CODY RHODES IS THE "RIC FLAIR" OF ALL ELITE WRESTLING

Cody Rhodes won the TNT Championship on AEW Rampage, Saturday night. This makes Cody the first three-time champion in All Elite Wrestling. Many fans are calling for Cody Rhodes to become a heel (villain) in AEW, but I think he's already a heel.

Cody reminds me of Ric Flair more than his father, Dusty Rhodes. Dusty was a wild cowboy while Ric Flair was a businessman. Cody isn't a cowboy he prefers to wear suits and fancy shoes like Ric Flair. Lately, Cody has received a lot of boos from the fans in different cities. It seems that in places like Greensboro, North Carolina where Jim Crockett Promotions had a great stronghold, Cody received a strong babyface (hero) reaction. Greensboro was the place where Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes were major superstars with the Starrcade wrestling event in the 1980's. 

All Elite Wrestling has their own version of Ric Flair and his name is Cody Rhodes. He can be heel or babyface just like Flair because the fans may not like him all the time, but they respect him. Cody has been apart of the wrestling business for more than a decade. He made his name in WWE from 2006 to 2016 and then moved onto the independent scene from 2016 to 2018 before becoming apart of All Elite Wrestling. 

Currently Cody is the first three-time champion in All Elite and I'm sure he'll have more championships in his future. Personally, I loved Cody winning last night. I thought he and Sammy had a great match and they told a great story. Cody is the Ric Flair of All Elite, from the business suits to the blonde hair and I love it.

THE PROFESSOR

THOUGHTS ON WRESTLING.....

On WWE Friday Night Smackdown Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman ended their professional relationship as Brock Lesnar made the save. Reigns vs. Lesnar is now the new Austin vs. Rock.

Bron Breakker has an intensity and an athleticism that reminds me a lot of Kurt Angle.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman is the best villain in the wrestling business in my opinion.

These are just a few of my thoughts on wrestling. I hope you enjoy. 

THE PROFESSOR

 

HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY SMALLVILLE

Twenty years ago Smallville debuted on the WB (now the CW network) in the fall of 2001. The producers of the show turned the town of Smallville into a character unto itself. Clark Kent's arrival in a rocket ship caused a meteor shower and changed everyone's lives. Today there is an explosion of superhero movies and TV shows on every channel but in 2001 that was not the case. In syndication you had Hercules and Xena but they were starting to wind down their runs.  Most networks were focusing on teen dramas once the WB network found success with Dawson's Creek. 

The genius of Smallville was that it was a superhero show mixed with teen drama featuring a young Clark Kent who is 16, in high school, and finds out that he is an alien. In Smallville Clark Kent (Tom Welling) was a nerd, an outsider who never fit in. He was in love with his best friend Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) but he couldn't say anything because she was in a relationship with the football captain. Like any regular teenager that deals with puberty, Clark's powers would manifest themselves at awkward times. All these things made Superman who has been portrayed as so perfect since the end of World War Two, more relatable to the audience. 

One of the biggest reasons that Smallville succeeded was because of the relationship between Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) and Clark Kent. As fans we not only got to see the evolution of Clark Kent into Superman but we also see how Lex Luthor becomes the man he is. Through the machinations of his father Lionel Luthor (John Glover), Lex becomes the tyrant we know him to be. Clark and Lex start as friends but over 7 seasons Clark and Lex become enemies as they both embrace their destinies. 

 

As Smallville moved on they introduced new characters and other heroes into the show. Characters like Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) entered Smallville. When Kristin Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum left the show in season 8, the relationship between Clark and Lois became the centerpiece of the show until its end in season 10. 

 

In Season 8 Clark moved to Metropolis and embraced his superhero identity known as "The Blur". As a fan I always wanted to see Tom Welling in the classic Superman suit and I always thought it was wrong that he never wore it on the show. In hindsight, Clark never needed the classic suit and his "blur" costumes were very modern and would fit well in today's superhero culture.  

Since it ended in 2010, superheroes have become big business in movies and television with Marvel and DC battling for supremacy. The CW network has garnered big ratings with shows like Arrow, Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow on its programming slate. Today, Warner Brothers has struggled to make Superman relevant with movies like Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman being critically panned. Its possible that if they stayed with the formula that Smallville started they might be more successful. 

Smallville was one of the most successful TV shows ever, airing for 10 seasons. It introduced Clark Kent and Superman to a new generation of fans and delighted longtime fans. 20 years after its debut, it is still fondly remembered as a precursor to what we see now.

Thank you Smallville. 

THE PROFESSOR

 

THOUGHTS ON WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW AFTER MONEY IN THE BANK

 

KARRION KROSS

On Monday night, WWE Raw had a few big moments on its show. One of the big moments was the debut of Karrion Kross, the current NXT Champion. Kross faced Jeff Hardy and was dominant during the match. Kross lost the match after he backed Hardy in a corner, climbed the ropes to rain down hammer fists and Hardy stacked him up with his feet on the ropes to get the pin on Kross. While most wrestling pundits may look at this moment as negative, I think this was a smart move by WWE. Kross is the NXT champion at the moment so he won't be back on RAW for a while and he needed a way out. With a loss to Jeff Hardy, Kross can go back to NXT, lose his title because he's distracted by the loss to Hardy, and when he comes back to the main roster, he can wreak havoc until he gets a rematch with Jeff Hardy. 

Other Thoughts: 

JOHN CENA

John Cena started the show and told the audience he was back because of the WWE Universe and because "Roman Reigns is an a$$hole." The match between Cena and Reigns will be EPIC. Reigns is the ultimate dominant villain and Cena is a superhero that's a legend. The match will happen at Summerslam but I don't expect Cena to be pinned or submit. Since Cena said at Money In The Bank he will make multiple appearances, the match at Summerslam will probably end with outside interference. Cena is now the WWE's new Undertaker. He'll show up and help get talent over but he's still their biggest star.

GOLDBERG

Goldberg returned on RAW and he challenged Bobby Lashley for the WWE World title. Lashley defeated Keith Lee after Lee accepted Lashley's open challenge. Many fans want to see Brock Lesnar vs. Lashley but I don't believe Brock Lesnar wants to come back yet. Lesnar may be happy at home with his family. Both Lashley and Reigns are copying Brock's gimmick so he may see no need to return. Goldberg will be a great opponent for Lashley to have on his resume since he's an icon in wrestling. 

WWE Monday Night Raw pulled out all the stops. WWE is pushing towards Summerslam and with John Cena and Goldberg, they really want to give fans their money's worth. 

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. "MR. WONDERFUL" PAUL ORNDORFF

Paul Orndorff, one of pro wrestling's biggest stars of the 1980's passed away on Monday. He was 71 years old. In May, his son Travis, announced that Orndorff was dealing with dementia. The man known in the 1980's as Mr. Wonderful, was one of the best and toughest wrestlers of his generation. 

Orndorff started his career in 1979, and for over 20 years he was one of the best wrestlers in the world. He worked in many different territories including Memphis, Mid-South Wrestling, Mid-Atlantic Wrestling, Georgia, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. Paul Orndorff wrestled some of the best superstars of the 70's and 80's including Jerry Lawler, Ted Dibiase, Buzz Sawyer, Ernie Ladd, The Junkyard Dog, Dusty Rhodes, and Ric Flair. By the time he signed with the WWE (then the World Wrestling Federation at the time) in 1983, Orndorff was a hot commodity in pro wrestling. 

On January 23,1984, Orndorff debuted for the WWE on the same night that Hulk Hogan defeated The Iron Sheik for the WWE World Championship. Orndorff and Hogan's career would intertwine from 1985 through 1986. Orndorff or Mr. Wonderful, as he would be known, would team with Rowdy Roddy Piper against Hulk Hogan and Mr. T at the inaugural Wrestlemania in 1985. By 1986, Orndorff was one of Hogan's biggest challengers for the WWE World title. Their feud lasted for half a year and culminated in a cage match on NBC's Saturday Night's Main Event. The Hogan-Orndorff feud is one of the most notable and profitable feuds in WWE history. 

Orndorff would leave the WWE in 1988 and move on to other territories such as the UWF (Universal Wrestling Federation) and WCW (World Championship Wrestling) but his career would never reach the same heights. By 1995, Paul Orndorff would retire due to injuries sustained throughout his career. He became an agent and trainer at WCW. 

Paul Orndorff was one of the toughest men in professional wrestling. His feuds with Jerry Lawler, Ted Dibiase, and Dusty Rhodes made him a star. His feud with Hulk Hogan in 1986, made him a superstar. Thank you Mr. Orndorff. You've created a legacy that will never be forgotten. 

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. RICHARD DONNER AND THANK YOU

CHRISTOPHER REEVE AND RICHARD DONNER

Richard Donner, the prolific director of the Lethal Weapon franchise, and The Goonies passed away on Monday July 5th. He was 91 years old. Richard Donner was important to me because he directed one of my favorite movies, Superman: The Movie. As a child, who wore glasses and was awkward, I could relate to Clark Kent. But I could also fantasize about having the powers of Superman. Mr. Donner had a long history in Hollywood before he made Superman.

Before he directed the Superman movie, Mr. Donner worked in television. During the 1960's and 1970's he directed some of the best TV shows of the era including, Route 66, The Rifleman, The Twilight Zone, Gilligan's Island, Perry Mason, and The Wild Wild West. 

In 1961, Donner's debut feature, X-15 starred Charles Bronson and Mary Tyler Moore. He followed it up with Salt and Pepper with Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr. In 1976, Donner directed, The Omen, a supernatural film and he transferred to films full time. The Omen would be the film that caught the attention of Ilya and Richard Salkind, the father-son producing team that were working on a live-action Superman film. 

In December of 1978, Superman:The Movie debuted in theatres starring Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Ned Beatty, and Marlon Brando. The film had a budget of 55 million and grossed over 300 million at the global box office. It won a special Oscar for its visual effects and was nominated for three Academy Awards. Superman: The Movie would be the beginning of the modern superhero cinematic universes we see today from Marvel and DC. 

After a dispute with the producers, Richard Donner left the sequel to Superman II and Richard Lester took over as director. Donner moved on to direct other projects that have become pop culture classics like The Goonies, The Lost Boys, and The Lethal Weapon franchise with Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. 

Richard Donner was one of the most prolific and amazing directors of the 20th century. Thank you Mr. Donner, you've created a legacy that will never be forgotten. 

Class Dismissed,
The Professor

OPINION: THE TOP THREE GREATEST NWA CHAMPIONS

NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 

Before there was WWE, there was the N.W.A  The original National Wrestling Alliance at its peak lasted from 1948 to 1991. For over four decades, the NWA was the gold standard for wrestling with its champions representing the best in the wrestling industry. In this article I want to list the three greatest champions of that era, starting with:

LOU THESZ

Lou Thesz was the man who helped launch the NWA during the 1950's as wrestling moved onto television.Thesz was a great amateur that trained in greco-roman and catch wrestling. He won his first title in 1949 and would hold it until 1956. He would win it another five times by 1963. Thesz would become the prototype for great champions who had a legitimate amateur background like Bob Backlund, Jack Brisco, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar.

The next man on our list didn't have Thesz's wrestling background but he was one of the toughest men to ever hold the championship and that man is: 

HARLEY RACE

Between 1973 and 1984, Harley Race held the NWA World Championship eight different times. During his many reigns, Harley Race traveled across the world to defend his championship. Race wrestled the biggest superstars of his generation including: Andre The Giant, Bruiser Brody, The Von Erichs, Dusty Rhodes, The Funks, and Ric Flair. Harley was a pioneer in cable TV when he appeared on WTBS as champion throughout the 70's and 80's when cable was in its infancy. Ric Flair and Harley Race were the main event on the first wrestling pay-per-view, Starrcade in 1983. 

The next man on our list, like Harley Race, traveled around the world and defended his title against the best and that man is: 

RIC FLAIR

Ric Flair is a 16-time World Champion. During his career he won the NWA World title seven times.  During his seven title reigns, he faced the best of his generation including: Ricky Steamboat, Harley Race,Terry Funk, and Sting. His greatest opponent in the NWA was Dusty Rhodes, The American Dream. Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen (which included Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, and Lex Luger) engaged in a feud that launched Jim Crockett Promotions and the NWA into the stratosphere during the mid-1980's. 

For over forty years the NWA was the gold standard in wrestling. It still exists on FiteTV and it appeals to the fans that love old school wrestling. This article reflects three champions that I think were the best of the best in wrestling. 

THE PROFESSOR

OPINION: THE TOP THREE MOST IMPORTANT MATCHES IN WWE HISTORY

The Fox Network posted a question on Instagram according to Cageside Seats asking WWE fans: What is the most important match in WWE history? As a WWE fan for three decades, this made me think about what the most important matches in WWE history are and here are my top 3:

3. HULK HOGAN VS. ANDRE THE GIANT-WRESTLEMANIA III

The date was March 29th, 1987 and Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant were the two biggest stars in the wrestling industry at that time. WWE marketed Andre as being undefeated for 15 years and Hogan had been WWE Champion for three years. Over 90,000 fans came to the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit to see if Hogan could defeat Andre who had never been a World champion. With Andre's defeat at Wrestlemania III, Hogan sealed his legacy as the biggest attraction in wrestling. 

2. HULK HOGAN AND MR. T VS. ROWDY RODDY PIPER AND PAUL ORNDORFF-WRESTLEMANIA I 

The date was March 31st, 1985 and all of New York was in a frenzy for the first Wrestlemania. At Madison Square Garden that evening, history would be made as "Rowdy" Roddy Piper teamed with Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff and Hogan teamed with Mr. T who was the star of the A-Team TV show. Piper and Orndorff lost the match to Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. With the cross promotion of MTV and WWE, pro wrestling was approaching a new level of popularity. With the success of Hulk Hogan and Wrestlemania, Vince McMahon could continue the national expansion of WWE across the United States. 

And now my pick for THE most important match in WWE history is...

1. ROWDY RODDY PIPER VS. HULK HOGAN-THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE ON MTV

After leaving the N.W.A.(National Wrestling Alliance) in 1983, Roddy Piper moved onto WWE in 1984. Piper began his feud with Hulk Hogan after Piper attacked Cyndi Lauper during a special presentation to Capt. Lou Albano. On Feburary 18th, 1985, Hulk Hogan and Piper met in the ring for the WWE Championship with Cyndi Lauper in Hogan's corner. Hogan won by disqualificaton when outside interference from Paul Mr. Wonderful Orndorff and Bob Orton Jr. cost Piper the match. When Cyndi Lauper tried to help, Piper and Orndorff looked to attack her. Mr. T who was also in attendance would hop on the apron to defend Cyndi. This would all lead to the second most important match on this list at the first Wrestlemania. 

The War To Settle The Score event has all the things that people love about wrestling: a hero and a villain, drama, and celebrity involvement. This one match started Hulk Hogan on his path to superstardom which in turn made Vince McMahon and WWE the worldwide leader in sports-entertainment. 

Since the WWE's inception in 1982, there have been many important matches in its history. As a fan of WWE for three decades, this list shows what I think are the top 3 most important matches in WWE history. 

THE PROFESSOR

MY FAVORITE FEUDS WITH BRET "HITMAN" HART

 

BRET "HITMAN" HART

On June 6th A&E aired a biography on the career of wrestling legend Bret Hart. The biography special drew over 600 thousand viewers with a 0.26 rating in the 18-49 demographic according to Fightful. When I became a wrestling fan in 1991, Bret Hart was one of the wrestlers that caught my attention. He seemed cool and confident. He looked like a rockstar and I loved the pink and black color scheme. Bret wasn't an overly muscular man like Hulk Hogan or the Ultimate Warrior so I could relate to him more. In this article, I'd like to look at some of my favorite feuds featuring the Hitman. Let's start with:

1. MR. PERFECT

In 1991, Mr. Perfect was the Intercontinental Champion and Bret Hart was chasing him for the title. Mr. Perfect was billed as the perfect wrestler. Bret was a great opponent for Mr. Perfect since he was a skilled technical wrestler as well and was billed as "The Excellence of Execution." Both men had fathers who were in the wrestling business a generation before so it was definitely a match made in heaven. Bret would defeat Mr. Perfect at Summerslam 1991 and win the Intercontinental title launching Bret to another level in his career. 

2. YOKOZUNA

In 1993, Bret Hart was WWE Champion after defeating Ric Flair in September of 1992. At Wrestlemania 9 he faced Yokozuna, a 500-pound behemoth that had run over the WWE and its top heroes since his arrival in October of 1992. Yokozuna would win the 1993 Royal Rumble and face Bret Hart at that year's Wrestlemania. Bret would lose the title to Yokozuna after his manager, Mr. Fuji interfered. At Wrestlemania 10 in 1994, Bret would win the title from Yokozuna and Bret was marketed as a Rocky Balboa type underdog that overcame monsters with his technical skills. Soon Bret would face another monster that was making waves in WWE at the time. 

3. DIESEL

In June 1993, Diesel (Kevin Nash) entered the WWE as the bodyguard for Shawn Michaels. Diesel was a mountain of a man that stood at seven feet tall and weighed over 300 pounds. At the 1994 Royal Rumble he eliminated seven men in under 18 minutes. By the Summer of 1994, Diesel defeated Razor Ramon (Scott Hall) for the Intercontinental title. Diesel would challenge Bret Hart for the World title at the 1994 King Of The Ring where Bret would have to use his technical skills to overcome a monster villain. Diesel and Bret had great chemistry and their matches had that "David vs. Goliath" psychology. In 1995 Bret and Diesel would face again at Survivor Series for the WWE Championship which Bret won from Diesel.

4.STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN

In 1996, Steve Austin was beginnig his rise in WWE as he challenged Bret Hart at Survivor Series. Austin was a hell-raising villain that didn't trust anybody. Bret was the people's champion that fought against all odds to win. Bret would win at Survivor Series but the feud would continue until Wrestlemainia 13 in 1997. At Wrestlemania 13, Bret Hart and Austin would engage in a classic which saw Hart win the match after Steve Austin passed out in the Sharpshooter. The audience loved Austin after Wrestlemania 13 because he was an anti-hero as Bret became a villain for being a crybaby. Bret and Austin helped launch the attitude era of the WWE after Survivor Series '97. After the Montreal Screwjob, Vince McMahon would become the biggest villain in the WWE and Austin was the defiant hero that wouldn't be tamed. 

Bret Hart was one of the greatest wrestlers of the 80's and 90's. He is one of the greatest champions the WWE ever had. Bret's love and commitment to wrestling is what made him, The Excellence of Execution. Thank you Bret. 

Class Dismissed, 

THE PROFESSOR

ALL ELITE WRESTLING MOVING TO TBS IN 2022; AEW RAMPAGE DEBUTS IN AUGUST

After two decades, TBS is getting back into the wrestling business according to the Daily News. All Elite Wrestling and WarnerMedia announced on Wednesday that the AEW Dynamite wrestling show will move from TNT to TBS in 2022. TBS has a long history with professional wrestling.

In 1976, Georgia Championship Wrestling began airing on WTBS (then known as WTCG) promoting legends like Mr. Wrestling 2, Austin Idol, and Harley Race. By 1985, wrestling was exploding with the launch of the WWE, MTV, and Hulk Hogan and TBS was also doing well with Jim Crockett Promotions that had stars like Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Magnum TA and the Road Warriors. During the 1990's TBS was airing WCW Saturday Night and TNT was in a ratings war with USA and WWE as TNT Monday Nitro was competing against WWE Monday Night Raw. In August 2021, there will be a new competition between TNT and WWE.

It was also announced that AEW will premiere a new show called "Rampage" on Friday, August 13th on TNT. The new AEW show will air from 10pm to 11pm. WWE airs Smackdown from 8pm-10pm on Friday nights on FOX, so it will be interesting to see which show gets higher ratings. 

All Elite Wrestling is expanding its programming slate with a new show called Rampage debuting in August. Also in 2022, AEW Dynamite, All Elite Wrestling's flagship show will move from TNT to TBS in 2022. It will be interesting to see if AEW can grow their brand with new content.

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. HACKSAW BUTCH REED

"HACKSAW" BUTCH REED

Bruce Reed, known to wrestling fans as Butch Reed passed away on Friday at the age of 66. Reed had suffered two massive heart attacks in 2021 prior to his death according to his Instagram page. Reed first gained notoriety playing for the Kansas City Chiefs. By 1978, his football career was over and Reed began wrestling for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), primarily in places like St. Louis, Florida, and Georgia. In the 1980's, wrestling was about territories and one of the best was Mid-South, owned by Bill Watts. Reed would enter the Mid-South territory in 1983.

When Butch Reed entered the Mid-South territory it was known for big, charismatic wrestlers that could fight in the ring or on the streets and Reed was a perfect fit. During his time in Mid-South, had classic feuds with legends like "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Magnum T.A., The Junkyard Dog, and Ric Flair. During his tenure, Reed would win the North American Title on three separate occasions cementing his position as a main event star. In 1986, Reed left Mid-South and went to the WWE. 

Ron Simmons and Butch Reed as Doom

In WWE, Reed never reached the heights that he did in Mid-South. He left the promotion in 1988 and went to World Championship Wrestling. In WCW, Reed won the tag-team championships in 1990 when he formed an intimidating tag-team with Ron Simmons known as Doom. By 1992, Reed left WCW and his run in big time wrestling was over. Reed would work independent shows until his retirement in 2013. 

Butch Reed was one of the toughest and most intimidating men to ever step foot in a wrestling ring. His success in wrestling blazed a trail for men like The Rock, Mark Henry, and Booker T to follow. Thank you Mr. Reed, your legacy will never be forgotten.

THE PROFESSOR