Tag Archives: Wrestling

Toy Crazy: May 2017 WWE Funko Releases

We haven’t covered any Funko releases on this site, but it’s about time we do.

We have reviewed a lot of Mattel’s WWE Elite figures, but Funko has also released some pretty solid figures in the past. I’m a big collector and you can see some of my collection on my Instagram, @vintagetoybob.

I’ve plugged another site in my previous Mattel posts, but if you’re looking to order Funko figures, I’d trust intheringcollectibles.com. I’ve bought a ton of stuff from them and they always pack shipments very well. You can use code ‘paulyp‘ for a discount.

Here are some pictures of Funko’s May 2017 WWE POP! vinyl releases.

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Wrestlemania 33: A Marathon of Mediocrity

Wrestlemania is the biggest wrestling event in the world. Every year, tens of thousands of wrestling fans cram into a huge stadium or dome and watch as the WWE trots out what they believe is the best overall wrestling card of the year.

This year’s 33rd installment of Wrestlemania occurred on Sunday in Orlando at the Citrus Bowl. Stars like John Cena, The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar were put in matches with weeks-long build ups.

It should have been a home run, right?

Well, unfortunately, the 7 1/2 hour show fell flat time and time again.

I thought about writing an in-depth match-by-match review of Wrestlemania 33, but I really doubt it would have been very entertaining. Many matches lacked quality wrestling and focused more on ‘entertainment’. I will instead just mention a few thoughts about each match and give my opinion of the overall state of ‘wrestling’ in the WWE.

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10 Wrestlers Who Should be in the WWE Hall of Fame

It’s officially Wrestlemania season.

Wrestlemania 33 is in Orlando this year, a very familiar area to WWE. This year’s show will feature some of the best wrestlers in the world and they even got a legend like Goldberg to come back.

A lot happens the weekend of Wrestlemania. Many indie promotions run shows in the area since there are tens of thousands of fans in that area, so why not? WWE also runs an Axxess fan festival, NXT Takeover show and the WWE Hall of Fame.

A few people have already been announced to be in this year’s Hall of Fame class (Kurt Angle, Rock N Roll Express & Teddy Long) and a few are strongly rumored like Rick Rude, Diamond Dallas Page and William Regal, so I will not include them on this list.

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Seth Rollins Re-Injures Knee, Could Miss Wrestlemania

Seth Rollins has been one of the major players in WWE since debuting on the main roster in The Shield faction in 2012. He followed his run in the group with a WWE ‘Money In Bank’ win and then cashed in his briefcase at Wrestlemania 31 in the middle of the Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns main event.

Rollins was the champ for over six months, but he blew out his ACL during a November European tour. He had to forfeit the WWE Championship and was on the shelf for quite awhile. He had to miss Wrestlemania 32 due to the injury and didn’t come back until May 22nd at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

WWE has been teasing a Rollins vs. Triple H match for nearly six months. The possible Wrestlemania 33 match is now in jeopardy after Rollins legitimately re-injured his surgically-repaired knee on Monday Night Raw.

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Review: New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 11

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s biggest event of the year happened last night/this morning (depending on where you live).

The January 4th show at the Tokyo Dome has been a tradition for decades, but they have branded it ‘Wrestle Kingdom’ the last eleven years. The last few January 4th shows have been epic and this year’s card was stacked as well.

2016 was all about anointing new stars in New Japan after losing stars Shinsuke Nakamura and A.J. Styles to the WWE, and Kota Ibushi to, um, free agency? NJPW has been trying to push Kenny Omega, Tetsuya Naito and random other members of Los Ingobernables de Japon to the next level.

Could this be the show when New Japan crowns a new face of the promotion?

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11 Mind-Blowing Facts about Wrestling

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is probably the most popular form of wrestling known across the world. Its popularity has been sustained for the last three decades without any threat. It may lead to some thinking that they know everything there is to learn about WWE, and it is certainly not the case. Here are the top 11 mind-boggling facts about wrestling.

11. There are big professional wrestling promotions in countries other than the US

Contrary to popular opinion, even though WWE is the most marketed wrestling company, UK also boasts tens of promotions and championships. Wrestling is more than just a sport.

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10 Ways to Instantly Improve the WWE

The WWE have lost nearly half of their audience on RAW over the last few years and WWE Network subscribers have hit a plateau, even after giving away free programming month after month.

The WWE is a public company and even if they want to live in a kayfabe world of record profits, it’s not what is really happening. The brand split increased the ratings for Smackdown Live, but Smackdown house show attendance is almost at record lows. The roster is so thin right now that it is really hard to keep booking interesting matches.

Here are ten ways the WWE could improve their product right now.

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WWE: Paige Fails Another Drug Test – What’s Going On?

WWE superstar Paige has been making the news for all the wrong reasons.

She has been in the news since she failed a drug test in late-August the same day her boyfriend Alberto Del Rio also failed his test. It was reported that they failed for different reasons. Del Rio announced later that he was taking testosterone to help with his physique.

Her boyfriend worked out a mutual release with WWE, since an ‘out clause’ was coming up soon anyways. Paige has a couple years left on her contract, so there’s no way WWE would let her out of her contract, especially since she’s a high profile talent on their programming and E!’s “Total Divas.”

Well, Paige was apparently awaiting neck surgery when she failed her second drug test, which results in an unpaid 60-day suspension.

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Impact Wrestling Must Be ‘Broken’ Before It Is Fixed

Impact Wrestling has been the center of many rumors the last week. Most surrounded the impending sale of the promotion. As of this post, majority owner Dixie Carter is still in control.

The ‘Bound For Glory’ pay-per-view went off as planned and it was a pretty solid show overall. Carter must have received funding from one of the groups wanting to buy Impact Wrestling (or TNA Wrestling) from her.

Billy Corgan (yes, the Smashing Pumpkins lead singer) is currently trying to purchase the promotion. He’s currently the President of Impact Ventures, the company that owns Impact/TNA. He acquired that title after letting Impact Ventures borrow money for a few television tapings.

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San Diego Comic-Con’s WWE Mattel Exclusive: Shockmaster

The San Diego Comic-Con is the largest comic book and entertainment convention in the world. Movie studios, comic book titans and the top toy companies in the world unveil a lot of exclusives only available at the SDCC.

A few months ago, SDCC released a small flier showing the toy companies and brands that will have exclusives at this year’s convention. It listed the usual suspects like Funko, Marvel, DC, Ghostbusters and many others. I was shocked to find WWE on the flier since they haven’t had a SDCC exclusive since Rey Mysterio’s Funko or Mattel’s Ministry of Darkness Undertaker elite a few years ago.

Well, Mattel and Matty Collector spilled the beans a few weeks ago and announced that their exclusive is a Shockmaster elite!

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Chyna Passes Away, Legacy Lives On

I really hate adding wrestler names to my Dead Wrestler List post that I have updated the last few years. We have lost many in 2016 and we are only a few months into the year.

Chyna, whose real name was Joanie Laurer, was found unconscious last night and was pronounced dead. A friend couldn’t contact her and the police found her in her bed at her home in California.

She’s had her fair share of issues with both performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. It was documented in the reality television series ‘Celebrity Rehab’ a few years ago.

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Roman Reigns Needs to Evolve

WWE is in the midst of a youth movement. Their farm system NXT has been seen as a huge success. Young wrestlers (WWE likes to use the term ‘superstars’) are now more prepared than ever to take the next step and be on the main roster.

Roman Reigns is a product of NXT and is a member of the famed Anoa’i family, which includes The Rock, Rikishi, Yokozuna and over a dozen other former and current wrestlers. WWE had every reason to strap a rocket to him and push him to the top.

They added him to a stable called ‘The Shield’ with two other wrestlers that had a lot of experience in the indies, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. The group has long since been dismantled, yet Reigns still stuck in the same character.

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