Category: Random Stuff

UR Fight iPPV

UR Fight (pronounced “your fight”)
The Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix AZ
20 March 2016

An iPPV designed to promote the web-TV channel “URshow.tv”. It’s pitch was a broad nostalgia hodge-podge of worked pro-wrestling and shoot MMA/boxing bouts with older and/or disgraced personalities. Ken Shamrock was originally scheduled to fight Dan Severn (the match I was most looking forward to, that we never properly got in WWF!) but Ken was replaced by WCW/Friends-alum Tank Abbott, who wasn’t licensed, so the match was scrapped entirely. Today it was found out that Shamrock tested positive for steroids (and methadone – used for pain or drug dependence) at Bellator 149 last month. So is it worth the asking price of $12? Let’s find out.

Opening video: Holy shit, in a bad way. Michael Rappaport (co-star of Inside Out with Triple H) Ken Shamrock, Chael Sonnen in front of a US flag, Gary Busey et al plugging URshow.tv and it’s “video AMAs, real time voting, and the most unbelievable contests and prizes”. Oh my God! Smacks of some money mark paying disinterested celebrities to hock their soulless web channel. Combined with the card subject to change and multiple types of sporting contests, it has the potential to be another heroes of wrestling.

Commentators: Jim Ross, Sean Wheelock (MMA commentator) and Rampage Jackson.
In 2008 he was charged with a felony hit and run with the police in tow and a female victim tried to claim it caused a stillbirth (which was dismissed). You might remember he was in TNA (!) with the Main Event Mafia and hung around Angle; even wrestling against the Aces & Eights. They have no chemistry. Sean Wheelock does a good job of presenting points of information, although he embarrassingly sucks up to JR using smark terms like “mark”, “legit heat” and “turning heel”. It’s great to hear JR, and God love him he’s trying, but even he can’t feign being interested/excited. He does have some fun quips throughout the night. “Hey JR, you should promote your own shows.” “I’d like to keep my money.”

Our innoggeral 😉 contest is Shannon Ritch vs Mavrick Harvey.
The first of 4 -count ‘em 4- bouts! And the PPV is 2 and a half hours. Rampage immediately notes the mat must be slippery, affecting how people fight. It rucks up easily and the ring looks cheap – they fucking skimped on the ring affecting the quality of the fights! Something straight of bumfights with how unprofessional this was, setting the tone: Harvey brawling in the ropes and a big wedgie! Harvey won with a rear naked choke in Round 1.

https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/711723532263268354

Chael Sonnen vs Michael Bisping – Metamoris Rules (Submission-only grappling)
Chael’s a hell of a promo and it sucks he didn’t (or hasn’t) gotten into WWE. Given that he’s a notable friend of CM Punk and was released from UFC in mid-2014 due to his multiple failed drugs tests, he won’t be coming to WWE anytime soon. Bisping beat Anderson Silva at UFC Fight Night 84 a couple weeks ago so I’m unsure how he can fight for another organisation. Rampage did note that win but said he was lucky, the judges beat Silva. Sonnen weighed in at 231 (19 heavier than Bisping), JR quips he enjoyed the catering at ESPN (lol!). They sleep through their fight – an eternity before the first takedown attempt. They grapple like they’re both avoiding injuring themselves and their opponent, like they were paid to appear, not to compete. Commentators call it “conservative” and “showing mutual respect”. Boo! In the last minute there was a scissors takedown and angle lock attempt but time was up and it was a draw. Chael says he won’t fight again professionally. It’s like the ending of Dexter – if you wanted no-one to ask you to come back, perfect job! Crowd are absolutely dead. They’ve turned down the lights but you can see the scores of empty ringside seats! Deafening silence!

https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/711732626080534530

Pre-recorded fight from earlier today: Kobe “The Stunna” Ortiz vs Brendan “Tiny Shorts” Tierney OH MY GOD! It looks like the fighters are in slow motion and they’re pulling their punches. It looked wrong. Sadly no stunner, but a TKO in Round 3, a stoppage due to strikes, the Stunna winning it.

Wow, mega heat with “intermission performer” Riff Raff singing a song with four disinterested models standing in the ring. The commentators admit it shit the bed, pondering if the cheer for angle was really for Riff Raff leaving. Ha!

Pro-Wrestling: Rey vs Angle (41 and 47 respectively) in a 2 out of 3 falls match.
What we all came to see! Idiot backstage reporter gets her facts wrong live and Rey has to correct her, admitting he’s not wearing the mask a fan made for him, but rather the fan is wearing it and will accompany him. WTF don’t bring up the mask at all then! That’s like a kid giving you a drawing and for safe-keeping you put it in the bin! Wear it you cunt! Or get a proper version of it made. The kid is also taller than Rey, and in the shirt, you could tell the fans didn’t know which one of the two was the star. No choreography as the fan is told to look at the screen and he looks at something else. The whole event feels unrehearsed/poor direction.
Hail to the chief! Kurt Angle comes out to Bob Backlund’s theme. YES. This match was reffed by TNA’s Brian Hebner and tonight’s announcer is former WWE guy Justin Roberts. Presentation is crucial in modern wrestling and it feels very bush league/unimportant. Roughly mid 2000s ROH. Bit rusty starting off, but it heats up and Angle gets the first fall with the Angle Slam. Rampage shakes his head at the small size of Mysterio, having to fight a man much heavier than him. Rey ties it up with a 619 and a shit splash, and straight into near falls (including the battered sausage!). Ref bump, low blow and when Angle grabs a chair, Rampage shouts Motherfucker! Jackson was enjoying himself here (he name-dropped Ultimate Warrior and JYD as his favs) but I wonder how most MMA fighters/broadcasters feel about calling (obviously scripted) pro-rasslin bouts. With Riff-Raff’s distraction (taking the chair away), Rey wins with the 619 and the world’s shittest frog splash. No themesong plays. Riff-Raff hotdogs with Mysterio to silence. It just feels out of sorts! HILARIOUS them trying to get Riff Raff over. A decent but inconsequential and unmemorable bout, it’s like someone was watching SummerSlam 2002 on the Network and wanted it on their show. When the two warmed up is was fun to see them wrestling each other again. JR notes “at least the crowd came alive for the pro wrestling match” — it woke the crowd up, which was great. JR keeps putting over how massive it was for Rey to win 2 straight falls (coming from behind) and nobody’s done it; gotta mention Benoit did it 2-0 at Insurrextion 2001!

https://twitter.com/ZProphet_MMA/status/711747413103525888

MAIN EVENT: Boxing: Roy Jones Jr vs Vyron Phillips
Old boxer (Jones) vs younger MMA fighter in a boxing match. Contributing to the carny atmosphere, fighters sent in tapes to UR Fight, and facebook voted for the final four nominees (which Vyron won), so the 34-year old gets to box his hero, the 47-year old Roy Jones Jr. If he won he’d get $100,000. Voting only STARTED about 3 weeks ago (FIX! FIIIIIX!) so it was a slam dunk. Jones outboxed him easily, and smashed him with a right in the jaw in the second round, and despite Vyron getting up, the ref called waved it off as a TKO.

https://twitter.com/KOKINGS4/status/711942002011668480

Overall: Pretty much a low-rent freak-carny show! Very short fights, it delivered on what you’d expect, which is for it to be not very good! Save your money, look for gifs online. Shame on Sonnen/Bisping. But hey, we got a wedgie, a solid punch, and Angle vs Mysterio.

So you didn’t miss much! But if you saw it, lemme know what you thought. Our 3RD ANNUAL GOLDEN NOGGERS video dropped last night (watch it here!) and our New storyline arc trailer earlier in the week (watch it here!)

March 21, 2016
WWE Valentine’s Cards 3

RandMcNally_ is back with more Valentine’s Cards! Here’s my favs. Which one’s your favourite?

More WWE Valentines cards:
Part 1 here: WWE Valentine’s Cards
Part 2 here: WWE Valentine’s Cards 2!
More from RandMcNally_!

February 13, 2016
How much money did WWE make in 2015?

How much money did WWE make in 2015?

• WWE finished 2015 with $24.1 million net profit.
WWE brought in more money this year than ever before ($658.8m) but spent a lot more, with a profit of half of what they used to make pre-Network (eg 2007-10). Main factors are still bearing the brunt of startup costs (like a media center expansion project), and of course, killing their PPV business in favour of a steadier monthly income with the Network.
WWE’s main revenue comes from TV rights (which increased this year, at $54.4m) and WWE Network ($44.4m).
75% of their revenue comes from North America.
Worth noting Total Dividend payments were $36.33m, which means they used cash on hand to cover payments, effectively meaning they lost $12.2m this year.

• WWE Network ended with 1.2m subs.
This is 20,000 less than Q3 but still 50% more than at the start of the year.
There’s been 2.5m subscribers since the launch.
Sneakily they’re switching how they’ll predict future Network subscriptions – average paid vs period end.
The Network roughly costs them the revenue of 45,000 PPV buys each month. (Profit of 1.2m subs @ $9 vs 2009 PPV buys @ $35)

• Everything else:
Live events: Flat domestically but up 18% internationally (cheaper tickets with increased attendance)
Merch: Up 25% from last year! 55% of which is online
PPV: Buys are down almost 40% to 1.4m buys this year (to be expected with the Network)
Home videos: $13.4m. operating profit is 131% lower than last year (Top sellers WM31, Rock vs Cena, Ultimate Warrior, Best of Nitro, Kliq rules)
WWE Studios: worked at a loss of $1.5m, the venture having lost them $33.1 million so far.

“Answering” questions:
• How can Vince plug holes in the roster given the injuries to top talent? “By being creative. We’ll have an awesome WrestleMania.”
• Looking at India, China, Latin America, Middle East for expansion, rather than Japan (“great market for talent perspective”).
• Wouldn’t give specifics about subscribers in India, or the top 10 international markets, beyond UK is great and Canada is good.
• Dodged answering if NXT makes any money but says it has a great social media presence and trends globally on twitter.
• TV ratings dropping? “ratings were down as much as the TV Networks were down”, used the word “ecosystem” a bunch and that’s about it.

Anything else to note?
• It’s been a concern for a bit about NXT’s profitability – it’s quite expensive for a developmental ground, it has no TV deal in the US. Numbers haven’t been officially released but I’ve heard 200,000 watch NXT. That’s quite low but of that, tour attendance and merch sales are really good. So for the moment it’s a hardcore niche.
• WM32 looks pretty bleak but it’s worth noting that they already have 1.2 million subscribers in the pocket (out of sight!) – this is their yearly biggest push for new subscribers (and of course, to fill Cowboy Stadium).
• It always happens post conference-call but WWE stock went down about 7% over the day.
• There’s an excellent full write up at PiledriverWrestling.net, highly recommend checking it out.

Back to editing! Newest stuff on OSW:
• Latest Update on new OSW vids: OSWreview.com/update-feb-2016.
• Wrote up a recap of Daniel Bryan on SportsCenter, admitting he had seizures. Scary stuff. OSWreview.com/daniel-bryan-sportscenter
• Newest Audio – I was on the radio talking Death in videogames! OSWreview.com/death-in-videogames

February 12, 2016
Daniel Bryan on Sportscenter

Before we start, I gotta say, I love Daniel Bryan. I consider him better than Bret Hart, which is the highest compliment I can pay anyone. Closing the door on his career is a devastating loss. There is NO out-and-out true babyface that gets 100% of the intended, unanimous, supernova reaction that Bryan got. His in-ring storytelling and workrate is world class, his promos are compelling and sincere, you can’t help love and support Daniel Bryan.

• Daniel Bryan suffered a serious concussion in April 2015, and has been on the sidelines since. Bryan had been cleared by 2 doctors (including one at UCLA), but not WWE’s doctor, Dr. Maroon. This wasn’t a booking decision or political play, this was a health and liability reason. If you have a high IQ/specific damage, other parts of your brain may be able to compensate for the damaged area, giving a false result, essentially cheating concussion testing.
• Bryan had attempted to leave WWE in an effort to go wrestle elsewhere, but WWE refused his resignation (“he did not have the right to give notice”) as his contract was frozen due to injury.
• Although Bryan’d been training hard, ready for WWE to change their mind, he went to get proof from another doctor in NY. This was more thorough testing that would check every part of the brain. He got the results at the end of January, which painted a much more grim picture – showing slowing and evidence of “a small or subacute or chronic lesion” that causes seizures. Bryan says he has 10 concussions documented (but it’s impossible to say how many more as they can overlap).
• Most scarily, he admitted he had post-concussion seizures, and had been hiding it for a long time.
• It’s worth noting that Bryan is still under WWE contract – he’s just retired from active wrestling. He’ll continue to work with WWE in some capacity. He hasn’t shown interest in commentary so IMO he could continue his work as an ambassador (like with Connor’s Cure), or perhaps a trainer at NXT or an agent, laying out matches.

Other, happier things to note:
• He started the yes chant to be annoying, but it caught on and really propelled his career (he doesn’t mention getting inspiration from UFC Fighter Diego Sanchez, who ‘invented’ the Yes! Cartwheel) (fast-forward to 4:32)

• His favourite moment (mentioned on RAW) was the legit crowd hijacking of the Slammy Awards where the crowd chanted for Daniel Byran over Cena/Orton grimacing at each other. An incredible moment, I showed my family when it happened!
• How would he like to be remembered? He doesn’t necessarily need to be remembered, but wants people to remember the experience of going to the show together. (Like his family went to a WWF show where Ultimate Warrior pants’d Rick Rude, and it became a family story). What a great guy.

Remembering Bryan, even if the few-weeks storyline was a bit naff, the face-turn/crowd response here is incredible!

What non-wrestling role would you like to see Bryan do in WWE?

OSW February Update: OSWreview.com/update-feb-2016

February 10, 2016
Death in Videogames (Radio/Going Out In Style)

Yo! Last month at Dublin City FM (where I do Super OSW 64) I got to talking to another host, Valerie. She does a show called Going Out In Style, which is about getting people to open up and talk about death. Sometimes it was difficult getting guests because people in general don’t want to talk about death until absolutely necessary. So our interests intersect with how death in videogames is portrayed! So I guested on her show, and here it is! 😀

iTunes: iTunes.OSWreview.com
Android: RSS.OSWreview.com
mp3 file: Download mp3 (left or right click)

During the show I cover a ton of videogames, including Call of Duty, Watchdogs, Arkham City, The Sims and everything in-between! There’ll be a part two!

Valerie runs a website which is a resource for everything to do with funerals, Aftering.com, twitter @After_WhatNow. Woot! If you’ve any feedback on the show I’d love to hear it, comment below or tweet me!

Jay

Everything going on OSW-wise this month – Clicky!

February 7, 2016
Top 5 Wrestling Songs with Nonsense Lyrics!

As part of the WrestleMania X7 episode!
Update on the next episode of OSW: OSWreview.com/osw-update-november-2015

November 29, 2015
Super OSW 64 news!

Hey yo. I’ve a good news sandwich (2 bits of good news with bad news in the middle). Hey, it’s a thing. If it isn’t a thing, it’s a thing now 😉

• Here’s the good news: Super OSW 64 is getting a third show! It’s gonna be this Saturday, 18th July, LIVE at 1pm BST!
• Here’s the bad news: It will be the *final* show. Stadium Saturday will be back next month so the interrim replacement shows won’t be needed anymore.
• And the good news: I’m gonna kill it! I’m gonna kill my creation! Since it’s my last show, I’m taking requests, tell me what your favourite videogame songs are and I’ll try include them, no franchise restrictions. Comment below, and please include a youtube link, it makes it so much easier for me and I’m more likely to pick it! Also include what city/state or country you’re from so I can name-drop you & your town on the show!

Latest update on the new OSW Review: OSWreview.com/osw-update-10-july

July 13, 2015
Super OSW 64 Level 2!

Jay’s videogame music radio show is back! 2 hours of the best videogame music, including Final Fantasy, Bastion and Wolfenstein: The New Order! Aired on 27th June 2015 on 103.2 Dublin City FM.

iTunes: iTunes.OSWreview.com
RSS (Android): RSS.OSWreview.com
Direct Link: SuperOSW64Level2.mp3

Super OSW 64 Level 2 Playlist:
1. Streets of Rage 1 Round 1 & Round Clear
2. Final Zone II – Bowie’s Chance
3. Duke Nukem Theme – Megadeth
4. Final Fantasy VII – Aerith’s theme
5. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children – One Winged Angel
6. Alan Wake – The Poet & The Muse – Poets of the Fall
7. Alan Wake – Children of the Elder God – Poets of the Fall
8. Double Dragon Neon Mixtape – Song Snatch (0:24)
9. Grim Fandango – Casino Calavera
10. Grim Fandango – Smooth Hector
11. Grim Fandango – Hi-Tone Fandango
12. Grim Fandango – Hector Steps Out
13. Fallout 3 – The Ink Spots – I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire
14. Gears of War – Mad World – Michael Andrews & Gary Jules
15. Gears of War – Main Theme
16. Dead Island Teaser Trailer – Giles Lamb
17. Deus Ex Human Revolution – Icarus
18. CastleVania Medley – Super Guitar Bros
19. Dark Pit’s Theme – Kid Icarus Uprising
20. Double Dragon Neon – Mission Bumper
21. Halo 1 – A Walk in the Woods
22. Halo 2 – Blow Me Away – Breaking Benjamin
23. Halo 3 – Never Forget
24. Chrono Trigger – Solo Cello Quartet
25. Bastion – Get Used to It
26. Bastion – A Proper Story
27. Bastion – In Case Of Trouble
28. Battlefield 1942 Intro
29. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Forest Interlude
30. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Stickerbrush Symphony
31. Kingdom Hearts – Dearly Beloved
32. Double Dragon Neon – Title Theme
33. Mass Effect 1 – Spectre Induction
34. Mass Effect 2 – Suicide Mission
35. Mass Effect 3 – An End Once and For All
36. Mass Effect 3 – Leaving Earth
37. Thomas Was Alone – Inertia
38. Thomas Was Alone – Where Are You
39. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Berlin Boys and Stuttgart Girls
40. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Zug nach Hamburg
41. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Ich bin überall
42. Wolfenstein: The New Order – Mond, Mond, Ja, Ja
43. Awesomenauts main theme
44. Neo Geo (Instrumental) – FantomenK

Hoping to get a third episode sometime next month, will keep you in the loop! – Jay

June 28, 2015
Super OSW 64 RETURNS!

Ok some awesome news, next Saturday 27th June, 1pm BST we’ll be doing another videogame show! This time I’m taking suggestions, the only caveat is we can’t use any track from a game already featured last time. (e.g. I used music from Silent Hill 2 already, but I could use Silent Hill 3’s music)

With that in mind, what do you want us to play? Leave a comment below. If you have a specific track from a game please lemme know. I’m looking for songs using real instruments rather than midi-sequences, but if you have a band/orchestra rendition the song that’s perfect.
It’d really help me out if you include a youtube link to the track, I’ll be more likely to choose it!

Here’s a list of games that are EXCLUDED from being on the upcoming show:
GTA: Vice City
Bioshock Infinite
Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon
Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix
Ducktales Remastered
Halo 2
MGS 3
Batman Arkham City
Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Skyward Sword, Twilight Princess
Resident Evil 1
Diablo II
Super Metroid
Killer Instinct (Original)
Donkey Kong Country
Shadowrun Returns
Silent Hill 1 & 2
Journey
Assassin’s Creed 2
Uncharted 3
The Last of Us
Red Dead Redemption/Undead Nightmare
Super Mario 64, Galaxy 1 & 2
Portal 1 & 2

So lemme know in the comments below what ya want to hear. Dying to know what whopper tracks you’ve got in mind 🙂 The show will live stream on PiledriverWrestling.net!

– Jay

p.s. you can listen to our first Super OSW 64 show here!
Latest OSW (Final Nitro) here
Latest movie review (Jurassic World) here

June 20, 2015
Super OSW 64! (Jay’s Videogame Music Show)

Hey yo! I filled in for a friend who couldn’t do his music show this week. So here’s SUPER OSW 64! A 2-hour music show hosted by Jay Hunter for 103.2 Dublin City FM (aired 6 June 2015). My goal is to let the world know how amazing video game music is. Thank you to everyone who tweeted and listened live!

iTunes
Direct mp3 download: Click here (right click, save as)
Stream it PD.net: Click here

Super OSW 64 Playlist:

1. GTA Vice City Theme Song (1:18)
2. OSW Cinematic Theme – Zeomne Delinden (1:12)
3. Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon Theme (3:05)
4. Super Street Fighter 2 HD Remix – Made in U.S.A. (Ken Stage) (1:41)
5. Ducktales Remastered – Transylvania (3:16)
6. Halo 2 Theme (Mjolnir Mix) (4:11)
7. Metal Gear Solid 3 – Snake Eater (2:57)
8. Batman Arkham City Main Theme (2:47)
9. Bioshock Infinite – Welcome To Columbia (1:01)
10. Bioshock Infinite – God Only Knows (3:09)
11. Zelda 3DS – Title Screen (0:19)
12. Zelda 3DS – Lorule Field 1 (2:11)
13. Zelda 3DS – Death Mountain (2:18)
14. Zelda 3DS – Milk Bar – Thieves’ Hideout (1:07)
15. Zelda Skyward Sword – File Select (Great Fairy Fountain) (1:36)
16. Zelda Twilight Princess – Midna’s Theme (1:33)
17. Zelda Twilight Princess – Midna’s Desperate Hour (3:09)
18. Resident Evil – Wandering About (2:04)
19. Resident Evil – A Moment of Relief (1:06)
20. Diablo II – Tristram (4:46)
21. Super Metroid – Samus Aran’s Theme (2:06)
22. Super Smash Bros Wii U – Metroid Title (2:07)
23. Killer Instinct – The Instinct (2:31)
24. Donkey Kong Country – Aquatic Ambiance (3:25)
25. Shadowrun Returns – Followed (1:35)
26. Silent Hill – Not Tomorrow (Tears of Blood aka Lisa Dies) (3:05)
27. Silent Hill 2 – The Theme Of Laura (3:24)
28. Silent Hill 2 – Promise (Reprise) (1:44)
29. Journey – Austin Wintory – Nascence (1:46)
30. Assassin’s Creed 2 – Ezio’s Family (3:41)
31. Uncharted 3 – Nate’s Theme 3.0 (1:49)
32. The Last of Us – Main Theme (3:03)
33. Red Dead Redemption – Far Away – Jose Gonzalez (4:39)
34. Red Dead Redemption, Undead Nightmare – Bad Voodoo – The Kreeps (3:41)
35. Super Mario 64 – Dire, Dire Docks (3:06)
36. Super Mario Galaxy – Rosetta’s Observatory 3 (2:44)
37. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Throwback Galaxy (Super Mario 64’s “Athletic”) (2:41)
38. Portal – Still Alive (2:56)
39. Portal – Want You Gone (2:21)
40. Neo Geo (Inst) – FantomenK (3:52)

Clicky for my Mad Max 2 Review!

June 6, 2015