WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 12: Countdown to World War 3 20/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 12: Countdown to World War 3 20/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

Warning: flashing effects/colourful effects/fire

Commentary Award goes to: Eric Bischoff for advertising the WCW Hotline with Tenay that includes the recent pay-per-view results and a wrestler that doesn't work for WCW any more as of today and on top of that Bischoff makes reference to the other place [WWF/E in one way or another, he does make one direct reference to this wrestling company, but it has been slightly taken now, meaning you think they have left it in but in the last bit saying the F has been removed for obvious reasons and playing devil’s advocate as it relates to the upcoming pay-per-view of WCW World War 3.

Wrestling Award goes to: Eddie Guerrero vs. The Four Horsemen's Flyin' Brian [with "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair – he is not here for this match/match slot:] Singles Match; where as you come to expect from a Guerrero match, he delivers a quality match with Brian. Sting vs. Hulk Hogan [with "The Macho Man" Randy Savage:] Singles Match, where we get to see you Hogan actually integrates some of his wrestling move set from his time in Japan. Now I should provide you with some background details, it has recently come to my attention over the past couple of years that the Hogan most of us saw and experienced as a wrestler had predominately a basic move set. But when Hogan went to Japan his move set was wider than you think and I only know this because I have seen clips of it on twitter at one point or another and that is what you get a little bit of a taste in this match/match slot he goes in for wrestling moves for an example a drop toe, I know this is a much but considering who I am talking about this is a big thing amongst his usual wrestling and puts in a good wrestling performance and not forgetting the surrounding goings-on around this match slot.

Promo Award goes to: "Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart & The Dungeon of Doom's “The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan; the viewers get one of those heel yet truthful promos from Hart how he sees it [I was just thinking I would cover my back here,] as he is talking about Sting, Hogan, Savage and Baywatch [including some footage of Hogan, Savage and Baywatch over the top of this promo, then we would turn to Nitro.] Sullivan; in a nutshell advertises WCW World War 3 the main event where we have 60 men wanting to get their hands on the vacant WCW World Heavyweight Championship, amongst this Sullivan makes reference to Hart being his only manager in his career and Hogan.

Later on

The Four Horsemen's "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair pulls out of a match with Eddie Guerrero and instead allows another member of The Four Horsemen Flyin' Brian to in short take care of business.

This episode receives: 8/10, this episode is excellent; on one hand this episode has some sections to it, whilst on the other hand it sets things up nicely for us to head into WCW World War 3 1995, which is our next port of call.

 

 

Welcome to the Jungle 2003 [alternative name The Rundown] by AverageMansReviews

Welcome to the Jungle 2003 [alternative name The Rundown] by AverageMansReviews

Review Time

Warning: there is flashing effects/colourful effects/shooting/drugs/slavery/racial slur/choking/burning.

Go and return my son to me: briefly; Beck/Mr. Beck [The Rock/Dwayne Johnson:] he is a bounty hunter which wants to go straight to and run his own business as the chef, but he is paying off a debt to Billy [Unknown actor/I couldn't find the name:]in some fashion, we never find out directly, am paraphrasing here; he made some wrong choices as it gets referenced during this film, but I digress that wants his son back, because politely his son Travis Walker [Sean William Scott:] he is currently in Brazil looking for  the Gato; this golden artefact, Billy wants him back because has annoyed wrong people, which spending some time with Walker it is easy to see why he may rub people up the wrong way. But as always he isn't the only one that wants this artefact. Mr. Hatcher Hatcher Cornelius Bernard Hatcher [Christopher Walken:] an extremely unpleasant individual that has opened a mine and exploiting the citizens of this town known as El Dorado, meanwhile Mariana [Rosario Dawson:] that is the owner/bartender of this bar in the same town, but there is more to her than you first think, she is also interested in this life changing artefact.

Generally speaking: the framework and pacing of this 104 minutes film is laid out using the outlay of basically; I have got to take you home that turns into a major deal so let's go and get that artefact.

Action/Comedy/Character developments and performances; straight off the bat Johnson performs one of his signature moves somewhere close to the beginning of this film it is in this club action sequence, for wrestling fans you are looking for the wrestling move known as the Rock Bottom and a little later he performs a version of a headscissor takedown in Mariana's bar. Then a small time later on Travis trying to escape from Beck there is this little incident with this vehicle that doesn't belong to Beck; it belongs to Declan [Ewen Bremner;] that is a pilot and runs the town's air strip, which can also play the bagpipes and give us this powerful monologue over at some point towards the end of this massive action sequence towards the end of the film and finally for the action and comedy Travis tries to perform martial arts on Beck what you are looking for is when he says thunder or a lightning, but before Travis can even lay a finger on him Beck just punches him, don't worry Travis tries this later on somebody else and he shows us how it should work, he does try again on Beck or he gives off the impression in then just gets in the vehicle instead.

The character developments are just solidly good versions of what they are meant to be, but what on reflection gives me no other choice and I mean this in a good way, but to give this film another mark is everyone I have let's be honest namedropped in this content brings something consistently good to this film; we have Johnson/Johnson and William Scott being an entertaining double act, including Dawson working off one of these two individually or in joining as a trio in then we have Walken being Walken[his menacing best] and then Bremner contributing something positive whenever he is on-screen.

This film receives: 7/10, this film is good; providing you have an age-appropriate family this is built for either a takeaway or a lazy Sunday afternoon. This film also has some awards accredited to its name; 2 Winners that includes World Stunt Awards 2004; Taurus Award Best High Work Two stunt men are thrown from a jeep as it falls off the side of a cliff. The stunt men tumble and fall down the cliff, hitting multiple trees and debris. Eventually the two men perform a tumbling 55' high fall into a large pool without the use of wires. 3 Nominees that includes MTV Movie + TV Awards MTV Movie Awards Best Fight Dwayne Johnson Versus the Kontiki rebels.

 

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 11: T-R-O-U-B-L-E 13/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 11: T-R-O-U-B-L-E 13/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

Warning/Disclaimers: flashing effects/colourful effects/fire/seizure. Disclaimers: anything I say about this individual is purely based on wrestling and nothing else I think we were having sound problems at one point with the commentary which is easy to pick up on, but also consistently with the ring announcer, I mean I have like bats hearing, yet I could hear anything comfortably, so apologies if I have got any of these stipulations wrong, I shouldn’t have but sometimes it is just better to be safe than sorry.

Commentary Award goes to: Eric Bischoff for questioning his commentary partner Bobby "The Brain"/"Weasel" Heenan, about his business dealings with the incoming Asian contingent or/and makes reference to it again and later on I am paraphrasing here breaking the news that Hulk Hogan vs. the WCW United States Champion Sting is lined up for next week

Wrestling Award goes to: Kensuke Sasak vs. The Four Horsemen's "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit; Singles Match. Straight off the bat I know, I know this is a short match/slot but what we see get is hard-hitting wrestling, Eddie Guerrero vs. the WCW World Heavyweight Champion Johnny B. Badd: Singles Match for the WCW World Television Championship; now and again it isn't the most smoothest of matches, but still worthy of receiving this award or/and amongst these other matches as well. "The Iceman" Dean Malenko vs. the WCW United States Champion Sting; Singles Match yes it wasn't referenced on commentary that this championship was on the line here, but it will be up for grabs in a few days time against Kensuke Sasaki. But back to here and now those from the old school generations of wrestling fans knows precisely what Malenko can bring to the table and this match/match slot is an excellent example, so for the younger generations if you think that a shorter wrestler can't be seen as a major threat just take a look at this match/match slot, it should be noted the only thing I hate about this main event match is the fact that we have to take an advertising break [advertising W CW World War 3, 26/11/1995,] but I'm not going to hold that against this main event, because there is out of their control to be fair; I am talking about the wrestlers themselves, I know we get a little replay when we come back but still it is so irritating.

Promo Award goes to: "Mean"Gene Okerlund interviews the WCW United States Champion Sting where in short he accepts Hogan's challenge.

Thumbs Down Award goes to: this is one of those occasions where you have to ask okay the promo itself was okay, it got over what Hogan had in mind and had to say on this ongoing situation. But at the same time, the viewers can't take what he is saying seriously, because of this whole idea that someone came up with. Of it basically being situated in mediaeval times this segment begins with us looking at this symbol and hearing Hogan growl, he is holding a sword point down to begin with, yes he has a sword, no seriously he has a sword. With this black getup which he has been wearing some of it for some time now but now including hood and cape, a leather mask over his eyes and nose, with these bits of make-up on his face of these little lines. Let me put a little bit more context here for those people that watch NXT does anyone remember Scrypts' debut 22/11/2022 that is the kind of level I am talking about with this segment, where someone had the bright idea and it may have looked okay on paper but in reality not so much.

Later on

"Mean"Gene Okerlund interviews The Dungeon of Doom's The Giant [with “The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan] vs. the WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan [with "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart] in the middle of the ring basically building on to WCW pay-per-view World War 3, 26/11/1995 and in a nutshell we have yet again “The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan faking a seizure with Sullivan and Hart or just Sullivan performing this; not comical gesture to Hogan's ear gesture that he usually does to the crowd, then Sullivan goes back to having a seizure..

This episode receives: 7/10, this episode is good; this is one of those occasions where I struggled to award anything higher, yes generally speaking the wrestling is at worst something that gets us from point A to point B in the grand scheme of things or as you can see it receives awards. But the promos segments in one way or another are damaging to this episode.

In-depth Predictions/Other elements for WWE Crown Jewel 2023 by AverageMansReviews

In-depth Predictions/Other elements for WWE Crown Jewel 2023 by AverageMansReviews

Warning Disclaimer: at some point in this content I will save something potentially controversial, but reasonable and no absolutely not I don't mean it racially, as you will see/read a mean it as it is intended and genuine

Kick-off Show: JD McDonagh vs. Sami Zayn; Singles Match: my pick is Sami Zayn. One of the outlay's they could use for this match is a beat down angle after this match; where The Judgement Day rushed down to the ring to take care of Zayn, but here comes Jey Usos with a steel chair in hand to clear house that kind of thing, I will be discussing this situation again much later on in this content.

Logan Paul vs. Champ LWO's Rey Mysterio [with Zelina Vega & Santos Escobar:] Singles Match for the WWE United States Championship: my pick is Logan Paul. With the assist from Escobar and then to save Mysterio from the beat down from these two individuals; here comes Carlito.

Nia Jax vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Zoey Stark vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Champ The Judgement Day's Rhea Ripley [with the NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio;] Fatal Five-Way Match for the WWE Women's World Championship: my pick is The Judgement Day's Rhea Ripley [with Dominik Mysterio.] Obviously she is going to retain here, I don't mean this; I do hope that the crowd are well-behaved and respectful towards these wrestlers and no I don't mean this in a racial sense, I am clearly only interested in hoping that these wrestlers can go out there and put on a good wrestling match without any of them receiving anything unnecessary.

Drew McIntyre vs. Champ Seth Rollins; Singles Match for the WWE Heavyweight Championship: my pick is Seth Rollins. Obviously this is going to be an excellent match. But as everyone should know McIntyre isn't winning here, so to make this match slot a bit more worthwhile, don't be too surprised if McIntyre turned heel after losing this match, with the old I am going to leave the ring and then suddenly quickly turn around and run and deliver a claymore kick to Rollins; consequently laying him out.

Bianca Belair vs. Champ Damage CTRL's Iyo Sky; Singles Match for the WWE Women's Championship: my pick is Iyo Sky. To be frank we must I have no interest in seeing Belair or Flair for that matter being champion again anytime soon, I have no idea why this match is even taking place here. Belair hasn't earned it or deserved it. Basically I will use this expression " What have you done for me lately Bianca?" Absolutely nothing.

John Cena vs. The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa; Singles Match: my pick is John Cena. With the story outline of Sikoa, could be having is sticky moment of the match but he is okay, he can or could overcome it. But as it looks like Sikoa has everything almost in hand; here comes Jimmy Usos to ensure the victory, but he screws up and consequently Cena is victorious.

Cody Rhodes vs. The Judgement Day’s one half of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest [with Finn Bálor;] Singles Match: my pick is Cody Rhodes. Basically this is going to be a carbon copy of the previous match slot and I will explain momentarily why. But in this case it looks like Priest looks to be struggling, but dealing with it  and Bálor is for some reason out of commission, yet again JD McDonogh tries to get involved to ensure victory for Priest, but he fails consequently Rhodes is victorious. Now it is important that these two factions lose in a similar manner so that it kind of bines them in the sense of you lost to him, but you lost on him, let’s team up and take care of them at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames in a WarGames Match. So on one side we have these two factions and on the other we have Cena and Rhodes [trying to find partners that haven't been taken out by these two factions leading up to this Premium Live Events.] Now there are some things; I should really point out; firstly I don't know how long Cena's contract is for and as things stand it has been well documented that the WWE hierarchy have no idea what they want to do at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames, but without sounding arrogant at least my idea makes coherent sense and at least it would be something that everyone would want to see.

LA Knight vs. Champ The Bloodline's Roman Reigns [with Paul Heyman;] Singles Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: my pick is Roman Reigns. The more I look at this match the more and more and more I just don't like it. There is very little and when I say very little I am talking about a grain of salt of positivity to come out of this match. Knight's momentum could completely get derailed by this match either by the result or/and if they don't either/and make him look good or somehow protect him from the loss as much they can and the grain of salt of positivity would be he wants to get his hands on whomever screws him out of this match at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames on team Rhodes/Cena so he will be the third guy on their team with Zayn and Jey Usos being the fourth and fifth respectively vs. The Judgement Day: consisting of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Finn Champions Finn Bálor & Damian Priest, the NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio [with the WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley] and The Bloodline's: consisting of Jimmy Usos & Solo Sikoa [with Paul Heyman.] By the way this is all speculation; to continue this regulation I should imagine that Jey will get the pin on his brother Jimmy just to begin building some credibility to their match over WrestleMania 40/2024 and to continue the failing of Jimmy in The Bloodline since his return; so you can take these as my prediction for the competitors for this upcoming match at Survivor Series War Games 2023 and yes it is a safe prediction that if The Judgement Day are involved in this match McDonogh will be also.

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 10: WCW Interactive 06/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 10: WCW Interactive 06/11/1995 by AverageMansReviews

Warning/Disclaimer: flashing effects/colourful effects/fire. Disclaimer: anything I say about this individual is purely based on wrestling and nothing else.

Commentary Award goes to: all of the commentary team working individually or/and together; Eric Bischoff shows us what happened at WCW Halloween Havoc 95 as it relates to the main event and The Macho Man" Randy Savage, he is here tonight but he is not correct wrestle so I am paraphrasing here he is going nuts which of course Bobby "The Brain"/"Weasel" Heenan makes a comical comment about this, later on Bischoff gets told that there is this major announcement, which I had put it here in this content and Steve "Mongo" McMichael [with Pepe the Chihuahua,] is just gelling with his commentary co-workers, you know bouncing off and contributing something.

Wrestling Award goes to: "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero; Singles Match: that irritated me about this match is continuing this Heman business deal with these incoming Asian contingent. Because of the world we are currently living in, my views are not based on racism but just based on the fact that strangely enough I want to see these two wrestlers wrestle, they could have done this at any other time minus now and the main event slot and speaking of the main event we have The Red Locker Room Member vs. The Blue Locker Room Member; Singles Match, obviously I'm not going to tell you the results, because that would spoil this entire episode.

Promo Award goes to: "Mean"Gene Okerlund: Interviewer in The Red Locker Room Members [Heels] and Tony Schiavone: Interviewer in The Blue Locker Room Members [Babyfaces;] where these two interviewers do also promote "You call the shots" and do the standard information coming up on-screen throughout these segments, now at one point or another I don't know who told these wrestlers to act up, but if you are from all older than my generation to you a rough outline; you when in the early years of WWF/WWE Survivor Series where you basically a Babyfaces team being enthusiastic to go out there and take care of business, that is what we have here or those kind of things depending on what character dynamic/locker room you are in. Tony Schiavone: Interviewer in The Blue Locker Room Member [Babyfaces;] I think somebody cursed, I am not sure but what leads me to think this; there is there a noticeable screeching sound as if someone was trying to cover something up, but I should also point out a moment before this we had screen issue as if we were experiencing VHS video problems, I was just thinking I would put that out there as well.

But we also have Jim Duggan, being Jim Duggan being enthusiastic carrying his 2 x 4 hitting it off something in the background and then he comes round to the front, then he does this little routine of walking through the camera shot for ring either a steel chair or/and his 2 x 4 from one side to the other end up walking through the short looking down the camera, whilst the other wrestlers are making their own noise and other things including Schiavone trying to do his promotional thing.

Later on

"Mean"Gene Okerlund: Interviewer in The Red Locker Room Members [Heels] had an interview with Flair and from out of nowhere someone turns lights off whilst he is giving this promo; Okerlund tell someone to turn the lights back on, eventually someone does; Flair being who he is just makes reference to it in his promo.

Later on

One final thing; without giving too much away; Schiavone in the ring with surrounding characters in a nutshell drops a bombshell about the WCW World Heavyweight Championship will be resolved at WCW World War 3 in the main event of this pay-per-view 60 Man World War 3 Match and the WCW World Heavyweight Championship is up for grabs.

This episode receives: 8/10, this episode is excellent; as you can see/read there is a lot happening in this episode and for the bits and pieces I haven't mentioned it's like in one way or another they are functional, you know okay doing its job and it hasn't been lost on me whenever Guerrero wrestles he makes an appearance in this content.

 

Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy [Season 1,] Episode 39: For Meat's Sake by AverageMansReviews

Ultimate Muscle: The Kinnikuman Legacy [Season 1,] Episode 39: For Meat's Sake by AverageMansReviews

Review Time:

5 things about this episode

Warning: there is flashing/colourful/other effects/bodily functions/transformation/robotics/stabbing/child abuse/squashing/medical

Master Mitch has been withholding a secret from Meat; Part 2: Storyline, Character [Character developments,] Art and Action; this is one of those episode where I can't tell you too much about it, because in one way or another that is pretty much the focal points of this episode. But what I can say is; it is life changing

Bone Cold's wrestling ring; as I have previously made reference to it has a face in it, including as we discover in this episode a moving mouth part, so Cold kicks this sliding bit too squash Kidd in between the mouth/teeth mechanism; excellent imagination used here.

This episode receives: 7/10, this episode is good; we have big things being revealed and things are progressing nicely.

 

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 9: Halloween Havoc Hangover 30/10/1995 by AverageMansReviews

WCW Monday Nitro Season 1, Episode 9: Halloween Havoc Hangover 30/10/1995 by AverageMansReviews

Warning: flashing effects/colourful effects/fire/fake seizure

Commentary Award goes to: all of the commentary team working individually or/and together; they talk about last night's pay-per-view of WCW Halloween Havoc 95, including from the beginning until the end of this episode building up to this video package of what happened last night, including why the "Macho Man" Randy Savage isn't here tonight which and I mean this nicely is no big loss, because he got replaced by Eddie Guerrero which I will bring that up for sure, I know at some point Heenan does leave the commentary table and on top of that he says a blooper, where he gets confused between Meng and Sting, Bischoff promotes for next week and interactive week; where we can all make a match in one from the red locker room takes on someone from the locker room, but between Steve "Mongo" McMichael [with Pepe the Chihuahua,] Eric Bischoff and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan/"Weasel" they really do keep this episode going, because without them this episode would have been so much worse.

Wrestling Award goes to: Eddie Guerrero vs. Sgt Craig "PitBull" Pittman; Singles Match; this is a good little match/match slot, but it is heading shoulders above any other wrestling on this program this week.

Promo Award goes to: in the middle of the ring Tony Schiavone: Interviewer recapping with last night's footage; The Horsemen's "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson & not a member Flyin' Brian vs. the WCW US Heavyweight Champion & "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair: Tag Team Match. Then he is joined by the newly reformed The Horsemen's "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson, Flyin' Brian & "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, where they inform us in a nutshell the WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Sting they are back as The Four Horsemen.

Thumbs Down Award goes to: Sabu vs. Disco Inferno: Singles Match. I know I have made reference to this or at least in the same ballpark as it relates to Sabu once before, but what was the point of bringing him in to this promotion and this is still nothing against him. I think every wrestling fan or wrestling person within the industry knows what you get with Sabu, he will give you everything including burning the house down whilst he is still having a wrestling match with somebody or anybody, this is just a terrible way to show him. We get to see the closing stages of last night's main event The Dungeon of Doom's The Giant [with “The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan] vs. the WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan [with"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart;] Singles Match for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. We are in the middle of the ring with Tony Schiavone: Interviewer without giving too much away let's just say a selection of wrestlers that were involved in last night's main event and to be brutally honest yet fair as soon as warning seizure; The Dungeon of Doom's “The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan fakes this seizure as a joke I was done, no seriously, I don't care, I don't have time for this on any level

This episode receives: 3/10, this episode is poor; generally speaking the episodes before and after a pay-per-view are or should be easy winners, let's just keep in mind I said generally speaking. Because you have either angles build up for the pay-per-view or you have the aftermath of the pay-per-view in question. But this episode is garbage, I mean full disclosure I could have given another mark to this episode, but in hindsight it would have been too much of a stretch, what clinched it for me was the entire faking of a seizure. I can work with a simulation of neck breaking, because that is relatively easy to simulate without being too graphic. But with a seizure especially in this case it was used as a joke and it happened in the ring; it crossed that imaginary line for me, but let's leave this episode on the comical note I have just noticed that title of this episode is essentially being a hangover, well they weren't kidding after seeing this episode.