Opinion: How Fake Can Wrestling Be? (Craig Hermit)

Why do people still turn their noses up when you mention that you are a wrestling fan I mean people don’t act the same way when you say you like football, baseball or even when you like a certain TV programme. Is it because most wrestling shows are under the banner of sports-entertainment? and not Sport or either Entertainment and as a result is frowned upon by each for not belonging to either genre fully. 

You ask a sports fan, why don’t you like wrestling? You’ll get the usual response of “It’s fake right?” - Right in the same way many players and Governing Bodies haven’t rigged the game in which you surely love. 

You ask a movie or TV programme viewer why don’t you like wrestling? “It’s not entertaining or again, it’s fake yeah” - Yeah same way the characters Made in Chelsea or The Only Way in Essex and The Avengers are the real people.

Fake /feik/ - not genuine; imitation or counterfeit.

"she got on the plane with a fake passport”

The facts - Wrestling shows are not legitimate contests, even stated by wrestlers and promoters themselves and while fans will scream and cry “It’s real to me damnit!”, the events witnessed by fans are purely entertainment-based on storyline’s, with the majority of matches being "scripted" or "choreographed" previously. Even the Godfather of Wrestling, not the one that was in the WWE Attitude Era played by Charles Wright, but Vince McMahon publicly acknowledged this in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions and since the birth of Wrestlemania in 1985 WWE has acknowledged their product as sports entertainment that is based in competitive sport and dramatic theatre.

However, everything that a trained wrestler does in that ring from the routine moves that fans are accustom to; like a bodyslam or even irish-whipping your opponent into the turnbuckle CAN HURT,  but when you take into account a highflying move like Shooting Star Press or a high impact move like a PowerBomb, if not done correctly the worst can happen and serious injuries may occur.

Everything they do in that ring has to be believable, they have to make you believe that what they are going through is happening. The pain, the arrogance, their cruelty, and their happiness, everything they do must inspire you to become more involved in what they do. Yes actors can do that too, only during the period of that movie or show through, but what wrestlers do is take it to another level, they are in your face, they are live and you invest yourself in that moment into living your dreams through them wither they succeed or lose. You either want to be the bad guy (not always Razor Ramon) beating up that smiling do-gooder or the good guy who beats the bully who had to get beat sometime.

So when it comes to people saying it’s fake or not legitimate ask those people to go to a training school or ask them to ask a wrestler to perform a move on them I'm pretty sure they will see things very differently by the end.

Then on the other side of the coin, Newspapers, Businesses and may other outlets tend to see all wrestling promotions as a backyard or amateurish operations almost disreputable in many ways something that is just a damn right lie because they aren’t and as such won’t advertise, use posters or associate them with them in any way.

Let’s use WWE or World Wrestling Entertainment as an example, it has stated on it’s website that it’s a publicly traded and privately controlled entertainment company that deals primarily in Professional Wrestling. However, thanks to global expansion and by that I mean other sources of income from different avenues of entertainment, that being is film, music, product licensing and direct product sales, WWE has found a way, a smart way that is, to see the bigger picture and realise pro wrestling can be more entertaining and profitable than two men or women who have trained their whole lives to entertain the fans in the ring until the victor stands tall. 

Now here’s something as all wrestling fans (and pretty much anyone else) know WWE is the largest wrestling promotion in the world, there is no doubt on this one, it is. The promotion currently holds over 300 events out of a 365 calendar year, broadcasts to around 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries and I haven’t even mentioned the WWE Network. 

For years mainstream publicity has ignored or mocked wrestling for everything mentioned above, only to include it in big stories when sadly someone dies or when there is a scandal and then it becomes news. Now again using WWE, it is not often you’ll see the good things that a Wrestling Company does on the news or in the newspaper but for over thirty years WWE has been in partnership with the Make-a-Wish Campaign also, that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon established the non-profit charitable organisation, Connor’s Cure and WWE is a sponsor of the Special Olympics since 2014. It makes you wonder that even when the biggest wrestling promotion in the world strives to help charities even they are barely mentioned in the news what chance does other small promotions have.

Now that was WWE, events closer to home in the UK have shown the wrestling promotions have gone out of their way to improve the image of wrestling making it more exciting, more relatable to fans, appearing on TV programming and assisting in charities whenever they can. 

Case in point, Progress Wrestling and their fans supported Cavendish Cancer Care with donations of £640 donation a recent shows, Insane Championship Wrestling hosted ICW: Afternoon Delight last year to mark the re-opening of the Clutha Vaults Bar in Glasgow and all proceeds from that event went directly to the Clutha Trust and Alpha Omega Wrestling run regular shows at the Winter Gardens in Morecambe, with proceeds from the shows going to the restoration of the grade II listed building. 

My point of the article this one thing, many people’s image of wrestling is wrong, I’ve listed many reasons why that is but only way the perception of that image can change is by fans saying to newspapers or TV stations saying we want to see wrestling on mainstream TV, I guarantee much like BBC1 was inundated with demands to see more from ICW, following the broadcast of both Insane Fight Club documentaries, but with family-friendly and adult orientated shows available across the UK everyone could see them on a suitable time-slot, but again it can only happen with the fans support.

Photography credits to David J Wilson and Tony Knox.

Blu-Ray Review: WWE The Kliq Rules

WWE's The Kliq Rules is out on Monday in the UK on DVD and Blu-Ray from www.wwedvd.co.uk and all other good home video stores. The main feature is an over 1 hour documentary looking at the infamous backstage group known as The Kliq and their history in both WWE and WCW. The documentary is supplemented with 23 full matches (4 of which are Blu-Ray exclusive) featuring all five members of The Kliq, as well as Chris Jericho, The Rock, Owen Hart, Sting, Davey Boy Smith and more.

Disc One

Documentary

     At just over an hour, the main feature feels especially brief when looking at a group who's influence spread over a number of decades and two separate companies. Whilst all the major points (the groups formation, Curtain Call, etc.) are covered, often times it feels like the documentary is only scratching the surface of the groups influence behind the scenes, that an extra half hour or even an hour, would have allowed for. 


Whilst the documentary fell short of my expectations, it's safe to say that it is a very easy watch, with a number of interesting interviewees giving a good insight into the Kliq's backstage power (with Shane Douglas, Rick Steiner and a new Eric Bischoff interview amongst the usual suspects). The documentary also covers ground that you may not expect it to go into, such as the BSK (another backstage group at the time, that included The Undertaker and Yokozuna) and interviews with the two guys who filmed the Curtain Call, which is where the most interesting moments come from. The frank talk of Scott Hall's problems with alcohol and drugs produce some poignant moments, and it's interesting to see how each of his friends reacted to his struggles during this period. Outside of the main story there's some laugh out loud moments throughout, perhaps unintentional, like Jim Ross explaining what a marionette is, whilst doing his own little impression.

The feature acts as a good in for anyone less familiar with the group, and it's good to see a number of things legitimised by appearing in a WWE release, however a lot of the stories have been covered in a number of releases by independent companies, as well as a number of autobiographies by this point.

Matches

After the famous moment of The Kid defeating Razor Ramon on Monday Night RAW, the rematch (Monday Night RAW, June 1993) is enjoyable for the most part, but features a weird finish that left me scratching my head as to who I was supposed to be supporting. There's no such problems as Ramon continues to be the focus in a match with Diesel (Monday Night RAW, November 1993) with the contest having a simplistic but strong face vs. heel format, although it's hurt by another TV finish. Shawn Michaels makes his first appearance, opposite 1-2-3 Kid (Monday Night RAW, December 1993), in a sound TV bout that offers a different style to what had gone before it, although once again falls foul of a disappointing finish. 


Kid and Ramon team up to take on The Quebecers for the WWF Tag Team Championships (Monday Night RAW, February 1994) goes a little too long for me, but does have a number of notable moments, including Quebecers manager Johnny Polo taking a Razor's Edge on the outside. It's interesting to note here how strong Kid and Ramon are put over the then Tag Team Champions, with Jacques and Pierre made to look like complete chumps for lengthy sections of the match. The Ladder match over the Intercontinental Championship between Michaels (with Diesel) and Ramon (WrestleMania X, March 1994) should need no description, it's truly one of the all-time classic WrestleMania bouts that you should be going out of your way to watch if you've still to see it. Whilst it's appeared on a handful of other sets over the years (and of course it's on the WWE Network) it's inclusion again here is warranted thanks to it allowing for a satisfying conclusion to the Ramon-Michaels feud that the early part of this set follows. 

An Intercontinental Championship bout between Ramon and Diesel (with Michaels) (WWF Superstars, April 1994) is a pretty dull bout that bucks the trend by being saved by an exciting finish. The inclusion of a tag team match pitting Michaels & Diesel against Ramon and Kid (WWF Action Zone, October 1994) provides one of the best matches on the entire set, in what may be considered an uncovered gem. With Action Zone currently not available on the WWE Network, this bout which is full of drama and great sequences is perhaps one of the best reasons to get your hands on this set. 


A Survivor Series match that see's The Bad Guys (Ramon, Kid, The British Bulldog & The Headshrinkers) takes on The Teamsters (Michaels, Ramon, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart & Jeff Jarrett) (WWF Survivor Series, November 1994) is a welcome addition for the mere fact that it allows for a few other faces to appear on the set, therefore freshening things up. The match itself isn't one of the greatest Survivor Series bout that you'll ever see, but it's pretty watchable throughout until the finish and features a significant moment in the career of Big Daddy Cool. Hunter Hearst Helmsley's first match on the set is opposite Ramon (WWF Monday Night Raw, January 1996) isn't much of a match, with the focus on Ramon's feud with Kid, but it is the only televised match between the two Kliq members and therefore deserves to be included here. Ramon and Kid's feud continues in a Crybaby Match (WWF In Your House: Rage In A Cage, February 1996) and whilst the gimmick lame, the pair do put together a decent encounter that features a hot crowd. 

Disc Two

Matches

A No Holds Barred bout over the WWF World Heavyweight Championship with Shawn Michaels (WWF In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies, April 1996) is perhaps the best match of Diesel's career. A truly physical epic encounter, this is unlike anything before it on the set, bringing a brutality that would see WWF eventually take a new direction over the coming years. Michaels continues to prove why he's considered on of the best in the history of the industry with a smashing TV bout with Hunter Hearst Helmsley (WWF Monday Night RAW, May 1996) and whilst the bout is shaky at points in it's presentation of Helmsley, there is a number of special sequences between the two. A foreshadowing of things to come between the two, not long before the formation of D-Generation X, this is a welcome addition to the set. 


Having the full fan recording of the Curtain Call incident is a very nice touch, with the reaction of the crowd throughout being particularly interesting. Moving to WCW and the first matches entrance made me absolute hate Michael Buffer, what ever he was being paid was too much. The bout see's Scott Hall (fka Razor Ramon) and Kevin Nash (fka Diesel) (accompanied by Hulk Hogan) taking on The Steiner Brothers (WCW Monday NITRO, January 1998) in a awful tag team match, with plenty of interference and perhaps ONE good move all match. Things get worse as Nash and Hall face off (WCW Halloween Havoc, October 1998) as the match focuses on Hall's alcohol problem, seriously. 

Praise the sweet lord we're back in the WWF, but oh dear...it's an X-Pac (fka 1-2-3 Kid) match. The bout with Triple H (WWF Backlash, April 1999) actually has some promising moments with some pleasing storytelling, but goes way, way too long and has a pretty wank finish. Skipping a few years, we have a bout full of star power, Hall, Nash and X-Pac team to take on Hulk Hogan, The Rock and Kane (WWE Smackdown!, March 2003) in a match that happened on that day. If anyone needed convincing of the Kliq's influence in WWE then Kevin Nash's 2003 main event run with Triple H is that evidence, their Judgment Day bout is included here, and is played out in front of a crowd that certainly couldn't give a fuck about Kevin Nash. 


The set finishes up with a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match as D-Generation X (Triple H & Michaels) have one last hurrah, opposite Jeri-Show, with a very appreciative crowd on hand. Whilst the match doesn't reach the heights of TLC bout before it, it's still a pleasant watch with a handful of decent spots, although it is hurt by the botchy conclusion.

Blu-Ray Exclusives

Scott Hall teams with Syxx (Kid or X-Pac) to take on Harlem Heat (WCW Monday NITRO, July 1997), and describing the match as not terrible is perhaps the best thing I can say about it. Kevin Nash takes on The Rock (WWF Smackdown!, March 2002) in another not terrible match, but there's nothing particular special about this encounter either, other than it's clear that The Rock is considered a bigger star by both the fans and the company. Nash is back in a Sledgehammer Ladder match with Triple H (WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, December 2011) in a clash that is better than it had any right to be. There's some quality storytelling here and a handful of brutal spots, that go further than their terrible 2011 feud deserved.


The exclusive finish up with Triple H taking on Sting (WWE WrestleMania 31, March 2015) as all of The Kliq (alongside the New Age Outlaws and Hulk Hogan) are on hand for a true celebration of a long gone era. This isn't a good match, but what it is is a true spectacle and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.  

Finally...

Obviously, a set like this live and dies on the strength of it's documentary features and whilst I feel that a new fan will find plenty of interesting information here, it's brevity may mean that someone who has followed the behind-the-scenes of the business since the time of The Kliq will perhaps find it lacking slightly, especially with the wealth of information that can be found elsewhere (Shoot interviews, autobiographies etc.). 

The presentation of the matches is done very well over the first disc here, allowing for a story to unfold between Ramon, Diesel, Michaels and Kid across the number of years that it played out, with highlights including Michaels and Ramon's Ladder match and the terrific tag bout from Action Zone. Onto the second disc and as soon the four start working together less frequently things aren't as enjoyable to binge watch, with the set jumping a few years a number of times. Whilst anything from WCW should be avoided like the plague, Michaels and Diesel's No Holds Barred match and Michaels and Helmsley's bout from Monday Night RAW are both quality viewing. 

There is plenty to enjoy here, from underrated gems of matches to some interesting stories during the documentary, I'd recommend this set to anyone looking to discover more about the backstage workings of WWE, especially between 1993 and 1997, as well as anyone looking to fill up their library with matches from that period. Of course, any big fan of Shawn Michaels ring work will love this also.

Daily Royal Ramble #7 (5th April 2014) - Hall of Fame Drinking Game!

HELLO THERE! It's the day before WrestleMania XXX, and that means it's the night of the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame! So I present to you, the INAUGURAL HALL OF FAME DRINKING GAME! It even rhymes a little bit, better than those old John Cena raps anyway. 

Before we get going with the rules, I'd remind you to drink responsibly, you rascal! And to Jake and Scott please abstain from this game and enjoy your moment.

Rightio, pour yourself a beveragino and let's get this show on the road.

1. ANY time the crowd chants "Thank You *Insert Name*" take a sip of your drink.

2. ANY time the crowd chants "One More Match" take a sip of your drink.

3. Each time an Inductee name drops a current WWE wrestler, take a sip of your drink.

4. Each time the WWE Network is mentioned, stand up, say "It's WAY over the top" and drink two fingers.

5. Any time the crowd breaks out in a "YES!" chant, drink for the duration of the chant.

6. Any time you find yourself looking at Trish Stratus or Lita's "puppies", take a sip of your drink.

7. Any time Michael Hayes is shown on screen in yet another ridiculous outfit, sing "Badstreet USA" and take a sip of your drink.

8. Whenever someone mentions "tomorrow", or any of Wrestlemania's nicknames (Show of Shows, Showcase of the Immortals etc.) drink two fingers.

9. If The Undertaker inducts Paul Bearer, down your drink.

10. When Mr T. says "I pity the fool" down your drink

That's ten to start off with send your rules into @ATPWrestling on Twitter or www.facebook.com/acrossthepondwrestling and we'll add them to the list.

Daily Royal Ramble #3 (26th March 2014)

Hello, and welcome to another Daily Royal Ramble! Number 3 no less! 

Now, I should probably talk about last night's Main Event on the WWE Network, however due to an issue with my bank card I was unable to gain access to the Network (It works fine now!) and therefore have yet to view last night's Main Event (I'll probably catch it on a replay somewhere down the line) 

So instead let's chat about something that I missed yesterday...the WWE Hall of Fame induction of Razor Ramon. Coincidentally you can now vote for ATPW's 4th Hall of Famer at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VMM9M6H, with the options being Ric Flair, Vince McMahon, Jr, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Davey Boy Smith. Now, check out Ramon's induction video below...

When this video went out on Raw this Monday, there was a lot of discussion about the decision not to include any footage of Scott Hall in WCW or his short WWE return, with the package focusing only on Ramon footage from WWF. Many seemed almost upset about this, "How dare WWE not include any nWo footage!" It was really quite bizarre. 

There are a number of reason that I wasn't at all bothered by there being no WCW footage. Firstly, the best work of Scott Hall was arguably as Razor Ramon. Yes, the nWo was the most revolutionary ideas ever to be stolen from Japan, and for a while it did massive ratings for WCW, but how many memorable singles contests did Hall have in WCW? And didn't the nWo eventually strangle WCW to death? Wasn't it Scott Hall who tasered Goldberg to end his undefeated streak? Yeah, let's just honour Razor Ramon, eh chico? 

Alongside this, it was made very clear that it was the Razor Ramon character entering the Hall of Fame, not Scott Hall...yes, Scott Hall played Razor Ramon on WWF television and then went on to play another character called Scott Hall for WCW and later WWE, but the character and the performer are two different things. It's like getting upset that a video package dedicated to David Arquette's Dewey Riley character in Scream, doesn't feature any footage of Gordie Boggs! 

Finally, I'd also expect that WWE are planning a big induction for the nWo, somewhere down the line, with Scott Hall being a big part of that induction. So the performer Scott Hall would be honoured twice, but not the character of Scott Hall, if you get my drift. Whether, WWE will see fit to induct the entire nWo, or just the original three (Hall, Hollywood Hogan and Kevin Nash) is yet to be seen, but I can't quite imagine them putting the likes of Konnan, Horace Hogan and Buff Bagwell into the Hall!

Rightio, I think that's enough Ramble for today, make sure to check back tomorrow for more musings, as well as the second edition of Adam Ross' All-Star Search! Oh, I'm also writing up another What A Difference A Year Makes this time focussing on The Shield, so watch out for that! 

Five Questions With...Bill Apter

After last week's interview with True God Immortal from WrestlingHeels Radio, this week it's time for us to speak to Legendary wrestling journalist, the one and only, Bill Apter.

Name: Bill Apter
Age: Ageless!
Hometown: New York City, New York, USA but now living outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Known For: Pro Wrestling magazines, 1Wrestling.com, Host of Wrestling Conventions, The Apter Chat, Indy Broadcaster.

1. When did you first get into wrestling and what was the drew you to the sport?

I was a fan since I was a kid (watching it on TV). I loved it from the minute I saw it. I first got into the business when I was doing a radio show in New York, got press tickets to a wrestling show, shot some photos, did some interviews and sent them to a wrestling magazine.

2. You've had a long and storied career in the wrestling business, but for anyone who (for some reason) isn't aware of what you've done, could you explain a little bit about your career and how you got to where you are today?

It would take me hours to do that! Best to go to www.wikipedia.com for that information! (Editors Note: We walked into that one!)

3. Is there anyone in wrestling that you haven't interviewed that you would love to get the opportunity to speak to and why?

I've interviewed everyone except -- Vince McMahon. I've talked with him dozens of times but never sat down for an "Apter Chat."

4. What are your top three matches of all time and why?

Jack Brisco vs. Dory Funk Jr (series)
Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (series)
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon (ladder match)
**Hogan vs. The Rock makes the list as well.

5. Where can our readers find your work and what have you got coming up?

WWW.1wrestling.com, twitter @apter1wrestling, bapter@1wrestling.com
You can find me at most wrestling conventions in the US as well.
Thank you for having me on this 5 question interview. I really enjoyed it and thank you fans for all your support through the years!

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We'd like to thank Bill Apter for allowing us this interview.

Next week: So Cal Val