The Axeman Speaks 3-19-11

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Wrestling News Center, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. Either way, you're gonna read this, and that's what is important.

Greetings, wrestleholics! I have a couple of things on my mind, so here is a rare column from yours truly. Here we go....

First of all, the following was posted by Jimmy Blaylock at Wrestling News Center:

"Wrestling News Center's promotion of the year, ASWF will be on Statewide TV in Arkansas starting in a few weeks. ASWF first TV taping will in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Astrodome (corner of University & Asher) in the downtown area. The first TV taping will be April 14th and bell time will be 7:30. We will give you more details and who there roaster will be in the next few days here at WNC."

OK, before we go any further, BIG TIME CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVID WALLS & EVERYONE AT ASWF! With that said, I am very interested in knowing who ASWF's "roaster" will be! I didn't know they were having a roast also! LOL.... Jimmy, you really gotta learn how to type!

Seriously, I really enjoyed going to ASWF a couple of weeks ago and presenting WNC awards. Made some new friends and saw some old friends I have not seen in quite a while. Finally got to meet Downtown Bruno, which was a real treat! I hope to be able to go back to ASWF real soon. They have a really nice arena, and I really did enjoy the show. ASWF has come a long, long way since the last time I saw an ASWF show in an old, run down school gym in Clover Bend, AR, several years ago.

"T-Bone" Terrence Ward, in his newest column at Wrestling News Center, said:
"I recently accepted my Announcer of the Year award from WrestlingNewsCenter.com for the second consecutive year this year. I want to personally thank you fans who voted for me again this year, that means you too Axeman!"

Well, Terrence Ward, here's a news flash for ya: I actually DID vote for you! Congratulations, my friend! You deserve it!

Now let's talk about TNA.... I read something on one of the wrestling news sites about Hogan not being involved with creative in TNA these days. Well, in my opinion, this makes perfect sense. You see, in order to be involved in creative, one actually has to BE there, and Hogan has not been there much lately. Dixie Carter cannot be pleased with Hogan's performance. Seems to me that Hogan has done nothing except draw a pay check. Prediction: Hogan will be gone from TNA by the end of the year.

The Jeff Hardy spectacle at the recent TNA pay per view was a disaster that TNA will not soon live down. Hardy was obviously too messed up to be in the ring, so WHY did TNA management wait until he was in the ring to do something about it? Hardy made TNA look pathetic. He also made Sting look bad. It was Sting that had to hold Hardy down for the three count to end the match when he tried to kick out.

Enough about the train wreck, um er I mean TNA. Let's talk for a minute about Jerry "The King" Lawler's upcoming match at Wrestlemania against what's his name. Prediction: Lawler will lose. Unfortunately, I think that is what will happen. Then Michael Cole will have even more heat with the "WWE Universe." There are those who think Steve Austin will turn on Lawler and screw him out of a victory. Maybe so - maybe not. But I look for Lawler to lose, as unfortunate as that might be. Remember, it's WWE we are talking about!

There are those who believe Lawler will announce his retirement shortly after Wrestlemania. Frankly, I doubt it, and I hope not! I believe Lawler has a lot of matches still left in him!

Moving on....

I have received a number of phone calls and emails about the recent events in TFW. Yes, "Bad Attitude" Tony Dabbs has left the group. Yes, he is starting his own group and will begin running shows in a few weeks. No, TFW is not shutting down. In fact, Buff Bagwell is coming to TFW on April 1. It is what it is, Tony is gone, TFW is moving on, end of story.

Lastly, I have something to say to my friend, Spunky Sassy: I ain't mad at you! Never was! I don't know how that got started, but there's nothing to it.

Well, I'm out of time, so that's all for now. If you have any feedback, send it to axemanchopchop@yahoo.com.

The Axeman has spoken.

The Axeman Speaks 1-29-11

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Wrestling News Center, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. Either way, you're gonna read this, and that's what is important.

"Service" - I always thought there was something not quite right about that word....

NOW I understand!

I became confused when I heard the word "Service" used with these agencies:

Internal Revenue 'Service'
U.S. Postal 'Service'
Telephone 'Service'
Cable TV 'Service'
Civil 'Service'
State, City, County & Public 'Service'
Customer 'Service'

This is not what I thought 'Service' meant.

But today, I overheard two farmers talking, and one of them said he had hired a bull to 'service' a few cows.

BAM!!! It all came into focus. Now I understand what all those agencies are doing to us.

Now you are as enlightened as I am.

The Axeman Speaks 1-9-10

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Wrestling News Center, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. Either way, you're gonna read this, and that's what is important.

By now I am sure that you have all read the following on WNC: "Just received a call that Raja has a broken neck after he was injured during a match with Justin Rhodes at the EPW arena in Booneville, Mississippi. Raja will be having surgery on his neck and we will keep you updated on his condition here at WNC. Raja was the Wrestling News Center Favorite Up and Coming Wrestler Of 2010. We wish him a speedy recovery."

Unfortunately, it's true, his neck is broken. However, he is very lucky, because he will make a full recovery after he has surgery. It will take some time, but he will recover completely.

Raja was also lucky because EPW has an EMT on staff, Referee KC. KC rushed to Raja's aid, along with several others, and took very good care of him. I don't know if any of the others are EMT's or not (and that's really not important) - but thanks to all of you who came to his aid. Also, thanks to those who had the good sense to stay out of the way. Raja was well taken care of in the ring and while being taken from the ring. Raja is currently in a hospital in Memphis.

To stop any speculation before it gets started: Justin Rhodes was in no wayresponsible for Raja's injury. Neither was EPW. It was Raja who called the spot, and he was not able to execute it, resulting in the injury. Period.

When ANYONE gets hurt, it sucks. When a friend gets hurt, it sucks even more. Raja, you are in my thoughts and prayers, my friend. All of us at Wrestling News Center wish you a very speedy recovery.

The Axeman has spoken.

The Axeman Speaks, 12-6-10

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Wrestling News Center, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. Either way, you're gonna read this, and that's what is important.

Greetings, wrestling addicts! It's only been - well, let's see - a year or so since I last updated this column. Don't die of shock! LOL....

I have several things I want to talk about in this column, including answering a few emails.

Let's start with Chris Lexxus. Why, you might be thinking, do I even want to mention Chris Lexxus? Well, it seems that Chris is upset that he was not nominated for anything this year at the 2010 Wrestling News Center awards. Chris seems to think we at WNC are the ones doing the nominating. Well, that's not how it works. The fans, the ones who read WNC, they are the ones who sent in the nominations. So, if Chris Lexxus has a problem with it, perhaps he should get his fans to nominate him - or perhaps he just needs some fans....

I can't stand what's happening in TNA. What we are seeing in TNA is NWO with a TNA twist. Been there, seen that. The knockouts division, as we knew it, is history. Oh, there are some "knockouts" in TNA, but the division is nothing like it was. They gave Roxxi the shaft in a major way. I doubt she will ever be back. Kong is gone. ODB is gone. If it wasn't for Tara & Mickie James, the division would not even be worth watching. The X-Division is not what it once was, either. I was, at one time, a big TNA fan, but I am not much of a fan now.

Speaking of the TNA knockouts, there is one less knockout, as of a few weeks ago. Lacey Von Erich was released, reportedly at her request. Now, as much as I like looking at Lacey, her wrestling ability is next to non-existent. She did the right thing in getting out. I wish her well.

TNA has other issues to deal with, also. Jeff hardy was reported to have been in bad shape Sunday at the TNA pay per view event. His condition was said to have been "another You Tube video ready to happen." The following was posted on the net Sunday: "TNA had a decision to make this afternoon. Either send Jeff out to the ring, knowing the example it sets, or send him home and do damage control," a key TNA insider told us, "they are keeping him because that's the damage control they came up with." Today, the following was posted on several sites on the net: "According to a new report by PWInsider, the situation involving TNA Champion Jeff Hardy at last night's Final Resolution PPV was described by one TNA source as a 'false alarm.' It was determined that Hardy's behavior backstage that originally alarmed some was simply due to exhaustion. He was given the go ahead to work the PPV after a discussion with TNA officials. Hardy is expected to work both Impact TV tapings tonight and Tuesday." Now, was that statement the "damage control" referred to earlier, or was it simply "exhaustion?" I think it was damage control....

Now, to answer a few emails:

Nate, from Bolivar, TN wrote: "You have 2 B kidding! The nominees for best female wrestler of 2010 are Tasha Simone, Black Widow, Destiny, & Million Dollar Baby?! What have any of these done or accomplished? What about Su Yung? Veronica Fairchild? Misty James? Rock C? You guys really blew it!" Well, Nate, like I said previously, the nominees were sent in by WNC readers. Did you nominate any of the ladies you mentioned? Also, not taking anything away from any of the nominees, but as far as accomplishments go, how many of the nominees, or any of the ladies you mentioned, for that matter, held the NWA Women's Championship in 2010? Just one, Tasha Simone. She has been in wrestling for many years and has accomplished more than all the other names put together. So, Nate, before you start bashing people, do your homework. Next year, if you want someone nominated, YOU send it in.

Wendi, from Arkansas, asks: "Why are there not any managers in WWE & TNA? I go to wrestling in Tuckerman and all over this area, and I see managers all the time, but not in the big organizations." Well, there are a FEW in both organizations from time to time. Ric Flair is playing such a role in TNA right now, and Paul Bearer (Percy Pringle) is back in WWE for a time. But you are, for the most part, correct. I think it is a shame that managers are not used more. A good heel manager can put a lot of butts in a lot of seats. Frankly, I just think WWE does not want to pay them. They stopped using managers a long time ago, and I think, when it comes right down to it, that it is all about saving a little money.

Stan, from Cape Girardeau, MO, asks: "Why are there not more wrestling shows around here? I have to go to Dyersburg or Newbern in Tennessee to see an indy show." That's quite a drive you're making, Stan. There are not many shows in Missouri because the Athletic Commission up there makes it just about impossible for any indy group to put on a show. So many fees, rules, and restrictions come into play that nobody can afford to run. About the only group who comes to Missouri now is WWE. They can afford it.

Sharon, from Fulton, MS, writes: "Axeman, how come you quit announcing at TFW? And how come you dont go around to other shows in the area and do write ups like you done before?" I have not quit at TFW, just taking some time off due to work schedules and other conflicts. I will be back at TFW as long as they want me to announce, but probably not every week. As far as other shows are concerned, I occasionally go to a different show and do a write up, but I am very much enjoying announcing at EPW every Saturday night. There is never a dull moment there!

OK, on to another topic, Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock. Hollywood had car trouble recently had to have his SUV towed into a gas station. He told the mechanic, "It just died. After the guy worked on it for a few minutes, it was running smoothly. Hollywood asked, "What's the story?" The mechanic said, "Just crap in the fuel filter." Hollywood asked, "How often should I do that?"

That's all for this week, my friends! If you have any feedback, send it to axemanchopchop@yahoo.com.

The Axeman has spoken.

The Axeman Speaks 1-7-10

January 7, 2010

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. The fact is, you are reading this column, and that's what counts!

Greetings wrestling fans! This may come as a shock to many of you - brace yourself - it has been less than a month since I last updated this column, lol. Try not to become overcome by the shock....

Much has een written the last several days about TNA Impact vs. WWE RAW. I would like to give my thoughts about Monday night, so here we go.

We'll start with RAW:

First of all, It was good to see Bret Hart back. I have always been a big fan of Hart, and I never thought I would see him in a WWE ring or on a WWE show again. Getting to see him and Vinny Mac face each other all these years after what happened in Montreal was almost unreal. The Hart - McMahon face off went like everyone figured it would go. No surprises there. So welcome back, Bret.

Maryse is gorgeous! I am crazy about her. She is a great lady heel wrestler. The Bella twins seemed a little slow or sluggish or something, but the way Maryse out foxed them was good.

The Miz is a brash, arrogant, snobbish, conceited, mouth-running ass hole - but he is a very good brash, arrogant, snobbish, conceited, mouth-running ass hole, and I guess that's why he is enjoying his success in WWE right now. He's someone we all love to hate.

Why does WWE continue to put MVP, Mark Henry, Carlito and Jack Swagger in a match working each other over and over and over again? It's getting old, Vince....

I admit Hornswoggle is sort of funny, but he also gets on my nerves pretty fast.

Legacy standing up to Randy Orton - now that's something I didn't think WWE would do - yet. The Orton & Vince segment was just a Royal Rumble commercial. Could've done without that.

Sheamus Vs. Bourne was a decent match, albeit a short match. Sheamus is talented. Look for big things from him in the future. He will be around a long time if he can stay healthy.

Another Orton Vs. Kingston match. It was not a bad match, but can't WWE come up with something else? Is anyone else tired of seeing the same matches week after week?

So - what is my over all opinion of the Jan. 4 edition of RAW? On a scale of
1 to 10, I would give it a 5. Week after week of the same guys working the same guys is just plain boring. All the show had going for it was Bret Hart. Oh, and Maryse, of course.

Is that all WWE has to offer? Is that the best they've got? Is Vince so not-worried about TNA that he just answered their challenge with a bunch of repeat matches that were about half boring? It seems to me that he would have brought in the best of the best from Smackdown, ECW, & RAW and put on a much stronger show. Or, is that the best they can do?

OK, let's take a look at TNA Impact....

The nWo rides again! Scott Hall, Waltman and Nash in the ring with Hogan and Bischoff brought back a lot of memories. But Hogan and TNA would do well to remember that, while it was a good angle for WCW in the beginning, it did eventually get stale and lost its appeal. When it got old, WCW had nowhere to go with it - they had painted themselves into a corner, so to speak - and that led to the eventual downfall of WCW. Now, after all this time, those guys are older. The nWo is an idea that has come and gone. TNA would do well to come up with something fresh instead of doing the nWo stuff again. OK, with that said, let's talk about the rest of the show....

TNA needed to pull out all the stops on the entire show, but they started off with a crappy opening match. Jeff Hardy was all that saved this train wreck. TNA did not start off strong.

Then we see ODB Vs. Tara. Again. A repeat of a match that we have seen before. So TNA pulls a WWE and shoves it at us again. Not smart.

Ric Flair's participation in the show was a pleasant surprise. Sure, we've been hearing and reading all the hype about Flair coming to TNA for weeks. However, I figured that it would be later rather than sooner when he got involved - if at all. I guess this proves that Hogan can deliver - at least he did manage to get Flair on board - or did he? I read where Mick Foley is taking credit for convincing Flair to join TNA - but I guess it does not really matter, because Flair did get on board. I don't care what anyone says, Flair is still one of the hottest commodities in professional wrestling today. Can't believe Vince let him get away. Flair's presence in TNA will come back to bite Vince on the ass - big time.

Mick Foley trying to get into the event was really kind of dumb. They are obviously building to some sort of angle. It might be interesting to see how it all plays out -then again, maybe not. We'll see.

Val Venis and Beautiful People playing strip poker... typically Russo all the way! He obviously wrote one segment anyway.

Sting in the house. In the rafters somewhere. What's the point? If you're gonna bring him in, use him in a more productive way!

Sags and Knobs? I didn't really think that they would actually be brought back - at least not right away. Sags is sagging and Knobs is knobby lol. Both these guys are high mileage. Their upcoming feud with Team 3-D will probably be good, but I think it will be short-lived. Sags & Knobs are over the hill - but again, so is Team 3-D.

TNA showed, in a grand style, a major difference between TNA and WWE with the Knockouts Tag Team Championship Match. Kong is so... so... BIG & powerful, and Hamada is as rough as they come. They are not eye candy... not Diva's. TNA really drove that point home with that match. As D-Rock would say, "good call!"

Raven and Stevie Richards are back. Ho hum... yawn. Matt Morgan & Hernandez did a good job, however, so it was a decent match. I have never been impressed with Raven or Stevie Richards. I am still unimpressed.

Abyss Vs. Samoa Joe: Great match between these two big guys. Joe won the match, but both of them did a great job. Also showcased the tremendous talent and potential that TNA has.

Kurt Angle Vs. AJ Styles: To say it was an outstanding match would be the understatement of the month. Nobody in WWE, Ring of Honor, Chikara, or any other organization could have done it better. These two extremely talented guys put on a phenominal match, with some of the best in ring work I have seen in a very long time.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give that match about a 12.

The segments where TNA originals are being laid out backstage by an unknown attacker wreaked of nWo. Again, TNA must be careful not to overdo the nWo type angle. We've been there & seen that.

So... Did TNA or WWE win round one?

If you are talking about ratings, WWE won the ratings battle, largely because of Bret Hart. However, TNA had the best over all show, no doubt about it. It was a surprise that WWE did not put on a better show, but maybe that's all they've got.

So, the battle will no doubt go to round two. It will be interesting to see if Vince offers up anything better next time TNA comes calling. Has TNA got your attention yet, Vince?

The Axeman Speaks 12-28-09

Greetings, fellow wrestling addicts! It has ben a while since my last update... so what else is new - LOL - so here we go....

I just have one main thing to talk about in this column, and that is wrestling organizations that advertise a particular wrestler for a particular event and then fail to deliver.

Now, I know that there are a few rare occasions when a worker who is booked for a show cannot make it to that show due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. These occasions happen, but rarely.

When a worker is advertised for a particular show and fails to appear, it is all too often because that worker was never booked in the first place.

Northeast Mississippi Championship Wrestling Association had said Bill Dundee would be at a recent wrestling event in Rienzi, MS. However, Dundee did not appear. In a post on the message board, the owner said, "you are right dundee was not there last saturday i know someone made a phone call and stop dundee from coming but that is ok we at notheast mississippi championship wrestling assn. are not going to get out here a talking about other show or make phone calls to other worker stop them from coming to a show dundee was not there but we had a good time a good show...."

OK, it was not hard to find out what happened here. One phone call, one question, & one answer was all it took.

FACT: Bill Dundee was never booked by NMCWA. NMCWA had talked to Dundee, but nothing was ever finalized or a date confirmed by NMCWA.

FACT: Dundee WAS booked at ASWF in Tuckerman, AR, that night, and he was there.

FACT: As far as I can determine, nobody called Dundee and told him not to come to Rienzi.

FACT: NMCWA said Dundee would be there, but failed to deliver. Now, in my opinion, that's bad business.

If a wrestling organization, or any other business for that matter, wants to damage it's reputation beyond repair, false advertising is one sure way to do it. It is crap like this that hurts wrestling, not just one particular organization, but wrestling as a whole.

Now on to a couple of other tidbits:

TFW will be in action New Years night, 1-1-10, at the TFW Arena in Tupelo (Skyline) on Hwy. 178. The card will include: "Bad Attitude" Tony Dabbs vs. "Southern Thunder" Chris Kilgore vs. Neil "The Real Deal" Taylor for the TFW Championship, which is currently held by Taylor. Bell time is 8:00 p.m. Should be a good show.

EPW will return to action Saturday night, January 2, 2010, at the EPW Arena on Hwy. 145 in Booneville. Bell time is 8:00 p.m. The card will include an Extreme Championship match (HARDCORE!), a LADIES DOG COLLAR MATCH, and a LUMBERJACK MATCH, among other stuff. Should also be a good show.

That's all for now. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy New Year. Please be safe!

The Axeman has spoken.

The Axeman Speaks 9-26-09

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock, the Webmaster, or anyone else connected with this site. They are mine, and mine alone. If you agree with me, OK, and if you don’t, that’s OK. The fact is, you are reading this column, and that's what is important!

Greetings, wrestling fans! I know, it's been two months since I last updated. I have been majorly busy. To those who have called and emailed (all four of you) wanting to know why I have not updated, I apologize!

I am extremely happy to read that my favorite lady wrestler in the whole world, Lacey Von Erich, has signed with TNA. I can hardly wait to see her on Impact as a member of The Beautiful People. She's gonna be a great addition to the TNA Knockouts division.

I saw the pictures Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock posted on Wrestling News Center a while back about his summer vacation to Las Vegas. Rodney Grimes, an ATM machine, and a few Vegas skanks... that's all it takes to entertain Hollywood for a week! Lol...

I see where XOW is going to start doing TV. Good for them! I think it will work out very well for them. They have an excellent time slot, and they are putting on good shows. The XOW broadcast will be airing on WPXX/My50 Memphis, starting October 10th, at 12:00 noon. Check it out!

Let's talk about EPW.... Much has been written over the past six weeks or so about EPW. All I will say is this: EPW is alive and well and having shows every Saturday night in Booneville. Those who attempted to hurt this promotion actually helped them. Those who quit - well, good riddance. EPW is having some very good shows week after week, and has added a number of new workers to their talent roster. If you have not attended an EPW show in a while, you should. It will be worth the time. Also, EPW decided to pull the plug on their weekly TV broadcast recently, but stay tuned, EPW will eventually be going back on TV. I will have more information later on.

On to TFW.... I have received several calls and emails asking if it is true that I really quit TFW. The answer is... YES... sort of. I simply have too much on my plate right now to be booked every Friday and Saturday night. So, yes, I have finished up at TFW, for now at least. I will attend TFW shows as often as I can. I have told them that, if I am there and they want me to announce, I will be glad to... but I am no longer booked there every Friday night. And, yes, I will eventually be finishing up at EPW also, but I am not saying when yet.

I have found out about something that happened to Hollywood Jimmy Blaylock while he was on his vacation trip to Las Vegas. Here's the story: Hollywood was in a bar when he suddenly realized he desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so he timed his farts with the beat. After a couple of songs, he started to feel better. He finished his drink and noticed that everybody was staring at him. Then he suddenly realized that there was no music playing in the bar and he was listening to his iPod.

Lillian Garcia has finished up on RAW. This classy lady has graced the WWE ring on Monday nights for around 10 years, and she will be missed. I don't care who they replace her with, they will not do the job like Lillian did. I am glad WWE gave her a first class send-off. She deserved it. Prediction: Lillian will be back in the WWE from time to time for special occasions - maybe not real soon - but it will happen.

From the You Can't Fix Stupid department, here are a couple of actual headlines:

"County to Pay $250,000.00 to Advertise Lack of Funds". The story goes on to say, "Lane County will spend up to $250,000.00 this year publicizing its tight financial picture, in hopes the voters will approve higher taxes...." Yep, that's stupid, lol.

"Volunteers Search for Old Civil War Planes". Hmmm... Civil War Planes... I am eager to see how that search works out, lol.

"Statistics Show That Teen Pregnancy drops off Significantly After Age 25". Well... Who'd of thunk it? LOL....

That will do it for this edition of The Axeman Speaks. Whether you love me or hate me, thanks for reading this column. If you have feedback, good or bad, email me at axemanchopchop@yahoo.com.

The Axeman has spoken.