MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday.

THE PROFESSOR

BROCK LESNAR VS A.J. STYLES: A MODERN CLASSIC

Brock Lesnar vs. A.J. Styles at Survivor Series 2017

Last night at Survivor Series 2017 Brock Lesnar defeated A.J. Styles in a Champion vs. Champion match for the ages. Brock Lesnar came into the match as the Universal Champion for RAW and AJ represented Smackdown as the WWE Champion. Brock Lesnar dominated early with suplexes and power moves but A.J. used his speed and quickness to off set Lesnar. When Brock attempted a running knee in the corner A.J. dodged it and Lesnar hit his knee and A.J.  focused on Brock's knee and attempted a flying forearm leading to a cover, which Brock kicked out of. When A.J. attempted a second flying forearm Brock caught him and delivered an F-5 to A.J. Styles. Brock walked out as the winner and A.J. gained more respect from the fans. 

As a fan this was the classic big man vs. small man match with two of the very best wrestlers of this era. Brock is a beast and A.J. Styles is a great hybrid of wrestling and aerial ability. This is the type of match that WWE needs to focus on more with wrestlers that fans want to see compete against each other. 

I haven't always been the biggest Brock Lesnar fan but he has delivered some of the best matches in the last five years against opponents like The Undertaker, Seth Rollins and John Cena, and Samoa Joe.  Last night was another testament to why Brock is a once in a lifetime athlete. 

With this match, Brock Lesnar and A.J. Styles have cemented their spots in the WWE Hall Of Fame in my opinion. Thank you Brock Lesnar, Thank you A.J. Styles, and Thank you WWE for this amazing match. 

THE PROFESSOR

MAGNUM P.I. REBOOT ORDERED AT CBS

TOM SELLECK AS MAGNUM P.I.

CBS has ordered another reboot of a classic 80's series: Magnum P.I according to TVLine. The original series starred Tom Selleck as Thomas Sullivan Magnum an ex-Navy Seal who served in Vietnam. At 33 he goes to Hawaii and becomes a private detective. The series ran from 1980 to 1988 on CBS. The showrunner for the rebooted versions of Hawaii Five-O and MacGuyver, Peter Lenkov will write the pilot for the series along with Eric Guggenheim, a writer on Hawaii Five-O. 

The new reboot will follow the format of the original series as Magnum solves cases and deals with returning veterans coming home from combat. A timely issue in today's world. 

As someone who grew up in the 80's it will be interesting to see who they cast as "Magnum" and hopefully he will be just as charismatic as Tom Selleck was in the role. Only time will tell but I'll definitely be watching this new series. 

Class Dismissed, 
THE PROFESSOR

KURT ANGLE RETURNS TO ACTION IN WWE AT TLC

KURT ANGLE

This Sunday at TLC (Tables, Ladders and Chairs) Network Special, Kurt Angle will wrestle in WWE for the first time in over 10 years. Angle will be in the main event replacing Roman Reigns in The Shield when they fight The Miz, Sheamus, Cesaro, Braun Strowman, and Kane. Roman Reigns is out of the main event due to illness. 

Angle's last match was in March of 2017 against Cody Rhodes in Northeast Wrestling. Angle worked for Impact Wrestling from 2007 to 2016. 

This is huge news for WWE and Angle should do well in the match. Hopefully Angle will be used sparingly in the match and do a big hero spot at the end making The Miz tap out to the ankle lock. 

Welcome Back Kurt! You're the best in the world.

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. LANCE RUSSELL

Lance Russell with Ric Flair in WCW

Lance Russell, the legendary voice of Memphis Wrestling has died at the age of 91. For over three decades he was the play by play announcer for Memphis Wrestling calling some of the greatest matches and working with some of the most recognizable names in wrestling. Many legendary names worked in Memphis before they were stars in WWE like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, King Kong Bundy, Sting, The Rock, and Jerry "The King" Lawler.

 
Jerry "The King" Lawler and Lance Russell

In Memphis Wrestling, Lance Russell and Jerry Lawler were an entertaining team on TV with chemistry akin to Howard Cosell and Muhammad Ali on ABC Wild World of Sports. Lawler was the biggest star in Memphis Wrestling because of Lance Russell. Lance had a calm delivery that gave credibility to all of the storylines that Memphis Wrestling created. The audience trusted Lance Russell and that made them love Memphis Wrestling. 

If you want to learn more about Memphis Wrestling and Lance Russell then watch the documentary Memphis Heat. 

Thank you Mr. Russell. Your contributions to the wrestling business will never be forgotten.

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. HUGH HEFNER

HUGH HEFNER

Hugh Hefner, the publisher of Playboy Magazine passed away on Wednesday Sept. 27th at the age of 91. Hefner began Playboy in 1953 with Marilyn Monroe on the cover and an inside pictorial. Now over six decades later Playboy is an entertainment and media empire worth millions of dollars.


Pamela Anderson on Playboy January 1996 cover

Playboy has featured some of the most beautiful women in the world helping to launch the careers of many celebrities including Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy, Kelly Monaco, Cindy Crawford,  Elle McPherson, and Kim Kardashian.

In the 1960's and 1970's Playboy further entrenched itself in pop culture with the TV show Playboy After Dark. Hefner would be joined by some of the biggest celebrities of the time including George Carlin, Jerry Lewis, Bill Cosby, and Sammy Davis Jr. 

Hugh Hefner was a visionary in entertainment and provided an escape to millions of Americans through Playboy. He will be missed but he will never be forgotten. 

THE PROFESSOR

R.I.P. BOBBY "THE BRAIN" HEENAN

Bobby Heenan

Bobby Heenan, one of the greatest performers in wrestling both inside and outside of the ring has died. He was 72 years old. Bobby Heenan came to worldwide fame as a wrestling manager in the WWE during the 1980's as he managed some of the biggest stars in the industry such as Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Ric Flair, Rick Rude,  "Mr. Perfect " Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard among others.


Bobby Heenan, Nick Bockwinkel, and Harley Race

Bobby Heenan first came to prominence in the AWA (American Wrestling Association) as the manager of Nick Bockwinkel. Bockwinkel and Heenan were a great pair as two arrogant bad guys. Bockwinkel playing his role as the star athlete and Heenan as his cocky manager. They would have great success working against Verne Gagne who was the promoter and main event star of the promotion with Bockwinkel becoming World Champion four times. It was in the AWA where Bobby Heenan would meet Hulk Hogan. Hogan became a main event star in the AWA and would challenge Bockwinkel for the championship on numerous occasions.



Andre The Giant, Haku, and Bobby Heenan

By the 1980's Vince McMahon and the WWE were taking over the wrestling business and grabbing all the talent from different areas promising more money and a global stage. Bobby Heenan left the AWA and joined the WWE in 1985. Heenan would manage "The Heenan Family" a rotating group of bad guys that included Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Ric Flair,  Rick Rude,  "Mr. Perfect " Curt Hennig, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard and others. The Heenan Family would work against heroes like Hogan and The Junkyard Dog.


Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant at Wrestlemania 3

Bobby Heenan's greatest moment may have been in 1987 at Wrestlemania 3 when he managed Andre The Giant against Hulk Hogan for the World title. Andre was billed as being unbeaten and over 90,000 fans packed the Pontiac Silverdome to see if Hulk Hogan could do the impossible. Andre would lose that night but the spectacle of that match would put all three men in the history books forever. 


Bobby Heenan and "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig

In later years Bobby Heenan retired from managing and became a color commentator or as he once called it a "broadcast journalist" working for the WWE until 1993 and then moving onto WCW (World Championship Wrestling) until they closed in 2001. Bobby was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Thank you Mr. Heenan. The memories you've given fans will endure forever. 

THE PROFESSOR