R.I.P. PEDRO MORALES

PEDRO MORALES AS WWWF U.S. CHAMPION

Pedro Morales, the former WWWF champion has passed away at the age of 76 according to the NY DAILY NEWS.  Morales career spanned close to three decades starting in 1959 and ending in 1987 when he retired. During his career he worked for the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance), AWA (American Wrestling Association) and the WWE known as the WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation) in the 1970's.

In the WWE, Pedro Morales achieved his greatest success and notoriety. Morales arrived in the federation in 1970, and in February 1971, he defeated Ivan Koloff to become the World Champion. Morales held the title for 1,027 days which is the fifth longest reign in WWE history according to Wrestling Inc. Morales would have matches with legends like Bruno Sammartino, Mr. Fuji, and Freddie Blassie. By 1975, Morales would leave WWE and go work for different federations including the NWA, and the AWA.

Morales would return to WWE in 1980 and win the tag-team titles with Bob Backlund. In December of 1980 he won the Intercontinental title from Ken Patera making him the first triple crown champion in the history of WWE. During his reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion he had feuds with Sgt. Slaughter, Stan Hansen, Greg Valentine, and Don Muraco. Muraco would defeat Morales in June of 1981 for the Intercontinental title. 

In 1995, Pedro Morales was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Pedro Morales remains one of the most popular and toughest men to ever enter into a wrestling ring. Thank you Mr. Morales your contributions to wrestling will never be forgotten. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. MEAN GENE OKERLUND

"Mean" Gene Okerlund

Gene Okerlund, the prolific announcer who worked for the WWE in the 1980's died on January 2nd. He was 76 years old. Mr. Okerlund's career spanned three decades where he worked for three major wrestling promotions including the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). He interviewed all the major stars of wrestling of the past 40 years including Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Jesse Ventura, Randy Savage, The Ultimate Warrior, The Big Show, Sting, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Goldberg.

Okerlund started his broadcasting career in radio for station  KOIL in Omaha and then he moved to Minneapolis where he worked for a local TV station according to The Hollywood Reporter. In 1970, the American Wrestling Association recruited Okerlund as a fill in announcer for longtime broadcaster Marty O'Neill. Okerlund would replace O'Neill as the AWA's lead announcer and become one of the stars of the promotion. For over a decade, Mean Gene as he was called by Jesse Ventura was the voice of the AWA interviewing the promotions top stars including Verne Gagne, Nick Bockwinkel, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, and Hulk Hogan. 


"Mean" Gene Okerlund and Hulk Hogan

In 1981, Hulk Hogan entered the AWA and became the biggest star in the company. When Vince McMahon began his national expansion of the WWE in 1983, Hulk Hogan and Mean Gene Okerlund were two of the stars he recruited to become bigger stars in the WWE. Hogan and Okerlund had a chemistry on screen like Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali. Okerlund would interview all of the major stars that came through the WWE from 1984 to 1993. 

In 1993 and 1994, Gene Okerlund and Hulk Hogan moved onto World Championship Wrestling where they use their star power to build that company and put a spotlight on new stars including The Big Show, Goldberg, Booker T, and Diamond Dallas Page. In 2001, WCW closed down and was bought by Vince McMahon and the WWE. 

After the end of WCW, Okerlund returned to WWE and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Throughout the years he appeared at many wrestling conventions thrilling fans of all ages with his presence. Most recently, Mean Gene Okerlund appeared in a Mountain Dew Kickstart commercial with Kevin Hart. 

The WWE has been honoring Okerlund with a 10-bell salute at different events. TMZ reports that Hulk Hogan will appear on RAW this Monday to honor his friend. 

Thank you Mean Gene. You gave millions of people great memories and your legacy will never be forgotten. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

THREE REASONS WHY I LOVE SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE

In December 1978, Superman: The Movie debuted in theaters and changed the way people looked at superheroes. Directed by Richard Donner it grossed 300 million worldwide. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of this great film, here are three reasons why I love this movie:

1. CHRISTOPHER REEVE AS CLARK KENT/SUPERMAN


When Richard Donner was casting for Superman, he wanted an unknown actor. He felt like the audience would believe in the story and the character more if the actor playing Superman was an unknown. Over 200 unknown actors auditioned for the role of Superman but Christopher Reeve won it because of his commitment and attitude toward the role. Reeve played Clark Kent very differently from how he played Superman. His Clark Kent was shy, humble, and nice while his Superman was confident, powerful, and determined. This dichotomy of Clark Kent and Superman remains one of the most memorable parts of the movie and has become ingrained in pop culture as the definitive way to portray Superman.

2. SUPERMAN AND LOIS LANE


Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder as Superman and Lois Lane

One of the best parts of the movie in my opinion is the relationship between Lois Lane and Superman. From the first time when Superman saves Lois Lane you see the chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder. During the balcony scene where Lois interviews Superman, Tom Mackienwicz, creative consultant on the movie has said that he wanted this to feel like two kids on a first date. The relationship between Lois and Superman drives the plot for Superman: The Movie and Superman II.

3. GENE HACKMAN AS LEX LUTHOR



Every great hero needs a great villain. For Superman that villain is Lex Luthor. Gene Hackman played Lex Luthor as an intelligent, confident, charismatic, and funny person who sees himself as doing the right thing despite the destruction his schemes may cause. 

For 40 years, Superman: The Movie has been the template for the superhero origin story. Its influence can be seen in films such as Batman Begins, Spider-Man, and Wonder Woman. It is the definitive Superman movie and one of my favorite films. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

MY FAVORITE STAN LEE CREATIONS

STAN LEE

Stan Lee, the legendary creator of many of Marvel's most prolific characters passed away on Monday November 12th at the age of 95. Lee with characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man and The X-Men left a legacy in entertainment that will never be forgotten. In this blog post I'd like to list four of my favorite characters that were created by Stan Lee and others such as Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby.

1. THE X-MEN



In 1963 Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created the X-Men who were people who were born with powers. The original X-Men were Cyclops, Beast, Jean Grey, Angel, and Iceman. The first issue of X-Men also introduced Magneto and his brotherhood of mutants as enemies of the X-Men. The comic book did not do well in the 1960's and was discontinued by 1969. In 1975 the X-Men were brought back with an updated cast of characters. Cyclops and Jean Grey returned but new characters were added such as Colossus, Storm, and Wolverine. Writers such as Len Wein, John Byrne, and Chris Claremont infused the book with action, drama, and made it into a superhero soap opera which brought in a new audience. In 1993, an Animated Series aired on Fox and that's where I was introduced to the X-Men. The animated series had a cast that included X-Men from different eras including Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, and Jubilee. 25 years later and X-Men is one of Marvel's best properties spawning movies, video games, and TV shows.

2. SPIDER-MAN



In August 1962, Spider-Man debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 and changed the world of comics forever. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Spider-Man became successful because of the man under the mask, Peter Parker and how his alter ego affects his life and the lives of those around him. Stan Lee has said on numerous documentaries that he hated teenage sidekicks so he wanted to create a hero that was a teenager and had to deal with teen angst. In 1994, Fox Kids' debuted a Spider-Man cartoon that ran until 1998 and that's when I learned about the character and his sensational supporting cast. In the last five decades since his debut Spider-Man has appeared in movies, cartoons, and video games becoming one of the most recognizable characters in the world. 


3. THE FANTASTIC FOUR



In 1961, DC Comics was having success with its newly launched Justice League title and Stan Lee's publisher asked him to create a comic with a team of superheroes. Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created The Fantastic Four who stand as the first family of Marvel. Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm were a complete family filled with happiness and turmoil. In 1994, Genesis Entertainment created Fantastic Four: The Animated Series which is where I first encountered the characters. The animated series featured other Marvel heroes including Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor, The Hulk, and Ghost Rider.  In 2005, The Fantastic Four were featured in a big budget film with Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis.

4. THOR



Thor was created in 1962 by Stan lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby first appearing in Journey Into Mystery # 83. Jack Kirby loved the Norse mythology and influenced much of what themes were introduced in Thor. Stan's contribution to the comic included having the spirit of a Norse god tied to a a human. Currently, Thor is one of the most recognizable characters thanks to his part in Avengers.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Lee. Your contributions to the entertainment industry will never be forgotten.

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

ROMAN REIGNS VACATES WWE UNIVERSAL TITLE

ROMAN REIGNS

On Monday Night Raw last night, Roman Reigns vacated the WWE Universal Championship according to CNN. The professional wrestler whose real name is Leati Joseph Anoa'i, revealed that he has been battling Leukemia for 11 years and that the disease has returned. Reigns said that he can no longer fulfill his obligations as Champion and he must vacate the title. As a fan I was shocked. I had never heard about Reigns and any type of Cancer diagnosis when I researched his career. I was so happy that the fans showed him respect and started a chant saying, "Thank You Roman" and I think fans have finally seen Roman as a person. As a fan I've always enjoyed Roman Reigns as a performer. I hope he has a speedy recovery and that one day he can return to the ring.  

Best Wishes Mr. Anoai. My prayers and thoughts are with you. 

Class Dismissed,
THE PROFESSOR

MANNY PACQUIAO SIGNS DEAL WITH PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS

Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao has signed a deal with Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions according to Boxing Insider. This announcement comes just weeks after HBO announced it will no longer broadcast boxing after this year. For over a decade Pacquiao was previously promoted by Bob Arum and Top Rank. With this new deal, Al Haymon and Premier Boxing Champions will promote all of Pacquiao's fights along with Manny Pacquiao's MP Promotions. 

Manny Pacquiao is one of the biggest stars in boxing and gives Premier Boxing Champions a lot of credibility. Pacquiao is currently the WBO Welterweight champion after defeating Lucas Matthysse and he is an eight-division champion. He has victories over such stars as Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Moseley, Miguel Cotto, and Juan Manuel Marquez. ESPN reports that Manny Pacquiao will defend his Welterweight title against Adrien Broner on Pay Per View in January 2019. 

As HBO steps away from broadcasting boxing, the landscape of boxing has changed. Along with Manny Pacquiao signing a new deal, Canelo Alvarez has signed a deal with DAZN, a subscription service. According to ESPN, Alvarez's deal is for 11 fights over five years and he will be paid 365 million dollars. This is the richest contract in sports history and shows how much of an investment DAZN is making in Canelo Alvarez and his star power.

Manny Pacquiao is scheduled to return to the ring in January 2019 to defend his Welterweight Championship against Adrien Broner. Canelo is planning to fight again in December at Super Middleweight. It will be interesting to see how these new developments will affect boxing. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV DEFEATS CONOR MCGREGOR AT UFC 229

Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

On Saturday, Khabib Nurmagomedov defeated Conor McGregor to retain his Light Heavyweight championship. Nurmagomedov gained a submission victory over McGregor with a rear naked choke. After the fight, stood over Conor and spit on him. Nurmagomedov jumped over the cage and got into a brawl with one of Conor's friends in the crowd. Three members of Khabib's entourage entered the cage and attacked Conor. As a result of the brawl, Khabib's purse for the fight was held by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the men who attacked Conor were arrested. 

Now we have to wait and see what happens with both fighters. McGregor has already said that he wants a rematch. Khabib will probably be fined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and he may be stripped of his light heavyweight championship. If so, Tony Ferguson could fight Conor McGregor for the vacant title. If Conor wins, that could be the reason for a rematch with Khabib. That scenario was suggested by Shayna Baszler on Twitter. 

Whatever happens I know that we will see Conor McGregor fight again. McGregor is a major attraction for the UFC. This loss to Khabib won't change that. Conor is a star and a household name because of his fight with Floyd Mayweather. 

The UFC is on its way to becoming one of the biggest brands in combat sports with stars like Conor McGregor, the return Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier, and Brock Lesnar. 2019 could be a huge year for UFC when it moves to ESPN. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR