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A Super Brief Chat with WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly

August 5, 2011

Facebook and Twitter followers probably know that I’ve been cranking out a ton of wrestling content this week with interviews with Hulk Hogan, Rob Van Dam, Kane, and Edge. However, I recently did a fifth interview that slipped through the cracks.

You see, I was only scheduled to interview Kane at SDCC’s Mattel booth. However, once I finished up, it turns out that some outlet had stood up WWE’s Divas Champion Kelly Kelly. (Who on Earth would do that? Ever?)

They asked if I wanted to interview her, and I (shockingly) said “Yes.”

Unfortunately, I didn’t have any questions prepared and we were cut off when she had to run to another event. Generally my style is to start with fun banter, then move onto deeper topics, so all I was left with was fun banter. Not really something to base an XFINITYTV interview around.

But, some fans may find in entertaining, so here it is…

(more…)

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WWE’s Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland Cleans Up Syfy’s ‘Haven’

August 5, 2011

Whenever I interview a pro wrestler, I always ask them how they prefer to be addressed.

Adam Copeland is the first to request his real name.

I didn’t think much of it at first until we started talking about his sudden retirement due to injury. It was then that I realized that he’d been Edge for over a decade and was now forced into being Adam.

During the interview we discussed his transition from wrestling to acting, how working on “Haven” has helped him deal with an emotional time, and when it’s appropriate for Canadians to use baseball analogies.

Gordon Holmes: You seem to suck at retirement. You only retired a few short months ago and you’re already back working in Syfy’s “Haven.”
Adam “Edge” Copeland: It was kind of one of those happy accidents. Like you said, I’d retired and got a call from WWE, I think it was within like three days, and they asked if I’d be interested in flying out to Nova Scotia and doing an episode of “Haven.” I thought it’d be fun. I figured I’d go and try not to be too horrible at it. We did one episode to test the waters and they liked the character, or what I did with it, and then they brought me back for three more episodes.
Holmes: What can you tell us about your character Dwight Hendrickson?
Copeland: He’s the clean-up hitter. If things go strange or need to be swept under the carpet he’s the guy that comes in after the fact and takes care of that kind of stuff. So that the strange happenings of “Haven” don’t make it past the people that already know.
Holmes: Clean-up hitter? Are Canadians allowed to use baseball analogies?
Copeland: Well, we’ve got the Blue Jays. (Laughs) The catcher for the Twins is Canadian. He’s pretty good.
Holmes: Joe Mauer is Canadian? OK, I’ll accept that.
Copeland: I should’ve used a hockey reference. I guess you could say I was a goon. But Dwight does more than just fight.

Watch Full Episodes of “Haven” on Your Computer

Holmes: With your wrestling background, I’m sure you have to deal with a lot of surly characters. Did that help you with your motivation for Dwight?
Copeland: Yeah, and that was one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. The storylines are kind of dark and creepy with all of those supernatural things going on. And I’ve always gravitated toward that kind of thing whether it be WWE and the larger-than-life aspects of that or music. It was a natural for me once I got on the set. “Haven” has a little bit of a comic book element to it that I really enjoyed.
Holmes: You’ve been in the WWE for quite a number of years. We won’t get into the exact number.
Copeland: Thanks. (Laughs)
Holmes: You’re a young retiree. We’ll leave it at that. But when you’re wrestling you have to be big to sell it to the cheap seats, where in television your head could be 10-feet tall and every movement is magnified. Was making that transition tough for you?
Copeland: It was because I have a naturally big head anyway. (Laughs) That’s been the biggest challenge in anything I’ve done so far. I’m so used to going over the top, and like you said, getting the point across to someone who could be 70,000 people away. Now the camera picks up every little nuance, every eyebrow raise. And because you can’t see yourself, thankfully I had some really good directors. They really helped me along with “OK, pull back here some.” But at the same time, I think it’s easier to pull back than to push forward.
Holmes: I’ve always heard it’s the actor’s job to go out there and the director’s job to pull him back.
Copeland: Yeah, and for me…this is all new to me. So I was kind of hoping that would be the case. In this one episode Jason Priestly was the director and I asked him if I was doing OK. He said, “If you weren’t, I would tell you.”
Holmes: Jason Priestly is Canadian right?
Copeland: Yes he is.
Holmes: I’d bet I’d get hockey analogies out of him.
Copeland: (Laughs) There were a lot of Canadian jokes because Lucas Bryant grew up 20 minutes away from me. He plays Nathan. So, there was a lot of Southern Ontarian humor.

Holmes: Your wrestling retirement was extremely sudden. How hard was it on you to be defending the title at “Wrestlemania” one day, and then out of the business the next?
Copeland: It was an interesting time. The first couple of days I went through that period of feeling sorry for myself. I was, “What? What are you talking about? I know better than you, surgeon.”
Holmes: (Laughs) Well played.
Copeland: (Laughs) But then what I said in my retirement speech was true. I talked to Christian and he said, “Sit down and think about it. Get past everything else.” And in that respect, it’s actually a pretty good way to go out. Because of the fact that it was because of injury is frustrating. I haven’t missed doing it yet. Also, with “Haven” falling in my lap, it’s helped the process. It wasn’t 120 to reverse. Now it’s 120 to like 60. It was nice to gently dip my foot into retirement.
Holmes: Christian has been given a chance to step up in your absence. Does that help ease the transition?
Copeland: It does. He deserved the shot whether I was there or not. And one regret, well, I won’t even say regret, but we were building to him and I going against each other. Which for us would have been fun. But, if any positive can come from me leaving, it’s them realizing that they’ve got to give him a shot. And I know now that he’s got that shot he’s going to kick the door open. He always has. The fans have always seen him there. They’ve always understood that he deserves to be there. But I think it was going to happen regardless of if I was there or not.

Holmes: There seems to be a new direction with Triple H becoming the COO and C.M. Punk taking off. What’s your take on that?
Copeland: You know, I haven’t watched “Raw.” One of the things I need to do in the process of getting away from it has really been getting away from it. I’m just not ready to sit down and watch it, well, I’ll watch (Christian’s) stuff.
Holmes: You are going to be in Los Angeles for “SummerSlam” though, right?
Copeland: Yes, and I probably won’t watch it. (Laughs)
Holmes: So you’re not ready to enjoy it on that level?
Copeland: I’m not ready to watch it and not do it. Not yet. I don’t know when yet will be. You’ve seen guys who can’t turn it off, and they can’t not be the character that they played. I’ve always really tried to make sure that isn’t the case. And I think part of that is stepping away from it.

Holmes: It looks like they’re building up to John Cena vs. The Rock at this year’s “Wrestlemania.” Not a lot of people have worked both of them, but you have. What’s your take on that bout?
Copeland: I think it’ll be good for business. I don’t think there are many instances where you can take guys who are at the forefronts of different eras.  I think the last time you got that was Hogan and Rock. And you saw how that turned out. I think match quality-wise it’ll be better. And I know both guys’ attitudes, they want to go out there and leave it out there, as cliché as that sounds. I may watch that. I’ll probably be down there for “Wrestlemania.” Maybe by “Wrestlemania” time I’ll be able to sit down and watch an entire show.
Holmes: I understand.  It’s like you want your ex-girlfriend to do well, but you don’t want her to do too well.
Copeland: (Laughs) You just don’t want her to do better than you.

Watch “Haven” on Syfy, Friday nights at 10 p.m. ET.

Follow me on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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WWE Superstar Kane on His Career, WWE Action Figures and Voltron

August 3, 2011

For as long as I can remember, WWE announcers have been telling people that they’ve got to see Kane in person to appreciate how big he is.

And they’re right…the dude’s ginormous.

I went eye-to-eye (more like eye-to-chest) with the man they call The Big Red Machine at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. While we sat above the bustling Mattel merchandise kiosk we talked about his impressive, lengthy career, his collection of Kane memorabilia, and the WWE’s youth movement.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘WWE Smackdown’ Online

Gordon Holmes: Everyone always talks about the Undertaker and his 21 years in the WWE, but you’ve been around for quite some time yourself. What’s been the key to your long… long…
Kane: Longevity?
Holmes: There’s the word. Who’s the writer here?
Kane: (Laughs)
Holmes: What’s the key to THAT in the WWE?
Kane: It’s being able to adapt to changes and also to reinvent yourself. Always being able to do something new. To be able to sort of go with the flow as our business changes. Because it does change and our audience changes.
Holmes: As someone who’s seen a lot in this industry, what advice would you go back and give yourself if you could?
Kane: I think I’d tell myself to have more fun. What we do is hard work. We travel a lot. Of course everybody knows that it’s physically taxing. And we have our other responsibilities; promotional and that sort of thing. I think I’d tell myself to be a little less serious.

Holmes: As I said, you’ve been in the WWE for quite some time. You’ve had quite a few action figures. It seems like they keep getting more and more realistic. Does that freak you out at all?
Kane: No. I think it’s neat to see the process of the figures getting more realistic. And also the different spin the artist uses in the process of making the figurines. You know, they’re all slightly different and have a different look to them.
Holmes: I noticed we’re going to be seeing a classic masked Kane action figure. Does that bring back any bad memories at all?
Kane: (Laughs) No, not at all. In fact I think some of the masked figurines are the best ones. I was just looking at their display of all the different things they’ve done with Rey Mysterio and it’s really impressive.
Holmes: Do you collect Kane memorabilia? Do you have a collection at home?
Kane: Yes…somewhat. This is going to sound sort of weird.
Holmes: Go for it.
Kane: I had some of it displayed at my house and after a while I thought it was really pretentious of me. It’s all boxed away now. There’s just been so much stuff, that it’s boxes and boxes and boxes of stuff at this point.
Holmes: What’s the weirdest piece of Kane merchandise you have?
Kane: Well…I don’t know how much commercial success it had…but there’s the one where you put water into the figure and it would sweat. I don’t know if they appeal to many people, but I thought they were neat.
Holmes: C’mon. Who doesn’t want sweaty wrestler toys?
Kane: Who doesn’t want that, right?
Holmes: You saw some of the legends figures over at the Mattel booth. Are there any legends you’d like to see them do?
Kane: I’m a big fan of Andre the Giant. He’s the ultimate, larger-than-life superstar. So, the more they can do with him the cooler. You know what would be really cool would be a huge one.
Holmes: Would you like to see an Isaac Yankem?
Kane: No. (Laughs)

Holmes: Do you get a chance to participate in the WWE’s charity initiatives?
Kane: Yeah. We do a lot with Make-A-Wish. Those are always bittersweet because it’s awesome to bring joy to somebody’s life. But then you meet these children and some of their stories are just tragic. It’s one of the things that WWE has done that maybe a lot of people don’t know about that we’re very proud of.

Holmes: There seems to be a lot of new talent on the shows these days. Does anyone in particular stand out to you?
Kane: I think there’s a number of guys. I think, even though he’s been around for a little while, that Sheamus is going to do well. I’m a big fan of Daniel Bryan’s. He’s always fighting the odds. It’s one of those deals where whoever emerges and is given an opportunity you hope they’ll be able to carry the ball. You never know.
Holmes: Do you think C.M. Punk has the potential to be the next big thing?
Kane: I don’t know. We’ll see.

Holmes: As a WWE superstar, you’re used to people running around in crazy costumes, so do you feel right at home here at Comic Con?
Kane: A few years ago I was at Comic Con, and I’d gotten up really early to go work out before I did my appearance here. And I’m walking through the streets of San Diego and I’m seeing rebel starship fighters and Princess Leia clones. For a moment I forgot where I was, and I was like, “What in the world is going on!” And some of the costumes are amazing, it’s like they walked off the set of a movie.
Holmes: Now Kane, you just rattled off “Star Wars” characters like you knew what you were talking about.  Are you some kind of closet sci-fi fan?
Kane: (Laughs) Everybody’s a “Star Wars” fan, I think.
Holmes: Likely story.
Kane: Actually in our appearance today in the Mattel booth, they had a gigantic figure of Voltron. And I was like “Oh wow!” It’s sort of neat now that some of the retro stuff from when I was a kid has become more popular.
Holmes: You’re a big dude. That Voltron figure’s gotta be around 12-foot tall. Why don’t you just hoist it over your shoulder and take it home with you?
Kane: (Laughs) I don’t know, I don’t think I can get on an airplane with that thing. It’s huge.

Holmes: So, you’ve done everything. Won every championship…well…except for the one she’s got. (Motions over to Kelly Kelly who’s seated a few feet away holding the WWE Divas championship.)
Kane: (Laughs) Yeah, I don’t want that one.
Holmes: Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice. But pink really isn’t your color.
Kane: Yeah, I know.
Holmes: How much longer do you think we’ll see you in the WWE?
Kane: I don’t know. Seriously, I don’t.
Holmes: Do you still enjoy it?
Kane: Yes…sometimes. I enjoy performing, but the travel really does get to you over time. If I can keep it being fun, I’ll keep on doing it.

Note: As we concluded the interview, a representative from Mattel presented Kane with a brand new Voltron action figure.

Watch Kane on WWE Smackdown, Friday Nights on Syfy at 8 p.m. ET.

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Hulk Hogan on C.M. Punk, ‘Saints Row,’ and His Reconciliation with Randy Savage

July 27, 2011

He smashed attendance records and opponents in the world of professional wrestling. He body slammed the box office (and Sylvester Stallone) as he rampaged his way through Hollywood. Now he has set his sights on the video game industry.

He’s the “Immortal” Hulk Hogan.

I had a chance to go toe-to-toe with “The Hulkster” at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con. While there we talked about overcoming the depression caused by his divorce and his son’s accident, C.M. Punk’s sudden rise in the WWE, and his video game alter-ego, Angel de la Muerte.

Gordon Holmes: How are you enjoying Comic Con?

Hulk Hogan: It’s cool. The energy is over the top. Anyone that’s into animation and these kinds of vicarious characterizations, they have this crazy imagination that runs wild. So to go in there and to get that energy and to be around them was really cool. I’ve been here a few times and realize how grateful I am that they still care about Hulk Hogan. A huge shot in the arm. The problem is 95% of the fans are men. The other 5% are good-looking women who don’t bring food.

Holmes: For all the ladies reading this, I understand that Hulk Hogan is a big fan of dark chocolate.

Hogan: You’d like to kill me? Then bring as much chocolate as you can, because I will eat every bit of it.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Impact Wrestling’

Holmes: I’ve gotta admit, I’m still not used to you having tattoos.

Hogan: (Reading his tattoos) “I am that I am.” That’s the first time God talked to Moses. God said, “I am that I am.” (Pointing around the room) “I am that, I am that.” It just means that God is everywhere. I’m on this whole religious, crazy, spiritual, scientific trip that just changed my life.

Holmes: I read your book (“Hulk Hogan: My Life Outside the Ring”). It was particularly tough reading about the dark place you ended up emotionally after your divorce and your son’s accident. But seeing all those fans, you’ve gotta know that people care about you.

Hogan: People are good, man.

Holmes: I’m glad you made it through that.

Hogan: Thank you, brother. No, it’s cool. It all happened for a reason. The divorce, the wreck my son was in. My ego was always present, I thought it was the worst thing that’d ever happened. But as soon as my ego became dormant, and I had this God space that I function in that I call “The Sweet Spot,” I realized everything happened for a reason. That’s my Bible thumping for the day, brother!

Holmes: You’re doing a video game, “Saints Row the Third.” I’ve seen a video of it and it looks insane. You play Angel de la Muerte. What can you tell me about him?

Hogan: It’s pretty crazy because they’ve taken the best of the wrestling community and plugged it into some superhero character. We’ve got the standard good guy/bad guy story; his partner Killbane turned on him.

Holmes: Was it tough making the transition to a video game voice actor?

Hogan: When I got into the vocal booth I had a bunch of help from the people who created the game. And once I found that sweet spot where Angel should be, I think I beat it up pretty good. But I laugh because now these guys are going to have to keep using me. But the character is great, and there seems to be a ton of interest. He has the knee brace on the same knee that I hurt originally. These guys are the best of the best at what they do. I think they’re on to something.

Holmes: Your character Angel de la Muerta was turned on by his partner Killbane. That seems like Wrestling Feud 101.

Hogan: The conflict is pretty easy. It’s the storyline driven stuff that makes wrestling work. Some of the new writers and new breed of wrestlers try to make more out of it than what it is. They’ll elaborate on the storylines, but the people don’t remember that. All they remember is the good guys go like this (holds his fists up) and the bad guys go like that (cowers in fear). Good guys go forward, bad guys go backward.

Holmes: I know you have a history of partners turning on you with Paul Orndorff, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, “Macho Man” Randy Savage…

Hogan: I think the ultimate act of betrayal is when a friend or a partner turns on you. Even more so in real life, because I have had someone, who was a good friend, turn on me. Macho Man did. And thank God, right before he passed away we started talking again.

Holmes: How did that reconciliation take place?

Hogan: It was really cool because I was going on my seventh back surgery and I couldn’t pass an EKG because my body was so stressed out from all the anesthesia. The doctor was trying to see what I could do to get this back surgery, I was sitting there with my new wife Jennifer and all the sudden the door bangs open and we hear, (imitating the “Macho Man”) “Hey, what’s up, brother? Oh yeah!” And I thought, “Oh my God, it’s Randy.” And my wife Jennifer didn’t know who he was. But, just the fact that we got back together after all of that conflict and him turning on me…and he turned on me on a personal level. He thought I was responsible for his divorce and his business deals and stuff. He confided in me that he felt bad for all the things I went through with my problems. And he said, “I feel so bad that I was such a jackass.” And he was really cool and we talked.

Holmes: So there’s hope for Angel and Killbane to patch things up?

Hogan: I can’t wait for the day where he begs for forgiveness and repents. This is the artform of life, brother, and it works. And that’s why this game is going to work. And that’s why it’s always worked; good vs. evil.

Holmes: Does Angel de la Muerte bust out any of your classic moves?

Hogan: He uses everything, brother. They have the technology to make him drop legs, suplex Killbane off of the top of the cage like I did to the Big Bossman back in the day. He can do whatever he wants in there, brother, because he doesn’t have any injuries except for that weak knee.

Holmes: Who wins in a fight; Hulk Hogan or Angel de la Muerte?

Hogan: I’ll put him over (wrestling slang for letting someone win).

Holmes: That’s good for the game. Makes Angel look strong.

Hogan: That means we get to go again, right? It was a fluke, brother!

Holmes: You slipped on a banana peel.

Hogan: (Laughs) I slipped on a banana peel. The sun was in my eyes. I just need to know if you were better than me on that day. You’ve gotta put him over. That’s why I don’t understand the (John) Cena thing. The first one was free; two good guys, him and the Rock. You don’t have to turn him heel yet (wrestling slang for becoming a bad guy).

Holmes: Are you paying attention to what’s going on in the WWE?

Hogan: Yeah, man, they’re saying my name every week.

Holmes: What does it mean to you when you tune in and hear them talking about you?

Hogan: It’s a huge compliment for them to say my name. It’s a huge compliment that they’re open-minded. It makes me realize that I’m Terry Bollea and I’m very humble with how nice people are to me, but there’s really something to this Hulk Hogan character. That’s why I had “Immortal” tattooed on my back. The religious thing is that I’m going to live forever because I’ve accepted Christ as my savior, which is the main reason, along with the fact that the Hulk Hogan character is going to be a part of history. The character is going to be immortal. Just like TNA’s alive again, getting ready for the red and the yellow, it makes me realize that no matter what happens in the WWE Universe, I’m part of that history package. So, it’s really cool when they name drop me.

Holmes: There have been moments that have changed the modern era of the wrestling business. One was when you defeated the Iron Sheik for the WWE (then WWF) title.

Hogan: (Imitating the Iron Sheik) I can’t believe you, jabroni!

Holmes: (Laughs) Watch your language if you’re going to do a Sheik impersonation.

Hogan: (Laughs) I know, brother. I’m not going to mention Brian Blair.

Holmes: (Laughs) Other moments are the formation of the nWo and Steve Austin’s “Austin 3:16” speech. Some are saying C.M. Punk’s interview has this potential. Did you have a chance to catch the episode of “Raw” a few weeks ago where Punk vented about the state of the WWE?

Hogan: Yeah, as soon as Vince deregulated wrestling in the ‘80s and told everybody that it’s entertainment and the finishes are predetermined, he decided that it’s a better move not to insult the people’s intelligence. We’re not out there saying “It’s real, brother!” I mean, it’s not fake because of all of the injuries. So, even though Vince has deemed it entertainment, people still want to believe. And when C.M. Punk did his thing, I think people just want to believe. Even on my Twitter account, people are saying,  “Hey, are you going to hire C.M. Punk? If John Cena gets fired he says he’s coming to your company!” I think it is so cool that people, even if you tell them that it is predetermined, that the art form, when done correctly, people can still get sucked into it. They still want to live vicariously through the wrestlers. It makes me realize that wrestling will always be around.

Holmes: Do you think Punk has what it takes to be the next big thing?

Hogan: It depends. It’s not Punk’s decision, it’s Vince McMahon. When he was on TV the other night and said he could make ten John Cenas, that’s true. When Vince McMahon says he can make another Hulk Hogan, that’s true. Everybody’s replaceable. It’s the power of the TV, it’s not the power of the wrestlers. Now, if you’re given the football, you’ve got to be able to run with it. Cause a lot of guys were given the ball. The Rock ran with it a certain distance. Stone Cold ran with it a certain distance. Hulk Hogan ran with it a certain distance. We all have our run. But it’s really the power of the TV. TV is the star.

“Impact Wrestling” airs Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on Spike TV.

“Saints Row the Third” will be released for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 on November 15, 2011.

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Introducing the C.M. Punk Ice Cream Bar

July 12, 2011

C.M. Punk truly has his finger on the pulse of today’s wrestling fan.

During last night’s live in-ring contract negotiation, he tried to convince WWE head Vince McMahon to bring back the beloved WWE Ice Cream Bar. For those of you who know nothing of this tasty treat, it’s basically an ice cream bar with chocolate on one side and a cookie featuring the image of a WWE superstar on the other.

Make this happen, Vince.

And God bless you, C.M. Punk.

Even More Whatnot…

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Is Pro Wrestling Ready for a Homosexual Hero?

June 24, 2011

Sometimes it’s tough being a pro wrestling fan.

For starters, everyone assumes you’re a moron who thinks it’s a legitimate athletic contest despite the fact that wrestling has been out of the closet (so to speak) since the mid 80s. Then there’s the ridiculous number of wrestlers who have dropped dead over the years due to drug use. And you can follow that up with storylines that sometimes border on the idiotic.

Not to mention the subtle (and not so subtle) racism, xenophobia, and homophobia.

Oh yeah…that.

(more…)

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Requiem for a Macho Man

May 21, 2011

“That’s back when wrestling was real? Right?” – Bob Trate

My buddy Bob likes his nerdy stuff, I like mine. While he’s watching sci-fi epics, I’m watching guys in spandex pretend to beat each other up.

But what got me started? Why does anyone decide to watch pro wrestling? Some will say it’s the pageantry, others will say it’s the larger-than-life personas, some think it’s the death-defying stunts. I disagree. I think everybody who tunes in was originally hooked by a great storyline.

This was mine…

(more…)

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‘WWE Extreme Rules’ Results

May 2, 2011

Hope you’re ready for some Wrestlemania leftovers! We are live and in high definition from Tampa, Florida. Our hosts for the evening are Josh Matthews, Jerry Lawler, and Booker T.

Last Man Standing Match: CM Punk wasn’t able to answer the ten count after Randy Orton and his five o’clock shadow gave him an RKO off of the top rope.

Wait, is Orton’s five o’clock shadow ripping off Kurt Angle? Uh oh…

Before the match, the anonymous Raw General Manager banned the New (and not terribly improved) Nexus from ringside, thus robbing Randy of the opportunity to single-handedly wipe them all out again. Kendo sticks were the flavor of the match with both guys taking some violent shots. Other highlights included Punk side-Russian leg sweeping Orton onto a steel chair, Orton RKOing Punk onto the announcer’s table (which didn’t break), and Punk giving Orton the GTS onto the steel ring steps. Overall a decent match, but the crowd didn’t seem that into it.

Afterward, Teddy Long, (Holla!) told Sheamus that he’d be defending (and I assume losing) his U.S. championship against Kofi Kingston in a table match. Sheamus isn’t cool with this as he doesn’t think Kofi is from the United States. He wants to see Kofi’s birth certificate. Well, Sheamus’s hair is as ridiculous as Donald Trump’s.

Table Match for the United States Championship: Kofi won the United States championship after putting Sheamus through a table with a boom drop off of the top rope. It felt something was off with the color on my TV as I’m not used to seeing Sheamus wearing red, white, and blue, and Kofi looked like a pack of Hubba Bubba with his hot pink/florescent green attire.

Wait, are Sheamus’s USA colors ripping off Kurt Angle? Uh oh…

Some cool stuff included Kofi doing a double foot stomp onto Sheamus’s chest, Kofi managing to keep himself from going through a table by straddling it, and the final boom drop off of the top rope to the floor was pretty awesome. But again, a decent match with a silent crowd. Weird.

After the match, R-Truth visited Todd Grisham to let him (and us) know how he feels about being pushed out of the main event. As you’d imagine, he’s not happy about it. He thinks it’s a conspiracy. He tries to spell conspiracy, but only gets halfway through before deciding to move on.

Tag Team Country Whipping Match: Michael Cole and Jack Swagger won after Cole was able to schoolboy Jim Ross. Michael Cole wore bubble wrap at the beginning of the match in an obvious nod to The Cat. (Yes, I’m aware that that joke dates me.) That didn’t last long though as Jerry Lawler quickly ripped it off of him. The story of the match revolved around Lawler and Ross trying to get their hands on Cole, but Swagger kept cutting them off. When Ross was eventually able to get ahold of Cole, what followed was pretty brutal.

Oh, that’s brutal as in sloppy, not as in violent.

This whole match was a bit of a trainwreck, and with Cole winning, sadly I think we’re in for more of this feud.

Note: WWE has a history of making matches with non-wrestlers entertaining, this just isn’t one of those times.

Next up Jonathan Cena had some interview time. He let us know that his long 10-month title drought ends tonight.

Falls Count Anywhere Match: Rey Mysterio defeated Cody Rhodes with a  springboard splash after a 619. Before the match, Cody Rhodes had his representatives hand out paper bags to the uglier members of the audience. This bout went everywhere like an old-school Hardcore match. At one point they even ended up in a concession stand. Cool moments included Rey dropping the dime off of the rampway, Cody wheelbarrowing Mysterio onto the steel steps, and Mysterio spraying Cody with a Great Muta-esque mist. Pretty good match and the crowd seemed into it. One odd thing though, what’s the point of a falls-count-anywhere match where the fall takes place in the ring?

Afterward, Layla apologized to the other Divas for being rude to them. The Divas forgave her because for as much as they don’t like Layla, they like Michelle McCool much less.

Loser Leaves WWE Match: Lay-Cool explodes, brother! Why isn’t this the main event? It was the main event when Shawn Michaels retired!

Anywho, Layla won the match after reversing a pin out of the Faith Breaker. Not much to call attention to here. I guess the best thing I can say about it is it was way better than any match involving Michael Cole and Jim Ross.

When it was over, Kharma (who for those of you who are unfamiliar with the former Awesome Kong should know is HUGE) destroyed McCool with a double-underhook face breaker.

Next up, Alberto Del Rio is giving his personal ring announcer some tips on how to announce him as the new champion.

Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: Christian claimed his first World title after Edge drove into the arena in a jeep and distracted Alberto Del Rio. At one point it looked like Christian was on his way to victory, but Brodus Clay snuck in and swiped the ladder out from under him. Big moments included Christian being pushed off of the top rope, landing on a standing ladder on the outside and hitting Del Rio with a crossbody, Del Rio hitting an armbreaker off of a tiny Hornswoggle-esque ladder, Christian hitting a spear in honor of his buddy Edge, and Del Rio nearly killing himself by missing a legdrop off of the top rope and through a ladder. Really good match, and the crowd really heated up toward the end.

After that we meet up with The Miz and Alex Riley. Alex is annoyed that the numbers are against The Miz in his Triple Threat Cage Match. The Miz isn’t interested in what Riley has to say. That makes two of us.

Lumberjack Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship: Kane and the Big Show defeated Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson after Wade Barrett tagged himself into the match and ate a Show chokeslam. Not much to call home about here in this very short match, but it was impressive to see Ezekiel Jackson bodyslam the Big Show.

Triple Threat Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena won his 53rd World Championship by pinning The Miz after an Attitude Adjustment off of the top rope. At one point R-Truth interjected himself into the match, keeping John Morrison from escaping the cage. He also hit Cena with an axe kick. Memorable moments included Morrison and Cena (Johnx2) suplexing Miz off of the cage, Morrison hitting a C4 on Cena, and Morrison hitting a Starship Pain from off of the top of the cage. Decent match here, but I’m sorry if seeing Cena with the belt for the 10th time doesn’t inspire much interest from me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Cena hater, but after he lost it the last time, he didn’t seem that concerned. So, why should I care when he gets it back?

Final Thoughts: The show boasted some really solid matches that may have been held back by a quiet crowd. And, what was bad was relatively short. Worth checking it out on a replay if you get the chance.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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Exclusive: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Wrestles on ‘Tough Enough’

April 8, 2011

The last time WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin wrestled a professional match it was in front of over 50,000 screaming fans at Seattle’s Safeco Field.

That was over eight years ago.

Since then, the Texas Rattlesnake’s physicality in the ring has been limited to a few punches, a few kicks, and a lot of Stone Cold Stunners.

So, what inspired him to go toe-to-toe with “Tough Enough” trainee Luke Robinson in front of only a handful of people in the “Tough Enough” training facility? Find out in this exclusive clip…

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/WWE-Tough-Enough/92737/1873349578/Luke-Robinson/embed 580 476]

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“WWE Tough Enough” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on USA.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes


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WWE’s ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin on ‘Tough Enough,’ Wrestlemania

April 1, 2011

Many people look at WWE programming and can’t see past the pageantry and the flashy costumes. What they don’t realize is that for every Superstar and Diva that makes it to the big time, there are thousands who don’t have the athleticism, the look, or the passion to capture their dreams.

That’s what WWE’s returning reality series “Tough Enough” is all about.

Fourteen potential Superstars and Divas will be put through the rigors of life in the ring by former WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus, former World Heavyweight Champion Booker T, Bill DeMott, and arguably the most successful Superstar the WWE has ever produced, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

I had a chance to speak with Steve Austin in the days leading up to the show’s premiere to ask him about the “Tough Enough” process, his role in this Sunday’s Wrestlemania XXVII, and if we would ever see the Texas Rattlesnake compete in the ring again…

Gordon Holmes: Is it alright if I call you Steve?
Steve Austin: Absolutely.
Holmes: I just wanted to be sure. I was always told to respect those who could kick my ass.
Austin: (Laughs) I’ve been called much worse.

Holmes: So, in your new show “Tough Enough” we’re going to see who has what it takes to become a WWE Superstar. What can we look forward to in Monday’s premiere episode?
Austin: There’s some good hard training. We’re going to put these kids through the paces; we’re going to make some evaluations on a wide range of contestants. They go from being as green as grass like Miss USA Rima (Fakih) to people with nine to eleven years of experience. We’re going to eyeball them all and see what they’ve got. There’s some good training, a lot of chemistry between myself, Bill DeMott, Booker T, and Trish Stratus. We all had a lot of fun doing it, I had a blast.
Holmes: If some of the talent already has some professional experience, was it tough to compare them to somebody who’s just learning the ropes? No pun intended.
Austin: You’ve just got to teach them the basics. They’re going to have to come up to speed or the curriculum might pass them. We’re taking all of that into consideration. As you’ll see, we have some people who do very well who basically have no experience.
Holmes: Can we look forward to any cameos throughout the season from other WWE Superstars?
Austin: Absolutely, the Rock came by, several of the guys came by. I think we had a WWE Superstar come by every week and talk to the kids about a different subject. We were fortunate to have a lot of visitors from the WWE roster.

Holmes: If I remember correctly, John Morrison came from the original “Tough Enough” series. Does anyone in this cast have that kind of potential?
Austin: There’s a couple of guys who caught my eye; a big kid named Erik (Watts), big Andy (Leavine) another guy 6’5”, 275 lbs. There was Luke (Robinson), a good looking kid. A kid named Martin (Casaus). Christina (Crawford), a young lady who’s absolutely beautiful, a lot of athletic ability who’s been working for five or six years out of Puerto Rico. All of them brought something to the game, they’re all good looking kids and they all have something to offer.
Holmes: Your last official WWE match was against the Rock at Wrestlemania 19. That was quite a while ago. Did you take this opportunity to get in the ring and rough up these kids?
Austin: One of the kids was pretty mechanically inclined, so I got in there with him…and shoot, I guess that means I haven’t been in the ring in seven or eight years…but I took a few bumps from him, gave him a few bumps, it was a lot of fun. I think if we do it again, I think I’ll be even more active and get in the ring a lot more.
Holmes: Now, I know you trained to wrestle with Chris Adams back in the World Class days. I trained in a strip mall in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Are you at all envious that these kids get such a top-notch training experience with nice facilities and trainers who have traveled the world and held multiples titles? Cause I am.
Austin: No, I’m happy for them. I want the best for these kids. And you’ve been in the business and trained, you know how hard it is. Only a few can really make it in this business and fewer can make it to the top. I certainly have my advice that I give these kids. I want them to pay some dues, I want them to understand the business the way I see it. I want them to respect it and protect it.
Holmes: Do you think that message about respecting the business came through?
Austin: Absolutely.

Holmes: Any big plans for this weekend?
Austin: This weekend…jeez, I almost forgot…I’m flying out to Atlanta tomorrow night. I’m going to the Hall of Fame Saturday night and then I’m going to referee the Jerry Lawler/Michael Cole match at Wrestlemania.
Holmes: Good thing I reminded you.
Austin: (Laughs) That would’ve been a damn thing if I had missed my flight.
Holmes: That would have been an issue. Now Steve, I’ve seen you referee before, and I don’t mean to call you out here, but you don’t always call it right down the middle.
Austin: I’m gonna call it right down the middle. I’m going to make sure that Jack Swagger doesn’t stick his nose where it doesn’t belong. But I try to wait till after the match, I delay my physicality until then.
Holmes: Quite a line-up this year with all of the big returns.
Austin: This is a special Wrestlemania. I thought it was going to be a weak effort this year, but they’ve put together a monster card. Undertaker and Triple H, Undertaker trying to extend his streak. I’m coming in, Rock’s coming in to host. We’ve got some other great matches, it’s a loaded card, it’s a great event. I love Atlanta and I’m coming to raise hell.
Holmes: What made you worry that this year’s event was going to be weak?
Austin: They’re pretty thin on talent, they’ve had some injuries. They’ve brought the Rock in to host it. They brought me back. I didn’t know if the Undertaker was going to make it, he’s had some injuries. Triple H is getting back in the ring. Until they brought all those players out they had a lot of green guys.

Holmes: Did you catch the Rock in the ring Monday?
Austin: Oh yeah.
Holmes: How about that? Think we’ll ever see him wrestle a full match again?
Austin: That’ll be interesting to see. I know he had fun, I know John Cena had fun, and the Miz did. And of course the WWE Universe loved it. I think everybody was excited about it.

Holmes: You’ve been hearing chants of “One More Match” ever since you retired. And, I know you’ve addressed that prospect before and I know you’ve had a lot of injuries. The question I’m asking is; if you had that match and could perform at the top of your abilities, who would you want to go against?
Austin: That’d be an interesting scenario. That dream match that never happened in a lot of people’s mind is Austin/(Hulk) Hogan. But, in the current crop? I don’t really know. It would have been neat to work against a John Cena. Or the Rock or Undertaker or Triple H again. But that one dream match that never happened was Austin/Hogan. I could still, you know if I was in a bad situation, I could still get two years out of my carcass on a full-time basis.
Holmes: Oh yeah?
Austin: At about 90, 95% of what I used to do.
Holmes: Well, I’d hate for you to fall on bad times, but I know people would love to see you back in the ring.
Austin: Oh, I know. But I’m happy where I’m at. And in ten or twenty years I still want to be doing the things I’m doing with my hunting and fishing. I want to continue to do that in a pain-free fashion. And right now I’m living a pretty pain-free lifestyle.
Holmes: That’s great to hear, I know a lot of former athletes don’t have that luxury. I noticed you and C.M. Punk had a bit of fun over Twitter discussing the new “WWE All Stars” video game. That feud seems like a natural between the two lifestyles.
Austin: I really like C.M. Punk. I think he’s one of the top workers in the ring. I love his promos. I love his style. There’s no smoke and mirrors. I like the straight-edge lifestyle stuff he does. You want to start pairing that against the beer-guzzling “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, I think you’d have an interesting feud to say the least. He would push me to the limits, I would teach that kid a thing or two, and there would be some wonderful promos going back and forth. I like him a lot.
Holmes: Who else do you like from this new crop of guys?
Austin: Randy Orton continues to get better, I like what he’s doing. A lot of comparisons of him to me, I don’t think he’s at that level yet. We’ll see if he ever gets there. Cena’s done a wonderful job. Miz, he was on “Tough Enough,” he didn’t even win and now he’s the World Champion. That guy has worked his ass off, he’s more physical in the ring, and he’s got a great promo. He’s done extremely well. It’s good to see Christian come back from that injury. The crowd likes him, he’s got a good in-ring product. We’ll see how much longer Edge can hold on. I like a lot of what Edge does. They’ve got some interesting newcomers, guys who are still green like Wade Barrett. But, I think they can expect big things from them in the next couple years.

Holmes: The WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony is this Saturday. How are you feeling about this year’s induction class?
Austin: I love it. Shawn Michaels is probably the greatest in-ring performer I’ve ever seen. He would have to be, in my opinion, in everybody’s top three. The Legion of Doom, I’ve always been a huge Road Warriors fan, and I wish Hawk was still with us. But dang, the way those guys blazed a trail. They were the shape of things to come. They were total devastation and great guys. Sunny, the first Diva. Man, she was the hottest thing on two feet for a while there. So, it’s fun to see her go in. And Abby (Abdullah the Butcher), that guy’s been in so many bloodbaths. All the stuff in Japan with (Bruiser) Brody. I’m glad to see him go in. “Bullet” Bob was a damn good hand in the ring. Tough, gritty, he paved the way for a lot of cats.

Holmes: Whenever people talk about the biggest names, it’s always you, Hogan, and the Rock…and Cena’s starting to approach that plateau. The one difference I’ve noticed is the fact that the fans turned on good guy Hogan, they’ve turned on good guy Rock, and they’ve always given John Cena a hard time. Why didn’t the fans ever turn on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin?
Austin: I don’t know. I think whether I was a heel or a babyface, I was always in that Oakland Raiders mode. I brought a gray area to a black-and-white world. My work ethic, my style, you could never see through it. I was very physical, I was very aggressive, unpredictable and very entertaining. And I loved my fans. They’re the best fans in the world. I worked my ass off for them and I earned their respect. I gave them everything I had.

Holmes: I’m gonna finish this with the most important question I have; are we ever going to see another Steve Austin vs. The Rock sing off?
Austin: (Laughs) You can never say never…but you probably won’t.

‘Wrestlemania XXVII’ airs Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 7 p.m. ET on Pay Per View.

‘WWE Hall of Fame Induction’ airs Monday, April 4, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on USA.

‘WWE Tough Enough’ premieres Monday, April 4, 2011 at 11 p.m. ET on USA.

Any questions? Any comments? Our commenting system is down for the time being, but feel free to drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes or chat with fellow WWE fans at the XFINITY TV Facebook page.

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