Hardcore Hak Memorial WCW Hardcore Champion Invitational
By
zanatude
While we wait for the Main IC Title Tournament to begin, the Blog of Doom presents this no-holds-barred (and likely no holds used) free-for-all battle to determine the greatest WCW Hardcore Champion of all time!
The winner of this should face off against the greatest WWE Hardcore Champion of all time, although I can't imagine any of these WCW dorks getting the better of Pete Gas.
Man, I love Aries, but he's outgrown the X-Division by this point. Should have just left it on Low-Ki, doesn't really do anything for Aries or the title to switch it.
I was hoping TNA would use the time off as a chance to freshen up the roster a bit and try and find some more EC3 types, but then I see they've just gone and re-signed all the same stale guys like Eric Young and Mr. Anderson. *Yawn*
Anyway, not a fan of how it's started, but I'll give it another chance and hope it gets better.
It's a small percentage of new viewers they'll attract sure, but it's a new network and new era iof the company and it would have been good to reintroduce the wrestlers to a new audience. That's one of the ways they could have established status quo within the company instead of Russo'ing it up like they did last night.
I can never keep track of him. I swear there was like a 5 week period where he went heel/face/heel and I had no clue what was going on other than I don't care for Mr. Anderson all that much.
I'm not the best guy to judge as I've only seen clips here and there of TNA this past year, but Anderson seems like a guy that acts like a heel, but is booked like a face.
As much as I enjoyed Screamin' Norman Smiley (and the return of Ralphus), Meng gets my vote. He was the only one who loved the title so much he took it away from the cesspool of WCW.
Again though, what new audience? I'd guess the only "new" people watching are WWE fans who might have been mildly interested. So on that level yeah, there could have been a better introduction. But let's not pretend that number was significant. This wasn't like when TNA debuted on Monday nights to their largest all-time audience (which again they totally botched).
Someone on the 411 boards gave credit to how great the audience was for this show when you consider HOW COLD IT WAS OUTSIDE. I am losing hope in humanity.
Can't decide whether I should base my vote on who would win in a legit fight which of course is THEMONSTERMENG or to base on if Russo was booking which would be THEMONSTERMENG demolishing everyone just to let Eric Bischoff take the pin!!!
I always wondered if the "Haku is the toughest motherfucker in wrestling" is legit or if the legends have been repeated so many times that it's just generally accepted as fact.
I mean, I am aware that he is one tough son of a gun based on all the stories. But it's probably the ONLY thing that every wrestler in the world agrees on. Well, that and the fact that they were all in line for the world title at some point, but it just didn't work out.
The problem TNA has right now and an issue they've had since their extisence is that they believe their next big boom is right around the corner, which is why they always overload and overbook their shows as much as they can. TNA needs to learn that if they want to grow they need to do it gradually over the next say 5 years with good programming and long term booking and one of the ways you do that is by reintroducing squash matches again to establish characters. I know the "new audience" I've been talking about doesn't really exist, but this seems like the perfect time where TNA could have started a new era for themselves instead of going back to the same old shit that's never worked.
Classic TNA.... A new stable is born to take over the business! Basically their 'go to' angle anytime they are out of creative ideas...which is most of the time.
Man, I love Guns N' Roses, loved 'em since "Appetite for Destruction" came out when I was a kid. That said, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" is one of my least favourite cover tunes of all-time. Bluesing it up and baritone Axl didn't do well for me.
Can't wait until the Orton return pop at the Rumble. One thing I've learned from re watching Rumbles is watch out for the Orton pop, it's always bigger than you'd think.
Watching the show now. I might be being oversensitive, but I'm really finding it hard to watch this opening match. It's almost PITCH BLACK and they seem to be zooming in wildly all the time. The camera work is atrocious, and seemingly deliberately so. Have TNA been filming like this for a while>
Holy crap, I just watched some clips from last night's Impact. That arena was darker than most nightclubs. Did anybody report an estimated attendance number? I've never seen the Manhattan Center that dark/empty for any wrestling event, even TNA's last run there.
Doubtful, they're running Western Canada later this month for a series of house shows which are the first Non Summer Alberta shows that i can remember since the days of Diesel power running mild.
I think they don't have Spike's competent production crew anymore and this is what we get. Hopefully the production will get better in time once they learn how to film a wrestling show. Also Dixie needs to spend less money trying to bring big names into the company and more money on production.
I figure Punk was exaggerating a tad, but based on Vince's decisions over the past five years or so I have no doubt he thought it was a big time match.
Even if we totally ignored Daniel Bryan, Brock vs. Batista would've been a bigger money match than Orton vs. Batista. But what do we know, we're just fans.
Here is what scott said on the raw rant after wrestlemania 30, "A spectacular show, one of the best episodes I’ve seen in the history of the show. Nothing really for good wrestling, but just pure entertainment from start to finish that set up a bunch of interesting stuff for Extreme Rules and was MOVING THE CHAINS. And after months of being stuck on a treadmill, we now have new characters, new main eventers, and best of all different things happening. What a great weekend to be a fan."
Anyone going to the Boston UFC next weekend, specifically the weighins? I'm looking for a postcard they apparently have been handing out, with 300 UFC Rewards points.
I grant I've never been as down on him as most- at times I'd even call myself something of a fan of his- but man, I never thought I'd be looking forward to a Randy Orton return as much as I am now.
Between Screamin' Norman, the "Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title" and Meng/Haku showing up at the Royal Rumble, I remember more about the WCW Hardcore Championship than I do about the WWE US TItle over the last few years.
I've always found the reactions to Orton here and other similar places to be interesting. Not to be a snarky dick, but if he was the exact same wrestler but had, say, Cesaro or Bryan's career path, I'd bet he'd be one of the most beloved wrestlers of "IWC." (In quotations because, much like "X-Pac heat," it's not a real thing.)
I can't do free food seats at Nets games anymore: 3 hot dogs, 1 hamburger, chicken teryaki, a steak sandwich, pizza, fries, cheesecake, two bottles of water
wrestling was so much more interesting in the territory days, when guys got dull they'd actually leave instead of just staying around week after week. Then maybe six months later they'd be back for another couple of months. Even guys who weren't that special could be interesting in two month chunks.
Wasn't this the first instance of a Giant/future-Big-Show turn? I mean, really, this day should be considered historic. I don't count when he joined the nWo because he was already a heel at the time, unless my memory fails me.
Question: Is this match taking place in a junkyard?
ReplyDeleteThe junkiest junkyard we could find. With fires everywhere!
ReplyDeleteSo Hardcore Hak never won the title?
ReplyDeleteNope. But he does get this tournament named in his honor, which is just about as good as winning the WCW Hardcore Title.
ReplyDeleteThe winner of this should face off against the greatest WWE Hardcore Champion of all time, although I can't imagine any of these WCW dorks getting the better of Pete Gas.
ReplyDeleteMan, I love Aries, but he's outgrown the X-Division by this point. Should have just left it on Low-Ki, doesn't really do anything for Aries or the title to switch it.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping TNA would use the time off as a chance to freshen up the roster a bit and try and find some more EC3 types, but then I see they've just gone and re-signed all the same stale guys like Eric Young and Mr. Anderson. *Yawn*
Anyway, not a fan of how it's started, but I'll give it another chance and hope it gets better.
Attempted regicide? Why didn't anyone call 911?http://vimeo.com/49730996
ReplyDeleteVote for Meng. Or Die.
ReplyDeleteMeng gave the title to The Barbarian on Thunder before leaving for the WWF, but that title reign is apparently not recognized.
ReplyDeleteMONSTER MENG~!
ReplyDeleteAmazingly out of all the heel turns they did last night, Anderson still remains a face. This company smh
ReplyDeleteThree guys currently account for almost 80% of the votes. They are probably the three guys you'd expect.
ReplyDeleteFucking Rosie O'Donnell is almost better than RAW right now, so that's no praise at all.
ReplyDelete(And now I'm going find some brain bleach.)
ReplyDeleteMy hopes exactly.
ReplyDeleteIt's a small percentage of new viewers they'll attract sure, but it's a new network and new era iof the company and it would have been good to reintroduce the wrestlers to a new audience. That's one of the ways they could have established status quo within the company instead of Russo'ing it up like they did last night.
ReplyDeleteHowling: New Moon Rising? That's really the reference you want to go with?
ReplyDeleteThe number of people who have seen that movie is even smaller than TNA's audience.
I can never keep track of him. I swear there was like a 5 week period where he went heel/face/heel and I had no clue what was going on other than I don't care for Mr. Anderson all that much.
ReplyDeleteMeng, Norman and Crowbar?
ReplyDeleteOkay, I guess they are not the three guys that you'd expect.
ReplyDeleteNor-man Smi-ley! Clapclap clapclapclap.
ReplyDeleteIt's pronounced Nor-MAN Smi-LAY, BTW.
Meng, Norman....and?
ReplyDeleteI wasn't praising them, just saying it wasn't as terrible as most of the comments are making it out to be.
ReplyDeleteCarl Oulette?
ReplyDeleteI'm not the best guy to judge as I've only seen clips here and there of TNA this past year, but Anderson seems like a guy that acts like a heel, but is booked like a face.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the still have that screen or did they sell it due to budget restraints.
ReplyDeleteNone if the above.
ReplyDeleteIf the above is what?
ReplyDeleteAll Meng, all the time.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I enjoyed Screamin' Norman Smiley (and the return of Ralphus), Meng gets my vote. He was the only one who loved the title so much he took it away from the cesspool of WCW.
ReplyDeleteThe top guy is pulling away. If he gets more votes than #2 and #3 combined, I'm calling it.
ReplyDeleteCan they fight for the Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title instead?
ReplyDeleteFar out, that's almost as good as Super Hero in Training.
Only five guys without a vote now, three of whom below to Three Count.
ReplyDeleteAgain though, what new audience? I'd guess the only "new" people watching are WWE fans who might have been mildly interested. So on that level yeah, there could have been a better introduction. But let's not pretend that number was significant. This wasn't like when TNA debuted on Monday nights to their largest all-time audience (which again they totally botched).
ReplyDeleteI suspect Norman is going to run away with this but I never got the love the internet gave him. Always thought he sucked. I voted for THEMONSTERMENG.
ReplyDeleteNow this is a tournament
ReplyDeleteSomeone on the 411 boards gave credit to how great the audience was for this show when you consider HOW COLD IT WAS OUTSIDE. I am losing hope in humanity.
ReplyDeleteThis reads as being like any episode of the Spike show from the last few years. Why would debut on a new channel with convoluted, ongoing storylines?
ReplyDeleteMore of a battle royal.
ReplyDeleteWho else checked The Sandman's Wikipedia page to check if he was still alive?
ReplyDeleteCan't decide whether I should base my vote on who would win in a legit fight which of course is THEMONSTERMENG or to base on if Russo was booking which would be THEMONSTERMENG demolishing everyone just to let Eric Bischoff take the pin!!!
ReplyDeleteI have reviewed about 70 shoots for this site and every person when asked said he was the toughest.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered if the "Haku is the toughest motherfucker in wrestling" is legit or if the legends have been repeated so many times that it's just generally accepted as fact.
ReplyDeleteI mean, I am aware that he is one tough son of a gun based on all the stories. But it's probably the ONLY thing that every wrestler in the world agrees on. Well, that and the fact that they were all in line for the world title at some point, but it just didn't work out.
Fuck all y'all, I always liked Crowbar. Esp. with Daffney. OK maybe I just liked Daffney.
ReplyDeleteActually, thinking about it, Jobber said he was watching. And I'm more than happy to support the idea of people booking shows entirely for Jobber.
ReplyDeleteIt's more honest than the brass ring.
ReplyDeleteShould have been the ECW Zombie Memorial. Makes no sense but he was hardcore (he even has ECW in his name) and he just died.
ReplyDeleteRVD tells a story! It might be accurate! Who knows!
ReplyDeleteYou mean people don't think, with a tear in their eye, Bret Hart is the best wrestler of all time?
ReplyDeleteThe trailer looked really good. I want to get that
ReplyDeleteSomeone should tell Dave that Randy already returned.
ReplyDeleteSource: Saw him at MSG last month
"Makes no sense"
ReplyDeleteJust like WCW during the era the title was active... It's BRILLIANT!
Then he had surgery
ReplyDeleteI've watched a fair few shoot interviews and Haku being one brutally tough badass is the one consistency throughout most of them.
ReplyDeleteWasn't there stories about him biting off someone's ear and popping another guy's eyeball out it's socket?
The problem TNA has right now and an issue they've had since their extisence is that they believe their next big boom is right around the corner, which is why they always overload and overbook their shows as much as they can. TNA needs to learn that if they want to grow they need to do it gradually over the next say 5 years with good programming and long term booking and one of the ways you do that is by reintroducing squash matches again to establish characters. I know the "new audience" I've been talking about doesn't really exist, but this seems like the perfect time where TNA could have started a new era for themselves instead of going back to the same old shit that's never worked.
ReplyDeleteum. None?
ReplyDeleteClassic TNA.... A new stable is born to take over the business! Basically their 'go to' angle anytime they are out of creative ideas...which is most of the time.
ReplyDeleteMan, I love Guns N' Roses, loved 'em since "Appetite for Destruction" came out when I was a kid. That said, "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" is one of my least favourite cover tunes of all-time. Bluesing it up and baritone Axl didn't do well for me.
ReplyDeleteHis dealer?
ReplyDeleteOh. I...did not know that. Never mind then. #humbled
ReplyDeleteWhat is up with WWE doing all these house shows in these small Texas towns? Is it because it's the middle of winter so afraid of snow cancelling it?
ReplyDeleteNo problem. But how did he look at MSG?
ReplyDeleteThe answer is Hardcore Hak himself but I guess he's dead...? So next is Brian Knobbs and it's not even close. Any other answer is wrong.
ReplyDeleteGood. Short appearance v Kane, got the win. Came out in the main event briefly - seemed fine overall.
ReplyDeleteSlap - http://lolhub.com/Njk5MDE1
ReplyDeleteCan't wait until the Orton return pop at the Rumble. One thing I've learned from re watching Rumbles is watch out for the Orton pop, it's always bigger than you'd think.
ReplyDeleteI watched WCW, and I know most of these people, but there are some I cannot recall.
ReplyDeleteWho is Reno?
Who is Carl Ouellet?
I recall Crowbar, but what else was he known for (ECW guy?)
And oh, everybody knows the winner should be Norman Smiley and his helmet and pads.
THEMONSTERMENG
ReplyDeleteWatching the show now. I might be being oversensitive, but I'm really finding it hard to watch this opening match. It's almost PITCH BLACK and they seem to be zooming in wildly all the time. The camera work is atrocious, and seemingly deliberately so. Have TNA been filming like this for a while>
ReplyDeleteIn the past 2 weeks? Cause he's wrestled Kane on a handful of house shows to close out 2014.
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, I just watched some clips from last night's Impact. That arena was darker than most nightclubs. Did anybody report an estimated attendance number? I've never seen the Manhattan Center that dark/empty for any wrestling event, even TNA's last run there.
ReplyDeleteAny possibility that Orton will win the Rumble as a face and defeat Rollins or Lesnar at Wrestlemania?
ReplyDeleteThe overall rating grade should be replaced by this gif http://i.imgur.com/1t6rNoR.gif
ReplyDeleteYes, for a deviated septum.
ReplyDeleteDoubtful, they're running Western Canada later this month for a series of house shows which are the first Non Summer Alberta shows that i can remember since the days of Diesel power running mild.
ReplyDeleteVince apparently thought Orton vs. Batista would be the biggest Mania main event in history (according to CM Punk), so there's always a chance!
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteNo really.
I'm sorry no one brought me more silly joy during the last couple years of WCW than Norman Smiley.
ReplyDeleteTurkey On A Pole was Verne Gagne's name for the Brass Ring. It's a Minnesota thing.
ReplyDelete"Orton is scheduled to do ten minutes of chinlocks, draping DDT, and an RKO out of nowhere at the 1/17 house show in Abilene, TX."
ReplyDeleteI voted for Meng because I'm afraid not to.
ReplyDeleteHe's scheduled to feud with Kane supposedly, at least on the house show circuit. But who knows maybe they'll book it for Fast Lane!
ReplyDeleteIf they lose faith in Reigns I can see them going in that direction. Though I doubt Lesnar will still be champ after the Rumble.
ReplyDeleteI think they don't have Spike's competent production crew anymore and this is what we get. Hopefully the production will get better in time once they learn how to film a wrestling show. Also Dixie needs to spend less money trying to bring big names into the company and more money on production.
ReplyDeleteIf Punk is telling the truth, that says a lot about Vince's mental state.
ReplyDeleteIf ever a match should be on an event called FAST LANE, it's Orton vs. Kane.
ReplyDeleteHOSS!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I figure Punk was exaggerating a tad, but based on Vince's decisions over the past five years or so I have no doubt he thought it was a big time match.
ReplyDeleteEven if we totally ignored Daniel Bryan, Brock vs. Batista would've been a bigger money match than Orton vs. Batista. But what do we know, we're just fans.
Damn that RVD shoot looks pretty good, he's coherent and 1999 ECW has a shit ton of interesting things going on both on screen and off.
ReplyDeleteI'll try to keep watching later but it's making me feel a bit woozy. :/
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how that guy fits his huge brass balls into those pants.
ReplyDeleteMan. I hate it when my septum deviates. Conform, dammit!
ReplyDeleteHow could Thomas omit the part where JB slapped Ethan, the camera focused on his crotch. That's so TNA.
ReplyDeleteWhat up?
ReplyDeletehttp://lolhub.com/search-id-699015-.html
"In '99, I remember always somehow finding the IHOPs with All You Can Eat Pancakes. Between that and my TV Title run, it was my best year in ECW."
ReplyDeleteHere is what scott said on the raw rant after wrestlemania 30, "A spectacular show, one of the best episodes I’ve seen in the history of the show. Nothing really for good wrestling, but just pure entertainment from start to finish that set up a bunch of interesting stuff for Extreme Rules and was MOVING THE CHAINS. And after months of being stuck on a treadmill, we now have new characters, new main eventers, and best of all different things happening. What a great weekend to be a fan."
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference 9 months has been
Anyone going to the Boston UFC next weekend, specifically the weighins? I'm looking for a postcard they apparently have been handing out, with 300 UFC Rewards points.
ReplyDeleteDusty Rhodes wrestling for the WWF Championship!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWTrMvJEOVE
Hi.
ReplyDeleteRandom thought...it is a DAMN CRIME that I never had a WWF ice cream bar. Never were available in my area.
ReplyDelete#OhTheHumanity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw-5ggRcp7E
ReplyDeleteI grant I've never been as down on him as most- at times I'd even call myself something of a fan of his- but man, I never thought I'd be looking forward to a Randy Orton return as much as I am now.
ReplyDeleteHey...hey hey hey...yeah!
ReplyDeleteIt does seem odd that you of all people have not experienced this.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I seem to recall having one or two of them.
#2 is still hanging around...guess I'll keep the poll going a few more hours.
ReplyDeleteMeh. I look forward to a Randy Orton return like I look forward to a Randy Orton match....by walking away to take a poop.
ReplyDeleteWhat? No love for that gif? It's AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteIt was not for lack of looking.
ReplyDeleteI can't see it on this stupid work computer.
ReplyDeleteInteresting times, Bob defended against a ton of non WWF talent during his reign. Harley,Dusty,Flair,Bockwinkel,Inoki.
ReplyDeleteThen again the WWF rejoined the NWA in this time period so i guess it wasn't that weird.
Where the hell is David Flair?
ReplyDeleteThe optimist in me looks at this year's Mania and is pretty damn intrigued. There are many different avenues they can take to reach the top matches.
ReplyDeleteBut we all know they're just going to bail out and take the FAST LANE!
In other news, Hawk no sold Hogan's legdrop http://110.imagebam.com/download/sSluzb0gx5_QJDPskInDNg/37986/379853829/slap.gif
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the WCW tag team and US title tournaments?
ReplyDeleteThe legdrop wasn't Hogan's finisher in Japan. The Axe Bomber was.
ReplyDeleteGreatest WCW Hardcore Champion. That's like trying to find the greatest WWF Lightheavyweight Champion. Not a lot to comb through.
ReplyDeleteBetween Screamin' Norman, the "Saskatchewan Hardcore International Title" and Meng/Haku showing up at the Royal Rumble, I remember more about the WCW Hardcore Championship than I do about the WWE US TItle over the last few years.
ReplyDeleteSadly, Hawk could not no-sell alcoholism or drug abuse.
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot this show was on last night. I watched Halloween Havoc 95 on the Network instead.
ReplyDeleteWe don't take kindly to guests around here!
ReplyDeleteWow, check out Nature Boy Dusty Rhodes there.
ReplyDeleteI've always found the reactions to Orton here and other similar places to be interesting. Not to be a snarky dick, but if he was the exact same wrestler but had, say, Cesaro or Bryan's career path, I'd bet he'd be one of the most beloved wrestlers of "IWC." (In quotations because, much like "X-Pac heat," it's not a real thing.)
ReplyDeleteI can't do free food seats at Nets games anymore: 3 hot dogs, 1 hamburger, chicken teryaki, a steak sandwich, pizza, fries, cheesecake, two bottles of water
ReplyDeleteNow Skeeter, he ain't hurtin nobody.
ReplyDeleteI think Vince says that every year. It's classic business-owner mentality.
ReplyDeleteI guess the RAW ratings haven't been notable enough to make fun of?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to flush the gym bag.
ReplyDeletewrestling was so much more interesting in the territory days, when guys got dull they'd actually leave instead of just staying around week after week. Then maybe six months later they'd be back for another couple of months. Even guys who weren't that special could be interesting in two month chunks.
ReplyDeleteDick Slater is the first example to come to mind.
If you know the name of the king or queen being murdered, press 1
ReplyDeleteWasn't this the first instance of a Giant/future-Big-Show turn? I mean, really, this day should be considered historic. I don't count when he joined the nWo because he was already a heel at the time, unless my memory fails me.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Konnan and Mike Rotunda were midgets from Mexico!
ReplyDelete