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Athena. THE Women’s Champion Right Now.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

August 20th, 2016. The time when we’re in the middle of “the greatest summer ever” according to Zoomers like myself until you find out that from May 1 to Sept. 12 of that year, nearly 15,000 daily records for warmest lows were set in the United States alone, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. Great!  

It was also the year that the second NXT: Takeover Brooklyn show took place and ya boy was as hyped as seeing Ricardo Calafiori’s goal against Man City a few months ago. It was *a chef’s kiss*.

What makes the show a chef’s kiss is the entire card itself and the highlights. Asuka vs Bayley, PEAK Tye Dillinger hype, remember TM61?, Authors of Pain, another DIY vs Revival classic, BOBBY ROODEUH, Shinsuke Nakamura winning a major title (laughable statement in 2024).

One of the highlights was the debut of Ember Moon. The music from It Lives, It Breathes, the fantasy aesthetic with hood on looking like my rogue playthrough character in Dragon Age: Veil-guard.

That entrance as well as her finisher made me appreciate her right away as someone who hasn’t watched her previous work in the indies. She just had that “cool” factor that grabbed me instantaneously.

Her success in NXT (having banger matches, especially with Asuka and being an NXT women’s champion) didn’t translate well in the main roster because it’s the norm of 2010s WWE.

Even after her WWE release and joining all elite wrestling, she struggled a bit particularly in the promo side of things (one hundo pee anyone?) Fortunately, AEW played to her strengths which is delivering great match after great match after great match after great match. 

And winning the ROH women’s championship just solidified her stance as the women’s champion right now. Let me highlight one example

Her story with Billie Starkz is one of the most compelling stories because it’s a mentor and mentoree who are both trying to prove themselves. It’s a textbook case of why simplicity (in the case of telling a story) thrives in professional wrestling. 

Their match at the ROH final battle? My fallen goddess, what a match! 

There are many reasons why this match slaps harder than a Gunther chop. Athena vs Billie Starkz was a storytelling, thrilling and physical encounter which told the continued narrative between the two. The bout focused on a professional rivalry which created a fierce base of betrayal, power, and passion. It featured powerful back-and-forth jabs, intense strikes and a truly breathtaking tempo, making a viewer feel the risk at any given moment. Raw emotions from the performers made the match intense. To be honest, I was rooting for Billie Starkz, especially as someone who, like Starkz, is the young hungry mentoree trying to prove myself day in and day out. Athena and Billie Starkz did a phenomenal job of building off each other and turning in fantastic shifts of moments that’ll remember fondly as a wrasslin fan.

The writing of the women’s division in WWE (main roster speaking) hasn’t been their strong suit for quite some time so I’m glad that an alternative; an entity like AEW shows how you can book a solid women’s division despite their history of not booking the women’s division right. 

And Athena being the ROH women’s champion for 50 days played a huge role in that.

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The Wyatt Six: Witness Signs and Wonders

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

The second a moth leaves the cocoon, life begins anew. Gone is the caterpillar. Cherished be the ways of reincarnation and life’s cycle of love and misery.

August 24, 2023, brought the tragic news of Windham Rotunda’s untimely passing. Everyone mourned – family, friends, fans, all. Even those highly critical of his work and portrayal of Bray Wyatt wrote their glowing praise and grieved someone who made an impact in wrestling. 

Yet he left enough to the professional wrestling world that would last longer than he did in Earth’s near-infinite rotations to come. 

The most obvious example of this is the rising megastardom of LA Knight, but there is one more. 

Uncle Howdy.

As silly as it is for me to use that name dramatically, this is part of a plan that Windham and his brother Taylor had mapped out through 2022-2023 until Windham’s passing. There was to be a stable of wrestlers on the roster to form and embody members of the Firefly Funhouse, but before WrestleMania 39, these plans had to be postponed due to Windham’s declining health behind the scenes. They were almost postponed forever. 

After months of grieving and healing, this story resumes, albeit slowly and heavily altered. 

The first step in both Bray’s return and the debut of the Wyatt Sicks were QR codes. Those who bit the hook and visited where these QR codes took them were treated to mysterious photos and videos.

Tinged with horror attributed to Bray Wyatt’s legacy, these tidbits featured elements seemingly inspired by the likes of Mark Z Danielewski’s House of Leaves novel and analog horror series common on YouTube. Some elements reminded me of one of my favorite online artists, Omega Black Art.

Credit: Omega Black Art – support them on their Patreon!

Throughout the appearances of these vignettes, themes of nostalgia, religion, existentialism, and pain were prominent. As art, horror can draw from human experiences to deliver emotions that draw upon the parts of life we find uncomfortable. Windham as Bray executed just that in a personal, heartfelt direction, and it resonated because the things he went through are human experiences. So, with bated breath, fans of his waited to see how this vision would be executed without his presence.

As time yawned forth like a ghost train into the night, these codes increased in frequency, often interrupting segments and matches on-screen. The dread was growing in the background. Ultimately a deadline was set for the Monday Night Raw episode to follow the Clash at the Castle event, with hints of a target with the initials ‘CG’. 

As was foretold, the Raw after Clash, things were off. Glitches in production, the crowd’s growing dimness, and the titantron’s darkening during the main event as Jey Uso, Rey Mysterio, and Finn Balor vied for a Money in the Bank Ladder Match opportunity.

Following Jey Uso’s win, the fireflies in the crowd that had taken to him bore witness as one by one, the arena grew dark. Amid the fervor of fans, a solitary piano key rang out. One note. A familiar tone from “Shatter”, Bray’s last theme song.

Uncle Howdy returns with sinister friends: Raw highlights, June 17, 2024

A shining door from beyond opened, beaming forth a lantern, placed in front of a masked woman. Sister Abigail, played by Nikki Cross. She directed the camera to a giant Rambling Rabbit portrayed by Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan wielding a giant hammer reading ‘Help”. At his feet were the bodies of the assaulted backstage members and talent. In Gorilla Position sat Mercy the Buzzard, embodied by Dexter Lumis. Huskus the Pig in the form of a gas mask held his head, which hid the visage of former NXT alumni Joe Gacy. At the end of this was Uncle Howdy, who tipped his hat. One by one, they gathered and one by one, they matched to Sister Abigail at the entrance. The circle was unbroken. Howdy closed this stable debut grabbing the lantern at Abigail’s feet, declaring “We’re here,” as he blew out its light.

This was something special. A great first impression. Magical and emotional with the context; it was artistically done, and done so in the theatrical way wrestling had been, turned to 11. Depending on who you asked, that’s either a good thing or a bad thing. 

For those who loved it, it was as though Bray Wyatt never left; he was sitting in Gorilla, beaming with pride, waiting to hug Taylor once he removed the Uncle Howdy mask. The Wyatt Sicks debut played out reminiscent of Bray’s return at Extreme Rules 2022. It felt as personal for everyone involved as it was for him as he held back tears on that night. I imagine that there were no dry eyes behind some of those masks.

For those who aren’t as on board for the Wyatt Sicks, it stems from many things. The takes from the side that are relevant to this discussion, however, question how it will all work from a wrestling sense. 

According to a report by Fightful Select, there is a way around that. The report states: “WWE thinks there’s a real chance this will work with modern wrestling…a heavy talking point was that it was often difficult to make Fiend and Wyatt programs work in the ring.” WWE knows that there was a rough transition between the incredible in-betweens of Bray Wyatt-centric appearances and the matches that would dictate the stories. The report then stated, “That wouldn’t be an issue, as there doesn’t appear to be supernatural elements as currently planned and presented.” Aiming for a grounded approach is genius, narratively as it shows that Bray and his supernatural powers are gone, and presentation-wise, as it enforces the most important part of pro wrestling: the wrestling itself.

But how could it work?

While squashing enhancement talents, lower and mid-card wrestlers, and even main event talent could emphasize the threat of the Wyatt Sicks, there’s already a formula for keeping everyone strong. The Bloodline for instance would knowingly lose matches via disqualification to send a message; while that’s certainly a viable option, that can grow old, fast. So would no-contest finishes. That’s why these matches would need to represent survival if opponents were to win. Let’s face it, at some point, members of the group would have to lose. And there’s even a story there, of loss making people more dangerous. Loss is a driving factor wrought with pain.

Fortunately, the members of the Wyatt Sicks have shown to be average to great in the past when it comes to the graps. 

Bo Dallas, the character behind Uncle Howdy, has shown to be a quite fine wrestler before his comedy gimmicks. Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Nikki Cross were all incredible on the independent circuit prior to WWE and during their time in NXT. Erick Rowan himself has proved to be a great tag team wrestler in the past with Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper. They know what they’re doing. With how personal this story is for each member, there’s already a passion to make this work.

The great first impression is there. There is a lot of pressure to see this ambitious project succeed. Among the catharsis, healing, and pain, there must be a mountain of nerves to work through.

With indications that this story is to reverberate across WWE brands, this has the makings of a large-scale story not seen since the heights of The Bloodline. This cannot fail. 

There have to be impactful moments because of this. For instance, Chad Gable, a victim of this chaotic debut, could benefit from being an even more sinister villain, opting to be a calmer version of himself and less verbally abusive, using his haunting experience to manipulate Alpha Academy to his will through sympathy and pity. The New Day could further split with Xavier Woods seeing how serious things can be contrasted to Kofi Kingston. 

Do you see Rambling Rabbit behind that red shoe above Chad Gable’s head? The threat was already there in the shadows.

Seeds should be sewn, and discontent among wrestlers before and during this angle could lend itself well to the emotional impact. Bonds as strong as blood being tested in the face of uncertain doom make for a terrifying premise.

But questions will need to be answered. Actions must be taken. How are Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis going to address this? Could there be uneasy alliances among enemies? Will it be a slow burn or a total chaotic invasion? Who is the sixth member? (Please don’t let it be Hogan.)

Every small touch is needed here. It doesn’t have to beat fans over the head, just leave enough for fans to know this is a widespread problem. WWE could benefit from taking a page from the past such as when Bobby Heenan left WCW Monday Nitro commentary for his own safety during the early NWO angles. 

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Why not go a step further? WWE is seeing partnerships with other companies such as GCW, TNA, Marigold, and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Have talent use these in kayfabe as a way to get away from the harm in their home promotion. 

There are so many opportunities. Certainly, there’s enough to outshine my silly fantasy booking angles seen above. The potential is here to make something unforgettable.

Pulling back the curtain, I hope this brings everyone what they want out of this. I hope when Taylor Rotunda removes his mask and wipes away his tears, he feels it’s worth it. As a longtime fan of Bray Wyatt, I am fully in support, especially with the family’s blessing. I hope this quells some skepticism

Of course, this shouldn’t be a total takeover. After all, sticking solely to this instead of other stories will stale, fast. Just leave enough morsels to know the roster members are working under these conditions.

Bray Wyatt’s story is full of hurting and healing. This backstage mania represented that. There’s a lot of hurt in loss. Words unspoken and dreams unfulfilled. Lashing out at the pain only to find healing at the end, that’s where this could lead. 

The fact that this angle is still being discussed no matter how polarizing just shows how he still has the whole world in his hands; he never loosened his grasp.

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You Should Better Thank Matt Cardona.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

March 8, 2024. The day that WWE surpassed 100 Million Subscribers on YouTube. It only took some bad writing at times, corporate monopoly and racism. Congrats, I guess.

That same day, Xavier Woods aka Austin Creed aka Rasheed Lucius Creed (Check out my piece on the guy), posted this on the site formerly known as Twitter.

And you know what? He’s justified to feel that way. Why? Well, Matt Cardona aka Zack Ryder aka former women’s tag team title belt holder aka menace of the Indies aka the man behind the hit 2013 single Hoeski (at least he’s got more music hits than whoever came up with the song “Wasting My Time”. The name is fitting given it’s as plain and default as it gets for a song), employed social media strategically in furthering his career thus reaching the fans, more so when his television time was cut short.

But before I talk about how the Long Island Iced Z revolutionised storytelling in pro wrestling through social media, I’ll briefly summarise his wrestling career up until that point. Matt Cardona started wrestling in the ring in 2004 but signed with WWE in 2006.

He began performing in the WWE in 2007 in the Major Brothers tag team with Curt Hawkins. They aligned themselves with Edge later that year and unlike Edge who’s Rated R superstar, they were rated G for generic white guys at that moment of their careers. In 2009 he got repackaged as Zack Ryder in ECWW which portrayed him as a character clearly inspired by Pauly D from the Jersey Shore, with new characteristics like spiky hair, wearing headbands and the catchphrase “woo woo woo, you know it”.

Around late 2010, Ryder wasn’t utilised on television like that so he did what he thought was the best route possible for his career, make YouTube videos and thus “Z! True Long Island Story” was born. Zack did that to communicate with the fans in a way that wasn’t the norm on WWE television at that time. Twitter, Facebook (back when it wasn’t the unc platform), and YouTube presence give him a large following which led to the constant “We Want Ryder” at the WWE shows. This fan support led to more television time, and Cardona won the WWE United States Championship defeating Dolph Ziggler in December 2011 at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (they used YouTube to build the storyline around, by the way). That showed a clear statement that a wrestler, who was struggling to be noticed, could achieve.

2012 was the supposed “end of the world” and unfortunately, so was Zack Ryder’s push because that dude hasn’t been the same since getting stuck in lower mid-card purgatory. Ever since he was released by WWE in 2020, the man formerly known as Zack Ryder became an Indy GOD by winning more championships than Tottenham ever did (a sentence I never thought I would say 5 years ago but that should tell you how awful Spurs are as a team).

Now, you’re probably reading the title and asking yourself, “Why should I thank Matt Cardona?” Well, it’s a simple reason, his use of social media. WWE’s further push to their digital expansion as a result of Cardona’s YouTube show “Z! True Long Island Story,” has showcased the potential of digital platforms for the medium to tell a simple story which is professional wrestling’s greatest asset.

WWE responded by investing heavily in its digital content, expanding its YouTube presence and creating original content for audiences. All of that has led to the enhancement of their brands and the fostering of a more engaged fanbase than ever before. If you want a recent example, Just look at The Rock’s various video promos going into his feud with Cody Rhodes and Seth “hoping he’s not bald” Rollins.

That strategy even went beyond Titan Towers. Remember Kenny Omega vs “current Fuck That Wanker champion” Chris Jericho in NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom? That entire feud was set up on Twitter through a series of back-and-forth tweets.

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On and all, Matt Cardona’s successful use of social media, particularly YouTube, significantly influenced WWE and the entire wrestling business’ digital engagement strategy. His “Z! True Long Island Story” showcased the power of social media in building a personal brand and engaging with fans through what was at the time, a unique avenue to do it. Cardona’s story demonstrates how digital platforms can empower wrestlers to influence their careers.

All I’m saying is that you should. Better. Thank. Matt. Cardona.

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Professional wrestling rules. Here’s why.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

Think about the greatest arcs in the history of fiction. 

Jesse Pinkman being freed from the Jack Welker’s gang thanks to Walter White at the end of Breaking Bad, Zuko’s series long redemption arc in Avatar Last Airbender and of course, a great science fiction movie that explores freedom, resilience and overcoming great odds. 

I’m of course talking about the 2000 classic, Battlefield: Earth. 

Fortunately, professional wrestling has some of that freedom, resilience and overcoming great odds. It’s basically the entire arc of a racist man named Terry. 

Lucky for me, I don’t have to do that but I will describe two of the best wrestling arcs that had a profound impact on where I was in life. 

Shawn Michaels vs The Undertaker. Wrestlemania 26. Streak vs Career. 

You’re probably asking yourself, “why not the original match aka Royal Rumble 1998 in a casket match?” 

Well, it’s definitely because you thought that I was going to talk about a match that led to a retirement for Shawn Michaels only to wrestle again several years later which involves Triple H. Just saying. 

Their encounter at Wrestlemania 25 ruled harder than the Achaemenid empire but what made the next match even better was Shawn Michaels’ relentless pursue into thinking that he can defeat The Undertaker because Mr Hickenbottom 

was this close in putting an end to Taker’s streak. 

That relentless purse is what I relate to. Several months ago I auditioned to be a host in a competition I’ve alway wanted to host in and risked everything to get to where I was. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it and to be quite honest with you, I wasn’t happy for a while.

Watching this match in hindsight taught me that sometimes the risks you’ll take will not pay off but that doesn’t mean your life is over. 

I mean look, 14 years later, Shawn is out here being head booker of the year by embracing black excellence and making sure that the NXT parking lot is the most dangerous place on Earth. 

Anything is possible when you realize yourself, “I am him”. 

Daniel Bryan against The Authority. Summerslam 2013 Till Wrestlemania 30. 

Look, I know that “authority” and Bryan Danielson is no longer an oxymoron and yes, Bryan winning the titles at Wrestlemania 30 was a response to the constant loud crowd reactions of him despite what some people would tell you that it was “designed all along” by WWE (yes, I’m supposed to believe that the same people that told Roman Reigns to say, “sniveling little suck-up sellout full of sufferin’ succotash” came up with a 8 month long compelling story). 

But, it was a great happy accident though. 

Wrestling works well when you improvise in the moment no matter how they’ve tried to make a match between a current world champion and a Hollywood actor work,  screwing their biggest babyface in the process only to blow it in their faces and make the right decision in the end. 

Surely, that would never happen again in 2024, right? 

Wit aside, this entire storyline is great mainly because it’s a good old fashioned underdog story. Seeing someone who isn’t the typical WWE mole succeed on that level is always a great feeling whether it’s Mick Foley’s in 1999 or 15 years later, Daniel Bryan. 

The main reason why it’s a great feeling is because it tells me that with determination and the belief in ourselves, we can achieve our goals. To quote the man himself, “fight for your dreams and if you fight for your dream, your dreams will fight for you”. 

On and all, I will never forget how this medium has transformed the power of storytelling inside the squared circle, where every twist and turns shapes not only the characters but as well as the hearts and minds of those who bear witness. 

Within these stories, I find echoes in my own trials and tribulations so much so that it connects with me as a fan in a deep level. 

In other words, I love pro wrestling and there’s no shame in that. 

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Kofi Kingston. Greatest of all time.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

“S.O.S. I hear them shoutin’
S.O.S. I hear them cryin’
S.O.S. I hear them callin”

The reason why I’m quoting the lyrics to Kofi’s old but gold theme song is that people either don’t know the lyrics or are still butchering the lyrics by saying something like “sos I hear them Shelton, sos I hear them Bryan” instead.

Like most people, I discovered Kofi Kingston through a series of vignettes which ends with the line in his Jamaican accent “there’s always trouble in paradise”. My man basically described the plot of Far Cry 3.

Usually, WWE would see a character outside of America and say, “Turn them heel right now” but throughout the pre-accent drop, Kofi was a babyface which is quite rare. It’s almost as rare as hearing “here’s your winner, Solo Sikoa”.

You gotta give him credit, he made me as a wee little lad convinced that he was as Jamaican as Adele.

He was exciting, defining, amazing and most importantly, unique that separates from the pack.

That last part is important as Kofi debuted in an era where you saw a lot of debuts that were forgettable.

So forgettable in fact that Wrestling With Wregret did a 3 part video documenting forgotten wrestlers (and you know it’s bad when your lasting legacy as a WWE wrestler from 2002 till 2008 is appearing on a YouTube video).

You know what wasn’t forgettable? The way he dropped his Jamaican accent on an episode of RAW leading to Bragging Rights. One of the rare moments where unpredictability in wrestling actually worked.

Unfortunately, what didn’t work was his big push in late 2009 (thanks Randall Keith) as he was stuck in midcard purgatory for years.

He did pop off again thanks to him being one of three members of the greatest faction of all time, The New Day (yea, I said it. The. Greatest. Faction. Of. All. Time).

February 12, 2019. Remember this date because it was the “lighting caught in a bottle” moment. That date was on an episode of Smackdown where Kingston participated in a gauntlet match to determine the last entrant in the Elimination Chamber match.

For context, due to an injury, Mustafa Ali was out of the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE title and was replaced by Mr 24/7 himself (Poor Ali. That dude was also going to grab the Money In The Bank briefcase until brook laser showed up and took it).

After eliminating the man formerly known as Daniel Bryan, Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe (aka 3 AEW guys), AJ Styles (the second last person in the gauntlet match) saw a beat up, exhausted Kofi and said to him, “You don’t have to do this, just stop, just stop, it’s all right.”

Kofi with a bit of fire and passion left in his body responded, “I’ve waited so long. Fight me!”

That line is what every single professional wrestler fights for. An opportunity. An opportunity where they can showcase themselves even if they’re a bit banged up because that chance ain’t never coming back and Kofi waited a decade to finally be in a WWE title picture.

I know the words “Corey Graves” and “best” don’t usually go well but he said it best, “There is no shame whatsoever in what Kofi Kingston just did.”

Kingston did eventually tap out to the Calf crusher but that entire performance was just the beginning for the Ghanaian native. The beginning of a movement where his name is inserted after the word mania aka Kofi-mania (no shit, Benoit Blanc).

That entire arc led to him winning the WWE championship at Wrestlemania 35 (in a very good match) in the best moment of the year and the way he lost the championship to Brock Lesnar several months later was the worst moment. Who would’ve thought the worst and best moment of 2019 both involved Kofi Kingston because creative, am I right?

I wish Kofi would go back to being a main event level act soon but a man can only dream.

Overall, Kofi Kingston is in the conversation of the greatest to ever do it mainly due to his 15 year long success in the world of professional wrestling showcasing his high-flying athleticism, exciting matches, charisma and most importantly, mastery in Tekken.

Let’s finish his old theme song lyrics shall we? “You woke up with a Batman, Rhea and Cena.

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You run for day, cog nina way, I bring bullies that are so bad at English, shove a mega punch into my face, Little boy. It’s a Shane, what the Shane, you lose ya life. You want more more time. Tasneem is mine. Yerp bawling.”

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R Truth. Our Homie.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

What do you get when you mix in professional wrestling by getting rowdy, old school hip hop with quotables like “I be skippin’ and jumpin’ and, leavin’ the competition Makin ’em disappear like your favorite magician” and some vampire blood because he doesn’t age by the day? You get Ronnie K aka R Truth.

He maybe be “one of the baddest a** n***** to step foot in this game” but he’s always been a team player. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Truth was ecstatic after hearing that he’s going to work with Judgement Day, (from Fightful):

“When they said I was working with Judgment Day, I was like, ‘Let’s do it. What are we doing?’ They could have said I was working with anybody and I was ready. I will say this, Judgment Day, they all want me.”

That last statement hasn’t aged well if you watched Monday Night RAW this past week (throw a middle finger to JD McDonagh). The excitement of just wanting to contribute is what drives him to be the best performer he can be. When he first made his tenure in WWE, it was a rocky start.

He did form a tag team with Road Dogg but that didn’t go anywhere because Titan Towers at the time didn’t give him that spotlight to be a great performer that we know and love now.

So, he went to TNA and proved that he can not only elevate his level but also others as he won the NWA world title twice, TNA tag team title once and the NWA tag team title twice (shout out to the original Max Moon for one of those tag title reigns).

When he returned to WWE as R Truth, he retained his core persona from K-Kwik but with a whole new flow. His so-called “rapper gimmick” is no gimmick, it’s legit an artform that he’s been passionate about since he was a kid.

He not only met two legends in Tupac Shakur and Easy E but also opened for rappers like Mc Lyte (suffice to say, Truth didn’t make his paper thin because he has a million dollar smile that flows like the Nile or the waters from the Panama Canal).

And that’s what makes him special, you know. R Truth is like the Susan Storm of the group in that he’s the glue that sticks the team together or the salt that brings all the flavours together.

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He brings people close whether it’s his funny segments in professional wrestling or his decent play in the rap game.

R Truth has always been that guy that you want to have as a cool off to a heated tension between two or more people.

In a world that can be divisive and cruel, R Truth is someone you need the most because when you’re down and out, he’ll always be there for us whether you’re a wrestler in WWE or a fan at home.

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Xavier Woods. The Ultimate Pro Wrestler.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

Video games, professional wrestling and the power of positivity. Those words currently describe the bit of time I had playing Wrestlequest so far (Check out Love Wrestling’s interview with the person behind the game, Zack Manko).

Usually, those two words don’t mix well with “positivity”. Why? Well, just look at the site formerly known as Twitter. However, a certain individual made all three words work because he’s legit that damn good who’s sorely needed in this space.

Those 3 words are also the consequence of the decade-plus showcase of the most vigorous, charismatic and dare I say, influential wrestler of the modern era, Xavier Woods aka Austin Creed aka Rasheed Lucius Creed aka the man who got his face kicked by black snow aka King Woods aka Xavier Woods. Creed is like the actor Cillian Murphy in that you think he’s been doing this for a decade but in reality, he’s been doing this a bit longer, debuting a year earlier than his New Day member, Kofi Kingston.

Austin made his first appearance in wrestling at NWA which is something impressive to say if it was the year 1981 (like 1980s NWA, the present-day version includes a handful of cocaine. Talk about the wrong kind of nostalgia, am I right?).

Creed’s first big pitstop in wrestling was at the promotion that just got their name back (TNA! TNA! TNA!) where among other things, he teamed up with Ron Killings dubbing the duo as “Truth and Consequences” (Oh, so that’s where the name of Mike Knox and R Truth’s tag team came from in Smackdown Vs RAW 2011) as well as being in the X-Division championship picture.

In other words, he was basically in the tag team division then the mid-card.

With that sentence, you’re probably asking, “Are you sure you’re describing the year 2008 or 2023?”

Fun fact, he also wrestled for New Japan once again in a tag team setting but this time, he aligned himself with Kota Ibushi at the first-ever super juniors tournament.

Now thinking about it, a solo run for Creed at NJPW would’ve been TOO SWEET (Get it? New Japan? Bullet Club?). But, c’mon. Let’s be for real. Who doesn’t want to see Austin Creed vs Will Ospeary at the Tokyo Dome? I certainly do.

Austin (now Xavier Woods) would then finally join WWE and by far, the most notable thing he did before forming one of the greatest factions of all time, was beefing with Tyrus which I can’t blame him honestly.

Let’s talk about The New Day shall we? As I mentioned earlier, The New Day is one of the best factions of not only in the 2010s but also arguably of all time for the simple reason being that they weren’t the typical team where they first formed then tension/envy (the word envy, not the radio host that commitment real estate fraud) happened then break up.

Their bond along with the desire of all their friends to succeed makes them really stand out amongst the pack. They represent the phrase, “if you succeed then we succeed” so well.

Their motto has taught me that you don’t have to be envious of your friend’s success. Instead, celebrate those accomplishments with them because you were there by being a part of their journey. Remember, It’s not completion, it’s cohesion.

That infinite fuel of motivation has led to multiple tag team champions, 2 WWE championships (one from Kofi Kingston and the other from Big E but both equally robbed too fast from Brock Lesnar) and a King Of The Ring win from Woods himself, codifying their chapter in the book titled “Greatest of all time”.

Also, The New Day vs The Usos. That line says it all. Since we’re talking about best matches, here are some of his greatest solo encounters:

  • Xavier Woods vs Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at the April 2023 episode of Smackdown.
  • Xavier Woods vs Ricochet. King Of The Ring First Round-Match 12 Oct, 2021 episode of RAW.
  • Xavier Woods vs AJ Styles. 2016 episode of Smackdown.
  • Xavier Woods vs John Cena. US Championship Open Challenge. 12 Sep, 2015 episode of RAW. 1

Woods also created “UpUpDownDown” and as a result, made gaming in the macho of the machoest locker room more accepting than ever before thanks to Shelton Benjamin paving the way for guys like Woods to game backstage in the 2000s. On and all, Xavier Woods is by far one of Best performers in the business right now that hasn’t ever once made me go, “this guy really sucks, man.”

I’m going to end this piece with a quote from him in a recent interview with The Superstar Crossover podcast because it really represents him well (from SportsKeeda):

“In my head, I feel like in order to climb that mountain and become world champion, one day I need a U.S. Championship run, I need an Intercontinental Championship run… but that doesn’t mean that I need to break away from Kofi or E at all because what we do is we tell stories as a family.Friendship is the most important thing on this planet to me. That’s the only way we survive, that’s how we have societies and communities, that’s how we grow as a human race so that’s our focus is telling those stories in wrestling.

”

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RJ City’s Hey EW. THE Interview Of Interviews.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

It was Friday and ya boy was ready to swing to YouTube and watch some videos because life couldn’t get better than spending an hour watching YouTube Shorts videos while Subway Surfers is at the bottom of every clip nowadays because I’m as young as they come. 

Now, I’ve always seen the thumbnails of RJ City with a whiteboard behind him labelled “Hey Ew” in some of AEW’s videos on my feed (Which I realised later on that it’s a great double entendre given that Hey Ew is spelt as “Hey You” and that’s how he starts his interviews). 

And man, I’m glad I gave RJ City’s Hey EW a chance, which is odd considering that I’ve watched some of the content, mostly notably his feud with actor and best WCW champion ever if your name is Vince Russo, David Arquette.

You’re probably asking, “Who’s RJ City and why is he beefing with old people? Like who the hell does he think he is? Randy Orton?” 

RJ City is kind of, yes no, maybe, I don’t know, depending on the day, a professional wrestler that wants to shy away from his Canadian roots as well as making references so old and specific that it’ll make you question whether he’s as old as Helen Mirren. 

RJ also livestreams on YouTube (previously on Facebook) making coffee in his underwear which I mean who doesn’t? Putting on pants? Pffft. Overrated! 

What makes the unofficial New Yorker stand out amongst the rest of the “backstage interviewers” pertaining to Hey Ew is the dry sense that’ll make the British proud mixed with the wittiness that came straight out of the character Lorne from the TV show Angel and a tablespoon of sarcasm. 

Let me highlight some of the A* quality journalism from RJ City because why not, right? 

Ricky Starks: “Let’s talk about your pose. The first time I saw it, I thought,” Oh my God, he’s got a migraine” “. 

Billy Gunn:  “Do you ever go to a cocktail party and say, “Please, call me ass?””. 

Rob Van Dam: “You first appeared on wrestling television in 1987 when Ted Dibiase paid him, paid you to kiss his feet. How did you escape the stigma of being a foot fetishist?” 

Hikaru Shida: “Wrestling is what happens when your school doesn’t have a theatre program” 

Wardlow: “What is it like to be a young Amish Wardlow?” 

Jeff Jarrett: “David Arquette. He was a promising young actor. He did “Never Been Kissed” and then you were like, “psst, wanna hold a belt”?”

Vince McMahon: “In 1997, you uttered the line, “Bret screwed Bret”. My question is, as of right now, Who screwed Vince, Huh? Don’t answer, it’s your back.”

That last one was made up but you know that’s something he’ll likely ask because I appreciate him for it. 

On and all, Rj City’s Hey EW is a great twist in the “Between Two Ferns” genre of interviews within professional wrestling because let’s face it, in the world filled with “how did you get started” and “Do you aspire to win a champion (despite either winning a title or currently holding said title)”, RJ City’s Hey EW is particularly distinct, insightful and downright hilarious. 

In other words, Hey Ew is the interview of interviews. 

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Who Is He? Keith. Mudaf’ing. Lee.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

Think about the most dynamic and versatile performers. Shawn Michaels? Bret Hart? Kenny Omega? Hiroshi Tanahashi? Hell, even Ice JJ Fish?

But, when I think of dynamic performers ever or one of the most dynamic performers ever, I think of Keith Lee.

Not to be confused with the food critic that at one point, was called out for racism from a white guy, Keith Lee is THE person that after I hear/ read the name, I’ll say, “he’s in this show? I’m definitely watching this?” Why? Because he is to quote Sting’s WCW theme song, “He big as bull, & quick as a cat. He looks fine, he looks cool. He’s own man, & he’s nobody’s fool”

The first time I heard of his name was from a Q&A session at the Internet Darling show in 2016 curated by Wrestling With Wregret’s Brian Zane and many other wrestling content creators where they list out potential black WWE champions. The first name that was brought up by one of those creators was Keith Lee.

Being a curious Andy, I decided to watch some of his bouts on YouTube so you could imagine how excited I was when Titan Towers announced that they signed the guy and a part of the yellow brand.

But then, I watched his first several months in NXT and I was initially disappointed.

However, watching 2018 WWE and how ungodly awful the episodes were made me feel grateful that Keith Lee wasn’t on the main roster at that point and called himself “Bearcat” later in his tenure with WWE because that would be silly, am I right (Wait, that happened? Can’t say I’m surprised)?

Things picked up for Lee as he had some banger after banger after banger with Dominik Djakovic as well as his showdown with the likes of Roman Reigns at Survivor Series 2019 and Brock Lesnar the following year at the 2020 Royal Rumble match (the same match that saw a return of a significant figure in the Ruthless Aggression era after almost a decade long hiatus with WWE, you know, MVP).

His main roster run was nothing to write home about but the elite brand signed him and to a shock and anger of no one besides the unwashed, unclean, unshowered and odorful fanboys, it’s better than his WWE run.

Why? Well, his tenure as a tag team with Shane “Swerve” Strickland alone created the best “odd duo” tag teams in the promotion’s short history and the team was enhanced even further thanks to Rick Ross.

Unfortunately, the team is no more. I don’t know where Ross is currently but he’s probably in a chopper he just bought cause the last one got confiscated flying to the city where the Christians hate it.

On and all, Keith Lee is basically Luis in the Ant man movies in that you haven’t thought of him but after seeing him, you feel so happy that he’s there. Why is that? He is mudaf**kin Keith. Lee. That’s why

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FTR Made Me Love Pro Wrestling.

by Omar MA
written by Omar MA

FTR or Forever The Revival or F**k The Revival if your name is Matt or Nick Jackson of The Young Bucks, is a tag team that I ABSOLUTELY love. Other than The New Day, they are my favourite tag team of all time. Yes, even better than the other GOAT, The Basham Brothers. 

My appreciation for the group with no flips just fists grew after being in a YouTube Short rabbit hole of watching a lot of FTR’s previous work and thankfully not red pill “alpha male” podcast clips unless it’s the real alpha male in Monty Brown, of course. 

Now, I have a confession to make. I wasn’t always a fan of FTR or rather not a fan of them at first. It was something, just something that didn’t click with me after seeing them as a tag team all the way back in the summer of 2015. 

Maybe it’s how their old name “The Mechanics” sounded like a WWE main roster name change of The Revival like The War Raiders as “The Viking Experience”? However, based on my earlier statement, you would probably guess that something eventually clicked with me for FTR (yea, no sh*t my G) and it was one particular match that everyone loved. 

It was their match with DIY at NXT Takeover Toronto for the tag team titles in a two out three falls match (what? You thought I was referring to their match with the VaudVillians? Pfft). 

Why did I finally understand their persona and what they were going with it? The answer isn’t too complex; it is how unique they represented themselves. What do I mean by that? Well, both Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood represent the old school (and no, not one of The Undertaker’s signature moves). 

In other words, if FTR as a duo was a meme, they would be the “regret modernity, embrace traditional” in all of the best possible ways. 

I became a fan of pro wrestling around 2007 so I unfortunately didn’t initially have much appreciation for not only the so-called “old school” nature of the business but also tag team action because WWE was and still isn’t putting any priority on the tag team division and tag team wrestling as a whole so much so that they left Titan Towers because of it. 

And anytime I got done watching The Young Bucks vs FTR at Full Gear 2020 for the same amount of times as sequels to the Fast And Furious Franchise (aka too many), it motivated me to slap my younger self for even thinking tag team wrestling isn’t great and doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. 

So, to a young guy like me, it came across as uncommon and new but to an old head, it came across familiar and a tribute to those that came before due to the fact that they freaking love this industry and they’re students of the game. 

FTR made sure that they’ll keep things grounded and make a simple move into something spectacular. To me, what they showcase is the love, respect and appreciation they have for professional wrestling and why they’re proud of being called “professional wrestlers”. 

They’re one of those people where after they see someone with a Bret Hart shirt, they’ll instantly give them a high five or when someone says wrestling is fake, they’ll pull a David Arquette from Ready To Rumble and say, “WRESTLING IS NOT FAKE!” 

They also represent the constant incentive to succeed which is inspiring especially since they are days when I feel like I’m not good enough and I should quit (you know, imposter syndrome). 

Dax Harwood revealed his struggles and how he had to work 3 jobs to pay for his college tuition (which, by the way, no one should ever go through that just for getting an education) while training to become a pro wrestler in an interview with Cameron Hawkins of The Ringer is an aspect that every single person can relate to when they, to quote Drake, “started from the bottom”. 

On and all, FTR is more than just a name for two fantastic performers. It’s a name which represents the relatability of professional wrestling. It’s a name which conveys that there’s nothing wrong with being a professional wrestling fan and holding that fandom with pride. It’s a name which respects what came before and are “students of the game”. 

Most importantly, it’s a name that when you think of them, you think of one of the coolest finishers in wrestling aka Big Rig (Goodnight Express). 

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