New Bonus Art!

by Jeff on August 31, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Posted In: Blog

Check out the Bonus Art section for nearly a full of page of sketchbook drawings from the early development of HEAT. It includes the first drawings of Mad Doc Crockett and the Wooly Bully, as well as a redesign of Ron Gould, some action practice, and the PPW Tag Team Title belt.

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Bodyslam Magazine: PPW Top 10 Rankings

by Jeff on August 30, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Posted In: Blog

With the Super Max Challenge Cup looming, it’s time to check in on Prison Pro Wrestling’s top 10 rankings. The qualifying round’s opening contest recently took place on Prison Asteroid 32J, with 32J and 17E both earning a point as Dick the Bastard and Ron “The Con” Gould took Los Gordinflones Negros, the PPW Tag Team Champions, to a time limit draw. But you’re here for the rankings, so let’s get to it.

10. The Wooly Bully
The native of The Shear Peaks has taken quite a tumble in the rankings after a pair of losses to newcomer Dick the Bastard. Previously thought to be a sure bet to challenge for Johnny Law’s Asteroid Belt in the near future, the Bully is going to need to live up to his name if he’s going to get back into the title hunt.

9. “Pretty Boy” Paul Meyers
The self-proclaimed “Pretty Boy” has built up quite a bit of momentum for himself heading into the Super Max Challenge. While his current winning streak is rather modest by wrestling win-streak standards, he’s shown a lot of improvement inside the ring and could be a dark horse pick to excel in the Super Max Challenge qualifying round.

8. Dick the Bastard
While still a rookie in PPW, back-to-back wins over the hairy juggernaut known as the Wooly Bully grabbed a lot of attention. Momentum kept going with a draw against the Tag Team Champions, and rumours are flying that he’s on the short list of call-ups to fill out the 30 participants in Galactic Wrestling’s upcoming Gauntlet battle royal.

7. Ron “The Con” Gould
Despite a recent string of losses with partner Tim Van Patten, Ron Gould’s record and recent partnership with Dick the Bastard (and subsequent near-win over the Tag Team Champions) left our panel of experts comfortable placing him in the number 7 slot. Gould’s tag team wrestling experience should be a valuable asset in the Super Max Challenge.

6. Jack Allen
Jack Allen has been on fire since being traded to Prison Asteroid 32J (who, quite frankly, won the shit out of that trade) for Billy Duggan. Allen’s Tiger Suplex has become one of the most effective finishers in PPW, as not a single wrestler has been able to kick out of it. Teaming with Invincinator hasn’t hurt his record, either.

5. Los Gordinflones Negros
Uno and Dos, Los Gordinflones Negros, have compiled an excellent record on their journey to the PPW Tag Team titles, and have yet to lose a match since winning the belts. The only factor preventing them from ranking higher is their lack of exposure in singles competition. Neither member of LGN has wrestled more than a handful of matches solo.

4. Invincinator
Invincinator is an oddity on this list, as he’s the only one who isn’t actually in prison. The prison league is a step up from the competition on his home planet, though, and he’s making the best of his new surroundings by compiling an impressive record since his arrival in PPW. Some insiders have suggested that he’s a top contender to make Prison Asteroid 32J’s Super Max Challenge Cup team if they’re able to qualify.

3. El Gangster II
The younger brother of PPW legend – and current HEAT star, after a lengthy stay in Lucha Libre del Muerte – El Gangster. El Gangster II is likely in line for a championship match within the next year or so, although most experts are of the opinion that he’ll be signed by another promotion before that happens. Unsurprisingly, rumours have Lucha Libre del Muerte showing interest.

2. Vinny LaGrazo
As miserable a bastard as we’ve ever seen step through the ropes, Vinny LaGrazo has recently been announced as the number one contender for the PPW Asteroid Belt, although it is unlikely that a match will be arranged for several months due to the Super Max Challenge. Vinny’s climb up the ranks has left a slough of beaten opponents in his wake, most of them bent into shapes not unlike pretzels.

1. Johnny Law
The copper would be PPW’s most hated wrestler even if he wasn’t wearing the Asteroid Belt around his waist. Even the toughest opponents seem to wilt when they step into the squared circle with Johnny Law, and it doesn’t seem like anybody else will be claiming PPW’s top singles prize anytime soon.

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Bodyslam Magazine: Long Night For Kong

by Jeff on August 26, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Posted In: Blog

Orville Barnum announced in a press conference earlier today that his most notorious charge, the fearsome Mighty Kong, will be the first wrestler to enter the 3010 Galactic Wrestling Gauntlet. Kong will have to outlast 29 other grapplers if he wants to earn a shot at the Galactic Wrestling Champion.

Barnum related to reporters that both he and Kong were pleased with the development, prompting reporters to question the sanity of both parties. While Mighty Kong is easily the largest and strongest competitor in the Gauntlet match, many point to the fact that Kong has yet to wrestle a match longer than 12 minutes and question whether he has the endurance to go for the one hour plus that the first entrant must last to win the Gauntlet. Barnum was dismissive of insinuations that Kong would be unable to last, stating that “you have yet to see what my monster Kong is capable of. When the bell rings at the end of the Gauntlet and Kong’s hand is raised in victory, you will look around the WrestleDome and see the broken bodies littering the arena, and then you will know the true might of Kong.”

Mighty Kong lets out a celebratory roar after yet another victory on Galactic Wrestling's Main Event.

Mighty Kong made his Galactic Wrestling debut at SolarSlam 3008 as the mystery opponent that Orville Barnum promised would destroy Buck Hogarth. Kong shocked the wrestling world by dominating Hogarth and eventually putting him out of wrestling for months with a sickening Gorilla Press Drop over the top rope to the floor. Since that classic encounter Kong has been a constant factor in the Galactic Wrestling Championship picture, although he has yet to be granted a match for the title. Barnum hopes to rectify that situation by having Kong win the Gauntlet. Despite the fact that no wrestler has entered the Gauntlet at number one and won since the Living Legend in 2992, Kong is a favourite to win in the estimation of most oddsmakers.

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WWE NXT August 17th, 2010

by Jeff on August 19, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Posted In: Blog

Promos/First Elimination
-Percy Watson is only vaguely intelligible, and is eliminated. McGillicutty and Riley’s promos are solid but unspectacular. Kaval’s rap is entirely different from the lacklustre promos he’s been giving so far, so in that sense I approve of it. He clearly forgot a bit of it in the middle, which dragged it down (as did Michael Cole’s jackassery on commentary), but it’s probably one of the better bits of mic work he’s done on NXT. Speaking of which, Husky Harris’ promo was fantastic, and easily the best one he’s cut all season. The reference to Barry Windham’s championship boots was a nice nod to the past, which I always enjoy, and the line about “they say the devil wears cowboy boots. Ain’t that a coincidence?” was a sublime finish.

Michael McGillicutty vs. Zack Ryder
– The WWE isn’t really doing much with him, but I like Zack Ryder. He’s a decent worker with an interesting character that seems to be falling victim to being on star-crowded Monday Night RAW. I’d actually like to see him work with McGillicutty in a situation where they have more time, since this was a pretty entertaining match that kept me engaged throughout its length.

LayCool segment
– I enjoy LayCool’s antics (somewhat inexplicably, really), and this added a bit more story to the next match, beyond the one that’s developed over the course of Kaval and Harris’ previous encounters, so in my estimation this segment accomplished what it needed to.

Husky Harris vs. Kaval
– Once again Harris and Kaval work together very well, although the ending of this one got awkward and sloppy-looking. Kaval’s rolling heel kick looked like it caught Harris square in the temple with a substantial amount of force, which could have been a contributing factor. The double-stomp to finish things off looked absolutely brutal. Some wrestling finishers don’t really look like finsihers… that one looked like it would kill the average person stone dead.

Kofi Kingston vs. Alex Riley
– Well that sure didn’t take long. Another match I’d like to see again but with more time. But it’s WWE C-show, so that’s probably not going to happen. I didn’t like it as much as the previous two matches, but it wasn’t bad.

Matt Striker/Michael Cole/Josh Matthews promo
– Michael Cole is a giant douchebag. I can’t even think of words slanderous enough to describe my opinions of Michael Cole and his petty attention-whoring, disrespect towards independent wrestling (you know, the wrestling that keeps new blood pumping into the industry so that you continue to have a job?), and the verbal excrement that he calls commentary. This entire segment is completely unnecessary and did nothing but make me angry.

Second Elimination
– Husky Harris is out, which isn’t cool. Cody Rhodes kind of took over the segment, which worked despite the fact that I would have preferred to see if Husky could match his promo from earlier. I liked that it took msot of the pros in a combined effort to take down Husky, and it seems like they could be setting up some kind of angle where Rhodes brings Harris up to the WWE as his muscle (and to protest his elimination, since they’ve developed the most interesting pro/rookie relationship this season).

Final Thoughts
– Husky Harris’ elimination leads me to believe that Kaval is going to win the show. McGillicutty is a little bland and I don’t think he could hang with the main eventers convincingly like Wade Barrett is doing on RAW right now. Alex Riley is the best of the three on the mic, though, which gives him a strong chance. Actually, that alone might be enough to give him the win. I can see Alex Riley being injected into the Smackdown main event scene and holding his own (RAW’s upper card is far too crowded). Michael McGillicutty and Kaval are both good examples of why managers need to make a comeback. With a Bobby Heenan or a Jim Cornette that could carry the bulk of the promo load, either of those guys could easily find a place in the upper-mid-card.

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Paul Heyman Interview

by Jeff on August 18, 2010 at 9:54 pm
Posted In: Blog

I had this link passed along to me by the creator of Nightmare Pro Wrestling (which you check out, it’s very entertaining), and figured you guys would enjoy it. It’s an interview with former ECW head and mad scientist of pro wrestling, Paul Heyman with The MMA Hour’s Ariel Helwani. I could write a long-winded commentary about it, but it’s an hour and a half and really, it speaks for itself. Enjoy!

Paul Heyman on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani

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