Mox on the Move

Jon Moxley has seemingly made more news in a few weeks than he had during his entire time with World Wrestling Entertainment. After his contract with WWE expired, a cryptic video appeared on his usually inactive Twitter account. That sent the wrestling world into a frenzy and for good reason.

Only May 25, 2019, All Elite Wrestling had their first official show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Speculation was running wild on whether or not Moxley would make an appearance. After the main event between Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega concluded, Moxley appeared came through the crowd, hopped the ringside barricade and proceeded to take out Jericho and the referee before battling Omega up the entrance ramp. He would Omega off a stack of poker chips on the main stage of the set and end the show standing tall as chants of Moxley echoed throughout the arena. It was revealed after that Moxley had signed a full time contract with AEW and will be part of their roster.

So how do you capitalize on an unbelievable debut in a company perceived to be a real threat to WWE? You go to New Japan Pro Wrestling. About a Week after Moxley's AEW debut, another video appeared on his twitter account. This one revealed that he would be heading to NJPW to face Juice Robinson at Best of the Super Juniors Finals in what would be Moxley's first match since leaving WWE. Robinson's IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was also on the line. After a brutal bout which saw the use of a few weapons, Moxley emerged victorious and captured the belt from Robinson after hitting a modified version of his Dirty Deeds finisher which is being called the Death Rider. With the win, Moxley became the first man in history to have held both the WWE United States Championship and the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.

Needless to say that Moxley has been on the move ever since he left WWE. He's booked a few indie shows and has signed contracts with both NJPW and AEW. The number of dream matches this can create are endless. A match with Omega in AEW seems inevitable as does a rematch with Robinson in NJPW. Bouts against Kota Ibushi and Kazuchika Okada among others are also in the realm of possibility. The current IWGP United States Heavyweight Champ is creating a ton of buzz in the wrestling world, and it would appear that he is not finished yet.

Double or Nothing 2019 Thoughts

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Mox is Back

Dean Ambrose's contract with World Wrestling Entertainment appeared to expire on April 30, 2019. Around midnight on May 1, his twitter account,which is notorious for its lack of activity posted, a video of him breaking out of a jail cell, climbing over a barbwire fence, escaping through a city, and training inside a wrestling ring. At the end of the video, the word Mox appears and suggests that Dean Ambrose is no more, and Jon Moxley has returned. 

For those who are unaware, Jon Moxley was Ambrose's name before he joined WWE. He made a name for himself on the indie scene as one of the best talkers in the wrestling industry and was known for his violent and hardcore matches. The fact that he would reuse the Moxley moniker makes sense as he is no longer a WWE employee. What has people excited and adding fuel to the fire on whether or not he joins All Elite Wrestling are the subtle messages hidden within the video. 

Many people claim that Moxley breaking out of the jail cell is symbolic of him breaking free from the "Ambrose Asylum" and WWE. Others are also saying that the pair of dice with the numbers 2 and 5 that are painted on a wall he runs by is a subtle nod to AEW's Double or Nothing pay-per-view which will be held on May 25 in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is also where Moxley currently resides. 

Whether or not these subliminal messages are hinting at an AEW debut remains to be seen. Some wrestling fans are even speculating that this is a big storyline from WWE which oddly does make sense. The production value of the video is top notch, and WWE uncharacteristically gave Ambrose a nice exit from the company. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that the return of Jon Moxley has shaken up the wrestling industry and generated an enormous amount of buzz. So where will Moxley end up once he finally decides to return to the ring? We will have to wait and see. 

Wrestlemania 35 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on Wrestlemania 35. 

Fastlane 2019 Thoughts

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Elimination Chamber 2019 Thoughts

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Adios Ambrose?

The day after the 2019 Royal Rumble, rumors started swirling around the internet that Dean Ambrose was set to leave World Wrestling Entertainment after Wrestlemania 35. Those rumors seemingly turned to fact as WWE released a statement confirming that Ambrose would not be renewing his contract once it expired in April. Reports indicated that Ambrose had grown frustrated with the creative direction of his character and had reached his breaking point with the company.  

Ambrose first debuted with the company in late 2012 as part of the faction known as the Shield along with Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins with Ambrose capturing the United States Championship in 2013. The trio ran roughshod in WWE before embarking on singles careers after Wrestlemania 30 in 2014. Ambrose would go on to capture the Intercontinental Championship in 2015 and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in 2016 before winning the Tag Team Championship with Seth Rollins in 2017 making him the first member of the Shield to become a Grand Slam Champion. He missed most of 2018 with an injury and when he returned around SummerSlam, the Shield briefly reunited before Reigns had to leave the company due to cancer. Ambrose later turned heel on Rollins, but the feud between the two and Ambrose’s heel turn never gained any real traction.

With WWE confirming that Ambrose will not be renewing his contract, the top wrestling promotion in the world will be without one of its biggest stars following Wrestlemania 35. This could be beneficial for both sides as Ambrose leaving the company will allow somebody to take his place in the company. For Ambrose, there might be no better time than now to be a free agent in the wrestling industry. New Japan Pro Wrestling is growing in popularity outside of Japan and Ring of Honor has been a nice alternative to WWE for wrestlers looking for a new home. Impact Wrestling is seemingly rising back up the ranks, and the National Wrestling Alliance is starting to make waves in the pro wrestling world once again. There is also All Elite Wrestling which is a very real threat to WWE. It has legitimate big-name stars with Cody Rhodes, the Young Bucks, and Chris Jericho already signed to its roster, and it is backed by the Khan family. The Khans are billionaires and are providing the financial support for AEW. I would not be surprised if Ambrose winds up in AEW as he will undoubtedly become the hottest free agent on the market. 

This could also be a work by WWE. Their confirmation of Ambrose leaving the company was uncharacteristically addressed months in advance and was also very pleasant when compared to the statements that WWE released when they parted ways with other wrestlers. I would not be shocked if this all part of a storyline, but I would also not be surprised if Ambrose is truly leaving the company. Either way, it has definitely created a buzz for the WWE and Ambrose. Combine that with the upcoming Wrestlemania 35 pay-per-view, and you have must see TV for wrestling fans.

If Ambrose really is leaving though, it will be a sad day for Cincinnati wrestling fans. Ambrose is the most popular wrestler to come from the Queen City since Brian Pillman. He became the last undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Champion in company history and is also the first member of the Shield to become a Grand Slam Champion. More importantly, he made me heavily invested in pro wrestling again which is something that has not happened since I was a kid during the Attitude Era. Having a hometown favorite to root for in WWE is fun, and I will never forget where I was or how I reacted when Ambrose cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I am and will always be a Dean Ambrose fan, and whether or not he returns to the WWE as Dean Ambrose or wrestles for another company as Jon Moxley, I will always be in his corner.

Way Too Early Wrestlemania Prediction

Please note this was written before Reigns relinquished the Universal Championship and before Ambrose turned heel.

It's a little early to predict the main event of Wrestlemania, but I'm thinking the Shield will have a triple threat match with the Universal Championship on the line. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns have previously faced off in a triple threat match at Battleground 2016 in which Ambrose retained his WWE Championship over his Shield brothers in an exciting main event. That match was worthy of headlining Wrestlemania. It was odd for WWE to relegate it to smaller pay-per-view in the middle of the summer. Wrestlemania 35 will be the stage for the battle of the Shield round two. Here's how.

As I write this, WWE is building the card for Crown Jewel and teasing a Dean Ambrose heel turn. He most recently left Rollins and Reigns in the ring after being pinned by Drew McIntyre in a six-man tag team match that also featured Braun Strowman and Dolph Ziggler. I think Ambrose will turn into a full-fledged heel by the Royal Rumble but no earlier than Survivor Series. 

If it happens at Survivor Series, I can see him snapping should the Shield lose a match or perhaps he costs his team and is the reason they come up short. Either way, he will be the one to break the Shield. He will then battle mainly Seth Rollins through the Royal Rumble while also having a few encounters with Reigns. I think Reigns will be Universal Champion at Wrestlemania, but how will both Ambrose and Rollins join him in the main event? I have two scenarios. 

Option one has Rollins winning the Royal Rumble and putting his main event title shot on the line against Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe will win the match via nefarious means and steal away Rollins' title match. Rollins will then be added to the match because of how Ambrose won and the Shield will be set up for a triple threat at Wrestlemania. Option two has both Ambrose and Rollins winning the Royal Rumble via a double elimination. Reigns, being the fighting champion that he is, will agree to face both of them at Wrestlemania and the Shield will headline WWE's biggest event of the year.  

The question everybody will be asking is who will win this potential Wrestlemania 35 Shield triple threat match for the Universal Championship? We all know how the crowd reacts to Reigns as an individual star. While I wouldn't put it past WWE to have Reigns walk out with the belt, I feel like WWE will continue to push Reigns as an unstoppable underdog and having him lose the title will allow the company to continue to position Reigns in that role. Rollins has arguably been WWE's best in ring performer throughout 2018, and the crowd adores him. He gets one of the best pops in the company, and he will undoubtedly garner a huge reaction should he win. He's already done that however, as he walked out of Wrestlemania 31 with the WWE Championship. That leaves Ambrose. While all three have been World champs, Ambrose is the only one who has not won the title in a Wrestlemania main event and there would be no better way to solidify Ambrose as the top heel in the business by having him defeat his two former Shield brothers for the Universal Championship in the main event of Wrestlemania 35. 

That's what I think will happen at Wrestlemania. The Shield will implode, Ambrose and Rollins will somehow both get a title shot at Wrestlemania against Reigns, and Ambrose will walk away with the belt. In my option, WWE has been doing a good job on teasing Ambrose's heel turn. It has been a slow build and hopefully the payoff is memorable. Should it lead to a Shield triple threat at the showcase of the immortals, then it could result in some of the best storytelling WWE has ever produced. If this is the route WWE is heading, I cannot wait to watch it play out on television. 

A Brilliant Heel Turn

Without question, the October 22 episode of Monday Night Raw was one of the most emotional episodes that WWE has ever produced. Roman Reigns revealed he is battling leukemia and had to relinquish the Universal Championship. It was a very real segment that separated Joseph Anoa’i the man from Roman Reigns the character. I wish nothing but the best for Reigns and hope he is able to beat the cancer. The emotional announcement was capped off by an embrace from his Shield brothers Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins and a Hounds of Justice triple fist bump at the top of entrance ramp. 

After the announcement, it appeared that the Ambrose heel turn that has been hinted at for weeks was put on hold. He and Rollins were set to challenge Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler for the Raw Tag Team Championships later in the main event, and the two members of the Shield cut a promo before their match that pretty much stated they were fighting for Reigns. The match itself was very entertaining and worthy of being in the main event. In the end, Ambrose and Rollins emerged victorious and came away with the tag title belts. It seemed like a night that began with heart wrenching news would end on a brighter note. That was not the case.

The emotional victory celebration was cut short as Ambrose hit Rollins with a Dirty Deeds much to the shock of those in attendance as well as the world-wide audience watching on television. The beating continued. Ambrose unloaded a storm of punches on Rollins before tossing him out of the ring. The assault continued at ringside before a cranium cracking Dirty Deeds to Rollins on the exposed arena floor left the Lunatic Fringe satisfied with the damage he had done to his co-tag team champion. Boos and A$$hole chants were reverberating off the walls as Ambrose tore off his Shield vest and exited the arena through the crowd. 

In my opinion, it was one of the most brilliant heel turns WWE has ever had. The emotion was real throughout the night and to see Ambrose destroy what would have been a feel-good moment to close a show that had a somber beginning generated a massive amount of very real heat. It was the heel turn everybody saw coming at the moment nobody expected to see it, and that is why it will be remembered as one of the best in professional wrestling.

Survivor Series 2018 Thoughts

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Hell in a Cell 2018 Thoughts

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The Hounds Are Back

The Monday Night Raw after SummerSlam 2018 was one of the best episodes of Raw in recent memory. The show kicked off with a bang when Finn Balor accepted Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship challenge and the momentum seemingly carried throughout the show. Ronda Rousey nearly ripped out Stephanie McMahon’s arm, Elias avoided ending Curt Hawkins’ losing streak, and Dean Ambrose had his first match back from injury in a very entertaining bout against Dolph Ziggler. All were great moments, but all paled in comparison to the return of one of wrestling’s most dominant factions: the Shield.

After a thrilling main event that saw Reigns successfully defend his title against Finn Balor, the stage appeared to be set for Braun Strowman to cash in his Money in the Bank contract. He delivered a big boot to the Universal Champ, handed his briefcase to the referee, and the ring announcer proclaimed that “Monster Among Men” was cashing in for a Universal Title shot. Before the bell could ring, a familiar tune echoed throughout the Barclay’s Center. The crowd erupted when Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins stormed down to the ring in their traditional black gear as the Shield theme music played over the speakers. 

Reigns stood up in the ring as Ambrose and Rollins climbed onto the apron. Strowman looked around at the Hounds of Justice and, despite knowing he was outnumbered, went on the attack. It was a futile attempt as the numbers game proved to be too much for the monster to overcome as the Shield easily handled Strowman and capped off their reunion by triple powerbombing him through the announce table. It was a fantastic ending to what had been a great episode of Monday Night Raw. 

So is the Shield heel? That remains to be seen. While Strowman is one of the biggest faces on the roster, so is the Shield. WWE could be setting up for a face versus face rivalry, but imagine how much more fun it would be to see a heel Shield run roughshod over WWE similar to what they did when they burst on the scene nearly six year ago. Only time will tell if the Shield is face or heel, but there is one thing that we do know and that is to always believe in the Shield.

Face or Heel?

Dean Ambrose has been out with an injury since December. He was in the midst of a storyline in which and he his Shield brother Seth Rollins were battling the Bar for the Raw Tag Team Championship. The injury brought an abrupt end to what had been an abbreviated Shield reunion and has left Raw without one of its biggest stars and storylines. Rumors were swirling that Ambrose was going to turn heel and betray Rollins in a rivalry that would lead to a Wrestlemania match between the former tag team champs. I was hoping the rumors turned out to be true. A heel Ambrose vs. a face Rollins could have been the rivalry of the year. When Ambrose does return, should he be face or heel?

Aside from the early days of the Shield, Ambrose has been a face during his time on the main roster. When the Shield broke up, Ambrose became the breakout face of the group. Reigns garnered boos despite being positioned as the main good guy of the Shield while Ambrose consistently revived great crowd reactions. The Lunatic Fringe gimmick worked as he tweaked it to become more goofy than unpredictable and it worked for the most part. The act did get stale though and Ambrose was in need of a character change. That change came in the form of the Shield reunion. The goofy aspect of The Lunatic Fringe was dropped as Ambrose embraced his unpredictable side once again. His promos were more intense and he regained the "mox" that made him a fan favorite on the Indy wrestling circuit. 

But what if Ambrose took that attitude and unpredictability to the next level? As a heel, I believe that he can. The Lunatic Fringe could morph into Jon Moxley. He could blend the CZW style of violence with WWE wrestling and run roughshod over the WWE roster. The promos he could cut as a heel would be some of the best in the business. Ambrose has always been one of the best promo cutters in WWE and as a full fledged heel, he could be one of the best promo cutters on wrestling history. He has an ability to demand your attention and make you hang on every word when he has a mic in his hand. As a he, his promos would be even better as he wouldn't have to suck up the crowd or try and make people laugh. He could be serious, intense, and real.

So should Ambrose return as a face or a heel? In my opinion, Ambrose should come back as a full force heel. WWE has a lot of face wrestlers at the moment and is in need of a true top heel. Ambrose can fill that role. The Lunatic Fringe character could thrive as a heel and make WWE much more interesting.

WWE Backlash 2018 Thoughts

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Wrestlemania 33 Two-Disc Blu-Ray Set Review

Wrestlemania is the biggest wrestling event of all time. It features high profile matches, celebrity involvement, and showcases World Wrestling Entertainment’s product on a global stage. An event this big only happens once a year, but that does not mean you only have to watch it once every 365 days. WWE has released every Wrestlemania on some sort of home video format whether it be on VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray. This week’s post will look at the Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 33.

Aside from watching Wrestlemania 33 live on television when it aired in 2017, I have only seen it on Blu-ray on a 16:9 television screen. Therefore I have no idea how the DVD version of Wrestlemania 33 is presented on a 16:9 or a 4:3 television.

With people complaining about the length of Wrestlemania 32, Wrestlemania 33 seemingly said, “hold my beer.” When including the two hour kickoff show, Wrestlemania 33 clocked in at about 7 hours and fifteen minutes. However this event was much more enjoyable than the 2016 edition of Wrestlemania, so watching it straight through is not as bad. The length caused the event to once again be split up across two discs. The first disc contains most of the Wrestlemania 33 card. It starts with Tinashe performing “America the Beautiful” and ends with the announcement a new Citrus Bowl attendance record. Also included on the first disc are the “Total Bellas” segments that showcase the Miz and Maryse mocking John Cena and Nikki Bella.

The second disc features the Wrestlemania 33 main event that saw Roman Reigns challenge the Undertaker in a No Holds Barred Match. It also features the entire 2017 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony that featured a stacked class of inductees. New hall of famers included Diamond Dallas Page, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Express, Beth Phoenix, Rick Rude, and Kurt Angle among others. This is easily one of the best hall of fame classes of all time as the inductees truly left an impact on the professional wrestling industry. This ceremony is must see TV for wrestling fans. There is no additional content on the second disc.

The packaging for Wrestlemania 33 is great. The front features the Wrestlemania 33 logo and a collage of wrestlers in front of a roller coaster track. The back looks really cool as well as it too has a nice collage of wrestlers as well as a paragraph highlighting the event’s biggest matches. Also included is a listing of hall of fame inductees.

The inside packaging looks good as it features a wide shot of the Citrus Bowl with fireworks.

In conclusion, this is a good home video version of Wrestlemania 33. I say good because it does not include the three kickoff show matches. The Cruiserweight Championship match, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, and the Intercontinental Championship match all took place on the kickoff show. To me, not including these on the Blu-ray home video version of the event is unacceptable. Due to the lack of those matches, the event is much shorter than when it originally aired. Despite the absence of those matches, Wrestlemania 33 was still a solid event that featured some great matches. The return of the Hardy Boyz, AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon, the Universal Championship match between Brock Lesnar and Goldberg, and the possible curtain call of the Undertaker make this event worth watching.

Stay tuned for the Wrestlemania 34 Blu-ray review!

Wrestlemania 34 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on Wrestlemania 34.

Wrestlemania 32 Two-Disc Blu-Ray Set Review

Wrestlemania is the biggest wrestling event of all time. It features high profile matches, celebrity involvement, and showcases World Wrestling Entertainment’s product on a global stage. An event this big only happens once a year, but that does not mean you only have to watch it once every 365 days. WWE has released every Wrestlemania on some sort of home video format whether it be on VHS, DVD, or Blu-ray. This week's post will look at the Blu-ray version of Wrestlemania 32.

Aside from watching Wrestlemania 32 live on television when it aired in 2016, I have only seen it on Blu-ray on a 16:9 television screen. Therefore I have no idea how the DVD version of Wrestlemania 32 is presented on a 16:9 or a 4:3 television.

This Wrestlemania has the infamous distinction of being considered one of the worst and one of the longest Wrestlemanias of all time. Clocking in at just under seven hours when adding in the two hour kickoff show that aired prior to the main card, the event had to be split up on two Blu-ray discs. The first disc contains most of the Wrestlemania 32 card. It starts with Fifth Harmony performing “America the Beautiful” and ends with the Rock coming to the ring to address the crowd. Also included on the first disc are the three matches that took place on the kickoff show.

The second disc features the Wrestlemania 32 main event that saw Roman Reigns challenge Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. I also features the entire 2016 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony that featured a very good class of inductees. New hall of famers included the Godfather, the Fabulous Freebirds, and Sting. Obviously Sting was the headliner for this class as he is undoubtedly one of the greatest stars in the history of professional wrestling. I loved his epic battle with the New World Order in 1997 as he became the silent vigilante for World Championship Wrestling. His induction alone is enough to make this ceremony worth watching. The last feature on disc 2 is a Blu-ray exclusive titled “Fighting for a Legacy.”

The packaging is not really eye-popping. The front features the Wrestlemania 32 logo and the wrestlers that were involved in the biggest matches. The back is very similar to that of the Wrestlemania 31 set as it features a few pictures from the event’s biggest moments. It also a small paragraph that discusses the matches and lists the bonus content as well as the 2016 hall of fame inductees.

The inside packaging is pretty bland as it features a wide shot of a lukewarm crowd response to the WWE title win of Roman Reigns.

In conclusion, this is a really good home video version of Wrestlemania 32. Despite the event definitely not being one of the best of all time and being classified as mediocre, the Blu-ray version does contain every match and the entire hall of fame ceremony. The women’s championship triple threat match, the Intercontinental Championship ladder match, AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho, and seeing Shane McMahon channel his inner Mick Foley in the Hell in a Cell match against the Undertaker are definitely the highlights of this event. If you are a diehard fan of professional wrestling, I’d pick up the Blu-ray version.

Stay tuned for the Wrestlemania 33 Blu-ray review!

Elimination Chamber 2018 Thoughts

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Royal Rumble 2018 Thoughts

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WWE Survivor Series 2017 Thoughts

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