The Figure Four - ALL Things ECW-WWF-NJPW-TNA-ROH-AEW

[Patrick Evidente]

Didn't start there but was their for 4 years so like I said people know what network it is.

And everyone said WWE would never be as big as WCW/NWA and look what happenned there.

WWE was already more established in the public when it went head to head with WCW as oppposed to TNA today.

[Spartacus87]

I found this on the internet a long time ago, and while cleaning out some old documents on my harddrive that I brought over to my new computer from my old one, found it again. Figured some people in this thread might enjoy it, it's pretty long though, so get ready-

The Mark Song

(Thanks to Baz Luhrman)

Ladies and gentlemen of the Internet: Enjoy wrestling.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, enjoying pro-wrestling would be it. The long term benefits of having fun with sports entertainment have been proven by our own awe-filled childhoods, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own limited pro-wrestling knowledge. I will give this advice now.

Enjoy the charisma and athleticism of the wrestlers. Oh, never mind. You will not understand their power and glory until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of Austin and Rock and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before them and how fabulous they really were.

Undertaker is not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to convince Vince McMahon that we’re not a bunch of crazy nerds. The real troubles in wrestling are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind side you when drugs and accidents rob us of our heroes.

Watch one match every day that scares you.

Wash.

Don't be reckless with your words. Don't put up with people who are reckless with theirs.

Cheer.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. No, you’ll never be able to give the bad guy a Frankensteiner. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with Jeff Hardy.

Remember compliments you give. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell Vince Russo.

Keep your old Raws and Nitros. Throw away your old Wrestling With Shadows.

Attend.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do now that there’s only one company. The most interesting people I know didn't know what to watch at 22. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't know what to watch.

Get plenty of vitamins.

Be kind to the McMahons. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll wrestle yourself, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have Summerslam parties, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll write off wrestling forever, maybe you'll dance the Gooker at Wrestlemania XXX. Whatever you do, don't congratulate your opinions too much, or berate your opinions either. Your thoughts on wrestling are important. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy other fans. Meet them every way you can. Don't be afraid of them or of what other people think of them. They’re the greatest people you'll ever meet.

Flip the bird, stare at your own hand, and do the Worm, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Listen to the pre-show instructions, even if you don't follow them.

Sometimes Jericho just needs a soda.

Do not read smart magazines. They will only make you feel sad.

Get to know your heroes. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to the fading vets. They're our best link to our past and the people most likely to stick with us in the future.

Understand that wrestlers come and go, but a precious few you hold on. Work hard to understand gaps in workrate and style, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you biased. Live in North Carolina once, but leave before it makes you biased.

Anticipate.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Ticket prices will rise. Promoters will philander. You, too, will get old. And then you do you'll fantasize that when you were young, ticket prices were reasonable, promoters were noble, and Mick Foley was God.

Respect Mick Foley.

Don't expect anyone else to support wrestling. Maybe a new company will emerge. Maybe Turner will strike back. But you never know if either one will happen.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 you’ll look like King Kong Bundy.

Be careful whose rants you believe, but be patient with those who rant.

Criticism is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the 80’s, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for love of the craft. Bashing Kevin Nash can be seen by some as an effort of love.

But trust me on enjoying wrestling.

-Bryan Middlebrook

[skinsfan1992]

:jump: KOOL read thanx

and dont forget tomrow night Raw will be on Sci-Fi live at 9pm EST and re airs at midnight on USA

[Guest sith lord]

You are acting like WWE started out in that network:rolleyes:

Who cares. T&A will never be as big as the E.

Yeah and WWE is to big for its own good. But that's another story. Before anyone disses TNA, you have to realize that it's still reletively new and it only has one hour out of the entire week, at 11:00 pm on a Thursday no less, to promote itself. Where as the much more established WWE has two two hour shows and one one hour show in primetime and a couple of weekend shows to promote itself and TNA is still putting on better shows.

[skinsfan1992]

Dude I know you Mark out for TNA but until they get a better TV deal no one will

A- Remeber it is on

B- give a darn until they have some kinda on going story on a week in and out basis

[Redskins75]

TnA is good, ECW is pretty good, WWE is good. Smackdown, is ****ing horrible. The great thing about wrestling now though, TiVo......I can TiVo all four shows and fast forward through the crap and watch the good parts

I still have my old Rock t-shirt, NWO t-shirt, and somewhere.......I have the iatola of rock and rolla! Jericholic t-shirt (although it doesnt fit).

[BigDaddyShoo]

I'm not sure if anyone would find this interesting or not, but (without knowing it at the time) I bought my house from a WCW/WWE referee. I acutally remember him from 8 years ago when I watched WCW like it was the only thing on TV. The dude's name is Charles Robinson. Apparently, he's good friends with Ric Flair and frequently had him as a guest in this house.

Go figure....I'm living in a house where someone probably got the "Ric Flair Chop."

[Guest sith lord]

I'm not sure if anyone would find this interesting or not, but (without knowing it at the time) I bought my house from a WCW/WWE referee. I acutally remember him from 8 years ago when I watched WCW like it was the only thing on TV. The dude's name is Charles Robinson. Apparently, he's good friends with Ric Flair and frequently had him as a guest in this house.

Go figure....I'm living in a house where someone probably got the "Ric Flair Chop."

For a referee, he sure could take a good bump.

[skinsfan1992]

Charles Robinson is the man he is still A ref on Smackdown so he probly dont hang out with Flair that much any more but this man is incredible like 4 -5 months after loosing his wife to cancer he was right back doing what he loves to do my hats off to a real champ :notworthy

[RedskinChiefin]

Anyone who watches wrestling knows Spike TV since shocker WWE used to be on that network. And... They have negotiated a 2 hour time slot with Spike. Don't even begin to diss TNA, it makes ECW version2 look pathetic and Vince has no up and coming talent besides CM Punk.

Yeah good points.

I don't know, wrestling is such a niche market I really don't give a **** if anyone other than me knows when the show is on. I know when it's on, and I will be tuning in.

10,000 ****ING TACKS THIS THURSDAY

[cyfar]

WWE was already more established in the public when it went head to head with WCW as oppposed to TNA today.

Yeah, but NWA(TNA) has the belt with the most history. TNA has had a lot to battle through but it's been fun watching the fan base rise from the show that was a weekly PPV to it's weekly Spike TV show. I think once they start to tour and get a better TV deal, that they'll give Vince a true run for his money. TNA puts on better matches with less time and less drama. That's already 2 pluses in my book. WWE is filled with so much extra BS. On raw alone, you have to put up with the countless interviews to meaningless feuds, Diva Search bs, Vince's weekly promo (How about giving more time to your talent seeing as how they are the real stars), the promos for the crappy movies (Come on, do you really expect people to go see a horror movie with Kane. Marine may be of some good, but we'll see) and the goofy character/gimmicks. I watch the E on TiVo now. It makes it all somewhat tolerable.

[Patrick Evidente]

Yeah, but NWA(TNA) has the belt with the most history. TNA has had a lot to battle through but it's been fun watching the fan base rise from the show that was a weekly PPV to it's weekly Spike TV show. I think once they start to tour and get a better TV deal, that they'll give Vince a true run for his money. TNA puts on better matches with less time and less drama. That's already 2 pluses in my book. WWE is filled with so much extra BS. On raw alone, you have to put up with the countless interviews to meaningless feuds, Diva Search bs, Vince's weekly promo (How about giving more time to your talent seeing as how they are the real stars), the promos for the crappy movies (Come on, do you really expect people to go see a horror movie with Kane. Marine may be of some good, but we'll see) and the goofy character/gimmicks. I watch the E on TiVo now. It makes it all somewhat tolerable.

TNA may have the most history in it's belt, but do you really think more people in America care about the NWA Heavyweight Championship than the WWE Championship?

[canethang 305]

Alrighty who's ready for another RAW dominated by the same DX pranks as last week and the week before and Umaga.

I make fun but sadly I will be watching.

[cyfar]

TNA may have the most history in it's belt, but do you really think more people in America care about the NWA Heavyweight Championship than the WWE Championship?

At the rate the fed is going, I don't think they care too much about either. Sure I think it's cool that Edge, Booker T and Big Show (2 of the three were big stars in WCW/NWA at one point), but Joe Schmo could care less. The personalities now aren't as big as they were when the Rock, Stone Cold, and Hogan were champs.

[TK]

FYI

[canethang 305]

At the rate the fed is going, I don't think they care too much about either. Sure I think it's cool that Edge, Booker T and Big Show (2 of the three were big stars in WCW/NWA at one point), but Joe Schmo could care less. The personalities now aren't as big as they were when the Rock, Stone Cold, and Hogan were champs.

Well we know for sure they don't care about Tag Team's. Shame too, they had a long history of good tag teams. Not as good as WCW/NWA but better than what they offer now.

[Gibbsfan19]

ecw SHOULDN'T BE ON SCIFI... somethin's realy up w/ that channel they put on ecw then cancel stargate sg1:( (tobe canceled after season 10:()

www.savestargatesg1.com

[BigDaddyShoo]

Charles Robinson is the man he is still A ref on Smackdown so he probly dont hang out with Flair that much any more but this man is incredible like 4 -5 months after loosing his wife to cancer he was right back doing what he loves to do my hats off to a real champ :notworthy

Yea...it's a shame about his wife, but the house & neighbors are awesome.

[TheREALJBird]

Isn't Raw reairing on USA at midnight? I won't be able to catch the show at 9

[TK]

Isn't Raw reairing on USA at midnight? I won't be able to catch the show at 9

Yup.

[RedskinChiefin]

wow - I tried to watch raw last night. i came in around the 2nd hour and was bored to tears within seconds of a eugene/hacksaw tag match.

Hopefully Holly destroys someone on ECW tonight, if not WWE might lose the last bit of their viewing I feel like watching on a regular basis. Might be a TNA man purely in a bit except for downloading WWE ppv's.

[skinsfan1992]

I know it was Mcmahon getting the upper hand last night but I LOVE how the show ended esp since football will be taking their rating

BTW the next PPV is Sunday when we play Dalls on Sunday night so Ill have to watch the replays

[RedskinChiefin]

Haha yeah F that PPV. I'll download the torrent on Monday. and watch it Monday night.

I will check out the clips on WWE.com to check out McMahon. I missed his bit.

I'm also curious to see what Jeff "I-Mag-I-Nation Unicorn +1" Nero Hardy did.

[SkinsOrlando]

Missed the last 30 minutes of RAW last night, what happened?

[skinsfan1992]

DX death sentence?

By Zack Zeigler

August 28, 2006

The McMahons didn’t become a superpower in sports-entertainment by rolling over when adversity stood in their path, and when RAW ended, Mr. McMahon showed DX that he’d reach into his bag of “unlimited resources” to ensure their demise. Mr. McMahon utilized three SmackDown guns for hire—Mr. Kennedy, U.S. Champion Finlay and Sir William Regal and ECW World Champion Big Show, along with his trusty lead pipe, to leave DX a bloody mess.

Following the massacre, the Chairman announced he and Shane would be getting back into the ring with their arch nemeses. The McMahons will team up with the largest athlete in the world Big Show to face DX in a Hell in a Cell Match. In all likelihood, this match will take place at Unforgiven, but at press time, that was not announced.

The Chairman was supposed to have the night off to relax in his posh Atlantic City hotel suite after Shawn Michaels and Triple H nearly broke him down last week on RAW. Shane was running the show in his father’s absence and vowed he’d get revenge on DX for how they nearly forced his father into insanity.

Shane told Michaels and Triple H that they’d be competing on RAW, but kept their opponents a secret until it was time for the match to begin. Then, he reacquainted the same three SmackDown thugs that were sent to wear down DX before the SummerSlam match with the McMahons. The tactic didn’t work at SummerSlam, and it failed again on RAW.

In the match, the SmackDown Superstars used their three-on-two numbers advantage – well, three and a half person advantage counting Finlay’s Little **** – and took turns trying to wear their opponents down. But, after Sir Regal tried to hit Triple H with a chair and accidentally hit Finlay, The Game took advantage and delivered a Pedigree for the pinfall.

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Before DX could celebrate, Shane came out from the locker room and sent out ECW World Champion Big Show. HBK and Triple H used their numbers to subdue the 500-pound Extremist, but when the SmackDown gang awoke, the numbers were again used against DX.

Finlay entered the ring with his shillelagh in hand and began using it wildly. That set up a chokeslam on Triple H from Big Show. As they continued to beat down HBK, the Chairman made his way to the ring.

Earlier in the night, Mr. McMahon was enjoying some wine and room service where he heard a noise…a crowing noise. As soon as he uncovered what he thought was his steak dinner, two roosters were caged inside of his posh hotel suite. The sound seemed to send him into a trance—and the spell didn’t leave his face as he strutted to the ring carrying a lead pipe in his hands.

This wasn’t the normal McMahon strut that the Chairman normally carries. It was as if the only thing that mattered was destroying DX. It was focused, yet aloof—like he was programmed to attack.

Inside the ring, he busted Triple H’s head open with the pipe, and then proceeded to choke him with it until The Game fell to the mat in a pool of his own blood.

Then it was HBK’s turn; smashing him in the head with a television camera that caused blood to pour from Michaels’ head. The physical dissection of D-Generation X had taken place; exactly what the Chairman has longed for since they reunited in June.

But Mr. McMahon wasn’t finished.

“You think this is over? It’s not over until I say it’s over,” shouted the Chairman. “This time it will be Hell in the Cell,” he screamed as he continued to deliver blows with the pipe.

The McMahons – specifically Mr. McMahon – proved again that when it comes to DX, they won’t quit until the job is done and the duo of Shawn Michaels and Triple H are destroyed once and for all. Has sanity finally left Mr. McMahon? Is the figurative death of DX the only thing that keeps him going anymore?

A match that was indeed set for Unforgiven was a Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match between WWE Champion Edge and John Cena.

After being dumped into the polluted water of the Long Island Sound by Cena last week on RAW, the Rated R Superstar whined to the Chairman’s son about having Cena fired.

“I want John Cena out of my life. I’m sick of him. I want him gone,” complained the champion.

But before Edge could whine anymore, Cena came to the ring with a three-year contract that would relocate him to SmackDown if he lost against Edge.

“If you beat me, I’ll sign on the dotted line and I am out of your life,” said Cena.

After a few moments of deliberation, the Rated R Superstar agreed—with two stipulations. One, he chooses the type of match; two, he chooses where the match takes place.

Even with all of the unknowns, Cena agreed...but his night wasn’t over. For his rudeness towards the WWE Champion, Shane McMahon told Cena he was competing against Chris Masters, a fresh, well-rested Superstar coming off sabbatical.

Cena never backs down from a challenge, and while nobody in WWE has ever broken the Master Lock, Cena was agile enough to avoid getting trapped in it. But Edge made certain that the Doctor of Thuganomics would pay in the match; as Cena locked in the STFU, and it looked like Chris Masters was going to submit, the Rated R Superstar stormed down the ramp from the locker room area and smashed Cena with a chair, a ladder and a launched him through a table. Cena laid buried in rubble, dazed from being blindsided, and Edge announced his stipulation:

“I decided where the match is going to take place. It’s going to be at Unforgiven, in my hometown of Toronto, Canada. And I’ve decided what match it’s go into be. A match you’ve never had. A match I’ve never lost. It’s going to be tables, ladders and chairs,” said Edge.

Cena may have gotten the win over Masters by disqualification, but he didn’t look like he won anything by the condition he was left in. With his back against the wall, the challenger will scratch and claw to remain on RAW and reclaim the WWE Championship. But one has to wonder, has Cena bitten off more than he can chew by giving the champion the power to make a match in Edge’s hometown—and a match that Cena has never competed in?

There were no other Unforgiven matches set on RAW, but there was the news that after Unforgiven Trish Stratus would be leaving WWE. It was shocking to WWE fans and Superstars — especially Carlito. After receiving a WWE Mobile Alert about Lita posting a story on WWE.com that disclosed Trish's plans to leave the company after the pay-per-view event that takes place in her hometown, the quintessential Diva was visibly flustered and stammering for a way to explain it to Carlito.

“That is something that Lita would do. She’d take my personal business and…” but before she could finish her sentence Carlito told her that he only wanted to give her a proper goodbye. When he leaned in to show his affection, Randy Orton broke up their romantic moment by slamming them both into the wall.

Last week on RAW, Carlito interrupted Orton during his match with Ric Flair, and Orton got payback by ruining what will be one of Carlito and Trish's last few times together. But it would be Carlito that would get the last laugh of the night.

Perhaps if the Legend Killer were more focused on his No. 1 Contender’s Match against Jeff Hardy, he would be gearing up for the opportunity to become a two-time Intercontinental Champion. Fortunately for Hardy, who is riding the momentum of a successful return to WWE, he was able to stay ahead of Orton and gain a pinfall via the Twist of Fate and a Swanton Bomb after Carlito came to the ring, spit apple in Orton’s face and indirectly cost the Legend Killer the match.

The Women’s Champion Lita wasn’t just ruining Trish’s night. She was also shattering former Women’s Champion Mickie James’ dreams of reclaiming the championship. Mickie gave everything she had and was relentless in her attack…but it wasn’t enough. In the end, Lita used the ropes to hold Mickie down to retain the Women’s Championship.

The team of “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and Eugene nearly defeated Mikey and Kenny of the World Tag Team Champion Spirit Squad in their championship match. With Robbie and Rory McAlister of the Highlanders doing commentary at ringside, the Squad members who weren’t competing couldn’t stop themselves from getting tangled with the Highlanders. That got Robbie, Rory and two of the five members of the Squad ejected from ringside. The one Spirit Squad member that remained, Mitch, was the deciding factor in the match, and Mikey and Kenny scored the victory to remain the World Tag Team Champions.

After the Squad took care of Duggan and Eugene, the undefeated Umaga came out and finished them off as a message to Kane. Armando Alejandro Estrada warned the “Big Red Dummy” that “the only monster in WWE…is the undefeated Samoan Bulldozer, Umaga.” Kane was injured at the hands of Umaga last week on RAW, and suffered internal bleeding from their encounter. Has Umaga done what no other Superstar was able to do to Kane since he joined WWE? Has the Samoan Bulldozer destroyed the Big Red Monster?

RAW Divas Candice Michelle and Torrie Wilson were in action in a first-ever Back to Schoolgirl Paddle on a Pole Match. Torrie was in the traditional plaid skirt and matching top, while Candice was in less traditional — yet visibly pleasing — schoolgirl attire. After tumbling around the ring, Torrie gained control of the match, but when she delivered her signature Facial, Candice countered by biting Torrie’s voluptuous posterior. After winning the match, Candice was a good sport and when she revealed her panties that read “Spank Me,” she handed Torrie the paddle and the two Divas took turns spanking each other.

Intercontinental Champion Johnny Nitro didn’t take the night off. Last week, after Melina double crossed Mick Foley and delivered the news that he was fired – with the WWE Chairman and Shane McMahon smirking close by – they used RAW as their podium to insult Foley even more. The dashing Hollywood couple tore into the Hardcore Legend.

“He’s such a disgusting creep,” Melina said. “I would never leave Johnny Nitro for a one-eared, smelly Muppet like Mick Foley.”

Although Foley was fired from WWE, will he just sit back and take the abuse from two people he considered his friends?