Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins

This week the WWE will present the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view as a WWE Network exclusive and it's a wise business decision because it gives the fans an extra incentive to sign up for the free month of the digital streaming service. Obviously, after fans have subscribed, they would have the option to easily renew for future PPVs and even if it's just for a few events, it's still profit for the WWE. It's also a smart move to put Paul Heyman on the Stone Cold podcast in June because again, it's an incentive for the new subscribers from the free month to renew. While the Elimination Chamber provides the network with exclusive content, it puts the WWE in a tough spot from a booking prospective with just two weeks to build up another PPV and the chamber is the main selling point, but the WWE title picture is a unique situation.

Along with the chamber providing the network with an exclusive show, the WWE title match gives the event a new main event as well, considering that Ambrose was a sudden addition to the fatal four way at Payback and there hasn't been an Ambrose/Rollins title match yet. The WWE didn't have many options though because Rollins vs. Orton happened on PPV and Raw many times before, which is why Orton took the pin at Payback. Reigns/Rollins hasn't been done directly, but Reigns has spent the better part of a year around the main event picture and he would need to be somewhat rejuvenated for another push to the title to have any steam. Don't get me wrong, Reigns still has the potential to be a main event star, but after the initial push flopped, it makes sense for the WWE to distance him from the title picture before they rebuild the push. As I've said before, I think Ambrose has all the skills to be a major star for the WWE, but he doesn't exactly seem like a legitimate contender for the title, mostly because he hasn't won many matches prior to the sudden main event spot. Without the momentum of a legitimate push, there's not necessarily the believability that Ambrose could actually win the title.

However, the feud for the title provides Ambrose with an opportunity to show his skills in a more prominent role and evolve his character to suit a main event spot. As I've said previously, Ambrose blends a combination of Brian Pillman and Jake Roberts with his own style for promos, but he hasn't necessarily been given the opportunity to showcase the majority of his mic skills. Similar to Pillman and to some degree Terry Funk, Ambrose showed a level of intensity and a sense of danger with his character during certain angles, but it's been somewhat limited in the PG environment. More specifically, the attempted comical angles that were on Raw a few months ago with Ambrose talking to a mannequin and the exploding briefcase almost dilute his character. Ambrose could be a main event star, but to be perceived as a legitimate contender, Ambrose should get the opportunity to present his character as a serious threat to the title. There can be some comic elements or segments, but if Ambrose isn't booked with an edge his persona, it could hinder his progress to become an established main event competitor. I don't think Ambrose will win the title at the PPV, but it will be interesting to see how it's booked and the finish of the match because he should remain strong for the feud since there could definitely be more mileage from Ambrose/Rollins. Regardless of the result, the WWE title match should be solid and it should be a good event, despite the lack of a build up because there should be some good action for the show.

Wrestling's Bloodiest Wars Review

The producers of "Wrestling's Bloodiest Wars:Hospital Ward" asked if I would review another edition in the series and after the review I did previously, I knew it would be an interesting screening so I took the opportunity to watch the event that airs this month on Direct TV. This is more of a nostalgic edition, as it features many of the hardcore legends of the sport and some rare matches that most fans haven't had the chance to watch until the Wrestling's Bloodiest Wars series made it available on pay-per-view.

Terry Funk vs. Sabu
These two legendary competitors had some of the most hardcore matches in the history of the business and this is another chapter in the Funk vs. Sabu series with a rare independent match from the defunct 3PW promotion. Just as the pay-per-view starts, the tone is set immediately as Terry Funk begins throwing chairs and tables into the ring toward his opponent. After the flying furniture, Funk and Sabu brawl around the outside of the ring. When the action spills into the squared circle, Sabu retrieves his trademark spike and he stabs Funk in the head several times. As Funk is bleeding, he retreats to the outside and grabs a guard rail that he hurdles at Sabu. Eventually, Sabu sets up a table and attempts a top rope leg drop, but Funk moves and Sabu crashes though it. After the mishap, Funk hits a DDT on the remainder of the table and gets the win. Despite the many matches these competitors have had previously, this is another entertaining bout and one of the highlights of the show.

Balls Mahoney vs. Ian Rotten
Another rare contest from 3PW, Mahoney and Rotten are two brawlers, but they actually start this match with some chain wrestling. Balls Mahoney is probably known to most fans for bleeding and being put through a flaming table, but he shows some technically ability in this match as well. Ian Rotten, who promotes IWA Midsouth events, was known for blood bathes with Axl in ECW and he continued a lot of that style in his own promotion. After the technical exchange, this match became exactly what most fans expect from these ECW originals and it was a bloody war. In an extremely graphic scene, Mahoney takes a pair of scissors and slices Rotten's head, as he starts to bleed buckets. However, Rotten would counter and in an equally disturbing sequence, he cuts Mahoney with the scissors to add more blood to the contest. After some stiff chair shots and head butts, Balls Mahoney hits the Michinoku driver on a chair to get the pin. This match lives up to the name of the event and it really represents the type of action of the series.

The Public Enemy vs. Chris Chetti and Danny Doring
The Public Enemy were one of the top tag teams in Extreme Championship Wrestling and they probably don't get enough credit for their accomplishments during the early years of the company. While they were somewhat limited with their in ring style as a team, Rocko Rock an Johny Grunge were some of the most popular stars in the promotion during the prime of their ECW career. Chris Chetti was another under rated talent and it's somewhat surprising that he didn't wrestle too often after ECW closed. As far as tag teams, Danny Doring and Road Kill were a popular duo and they were also the last ECW tag team champions. This match is a complete brawl as the competitors use trash cans and other weapons around the building. While Rocko and Doring are using every weapons possible outside of the ring, Chetti hits a leg drop on Grunge through a table. However, the momentum switched and The Public Enemy put Chetti through two tables to get the victory.

The Sandman vs. Raven
 This is another ECW feud revisited in a tables, ladders, and chairs match. The Sandman is an extremely unique performer and despite his limited wrestling ability, he was one of the most popular stars in ECW history. A combination of a risky style and a lot of charisma made a lack luster in ring competitor into a top draw for a promotion. However, The Sandman doesn't seem to get the credit he deserves as a performer, considering he was apart of many memorable matches and storylines. Raven, who made his name in just a few years in ECW, was able to take a grunge based character and evolve it to continue to work on the independent scene today. He has done many shoot interviews that provide insight into his knowledge of the business and if he wasn't known for being difficult to work with in recent years, Raven would probably be working behind the scenes in the WWE. The match itself was somewhat sloppy and as he's clobbering Raven with punches, The Sandman gives the mic for an impromptu promo. After Raven gets the momentum, he grabs the mic as well to berate his opponent while putting the boots to him. Eventually, The Sandman climbs the ladder for a senton through the table, but Raven moves and The Sandman crashes through it. Raven pins him for the win and it's a decent match.

Abdullah The Butcher vs. Dusty Rhodes vs. Terry Funk  
A triple threat last man standing match with some of the legends of hardcore and there isn't a lot of technical wrestling, but it's a blood bath. Abdullah didn't do much in his career other than stab his opponents and bleed, and that's exactly what he does in this match. Abdullah uses a fork to stab Funk several times and the former ECW champion begins to bleed just minutes into the contest. The Butcher also attacks Dusty with the fork and the blood streams down his head. Just when it seems like Abdullah couldn't do anything more insane, he takes the fork to Funk's arm and it was a disturbing scene as his arm continued to bleed during the contest. Dusty uses his cowboy boot to hit Abbdullah and he crumbles to the floor. Terry grabs the boot and waffles Dusty with it before they both collapse to the canvas. Funk makes it to his feet before the count and gets the win.

The Super Smash Brothers

When I was asked about writing an article about the Super Smash Brothers, I was thrilled with the opportunity, as I'm very familiar with their work and consider them one of the best tag teams on the independent scene. The combination of Player Uno and Stupefied Player Dos took their admiration for classic video games and blended it with a passion for professional wrestling to form a Nintendo inspired tag team. However, long before the Canadian natives stepped inside of the ring, they watched their heroes and dreamed of pursing the sport. There's an extensive history of exports from Canada that have made their mark on the pro wrestling industry, including legends such as Bret Hart, Chris Jericho, and many others. The tradition of Canadian athletes finding fame in The United States continues today with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn being top prospects for the WWE's NXT division.

When asked about what influenced him to chase his dream and the sacrifices it took to make it happen, Uno's response spoke volumes as to how dedicated he is to his craft. "I always loved wrestling. My mom raised me to watch it and it was my passion from early on in my childhood. I never thought I’d get to be a wrestler, but when I was 14 and saw the opportunity to train for wrestling, I jumped in. I paid it all by myself, with money I worked for. I had two jobs from my late teens, all while handling a full time school schedule, paying an apartment, going to training and doing shows. I was really dedicated to make it happen."

Player Uno had his first pro match at just 16 and shorty after his debut, he met one of the new trainees at the small training center he attended. The new addition to the school was Stupefied, who would later become Player Dos after he and Uno became friends through their pursuit of wrestling. Ironically enough, the pairing was only supposed to last for a few months while Dos polished his skills, but nearly ten years later the duo is one of the most popular teams on the independent circuit.
 Within just a few years of joining the pro ranks, Uno and Dos were building a fan following in their native country when Chikara pro, one of the more well known independent companies in the United States, offered them the chance to join the promotion in 2007. Chikara is known as a family friendly promotion that uses an array of colorful characters and some humor to create a unique atmosphere for their events, which suited the 8-bit influenced tag team perfectly. Another staple of Chikara Pro is the mixture of wrestling styles, including lucha libre, Japanese, and the traditional technical aspects that the organization presents its fans. Again, The Smash Brothers excelled and showed American audiences their action packed in ring skills, which elevated their profile in the United States. Their impressive ability inside the squared circle brought The Smash Brothers championship recognition when they had a brief stint as Chikara tag team champion in 2007 and the success continued as Dos won the Young Lions Cup in 2009 before the duo concluded their run in the promotion in 2010.

As the pair became more well known in America, Ring Of Honor, the third largest promotion in the country, asked the team to work with the company in 2009. The Smash Brothers appeared at ROH shows for about a year and performed several matches that eventually aired for the HD Net cable channel. The increased exposure led to an invitation to Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in 2011 and their trips to the California based promotion received rave reviews from the diehard audience at American Legion Post #308 in Reseda. PWG is considered among many to be the top independent group in the United States and thus, just the opportunity to wrestle there is seen as an accomplishment because of the amount of talent that inquire about a spot on the card. The Smash Brothers not only had a spot on the card, but also really flourished there as they became a fixture of the promotion and won the PWG tag team titles in 2012. During the run as champions, they were involved in a three way ladder match with Future Shock and The Young Bucks, which is regarded as one of the best matches in the company's twelve year history.

Just as Uno and Dos seemed to be at the peak of their career in early 2013, they suddenly didn't wrestle on their usual cards. It was later noted that The Smash Brothers weren't permitted to work in the United States and the exact regulations about what is or isn't allowed depends on individual boarder agents. Obviously, the Smash Brothers wanted to go through the right channels to get the proper paper work needed to continue working outside of Canada and they started the visa process immediately after they were told it would be a requirement for future travels. Uno expressed his frustration with the tedious application process, as it left their career somewhat in lingo and said, "It’s the most confusing process ever. It’s quite ridiculous the hoops you have to jump in to get a US Work Visa for pro wrestling. I never anticipated it being this difficult and this long of a process. It’s quite nerve raking."

Hopefully, the Super Smash Brothers will get approved and can continue wrestling internationally because it would be extremely disappointing to see this talented team not get a chance to work to their potential. As a commentator for a local Pittsburgh promotion, I can tell you how important it is that competitors are well rounded with in ring skills as well as a marketable character, and the Smash Brothers bring both elements to the table. In many respects, the solid in ring ability adds substance to a match and an entertaining character allows the character to become more versatile for different  storylines. Obviously, the Smash Brothers have been entertaining crowds for over a decade and if they are permitted to wrestle internationally, they would probably be well received in Japan, as the tech savvy country would enjoy the Smash Brothers' character. Regardless of what country or city The Super Smash Brothers wrestle for next, you can expect a great match and a bright future for them.