Shawn Michaels, along with Josh Matthews, discussing the upcoming matches and the spectacle of the event itself. The second hour brought us the pre-show match.
The match in question that aired on the pre-show was the four-way tag team elimination match between the defending champions, The Uso’s, The Real Americans, Ryback & Axel and Los Matadores. The match was okay, allowing each team to get some chances to show their capabilities and shine. The final two teams in the match were The Uso’s and The Real Americans, with...
- 4/8/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
WWE.com
From 1993 to 2002, The WWF/E King of the Ring was the next big pay-per-view show after WrestleMania, bridging the gap between The Showcase of the Immortals and SummerSlam. But The King of the Ring actually began in 1985 as a specialized tournament for WWF house show audiences. During it’s initial years, the crown was even defended in sanctioned WWF matches, changing hands/heads in one-on-one matches. Beginning in 1993 it became a stand-alone event, crowning a new king once a year on pay-per-view, until it ceased to be after the 2002 tournament. Since then, the tournament has come back infrequently, playing itself out on Raw and Smackdown in 2006, 2008, and lastly in 2010.
From the inception of the crown, 20 superstars- ten World Champions, nine Hall of Famers, and an unfortunate handful of duds in-between- have worn the crown. Some embraced the “king” title, incorporating it into their gimmick. Some won the tournament,...
From 1993 to 2002, The WWF/E King of the Ring was the next big pay-per-view show after WrestleMania, bridging the gap between The Showcase of the Immortals and SummerSlam. But The King of the Ring actually began in 1985 as a specialized tournament for WWF house show audiences. During it’s initial years, the crown was even defended in sanctioned WWF matches, changing hands/heads in one-on-one matches. Beginning in 1993 it became a stand-alone event, crowning a new king once a year on pay-per-view, until it ceased to be after the 2002 tournament. Since then, the tournament has come back infrequently, playing itself out on Raw and Smackdown in 2006, 2008, and lastly in 2010.
From the inception of the crown, 20 superstars- ten World Champions, nine Hall of Famers, and an unfortunate handful of duds in-between- have worn the crown. Some embraced the “king” title, incorporating it into their gimmick. Some won the tournament,...
- 4/8/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Ever since it began in 1988, the Royal Rumble match has become one of WWE’s most popular and prestigious matches of the year. In 1993, the ruling was introduced that the winner of the Royal Rumble match would receive an opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania, meaning that the Royal Rumble took on even more prestige, becoming a major milestone in the career of WWE superstars.
Over the years a number of men have won the Royal Rumble match, an achievement that has helped establish main event talents or cement legacies. By advancing to the main event of Wrestlemania, the group of superstars that have won the Royal Rumble have created over 20 different matches for either the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship, each with varying quality, impact and legacy.
From Sheamus’ 18 second victory, to Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels’ epic Iron Man match, there’s distinct differences between the matches,...
Ever since it began in 1988, the Royal Rumble match has become one of WWE’s most popular and prestigious matches of the year. In 1993, the ruling was introduced that the winner of the Royal Rumble match would receive an opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania, meaning that the Royal Rumble took on even more prestige, becoming a major milestone in the career of WWE superstars.
Over the years a number of men have won the Royal Rumble match, an achievement that has helped establish main event talents or cement legacies. By advancing to the main event of Wrestlemania, the group of superstars that have won the Royal Rumble have created over 20 different matches for either the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship, each with varying quality, impact and legacy.
From Sheamus’ 18 second victory, to Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels’ epic Iron Man match, there’s distinct differences between the matches,...
- 4/6/2014
- by Gareth Cairns
- Obsessed with Film
Today we have the trailer for "Pro Wrestlers vs Zombies," which shows what happens when zombies clash with former WWE wrestlers, a Playboy model (Reby Sky) and a porn actor (Matthew Rush). Check out the trailer below. Plot: An abandoned prison is the battlefield as a troupe of professional wrestlers are booked for a private show, only to be faced with the undead. Unfortunately for the zombies, they aren't just facing any group of professional wrestlers, they are facing living legends like WWE Hall of Famer "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Matt Hardy, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, former Ecw World champions "The Franchise" Shane Douglas and even Olympic medalist turned WWE and Tna World champion Kurt Angle. The movie is written and directed by Cody Knotts. Trailer:...
- 3/17/2014
- WorstPreviews.com
Yes, Pro Wrestlers Vs. Zombies is a real movie, and today we have a trailer for it for you to watch. This movie is exactly what the title says it is, and it's an insanely ridiculous concept that you're either going to love or hate. It's just one of those movies that spews absurdity.
It was written and directed by Cody Knotts, and it stars "Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, and Matt Hardy. They play a group of wrestlers (obviously) who are part of an event at an abandoned prison. As you might guess, the abandoned prison is overrun with zombies. Here's a lengthy detailed synopsis:
“Pro Wrestlers Vs. Zombies” is exactly as it sounds — sports entertainment icons and local ring talent using their signature fighting styles, athleticism and anything they can get their hands on to fend off the undead.
It was written and directed by Cody Knotts, and it stars "Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, “The Franchise” Shane Douglas, Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, and Matt Hardy. They play a group of wrestlers (obviously) who are part of an event at an abandoned prison. As you might guess, the abandoned prison is overrun with zombies. Here's a lengthy detailed synopsis:
“Pro Wrestlers Vs. Zombies” is exactly as it sounds — sports entertainment icons and local ring talent using their signature fighting styles, athleticism and anything they can get their hands on to fend off the undead.
- 3/14/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Hardcore wrestling icon Abdullah the Butcher, known for his violent bloodbaths against the Sheik, Dusty Rhodes, and Bruiser Brody, would have loved a crack at the Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania.
“We never wrestled, but I believe I could have beaten the Undertaker’s streak before my hip problems,” said Abdullah the Butcher in a recent interview with WhatCulture. “I need a new hip, and I’m getting close to getting one.
“And I still look 100 per cent good. If you were to put me with the Undertaker today, we could sell out any place in the world. And we would make a hell of a lot of money.”
Hailed as “the Madman from Sudan,” Abdullah the Butcher (born Larry Shreve) grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, learning the martial arts of judo and karate before making his wrestling debut in 1958. “Montreal promoter Jack Britton took one look at me and said,...
“We never wrestled, but I believe I could have beaten the Undertaker’s streak before my hip problems,” said Abdullah the Butcher in a recent interview with WhatCulture. “I need a new hip, and I’m getting close to getting one.
“And I still look 100 per cent good. If you were to put me with the Undertaker today, we could sell out any place in the world. And we would make a hell of a lot of money.”
Hailed as “the Madman from Sudan,” Abdullah the Butcher (born Larry Shreve) grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, learning the martial arts of judo and karate before making his wrestling debut in 1958. “Montreal promoter Jack Britton took one look at me and said,...
- 3/9/2014
- by Marshall Ward
- Obsessed with Film
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Undertaker_2012.jpg
The Undertaker’s 21-0 Wrestlemania undefeated streak is the last great record in professional wrestling. No male superstar will ever again match Bruno Sammartino’s combined 4,040 days as Wwwf champion. No wrestler regardless of gender will ever touch the Fabulous Moolah’s legendary 27-year reign as Women’s Champion. It’s unlikely that we’ll ever see the “Honky-Meter” again during an Intercontinental Championship reign. And no other wrestler it seems will be able to come close to the Phenom’s streak of wins at the “grandest stage of all.”
But he isn’t the only undefeated superstar at Wrestlemania. Sure, he’s undefeated with the most matches, but 16 other superstars have at least a 2-0 record (one victory does not a streak make) or better (not counting pre-show losses or Battle Royal eliminations.) Who are the others who can claim to...
The Undertaker’s 21-0 Wrestlemania undefeated streak is the last great record in professional wrestling. No male superstar will ever again match Bruno Sammartino’s combined 4,040 days as Wwwf champion. No wrestler regardless of gender will ever touch the Fabulous Moolah’s legendary 27-year reign as Women’s Champion. It’s unlikely that we’ll ever see the “Honky-Meter” again during an Intercontinental Championship reign. And no other wrestler it seems will be able to come close to the Phenom’s streak of wins at the “grandest stage of all.”
But he isn’t the only undefeated superstar at Wrestlemania. Sure, he’s undefeated with the most matches, but 16 other superstars have at least a 2-0 record (one victory does not a streak make) or better (not counting pre-show losses or Battle Royal eliminations.) Who are the others who can claim to...
- 3/6/2014
- by The 'House
- Obsessed with Film
The day has finally arrived. The WWE Network launches at 9 a.m. Et with a full slate of programming, both on the network stream and as part of the video-on-demand library.
The most important thing to note is that beginning with "Wrestlemania 30" on April 6, all WWE pay-per-views will air live on the network. What is there to watch before that? Use this handy guide to programming, so you know what you're looking for.
All times are Eastern.
Regular programming
Monday7:30 p.m. - "WWE Raw" Pre-showA live, 30-minute Raw Pre-Show will air each week.
11:05 p.m. - "WWE Raw Backstage Pass""WWE Raw Backstage Pass" will air live each week immediately following Monday Night Raw, providing analysis of the night's action and exclusive backstage interviews.
Tuesday9 p.m. - "Wrestlemania Rewind""WrestleMania Rewind" will provide fans with a comprehensive look back at the most groundbreaking matches and dramatic moments in WrestleMania history.
The most important thing to note is that beginning with "Wrestlemania 30" on April 6, all WWE pay-per-views will air live on the network. What is there to watch before that? Use this handy guide to programming, so you know what you're looking for.
All times are Eastern.
Regular programming
Monday7:30 p.m. - "WWE Raw" Pre-showA live, 30-minute Raw Pre-Show will air each week.
11:05 p.m. - "WWE Raw Backstage Pass""WWE Raw Backstage Pass" will air live each week immediately following Monday Night Raw, providing analysis of the night's action and exclusive backstage interviews.
Tuesday9 p.m. - "Wrestlemania Rewind""WrestleMania Rewind" will provide fans with a comprehensive look back at the most groundbreaking matches and dramatic moments in WrestleMania history.
- 2/24/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
AP/Press Association Images
We all make mistakes in life. That’s just a part of living and growing as people. You know who else makes mistakes? World Wrestling Entertainment. They sure do. Some of those mistakes also involve a show they run every year called WrestleMania. You might have heard of it. It’s kind of a big deal.
The mistakes that WWE can make surrounding a WrestleMania can be vast. There are 29 WrestleMania events to pick from, so it’s difficult to narrow it down to just 10 of the worst decisions they have made over the years.
Before I get to it, here are a couple of things that some people think are mistakes, but I can understand why WWE did it.
WrestleMania 8 main event – A lot of people think Flair vs. Savage should have went on last. The reason it didn’t is because WWE brought back...
We all make mistakes in life. That’s just a part of living and growing as people. You know who else makes mistakes? World Wrestling Entertainment. They sure do. Some of those mistakes also involve a show they run every year called WrestleMania. You might have heard of it. It’s kind of a big deal.
The mistakes that WWE can make surrounding a WrestleMania can be vast. There are 29 WrestleMania events to pick from, so it’s difficult to narrow it down to just 10 of the worst decisions they have made over the years.
Before I get to it, here are a couple of things that some people think are mistakes, but I can understand why WWE did it.
WrestleMania 8 main event – A lot of people think Flair vs. Savage should have went on last. The reason it didn’t is because WWE brought back...
- 2/19/2014
- by John Canton
- Obsessed with Film
Copyright: WWE Legends Of Mid-South Wrestling Blu-ray
When most wrestling fans think of New Orleans these days, they think of WrestleMania 30, coming up on April 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
What many younger fans may not realize is that New Orleans was one of the hottest cities in the old Mid-South territory back in the early ’80s, with Ted Dibiase, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Junkyard Dog, King Kong Bundy, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Kamala, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams, and announcer Jim Ross being among the prominent names who left an indelible mark on professional wrestling.
With athletic, bruising matches orchestrated by no-nonsense promoter “Cowboy” Bill Watt, Mid-South garnered national attention for its evocative storytelling and Superdome Extravaganzas, featuring the Road Warriors, the Midnight Express, the Von Erichs, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and Andre the Giant.
In recent years, WWE purchased the Mid-South Wrestling video library — more than 1,200 hours of TV programming from...
When most wrestling fans think of New Orleans these days, they think of WrestleMania 30, coming up on April 6 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
What many younger fans may not realize is that New Orleans was one of the hottest cities in the old Mid-South territory back in the early ’80s, with Ted Dibiase, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Junkyard Dog, King Kong Bundy, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Kamala, Steve “Dr. Death” Williams, and announcer Jim Ross being among the prominent names who left an indelible mark on professional wrestling.
With athletic, bruising matches orchestrated by no-nonsense promoter “Cowboy” Bill Watt, Mid-South garnered national attention for its evocative storytelling and Superdome Extravaganzas, featuring the Road Warriors, the Midnight Express, the Von Erichs, Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and Andre the Giant.
In recent years, WWE purchased the Mid-South Wrestling video library — more than 1,200 hours of TV programming from...
- 2/11/2014
- by Marshall Ward
- Obsessed with Film
Over the course of the last couple of weeks the wrestling world has been buzzing over the news that WWE will be launching their on-demand streaming network at the end of February, this year (2014). The idea of a network has been rumoured for a while but nobody knew the details until WWE provided them, in detail, a couple of weeks ago at a press conference featuring the McMahon family and an array of big WWE names.
The service will launch on February 24th 2014 and will, like Netflix streaming, feature on demand content galore, but will also feature live shows on a weekly schedule as well as all twelve annual WWE pay per view events, all in glorious HD. The fact that all the PPV’s are included is the biggest surprise here, considering that buying each show separately would cost more than a monthly payment for the network will. Oh yeah,...
The service will launch on February 24th 2014 and will, like Netflix streaming, feature on demand content galore, but will also feature live shows on a weekly schedule as well as all twelve annual WWE pay per view events, all in glorious HD. The fact that all the PPV’s are included is the biggest surprise here, considering that buying each show separately would cost more than a monthly payment for the network will. Oh yeah,...
- 1/26/2014
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
The annual Royal Rumble match, held in January, is one of the highlights of the wrestling year, as thirty men from an assortment of different spots on the card enter the ring and participate in an hour of relentless and unpredictable action until just one man is left standing, receiving a title match at Wrestlemania for his troubles.
The brainchild of Pat Patterson, the match was first held in 1988, where just twenty men competed and ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan emerged victorious. Twenty six years later, the match dawns upon us once again.
Though the current roster has an abundance of talent, this has not always been the case, and in years gone by the WWE has had to scrape the very bottom of the barrel on occasion (who can forget the appearances of Squat Team Member #1 and Squat Team Member #2 in 1996!) to fill the Rumble match with thirty participants. As a result of this,...
The brainchild of Pat Patterson, the match was first held in 1988, where just twenty men competed and ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan emerged victorious. Twenty six years later, the match dawns upon us once again.
Though the current roster has an abundance of talent, this has not always been the case, and in years gone by the WWE has had to scrape the very bottom of the barrel on occasion (who can forget the appearances of Squat Team Member #1 and Squat Team Member #2 in 1996!) to fill the Rumble match with thirty participants. As a result of this,...
- 1/24/2014
- by Alex Antliff
- Obsessed with Film
Previously on: With the "Royal Rumble" closing in, Daniel Bryan shed his affiliation with the Wyatt Family and got what might be the biggest audience reaction of his career. Bryan has become the most popular guy in WWE.
The big news: Batista is back on "WWE Raw" and he knows exactly what he wants. The show opened with Randy Orton whining to The Authority in the ring, only for Batista to make his entrance. He tells Orton his goal is simple: Win the "Royal Rumble" and headline "Wrestlemania," becoming WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the process. He doesn't care who is across the ring from him.
Batista also follows up on the feud he didn't know he was in with Alberto Del Rio. After Del Rio's match with Rey Mysterio, Batista made his way to the ring once again and laid Alberto out with a spinebuster and a Batistabomb. That takes care of that.
The big news: Batista is back on "WWE Raw" and he knows exactly what he wants. The show opened with Randy Orton whining to The Authority in the ring, only for Batista to make his entrance. He tells Orton his goal is simple: Win the "Royal Rumble" and headline "Wrestlemania," becoming WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the process. He doesn't care who is across the ring from him.
Batista also follows up on the feud he didn't know he was in with Alberto Del Rio. After Del Rio's match with Rey Mysterio, Batista made his way to the ring once again and laid Alberto out with a spinebuster and a Batistabomb. That takes care of that.
- 1/21/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
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