WWE Network - Announcement Tonight!

The WWE is FINALLY going to announce their plans for the WWE network tonight, live from CES in Las Vegas. With any luck, we won't get a cheesy RAW Roulette wheel to determine the networks stipulations.
My hope for the network is a Netflix style online network. It makes the most sense for the WWE for the following reasons.

1. They have complete control. No cable or satellite providers getting in the way trying to take a cut of the revenue. No negotiating a long term deal. Whatever they want to show, and whenever they want to show it, is on the network.
2. They have a massive library of content. WWE didn't buy the WCW, ECW, Stamped Wrestling and other wrestling libraries for nothing. They have over 100,000 hours of content, which is more than enough to fill up a Netflix style service.
3. They have experience with online content. Have you downloaded the WWE app yet? If not, Michael Cole is sure to give you a walk through on how to download at least twice a week. Thanks Cole! Seriously though, online makes sense for WWE. They've been getting better and better at it over the years, so let's hope they've perfected it enough for an online network.

My only hope is that they have a wide and varied enough distribution platform. In order to be successful, they will need to have this on AppleTV, Roku, XBox, Playstation, and downloadable for various smart TV's.

Let the countdown begin!

Ryder or Riot!

Tonight is Zack Ryder's big night on RAW! Maybe.......

Tonight, RAW is live from Long Island, home of Long Island Ice Z himself. Ryder, who has been a YouTube sensation with his weekly web series Z! True Long Island Story has been promoting this week as "Ryder or Riot," complete with his own Rocky style training montage in episode 17.

Here is my prediction for the future of Ryder's web series: I think he will be moving from YouTube to WWE.com. Why do I think this? A couple episodes ago, Ryder received an e-mail from the Anonymous Superstars General Manager (cause he's not on RAW, get it?) saying that Ryder's show will be moving to a different website.

If you look at the YouTube stats, Ryder's show is consistently getting huge numbers week after week. Even if this show started as a Zack Ryder pet project to entertain the fans because he never receives any TV time, I believe WWE has smartened up to his show and wants to capitalize on it. Bringing it to WWE.com would increase traffic to their site, which they are constantly trying to improve.

Having said that, I believe that move would also damage the show, as Ryder would be on a tighter WWE lease.

Time will tell what happens to Z! True Long Island Story, but my prediction is it will be a WWE.com exclusive by the end of August, if not sooner.

Randy Savage dies in car accident

Randy Savage died today in a car accident in Florida. He was 58.

Savage's brother, Leaping Lanny Poffo, stated that Savage had a heart attack while driving his 2009 Jeep Wrangler causing him to crash into a tree. Savage's wife Lynn was in the vehicle at the time, and made it out with only minor injuries according to TMZ.com

I was definitely shocked to hear about his death. The first I heard of it came from a Tweet posted by Hulk Hogan earlier today. Soon after it was confirmed, many wrestlers took to Twitter to express their sadness of the loss.

Just last weekend, at the CWI event in Brantford, Ontario, where I took the first Hulk Hogan immortal back tattoo picture, I saw Savage's brother Lanny Poffo.

Leaping Lanny Poffo, brother of Randy Macho Man Savage, on May 14 at the CWI show in Brantford Ontario

In honesty, I didn't recognize him at first. Lanny Poffo has changed drastically since his days as "The Genius." I actually saw him while I was standing in line to get a hot dog. He was walking up to the merchandise table, and I was in his way. I knew he had to be a wrestler, because he was wearing a t-shirt, trunks, and wrestling boots. The lack of knee pads stood out.

I moved out of his way to let him through, and he sort of smiled on his way by. I'm sure he knew that I had no idea who he was, which is why he was freely walking through the crowd of people.

I didn't know who he was until he came out on team Beefcake for the legends Survivor Series match and they announced him as Leaping Lanny Poffo. I was amazed. Despite his look, Lanny still pulled off a moonsault before injuring his knee and having to leave the match.

Looking back on the moment where I saw him while waiting for my hot dog, I wish I had of said hello. Asked him how he was doing and what's new with his brother the Macho Man. I know it wouldn't make any difference today, but I wish I could have spoke to him at a happier time.

Lanny, I am sorry for your loss. The world has lost one of the best wrestlers of the 80's and 90's.

Macho Man, you will be missed.

Hulkamania hits Brantford Ontario - May 14, 2011

On Saturday, May 14, 2011, Hulk Hogan came to the Brantford Civic Centre in Brantford Ontario for the CWI Brawl at the Bush.

The card was full of wrestlings past greats, including the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase, Virgil, Brutus the Barber Beefcake, the Nasty Boys, Leaping Lanny Pofo, X-Pac, Tatanka, Steve Corino and more. Also, Kevin Nash challenged Scott Steiner for the CWI championship.

Nash lost the match after Steiner blasted him in the face with the championship belt while the ref was knocked out of the ring.

The main event was a "Legends Survivor Series Tag Match," with the Million Dollar team consisting of Virgil, the Nasty Boys, and Big Daddy Hammer vs "Team Beefcake" consisting of Brutus the Barber Beefcake, Bushwacker Luke, Leaping Lanny Pofo and CK Sexx. Members of each team were eliminated one by one until it came down to Sags of the Nasty Boys and Beefcake. At this point, Knobs jumped back in the ring to double team Beefcake, and that's when Hulk Hogan came out to make the big save!
Dibiase tried to stop Hogan before he got to the ring, but Hogan decked him with a fist on his way to the ring. The Hulkster than got in the ring, tore his shirt off, and laid a beat down on the Nasty Boys.
Beefcake won the match with a sleeper hold, and the had a pose down session in the ring with Hogan.

Hogan about to lay the Smackdown on the Nasty Boys

Hogan and Beefcake have a pose down to send the fans home happy.

In his picture, you can seen Hulk's new "Immortal" tattoo, along with his back surgery scars.