Facts from Wrestlemania 30, 6th April 2014

The wrestling fan’s ersatz bank holiday weekend, Wrestlemania 30 was last night, and I had a lot of thoughts about it. Spoiler, obviously.

Question: how fearsome are TNA’s Aces and Eights?

So TNA’s new heavyweight champion Bully Ray is also the president of the Aces and Eights – and what’s more, he has a waistcoat to prove it.

He leads a frankly quite motley crew consisting of D’Lo Brown, Devon, Taz, Mike Knox, DOC, Mr Anderson (somewhat lost in the mix), Wes Brisco and, of course, Garett Bischoff.

Initially they were all masked – and as every horror movie maker knows, what you can’t see, what’s unknown, is far more scary than showing you things explicitly.

Facts from TNA Impact Wrestling, MEN Arena, Manchester, Friday 25th January 2013

I’ll try to minimise the spoilers as obviously these TV tapings won’t air for a few weeks in the UK – but there will be some, mostly relating to the Aces and Eights.

• For some reason, one of the extended mix shouty rock songs they were playing prior to the show opening was the theme tune from WWE NXT. Oh, TNA.
• Christy Hemme either forgot her skirt, or doesn’t get paid enough to be able to buy a full outfit. Poor Christy Hemme.
• Dixie Carter began the evening by inviting the Blossom Twins out to train with OVW, an offer they accepted.
• The opening cage match between Mr Anderson and Kurt Angle ended with the reveal of two brand-new members of the Aces and Eights! Not many people cared, though, apart from poor Kurt.
• Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian were both dressed as Braveheart, and employed a fascinating array of insults towards the crowd.

Recap: TNA British Boot Camp episode 6; or The One Where Rockstar Spud Wins

So before the ad break, we found out that the Blossoms get to face Gail Kim and Madison Rayne, while Marty and Spud have to face each other. Dixie and Hulk will be watching attentively and deciding who actually gets the fabled TNA roster spot.

In case we weren’t excited enough already, we get Hulk going Hulkamanic in our faces.

Congratulations to Rockstar Spud, winner of TNA British Boot Camp

So this evening’s double-episode denouement of TNA British Boot Camp revealed that Dixie Carter and Hulk Hogan chose Rockstar Spud the winner of the sought-after contract.

Well done to him – and well done to Marty Scurll and the Blossom Twins, who join him on the TNA tour and will have a chance at a later date at securing themselves a spot on the roster.

A full recap of both episodes will follow later in the week.

Recap: TNA British Boot Camp episode 3; or The One With Kurt Angle

It’s episode 3 of TNA British Boot Camp!

 

All this happened, on episode 1 and episode 2.

Tonight we begin with our merry quartet doing some promotional filming for the series (ie the one we’re watching now. It’s all very meta). The guys have been doing ‘hero footage’, and the girls have been moving their heads towards the camera simultaneously – it’s a twin thing, obviously.

 

Recap: TNA British Boot Camp, episode 1; or The One Where Spud Expels Bodily Fluids

Tx: January 1, 2013; 10pm; Challenge TV

I decided that as there’s so much interest in TNA’s British Boot Camp, I’d do an episode-by-episode recap for those who missed the show, or those who watched the show and fancy a bit of smarky comment or just plain old snark.

So we open by looking at the back catalogue of British wrestling, from Big Daddy to Doug Williams, while Hulk Hogan talks to Dixie Carter about how great British wrestlers are. I should point out at this stage that Dixie has her phone in her hand at all times during these segments. I like to think she’s tweeting.

“Hulk is talking at me. No idea what he’s saying, am distracted by that weird beard thing he has going on.”

Interview: El Ligero talks Hulk Hogan, Sid Justice and Atlanta strip clubs

When and how did you first become interested in wrestling? 

I first saw wrestling when I was 8, when my dad borrowed a tape of WWF WrestleMania 8 from my cousin, as he thought I would like it. The first match I ever saw was the main event of Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice, and I was absolutely hooked. I just loved how bright, flamboyant and engrossing it all was, and I’ve followed it ever since.

I first found a training school in 2001, when my cousin saw an advertisement for an NWA-UK Hammerlock affiliate in Sheffield. My dad, who I honestly owe a lot to, drove us down, and we had our first session. I was immediately addicted to it, and whilst my cousin never went back after that first session, I did, and at 16 years old, I started training every week.

You’ve wrestled all over the world – where has been your favourite country to wrestle, who has the best fans, and who has the scariest fans?

Well, I definitely have to say the UK first of all, as that’s where I’m best known, it’s where I make my bread and butter, and it’s got my favourite talent to work.

Hulk Hogan’s World Tour, aka TNA Impact Wrestling TV taping, Saturday January 28, Wembley, London, ENGLAND!

So tonight I was invited along to the Impact Wrestling TV tapings at Wembley Arena. Obviously the two shows I saw being filmed won’t air for a couple of weeks yet, so this report is slightly spoilery, but I’ll try not to give too much away.

Without further ado, some facts about the shows:

1. TNA are returning to the UK next year, and doing shows at the same venues (Manchester, Nottingham, London) plus Glasgow Braehead.