Here are my top three matches for the first quarter of 2012
1. Davey Richards vs. Michael Elgin for the ROH World Championship at Ring of Honor Showdown in the Sun Day 2 3/31
I can see this one holding up throughout the year to win not only my match of the year but also the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Match of the Year. It was that good. Both men are incredibly intense. It took Elgin to a new level. Although Richards is terrible on the mic as was the case in his post-match promo. The Kevin Steen-El Generico Last Man Standing match from Day 1 is also a great match to seek out if you haven't seen it.
2. Kazuchika Okada vs. Testsuya Naito for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at New Japan Pro Wrestling 40th Anniversary Show 3/4
Amazing match. Naito is so talented and Okada could become a huge star with a solid run with the belt. He has the look and skills.
3. Undertaker vs. Triple H Hell in a Cell with Shawn Michaels as special guest referee at WWE Wrestlemania 28 4/1
Not quite as good as last year's Wrestlemania match but excellent and better than almost everything else this year. I would put last year's match behind only Punk vs. Cena from the Money in the Bank PPV as 2011 MOTY with Richards/Edwards II and III coming in at the 3rd and 4th spots. Even though II got 2nd place in the Observer and I don't believe the third encounter was eligible.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Rock vs. Brock Lesnar Wrestlemania 29 RAW Thoughts
Rock vs. Brock Lesnar at WWE Wrestlemania 29
This past Monday on Raw the Rock vowed to once again become WWE Champion.
The crowd was super hot for this show with Daniel Bryan being incredible over.
The spot with Brodus Clay confronting Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler was great. The headbeat to Dolph was awesome and it will be great to see what the Funkasaurus becomes.
It was interesting to see WWE mentioning wrestling in Japan
Extreme Rules in Chicago Jericho
Brock Lesnar’s return was over huge and it will be interesting to see if the build into WM 28 is the Rock challenging Lesnar for the WWE title.
Lesnar reportedly got a monster deal and has had notoriously been very hard to deal with which should make for interesting stories throughout the year. Lesnar is well off moneywise coming off his UFC run so does not have that desire and he seems to be a very hard-headed individual. During Lesnar’s run in New Japan he was paid 50K per match and didn’t try that hard making it hard for him to get over in Japan
This was a great RAW especially with the crowd so it will be interesting to see how things progress.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Wrestlemania 28 Betting Perspective Thoughts #wwe #wm28
Wrestlemania 28 was an entertaining show. I wanted to give a few thoughts from a betting perspective. As I wrote previously, I didn’t bet this show but wanted to give quick thoughts. It definitely seemed like Sheamus would go over after the go-home RAW even though the odds shifted in Bryan’s favor as Sheamus went from -250 to -215 from what I seen.
Kane-Orton was interesting as everyone thought Orton would win so WWE went with the opposite finish. Orton was about -500 so this one would have hurt for those betting on Kane. This is all in hindsight but this was the one match where WWE could swerve the fans. Also, Kane is supposed to be a monster and having him job out in the 2nd match on WM. Imo, it was smart to put him over if anybody still cares about him.
Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show had been about even money even though Big Show was + money when I thought Show had a much better than 50% chance of winning to finally overcome being a WM joke which was the point of the storyline. Of course, it was hardly a sure thing as they could have turned him heel. But, in the end he went over and I felt this would have been a good bet.
The divas match had the babyfaces going over. You had to think this would happen, if you would have bet it early when the faces were only -155 or under -200 it was a great bet but again, hardly a sure thing. It eventually moved closer to where it should have been.
Undertaker was a great bet at -475 is what I first seen it at on 5dimes but eventually was up to -2000 last I saw which is where it should have started as of course Taker was going over. Price was steep but still VALUE.
Team Johnny price went really high and they went over as expected.
Punk vs. Jericho had Punk as the underdog for a while and was hard to call even though I really thought Punk would end up winning although a good case could be made otherwise and was def. not convinced with the pre-match angle where Punk could lose his title on DQ since the following month is Extreme Rules in his hometown of Chicago.
Last match was very interesting with Rock vs. Cena. Cena was the favorite when the betting was released way back in 2011 and it stayed that way. One had to think they had to put over Cena and Rock would be leaving and do the job but right before match time and somewhat the last RAW it became evident they didn’t have to do that and before the match def. seen Rock winning. Anything else, would have been a terrible ending from the crowd.
These are just some thoughts I felt like writing up and might be good reference when betting next year’s Mania. How the mind frame of the writers worked and how the odds shifted.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
A Few Thoughts: Online Poker, Wrestlemania 28 Betting and MLB
I haven’t done a blog post in a while so I thought I’d throw together some of the various things on my mind.
The state of online poker is very frustrating. While the UIGEA still hampered the experience, the events of April 15th, 2011 were devastating for players in the United States and it is very depressing. The one-year anniversary of the infamous black Friday is approaching with some optimistic state of affairs in regards to the future of online poker in the US. On a personal level, I miss being able to play on Pokerstars and Full Tilt immensely. Due to optimism, some success on the sites left and the upcoming birth of my son, it took quite a while for the reality of the situation to set in. Now, all US players are left with is a sad state of affairs with Bovada and the Merge Network as relatively the only (extremely meager) offerings in the US.
I personally will not be betting Wrestlemania 28 this year. A lot of the best lines are gone but still, this should in theory be the source of some easy money for those sharp smart marks. Next year, I plan to have money ready and fire as soon as the lines come out. I would like to do a longer write-up on the card sometime but we will have to see.
A few thoughts:
Undertaker was only -475 the first time I checked 5dimes, while still being able to be had at -900, I can’t see them ending the streak.
Also, Big Show + anything I feel is a good bet as he is def. better than 50% to go over on Cody Rhodes.
It’s also hard not to see John Cena going over. It will be interesting to see how this one is booked.
Although with betting wrestling, it has to be noted things can get screwy as I forget the particulars but the outcome of the Lawler/Cole match as WM 27 should serve testament to the dangers of betting a big favorite.
Basically, it seems a lot of the favorites are obviously favorites for a reason but esp. given the opening lines should have been much bigger favorites. Examples are Punk over Jericho, Sheamus over Bryan and the babyface Divas over Eve and Beth.
From insider stuff I have read it seems like Team Johnny will be going over as well but I have skipped thru these segments in my TV viewing so I can’t testament.
Basically, I feel like a ton of value could be extracted for those people who were ready to do so.
To my surprise, The MLB season starts at 6:10 ET this morning from Japan with the Mariners vs. the As. I understand all the critics against this silliness but for me personally I enjoyed in years past arising super early for some meaningful baseball. American fans will still have their opening days so really besides the people that care about the As and Mariners, it isn’t a big deal.
The state of online poker is very frustrating. While the UIGEA still hampered the experience, the events of April 15th, 2011 were devastating for players in the United States and it is very depressing. The one-year anniversary of the infamous black Friday is approaching with some optimistic state of affairs in regards to the future of online poker in the US. On a personal level, I miss being able to play on Pokerstars and Full Tilt immensely. Due to optimism, some success on the sites left and the upcoming birth of my son, it took quite a while for the reality of the situation to set in. Now, all US players are left with is a sad state of affairs with Bovada and the Merge Network as relatively the only (extremely meager) offerings in the US.
I personally will not be betting Wrestlemania 28 this year. A lot of the best lines are gone but still, this should in theory be the source of some easy money for those sharp smart marks. Next year, I plan to have money ready and fire as soon as the lines come out. I would like to do a longer write-up on the card sometime but we will have to see.
A few thoughts:
Undertaker was only -475 the first time I checked 5dimes, while still being able to be had at -900, I can’t see them ending the streak.
Also, Big Show + anything I feel is a good bet as he is def. better than 50% to go over on Cody Rhodes.
It’s also hard not to see John Cena going over. It will be interesting to see how this one is booked.
Although with betting wrestling, it has to be noted things can get screwy as I forget the particulars but the outcome of the Lawler/Cole match as WM 27 should serve testament to the dangers of betting a big favorite.
Basically, it seems a lot of the favorites are obviously favorites for a reason but esp. given the opening lines should have been much bigger favorites. Examples are Punk over Jericho, Sheamus over Bryan and the babyface Divas over Eve and Beth.
From insider stuff I have read it seems like Team Johnny will be going over as well but I have skipped thru these segments in my TV viewing so I can’t testament.
Basically, I feel like a ton of value could be extracted for those people who were ready to do so.
To my surprise, The MLB season starts at 6:10 ET this morning from Japan with the Mariners vs. the As. I understand all the critics against this silliness but for me personally I enjoyed in years past arising super early for some meaningful baseball. American fans will still have their opening days so really besides the people that care about the As and Mariners, it isn’t a big deal.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Ring of Honor's Tenth Anniversary Thoughts
Main Event
This was a great match with Jacobs taking a sick F5 to the ribs off the side of a steel chair. Jacobs hit Steen with a steel spike but was remorseful afterwards.
Special Attraction Tag Team Match
ROH World Champion Davey Richards & Kyle O'Reilly vs. "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole
Adam Cole got the miracle pin after a crossbody off the top. This match was really good, not as good as the last two Edwards/Richards singles matches. It went about 40 minutes. Afterwards, Steen cut one of his promos on Davey telling him to convince Jim Cornette to let him have a title shot. He said the main event should have been Steen/Richards.
Adam Cole got the miracle pin after a crossbody off the top. This match was really good, not as good as the last two Edwards/Richards singles matches. It went about 40 minutes. Afterwards, Steen cut one of his promos on Davey telling him to convince Jim Cornette to let him have a title shot. He said the main event should have been Steen/Richards.
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend against the Young Bucks
Great match. Dem Boys retained but the Young Bucks impressed as always. I hope the Briscoes have a long reign as tag champs as they are so over and hitting a peak at the moment.
Great match. Dem Boys retained but the Young Bucks impressed as always. I hope the Briscoes have a long reign as tag champs as they are so over and hitting a peak at the moment.
Jay Lethal defends against "The Dominant Male" Tommaso Ciampa w/ The Embassy LTD.
Good match. Went to a time limit draw so Ciampa didn't have to lose his undefeated record and Lethal could keep his belt. Show has been ok so far. 2nd half of the show should be off the charts.
Good match. Went to a time limit draw so Ciampa didn't have to lose his undefeated record and Lethal could keep his belt. Show has been ok so far. 2nd half of the show should be off the charts.
Jimmy Jacobs takes on "Wrestling's Worst Nightmare" Kevin Steen
This was a great match with Jacobs taking a sick F5 to the ribs off the side of a steel chair. Jacobs hit Steen with a steel spike but was remorseful afterwards.
Special Attraction Tag Team Match
The Amazing Red & "Technical Lightning" TJ Perkins vs The House of Truth ("Unbreakable" Michael Elgin & Roderick Strong) w/ Truth Martini
This was a great match with Red and Perkins getting over good with the crowd but doing the job to the House of Truth.
The did an angle where Chikara Grand Champion Eddie Kingston came out and Kevin Steen came out to try and team up with him until he called Chikara a Mickey Mous promotion and it turned into a pull-apart brawl. Eddie was going to piss on the Chikara belt until Chikara guys made the save.
This was a great match with Red and Perkins getting over good with the crowd but doing the job to the House of Truth.
The did an angle where Chikara Grand Champion Eddie Kingston came out and Kevin Steen came out to try and team up with him until he called Chikara a Mickey Mous promotion and it turned into a pull-apart brawl. Eddie was going to piss on the Chikara belt until Chikara guys made the save.
Wrestling's Greatest Tag Team (Charlie Haas & Shelton Benjamin) vs The All Night Xpress (Rhett Titus & Kenny King)
ANX beat WGTT. Missed this one.
ANX beat WGTT. Missed this one.
"Notorious 187" Homicide vs "The Prodigy" Mike Bennett w/ Brutal Bob & Maria Kanellis
2nd match of the show. Maria is looking good. Cool spot where Brutal Bob sacrificed himself when Homicide attempted a tope con hilo. Very predicatble finish where Bennett rolled up Homicide and got the win after distraction from Maria and Brutal Bob. Afterwards, they teased Homicide getting his hands on Maria but she escaped. I know Homicide can put on great matches but he has become somewhat bland for me.
2nd match of the show. Maria is looking good. Cool spot where Brutal Bob sacrificed himself when Homicide attempted a tope con hilo. Very predicatble finish where Bennett rolled up Homicide and got the win after distraction from Maria and Brutal Bob. Afterwards, they teased Homicide getting his hands on Maria but she escaped. I know Homicide can put on great matches but he has become somewhat bland for me.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey Thoughts! Unreal Fight!
With the tremendous Sarah Kaufman/Alexis Davis #1 encounter earlier in the evening seeing Kaufman becoming the next challenger for the women's bantamweight belt, this match had a hard act to follow. But holy hell, did it ever live up to the hype. Tate came out absolutely swinging and it was a slugfest. Rousey almost finished it early with an armbar but amazingly Rousey escaped. The two went back and forth highlighted by a great judo hip toss/side headlock takeover by Rousey. Rousey finally got her in a nasty armbar and damn near broke Tate's arm, if it actually isn't broken, before Tate tapped. Just brutal stuff here. Amazing performance by Rousey. She has great charisma and should become a tremendous draw if they can keep finding legitimate challengers. A perfect 5-0 record with all wins by armbar and a storied judo background, Rousey is legit. Sarah Kaufman might need to work on her armbar defense or she will be in for trouble. With Gina Carano now a movie star and the Cyborg steroid scandal, a new superstar has emerged in women's MMA.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Examining the Value of Ring of Honor's Tenth Anniversary IPPV
The price tag on the broadcast is $9.99. I am going to break down the value of this show based on the current card and what I feel everything is worth. I will update it due to any new announcements.
The Amazing Red & "Technical Lightning" TJ Perkins vs The House of Truth ("Unbreakable" Michael Elgin & Roderick Strong) w/ Truth Martini VALUE - $.50
Jimmy Jacobs takes on "Wrestling's Worst Nightmare" Kevin Steen VALUE - $.50
Jay Lethal defends against "The Dominant Male" Tommaso Ciampa w/ The Embassy LTD. VALUE - $.25
ADDITIONAL VALUE - $.05 due to the presence of Mia Yim at ringside. TOTAL VALUE - $.30
ADDITIONAL VALUE - $.05 due to the presence of Mia Yim at ringside. TOTAL VALUE - $.30
Jay & Mark Briscoe defend against the Young Bucks VALUE - $4.00
ROH's tag division is incredibly strong and I am looking forward to this match the most on the card. I've said the Briscoes are the best tag team in the world today. They are the complete package as far as tag teams go. The Young Bucks are not far behind. The built-in "no handshake" gimmick from the heat they received for not shaking hands with the likes of Golddust and Booker T during a WWE trout is phenomenal. Their in-ring ability and athleticism is arguably the best in the business. This should a great tag title match.
ROH's tag division is incredibly strong and I am looking forward to this match the most on the card. I've said the Briscoes are the best tag team in the world today. They are the complete package as far as tag teams go. The Young Bucks are not far behind. The built-in "no handshake" gimmick from the heat they received for not shaking hands with the likes of Golddust and Booker T during a WWE trout is phenomenal. Their in-ring ability and athleticism is arguably the best in the business. This should a great tag title match.
ROH World Champion Davey Richards & Kyle O'Reilly vs. "Die Hard" Eddie Edwards & Adam Cole
VALUE - $2.50
Edwards/Richards II from "Best in the World" and Edwards/Richards III from "Final Battle" were two of my favorite matches from last year. This main event will surely be heavily MMA-influenced as all these men are great strikers and submission artists. O'Reilly has been a huge breakout star with tons of potential. The great storyline of the break of two teams in the American Wolves of Edwards and Richards and Future Shock of O'Reilly and Cole has been booked great. I love the pairing of Richards and O'Reilly, Team Ambition, as they are real-life training partners. I expect this to go a long time and be great, possibly a time limit draw. Will be interesting to see how this one is booked.
VALUE - $2.50
Edwards/Richards II from "Best in the World" and Edwards/Richards III from "Final Battle" were two of my favorite matches from last year. This main event will surely be heavily MMA-influenced as all these men are great strikers and submission artists. O'Reilly has been a huge breakout star with tons of potential. The great storyline of the break of two teams in the American Wolves of Edwards and Richards and Future Shock of O'Reilly and Cole has been booked great. I love the pairing of Richards and O'Reilly, Team Ambition, as they are real-life training partners. I expect this to go a long time and be great, possibly a time limit draw. Will be interesting to see how this one is booked.
CURRENT VALUE of CURRENT CARD - $7.80
ADDITIONAL VALUE
World's Greatest Tag Team vs. All Night Express has been added to the card. Decent teams, not big fans of either, should be an ok match - $.05
"Prodigy" Mike Bennett w/ Brutal Bob and Maria Kanellis - $.50 for Maria
TOTAL VALUE - $8.35
Hold up...
This promo from #demboys has added an additional value of $5.99 making the Briscoes/Young Bucks match worth the price of the iPPV alone.
GRAND TOTAL VALUE - $14.34 making me confirm this event as a DEFINITE BUY.
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