Remembering “Rowdy” Roddy Piper
Today is two years since “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has passed. He was an incredible force in wrestling and entertainment throughout my childhood, and into my adult life. As I was a wrestling fan from early childhood, Piper was always one of those guys who stood out to me. My first memories were when he feuded with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine. As a small child the dog collar match really frightened me.
Roddy Piper vs. Greg Valentine (Dog Collar… by WWFOldSchool
A few years later, Piper would join the WWF and become an temporary manager, and personality, which led to his very own segment, “Pipers Pit”. This segment always consisted of Piper calling our other wrestlers to interview, then would insult them, and it would almost always end with a fight. The heat Piper had as a heel at WWF was amazing, and he hadn’t even wrestled. When he finally wrestled Hogan, in that MTV special with Cyndi Lauper and Captain Lou, he helped Hogan become more beloved by the crowd, for as snide and pompous as Piper could be, Hogan was equally wholesome and inspiring… it was one of Hogans more memorable moments of my childhood, and it was also what slung shot Piper to stardom.
Over the years Piper was the IC champion, was The “President” of the company, and was seen as a guest ref in matches, then from WWF went to WCW and ran an memorable feud with NWO that lasted nearly two years. He took a chunk of time off and returned to WWE in the early 2000’s, mostly in a non wrestling role. He left the company at some point, and had a brief run in TNA, after which he returned to WWE, as well as did a series of appearances on the Independent circuit before his death.
What really got me about Piper, was the way he was able to keep your attention. When he spoke, people listened, well unless they were booing… He could play the crowd like a violin, and very few wrestlers who have succeeded him, have even come close to his greatness on the mic. Piper influenced a legion of wrestlers, managers, and personalities, with his quick wit, and his seemingly boundless energy and love for the business.
He will never be forgotten.
Odds on Daniel Bryan Going to NJPW, ROH, Impact and Wrestling Again in WWE
The following European Market odds are from Paddy Power. Wagers are not available from all countries. Visit Paddy Power [clink id=”14″]by clicking here[/clink].
Bryan’s Next Move
Much buzz has been created by the Daniel Bryan teasing that he will be wrestling again outside of the WWE next year when his contract runs out. There are actually odds on what promotion Daniel Bryan will return to the ring in. The most favorable odds are on him signing with NJPW by the end of 2018, a promotion in Japan he has expressed interest in. The current odds are 11/10, however yesterday’s odds had been 11/8 meaning many are taking the bet and feel it is a legit possibility. The line moved in a more favorable direction and is very close to an even bet because of this.
Bets may also be made on if he will appear in TNA Impact Wrestling by the end of 2018 at 10/1, which would multiply your money tenfold if he shows up in TNA even once. This would be a great boost for the restructured promotion but the odds say it won’t happen. Not surprisingly Daniel has much better odds to return to ROH, the promotion where he first made a name for himself and caused him to be noticed by the WWE. The odds of this happening before the end of 2018 are 9/4.
There are even odds on Bryan wrestling at least one match in WWE by the end of this year at 7/1. This gives Bryan a 12.5% chance of wresting by the end of the year. The situation is that he wants to wrestle but WWE will not allow him to due to his previous injuries. He is extremely frustrated about not being able to continue his passion of performing in from on live crowds and has teased going elsewhere in the past. There has also been an ongoing rivalry between The Miz and Bryan over different styles of wrestling and Bryan no longer wrestling while Miz is thriving near the top of the card.
One element that is worth mentioning is the fact that not only is Daniel Bryan married to Brie Bella, but also that they are expecting the birth of their daughter who they have already been named “Birdie Joe”. Brie has also expressed wanting more children so Bryan needs to consider that WWE is a more secure way to provide for the family he is building with Brie. His safety is also an issue and he is in such perilous condition that, as mentioned, the WWE will not let him wrestle because of this. If it were to happen, expect Bryan to return to using the name “American Dragon” Brian Danielson due to intellectual property rights over the Daniel Bryan name.
Source: Paddy Power
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Video of The Day: Pro Wrestling Shoot Interview Billy Real
This is my favorite video of all time! Please make sure you share this widely, and make this go viral, everyone needs to hear what I have to say!
Wrestler of the Week: Bobby Roode
Real Name: Robert Roode Jr.
Birthday: May 11,1977
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 235 lbs
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Trained by: Val Venis
Debut: 1998 (active)
Ring Names:
Bobby Roode
Bobby Rude
Robert Roode
Mark Rude
Lee Awesome
Notable Titles Held:
TNA World Heavyweight Championship (2x)
TNA World Tag-Team Championship (6x)
TNA King of the Mountain Championship
NXT Championship (current)
NWA World Tag-Team Championship (2x)
NWA Cyberspace Heavyweight Championship
NWA Shockwave Internet Championship
Other Major Accomplishments:
TNA Tournament of Champions Winner (2013)
Team 3D Invitational Tag-Team Tournament Winner (2009)
PWI Tag-Team of the Year (2008,2011) with James Storm
PWI Ranked #2 in Top 500 Wrestlers of 2012
Notable Promotions Wrestled:
TNA
WWE
NWA
NJPW
AAA
WRESTLE-1
House of Hardcore
Fun Fact:
Before his current run with the company, Bobby Roode has wrestled a few matches in WWE during his early years on 2003!
He mainly wrestled on shows like Velocity and Heat also dark matches against the likes of Al Snow,Billy Kidman,Orlando Jordan,and The Hurricane.
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Rest In Peace Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka
We would like to extend our condolences to the Family of Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. Jimmy was 73, and was suffering from stomach cancer. He recently was deemed unfit to stand trial for the death of his girlfriend in 1983 as we have previously reported.
Jimmy was known as a high flying wrestler, who was very much the inspiration for what you see in wrestling today. Jimmy was also one of the few wrestlers to wrestle barefooted. He also was the first person to wrestle the Undertaker. In his career he worked for many wrestling companies and territories, and worked the independent wrestling circuit until 2014.
On a personal note. I worked on a few shows with him during the time I was involved in wrestling. He treated everyone with respect, whether you were the champ or the ring crew, and was a very humble man. It was always a pleasure to be in his presence.
Rest in peace.
Dixie Carter Resigns!!!
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Forms Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions, LLC., Acquires Control of IMPACT Wrestling
Toronto, Canada (January 4, 2017) – Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in TNA IMPACT Wrestling, and has formed Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions, LLC. Anthem also owns Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, which is IMPACT Wrestling’s exclusive broadcast partner in Canada and worldwide digital partner.
“We are thrilled to have acquired TNA IMPACT Wrestling,” said Ed Nordholm, Executive Vice President of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., the parent of Fight Network. “As we grow Anthem’s linear, digital and mobile platforms globally, top tier content with global appeal is key to that success and this acquisition is a perfect strategic addition to our portfolio. IMPACT has been a dominant wrestling brand around the world for more than a decade and we are confident that Anthem can leverage its assets and strategic partnerships to take IMPACT Wrestling to even greater heights.”
Mr. Nordholm, who has been the managing director of the IMPACT Ventures Board of Managers since October 2016, will assume the position of President of Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions, LLC. Dixie Carter will resign from her position as Chairman of Impact Ventures and join the Advisory Board of Fight Media Group, which holds all of the combat sports-related assets of Anthem, where her focus will be on the global growth of the combat sports-related brands owned by Anthem.
“Anthem has been a great partner for many years,” added Dixie Carter. “We have worked hard to find the right company who would acquire TNA, use its strategic influence and have a long-term commitment to the brand. TNA’s incredible fans, talent and staff deserved to see the brand continue to thrive after 15+ years of incredible growth. I’m excited to move to a new position and work with Anthem on their global strategic plan, and I am confident TNA IMPACT Wrestling is going to be a huge part of their success.”
Ms. Carter will remain a minority equity stakeholder.
Test Of Strength Wrestling: “The Miracle” Mike Bennett Clinic
Hey wrestlers, our friend Slyk Wagner Brown has been holding clinics at his wrestling school, with athletes well known in the industry who have worked for the top companies.
October 30th from 10am-1pm they will be holding a clinic with “The Miracle” Mike Bennett, former TNA star! It will be held at 121 Echo Lake Road, Watertown, CT 06795, and it only costs $20!
For more info contact Slyk at swb@yahoo.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/testofstrengthwrestling/