Flair Leaves TNA UK Tour, Ventura Sues TSA

Courtesy: TNA Wrestling

A couple of quick news headlines in regards to wrestling legends Ric Flair and Jesse the Body Ventura.


Ric Flair Leaves Tour: 
Several wrestling websites are reporting that Ric Flair has left TNA's overseas tour.  The Pro Wrestling Torch reports that Flair asked for advanced payment from the tour manager.  When the manager refused, Flair reportedly felt disrespected and did not join the others on the bus from Ireland headed to Germany.


The company named this particular tour of Europe "Maximum Wooo!" in honor of the 16 time world champion.  


Again, these are online reports.  Not sure exactly what the situation is.  I haven't seen any official word from TNA via Twitter or their website.  I would assume cooler heads will prevail and we won't see Flair as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble Sunday, although I would mark out if it happened.


Jesse Ventura Sues:
This info comes from CNN.  They're reporting that WWE Hall of Famers Jesse "the Body" Ventura has filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Safety Administration.  The suit alleges those pat-downs and full body scans going on at airports now violate Ventura's rights under the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures.


Reportedly, the Body isn't seeking financial gain from the suit.  He just wants an acknowledgement from the court that his rights have been violated and a court order that would stop the government from subjecting him to the screenings.  


Ventura has a titanium hip and flies a couple times a week according to his attorney.

Clash of the Champions

Quick thoughts on Monday's Raw from 1/24/11.  You can also watch a recap on My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube.

Opening Segment: When Edge came out I really thought we were going to get the Clash of the Champions match at the start of the show.  Those hopes were quickly dashed after the impromptu Royal Rumble challenge and the Corre vs. Nexus confrontation.

Did you notice Edge disappeared after that whole deal between the two groups?  I don't like how that happens.  That seems to be a trend.

Mark Henry & John Morrison vs. Albert Del Rio & King Sheamus:  I'm still not sold on Alberto.  And I find it hard to believe the "World's Strongest Man" taps out almost instantly to the arm bar submission.  You could have him tap, but it was like a second after the hold was applied.  Plus, I don't think there was any work on the arm to even weaken it, was there?

Natalya vs. Melina: That was a kick butt Sharpshooter by Natalya.  Good match between these ladies. LayCool annoys me, but I think that's their role.  I still don't like the comments about Natalya's weight.  And again it's a double standard.  The King insulted Vickie Guerrero again last night and people find it funny.  When LayCool does it, it's criminal.  Twitter was lit up with comments.  Trust me.

The Miz vs. Edge: I felt like this match could have been saved for a Pay Per View.  Why give away a match like that on free TV?  That seems to be the trend though, as they did it last week with CM Punk vs. John Cena.  The match went on pretty long, but I knew (as we all did) that Dolph Ziggler was going to interfere.


Husky Harris & Michael McGillicutty vs. Santino Marella & Vladamir Koslov: Tag team champions made to look weak once again.  I like the duo of HH & MM.  Would like to see them developed as a unit.  They have potential, and let's face it the WWE needs a tag team division.

Mixed Gender Six Person Tag: I think this was just a set up to have Gail Kim and Daniel Bryan get caught by the Bellas.  The match itself was lame.  I like the storyline, especially if it means Kim getting more in ring time.

CM Punk vs. Wade Barrett:  I think this match could have and should have been saved for pay per view.  Not the Royal Rumble.  They could have totally carried this out to Wrestlemania I believe.  And I wonder if we get a Corre vs. Nexus match at Mania.  Many factors as we head to the big event in April. Cena refereeing the match made sense, but again lately Cena has been really annoying.  I'm talking Cena the performer.  The guy outside the ring who does all the philanthropy has all my respect.

It was no surprise the show ended with a locker room clearing brawl in the ring. That's what we have come to expect in the days leading up to the Royal Rumble.  Later this week, I'll post a prediction for the Rumble, probably just on YouTube though, so check it out.

Thanks!

Kylie Bax Tattoo

Kylie Bax is a gorgeous New Zealand-born model and actress, best known for her work with both Vogue and Marie Claire.

Kylie has a single tattoo design, which is located just below her left breast and it appears to be a name or word with no more than seven letters, however its very difficult to see clearly.

Kylie Bax Tattoo

Batista Tattoos

Batista is a wildly popular American professional wrestler who is part of the World Wrestling Entertainment on the SmackDown brand.

Batista has a pretty hefty art gallery of tattoos on his completely ripped body, including a massive Chinese dragon which covers most of his back.

The tattoos on his left arm include, both the Philippines and Greece flag side by side, along with a some red Kanji which reads "Angel" and is dedicated to his wife Angie. The tattoos on his right arm include, a large colorful tribal design alongside a Chinese dragon and some more Kanji characters. Batista also has a sun design tattooed around his belly button.

Batista Tattoos

Batista Tattoos

Batista Tattoos

Batista Tattoos

Batista Tattoos

Sean Bean Tattoos

Sean Bean is a tremendously talented English film and stage actor, perhaps best known for his role as Boromir in The Lord of the Rings.

Sean Bean currently has three tattoo designs which we know about, including two designs which are dedicated to his favorite football team, Sheffield United. His first football tattoo says "100% Blade" and is located on his left upper arm, along with the letters "SUFC" on his wrist.

Mr. Bean's other tattoo reads "Nine" in the mythical Elvish language, and is part of a "tattoo pact" with fellow Lord of the Rings cast members who received the very same tattoo design. Other cast member with the "Nine" tattoo are, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Ian McKellen, Dominic Monaghan, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, and John Rhys-Davies.

Sean Bean Tattoos

Sean Bean Tattoos

Let's Skip, Sheffield Please!

Courtesy: WWE

Okay, I don't write this to be mean or cruel.  Let's get that out of the way.

I have read several online reports that former WWE creative team member John Piermarini has started a blog.  I tried to get on the site today, but it just has the message: "Be Back Soon" so I can't confirm what I'm reading in these reports with his actual site.

But anyway, the claim is that Vince McMahon at some point saw or sees Skip Sheffield as the number 2 babyface in the company, behind John Cena.  Wow.  Really?  I find this claim hard to believe.  I can't imagine anyone in their right mind thinking Skip Sheffield should be the company's second highest profile figure.

Of course, maybe they're talking down the road, I don't know.  What I do know is what I saw of Skip on the first season of NXT I was not impressed.  To me, he seemed to try to hard to be like Stone Cold Steve Austin.  The look, the talk, even his finisher is similar to the Stone Cold Stunner.  I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but we've been there and done that.  And I do still have the t-shirt.

One reason I believe this online report may be true is due to the fact that Skip was listed pretty high on the WWE.com list "the Top 11 to Watch in 2011."  In fact, he was fifth, and that's saying a lot because he's been out with an injury since August.  

I think if creative could come up with something for him and repackage him, he'd be a legitimate threat, but right now I just see him as another Stone Cold wannabe.  I'll be curious to see if he ends up in the Corre or with Nexus upon his return.  Or will he end up like Darren Young and Michael Tarver lost in the shuffle?

I'm also curious to know what you think?  Am I too harsh?  Am I missing something here?  I'm sure my thoughts were similar back in 2002 when a fresh faced John Cena was on the scene and look where that took us...

Hulkamania 27 Years Later

The 3 Faces of Hogan: Hollywood, Mr. America, Hulkamania

I feel bad, I missed the birthday of Hulkamania.  It was yesterday, January 23.  Hulkamania was born on that day in 1984 at Madison Square Garden.

I had just started watching wrestling and the Hulkster beat the villainous Iron Sheik for the WWF world title. 

It was the official changing of the guard so to speak.  Sheik had just recently beat Bob Backlund for the belt.  Backlund was champ for years, but had an image that wasn't up to par with what Vincent Kennedy McMahon was looking for.  Vince had just acquired the WWF from his father and was taking the company in a whole new direction.  That included a larger than life hero leading the way.

Like him or hate him, you must admit Hulk Hogan helped change the face of wrestling.  Of course you hear stories about him being a control freak and his ego getting out of check.  Based on what I've seen over the years after he was clearly past his prime, I would tend to believe those stories.

Dorkamania is running wild!

That hasn't stopped me from dressing like Hogan on several occasions.  You can see the 3 Faces picture up top.  I also donned the red and yellow for the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics and again at Wrestlemania 25.  My buddy Chad was Rowdy Roddy Piper.

I was 11 years old when Hulkamania started running wild.  I bought into the whole philosophy.  I didn't literally eat my vitamins and say my prayers, but I did believe in the virtues the Hulkster was trying to instill in us.  I was a devoted follower for a few years at least. 

I remember around late 1986, early 1987 I turned on the Hulkster.  I just thought it was getting a little old, his whole dominance of the WWF.  I remember cheering like crazy when Paul Orndorff climbed over the steel cage on Saturday Night's Main Event in January 1987.  It appeared he was the new champ, but the split screen revealed that Hogan's feet hit the floor at the same time as his challenger.  The match restarted and of course the Hulkster won.  That further infuriated me.  But it wouldn't be long before I was back supporting the champ.

When Andre turned on Hogan a few weeks later, I found myself again cheering for the Hulkster.  He seemed so alone.  He needed my support again.  So for the next few years I backed him.  Then when he came and went from the WWF in the early 90's, my support started to wane again.  When it officially came to an end was in 1993 at Wrestlemania 9.  Hogan and Brutus Beefcake had lost their bid against tag team champions Money, Inc. by disqualification.  I should have known something was up.  Later in the night, Yokozuna beat Bret Hart for the WWF title, and Hogan came down to protest the interference by Mr. Fuji.  Then Fuji foolishly challenged the former champ to face his charge right there on the spot.  Of course Hogan won the title back.  At least that reign was short lived and Hogan would soon be gone.

I don't hate Hulk Hogan.  I like him in small doses.  He still has a place in wrestling, but it's not in the main event or in the spot light like his current role with TNA.  I didn't enjoy his training of Abyss and giving away his Hall of Fame ring.  But, whatcha gonna do, brother? 

Look for more of my "Confessions of a Hulkamanic" on My 1-2-3 Cents on YouTube.