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In the past year I’ve spent writing for Buffalo Wins, I’ve enjoyed the fact that so many of us have interests outside of the Bills/Sabres/Amerks/Insert other teams here and Joe encourages throwing them together and making a stew. As you’ve read, one of my other “things” is wrestling. This weekend is going to be my ultimate wrestling experience – flying to Dallas, Texas for WrestleMania 32 – and a ton of other wrestling-related events. I’m going to use this as a mini diary of what’s to come, and then afterwards give a little review of all the events I’m attending with 3 of my best friends.
During the weekend, I’ll be going to the NXT Takeover: Dallas, Evolve’s “Evolve 59”, WrestleMania 32 and the Raw following it on Monday. We’re also hitting up the Terry Funk pre-Mania tailgate BBQ and JR’s “An Evening with Jim Ross” – which are going to be fun in a historical way. I know I know – I’m a history nerd in any area of interest…
The Wrestling
Let’s focus on the meat of the trip – seeing really good wrestling matches. Here are the top 10 matches I’m looking forward to seeing, with video to give you an idea of who I’m talking about:
10. Matt Riddle vs Zack Sabre Jr (Evolve 59) – Matt Riddle is one of my favorite new wrestlers because he does logical things that don’t make logical sense in pro wrestling. For instance, in wrestling, when you are grabbed by the arm and pushed towards the rope, physics of wrestling dictates you move. Sometimes Matt does, sometimes he does things like this.
Matthew Riddle, MMA dude turned wrestler.
He uses common sense, which is a hell of a gimmick. pic.twitter.com/0N7D4pF422
— MaffewOfBotchamania (@Maffewgregg) March 28, 2016
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe former UFC competitor was already outspoken in that venue, so having him in the wrestling ring is just a treat. And on the other side of the ring, you have Zack Sabre Jr., a wrestler that is capable of getting anyone in a submission at any time. This will be part of Evolve’s Best In The World Challenge Series, which is a round robin among some of the world’s best wrestlers. For Riddle, this will be a great coming out party, so I’m fired up to see it live.
9. Brock Lesnar vs Dean Ambrose in a Street Fight (WrestleMania 32) – This is going to be two dudes finding different weapons to beat the bejeezus out of one another. Brock will most likely throw Ambrose all around Dallas in a quest to make him the latest denizen to ‘Suplex City’. What is Suplex City? Here ya go. The former UFC heavyweight champ has been a welcome return to the WWE, so seeing him wreck anyone, even a guy like Dean Ambrose that I like will be fun. Hopefully Dean doesn’t die, which is a line I’ll use for another match I’ll be seeing that evening….
8. Heroes Eventually Die (Chris Hero and Tommy End) vs The Catch Point’s Drew Gulak and Tracy Williams – This is going to be a slugfest. Chris Hero, legend in the independent scene and Tommy End, who is a face-kicking machine team up against Matt Riddle’s stablemates in The Catch Point of Drew Gulak and “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams. Tommy End…where do I start. Is it the tattoos? The devil (literally) may care attitude? The fact that I’m his fan for life because of this?
To the Progress fan using the ‘N’ word towards me during my brawl: I have stopped matches before for this shit, and I will stomp you out.
— Tommy End (@tommyend) March 28, 2016
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My dude. So he and Hero are this face punchy tag team that wants to destroy their opponents, and Gulak/Williams are a cocky duo that wanna knock em down a peg. A winner is me.
7. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Will Ospreay (Evolve 58) – I’ve already told you about the grappletasticness of Sabre, but now you add in a high flyer like Will Ospreay who’s wrestled Sabre Jr. around the world. These two will put on a clinic and again, I will be there with a smile on my face and hands poised to clap like a seal throughout. In wrestling hipster terms, this is my equivalent of seeing two really good bands back to back at a small concert that will then in a year hit it big on the billboard 100. Get Lit y’all.
6. Bayley vs Asuka for the NXT Women’s Championship (NXT Takeover: Dallas) – Bayley is a lovable, hug-a-ble nice gal who also happens to be a very good wrestler. Asuka is a wrestling machine who can convey a bevy of emotions despite not having mastered the English language yet. This match has been building for a good 4 months plus on the WWE Weekly NXT show, and while Asuka’s ability to murder-death-kill the rest of the women’s roster has been admirable, seeing Bayley have to ‘woman up’ for this is going to be just as enjoyable.
5. Finn Bálor vs Samoa Joe for the NXT Title (NXT Takeover: Dallas) – Finn, NXT Champ vs Joe, his friend turned nemesis is going to be quite fun for multiple reasons. One, the wrestling of course. Two, the person that loses the match most likely will be on a fast-track to the WWE main roster. So whoever “loses” also wins in that they’re gonna get to be seen by a much larger audience. For either that will be a personal joy for me. In Bálor’s case, seeing him transition from New Japan “young boy” (aka rookie/trainee) to a world renowned superstar has been an awesome journey. For Joe, I’ve seen his first shows on the East coast and now, 12 years later am thisclose to seeing him wrestle on Monday Night Raw. Finally, this also is one step away from finally making the Bálor Club a real thing – with the arrival of Bálor’s boys Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows.
4. American Alpha vs The Revival for the NXT Tag Team Championship (NXT Takeover: Dallas) – This is a good old fashioned tag team match. American Alpha are the tag team you always wanted to be if you wrestled with your friends or family members as a kid. You have the one scrappy guy in Chad Gable that legit almost made the Olympic wrestling team and a big dude that holds his own in Jason Jordan and together they’re fun. When Chad pulls out his “Ready Willing Gable” towel to get hype during an interview it is always funny. And when Jordan pulls down his straps prior to a big move, puts them back up and then pulls them back down to finish the match – magnifique!
On the other side are the NXT Tag Champs, The Revival. They’re the old school tag team you imagine when you think of wrestling – dad bods, body hair and some southern anger. I dig both teams because they’re teams – it’s not two guys put together that are not going to work together, but rather two guys who see things the same in ring and you can tell they take pride in it.
3. Shane McMahon vs Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell Match for control of RAW (WrestleMania 32) – Remember when I said I had another match whose premise ends with, “I hope x doesn’t die?” Insert Shane in there and that’s this match. For those that are uninitiated, The Undertaker is essentially a pro wrestling zombie that has wrecked folks for almost 26 years. Shane McMahon is the son of the WWE’s owner, but he’s known more for his uncanny ability to sacrifice himself in matches to prove how down for the cause he is. I know he’s the boss’s son. I know he’s a billionaire and eat the rich and yadda yadda yadda. I LOVE SHANE. Can’t stop won’t stop doing so. So I’m gonna lose my voice cheering that dude as he jumps off the Jerry World Scoreboard. And I’m only half-kidding that’ll be his stunt of the show. Don’t die Shane, don’t die.
2. Ricochet vs Will Ospreay (Evolve 59) – Ricochet (or Prince Puma if you watch Lucha Underground) is probably one of my favorite guys to watch that isn’t in the WWE. He is a highlight reel of movement and constantly making me wonder how the laws of gravity do not apply to some humans. He’ll be using those skills against another high flyer of his caliber in Will Ospreay. Ospreay will be a full-time wrestler in New Japan Pro Wrestling starting this summer, so seeing him here in the ‘States prior to his big move is another personal treat. Seeing him vs Ricochet? That should be illegal.
1. Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn (NXT Takeover: Dallas) – This match shouldn’t exist. If I were to put my comic nerd hat on for a second, never, on any DC-esque Earth timeline would I ever think Shinsuke Nakamura would be in a WWE ring. Seeing him, in all of his ‘King of Strong Style’ glory vs a great wrestler like Sami Zayn is going to be the magnum opus of my trip. It’s a send-off to Zayn as he moves from NXT to the main roster and a glorious welcome to the man known as “Swagsuke”.
Honorable Mention will go to the WWE Title Match between Roman Reigns and Triple H – if only to see the reaction of the fans should he win in the Jerruh Dome, the Divas* Triple Threat Match and the Mania debuts of AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
In terms of activities outside of the wrestling, while the Evening (afternoon really) with Jim Ross will be a fun time – Funk Tailgate too – the thing I’m most looking forward to is hanging with some good friends at the Kung Fu Saloon. Imagine a bar and an arcade that is filled with all of your favorite 90s era games. Yeah, that’s gonna L-E-G-I-T.
Finally, if you like themes – an artist named Mega Ran has made some great theme-song inspired songs. Enjoy.
Til Tuesday, watcha gonna do when I get back with a ton of stories to entertain you?????
If you’re interested in seeing the WWE related stuff, the WWE network is FREE for the month of April – Network.wwe.com. And if you’re interested in the awesome stuff offered by Evolve, you want to go to WWNlive.com
And if you are going, hit me up on twitter (@RDotDeuce) and let’s meet.
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