411Mania's Squared Circle News Report 05.23.09

Posted by Dustin James on 05.23.2009

This week in the Squared Circle, I discuss the legend that was Owen Hart, the feud between the WWE and the Denver Nuggets, the top 10 professional wrestlers who jumped to MMA, and much much more.....

Welcome back inside the Squared Circle! How is everyone doing this week? Sorry I missed last week, but accidents seem to happen whenever I decide to do manly work! Oh well, Wilcox did a fantastic job filling in....so kudos to him! However, I'm now healthy as a horse and ready to bang this out quickly. Why? Because UFC Undisputed 2009 was finally released this week and let's just say that it has consumed up A LOT of my spare time. Seriously, this game is damn good. There are a few minor tweaks the game can use, but other than that it's well worth the purchase.

Now, I just need to get back on Xbox Live so I can virtually smash Jeff Small's head in. It's going to happen sooner rather than later!

Also on the MMA front is UFC 98 "Evans vs. Machida" tonight on PPV. It's a great card on paper and it's been far too long since the last UFC show and I'm craving me some UFC! Now you can see what I mean when I say that I need to bang this out quickly?

Soooooo......


LET'S GET IT ON!!!!!

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Biggest News Of The Week:




Remembering Owen Hart


Has it really been 10 years since the unfortunate death of Owen Hart?


Ten years ago today, professional wrestling went through what could be considered the biggest "nightmare" that could happen at a live wrestling event. One of the performers at the WWE's PPV entitled "Over The Edge" suffered a horrible accident and fell from the rafters of the Kemper Arena after an equipment malfunction. That man was none other than the "King of Harts" Owen Hart. Can you really believe it's been 10 years since this unfortunate accident? Do you remember where you were at the time of the accident? I sure do.....

Back in 1999 I was a MASSIVE WWE fan. I'm talking I would watch every show, every PPV, attend every house show within a driving distance of my house, and even buy anything WWE-related that I came across. Times have changed since then especially when you consider that my "wrestling time" now consists of me watching RAW on my DVR and fast forwarding through the majority of the show or watching WWE 24/7 (THE BESTEST!). But in 1999....I was a die hard. Which makes it extremely weird that I wasn't watching "Over The Edge" on PPV. Perhaps the card didn't sell me enough? I honestly have no clue....

While the PPV was going down, I was keeping track of it online (I use to write for multiple "wrestling opinion boards") but then something happened. Everything stopped! I didn't know exactly what was going down so I turned my Internet coverage off and went on with my night. That's when my phone rang....

It was my buddy who was watching the PPV at his house and he informed me that Owen Hart was involved in some sort of accident during his match with The Godfather and that he was taken off the show. Of course, my first thought was.....WORK! I believe that was everyone's first thought...minus the people who were in the building attending live. Then about an hour or two later the news came across the wire on the Internet that Owen Hart had indeed died from the accident. That's when I got REALLY hot! I thought...."Wow, Vince is REALLY going overboard by faking the death of the Blue Blazer".

Man, do I wish that's what really happened.....

Unfortunately, it was real and the world had indeed lost "The King of Harts". I didn't know what to think considering I was absolutely taken back at this news. Owen Hart was one of my all-time favorite wrestlers and now the man was deceased after an accident that really could have been avoided. I didn't know whether to be sad that Owen was gone now or be mad at the WWE for making him perform such a ridiculous stunt.

After much thinking I came to the conclusion that I really couldn't blame anyone. It was just one of those freak accidents that happens. Owen Hart was gone and I was looking for someone to blame but sometimes....you can't blame anyone, it could just be faith.

I still miss Owen Hart to this day. His feud with his brother Bret remains one of my all-time favorite wrestling feuds ever. Hell, when Owen won the "King of the Ring" just a year after his brother did....Owen one-upped Bret by naming himself "The King of Harts"! That's how awesome Owen truly was! There's a reason you never hear a bad thing about Owen...because the man was a great man who loved professional wrestling.

It's been 10 years since you left us Owen, but this is one WWE fan who will never forget the memories you brought us!

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WWE vs. Denver Nuggets!


Cena vs. Carmelo Anthony at WrestleMania 26?


First off, before I start this I must inform you that I'm a HUGE fan of both the NBA and the WWE. I may even be a bigger NBA fan than WWE fan (GO BLAZERS!). However, the WWE is completely right in this situation. The WWE had the arena booked far in advance and if the Nuggets owner wasn't confident that his team was going to play in the Western Conference Championship....then the Nuggets should have been the ones forced to move the game. The WWE has now moved next week's RAW to the Staples Center (home of the Los Angeles Lakers, the opponents of the Nuggets in the playoffs) and have promised tons of goodies! This RAW is getting so much hype....I might actually watch it live!

One thing the WWE has promised is that Vince McMahon will face Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke in a match. Of course it won't be the actual Stan Kroenke but instead will probably be a midget or something else "funny". The WWE is trying to milk this story for all they can and it's for a good reason. For once the WWE actually looks like the "victims" in the media and you can bet that McMahon and company are going to milk this sucker dry.

I was actually pretty lucky the other night. Out of habit I tend to turn the TV on "ESPNews" while I'm browsing the Intraweb. Well, lo and behold all of a sudden Vince McMahon's odd shapen head appears on my screen and he's being interviewed by.....THE COACH! Talk about a flashback. It was quite odd seeing Coach interview Vince McMahon on ESPN. Then again, it's still odd whenever I see Coach on ESPN. All I think about is how The Rock use to torture this poor guy. Oh, you need evidence.....









So ya, in the end....I believe wrestling fans can chalk this up as a victory seeing as the WWE wasn't portrayed as the "bad guy" for once. Of course, if you ask Denver Nuggets fans then the WWE is the "bad guy" and the NBA is more important so the WWE should just move their show and shut the hell up. Then again, who cares what Nuggets fans say? What have they ever won? The only reason they are even in the NBA playoffs right now is because of the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons decided to draft Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony years ago which turned out to be one of the worst draft moves ever! Then the Pistons traded Chauncy Billups to the Nuggets for a washed up Allen Iverson. So ya, Nuggets fans....make sure you send a "thank you" card to Detroit.

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Remember This Guy???




Black Blood


As most of you know by now, I was a huge Portland Wrestling fan growing up and that lead me to cheer for all the PW wrestlers when they finally made it to the big-time. It didn't matter if it was "Playboy" Buddy Rose, Steve Doll, Scotty The Body, or even Billy Jack Haynes. I wanted to see anyone who wrestled locally "make it" on the national scene. So needless to say I was pretty upset when Billy Jack Haynes original WWE gimmick didn't work out....you know the one I'm talking about:








Ya....that one wasn't pretty. I believe he even had "Oregon" in the University of Oregon colors written across his tights. Did the WWE REALLY expect that to go over? Well, it didn't and Haynes left the company after a fallout with Vince. Some people say that Haynes refused to do the J-O-B in Portland and was released from the company. However Haynes insists that he quit the company after they asked him to do the J-O-B in his hometown.

Either way, it doesn't really matter. Because after that tumultuous run in the WWE, Haynes went back to the independents before finally signing a contract with the WWE's main competition....WCW! WCW didn't fair any better with Haynes though. For some reason they thought it would be a great idea to throw a mask on Haynes and make him a "French" executioner named "Black Blood" (the WWE used the same gimmick with Terry Gordy years later...minus the French connection). Needless to say, the gimmick didn't last long. Haynes left the company after a severe knee injury and returned to Portland to never be seen from again!


Want to see "Black Blood" in action? Here he is squaring off against fellow Portland Wrestling veteran Matt Borne/Doink The Clown/Big Josh:

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Random News Bits:


- The WWE recently sent out emails to some members of the "WWE Universe". In the emails, the fans were asked to respond to questions to help name a future WWE event, which would feature submission matches for all main event matches on the show. Here were the listed potential names for the event:

* WWE Total Submission
* WWE Submission Sunday
* WWE Breaking Point
* WWE Submit & Quit

Why? Are WWE fans just CLAMORING to see more submissions? Than perhaps they should think about getting into MMA more.

- Shawn Michaels may be taking more time off than usual. The current plan was for him to return at SummerSlam but it seems him and his family are enjoying his vacation. HBK's new return date could be around early 2010 when he returns for a WrestleMania angle. This is great news for HBK and his family but bad news for wrestling fans everywhere. Michaels may be a little over the hill but the man can still bring it.

- During a recent meeting amongst the WWE creative team, someone brought up the idea of a possible John Cena heel turn. Needless to say, Vince McMahon was VERY against this idea and actually tore it apart. While I would be a fan of a Cena heel turn (especially if he brought back his raps which were CLASSICS!), it would be a stupid move from a business stand point due to the fact that Cena moves more merchandise than anyone else. Who said heels can't sell merchandise (nWo anyone?)?

- The WWE is still looking to purchase the Mid South tape collection from Bill Watt's ex-wife. However the sides are currently far apart on a price. This would be a huge coup for the WWE and would just add to the greatest collection of wrestling footage anywhere! Next up.....TNA!

- TNA has announced that if you bring in your unused WWE ticket from any canceled Colorado show then they will give you $10 off for the upcoming house shows in Pueblo, CO and Cheyenne, Wyoming. TNA's Dixie Carter even had the following to say regarding the situation:

"Some of the biggest pro wrestling fans in the nation are in Colorado. It was sad to see the WWE pull out of all their scheduled shows in Colorado recently because of the scheduling conflict with the NBA playoffs. I want everyone in Colorado to know that TNA Wrestling is coming and we hope to see you at our first shows ever in your state. For WWE fans that paid for any of these canceled events, we are offering you $10 off the purchase of tickets to come see us and enjoy the best fan experience in pro wrestling."

- Jeremy Borash announced via his TWITTER account that TNA has released Shane Sewell. I can't wait for people in real life jobs to start getting fired via Twitter.

- Former WCW and WWE champion "Sycho" Sid Vicious recently appeared on the "Hit The Ropes" radio show. In the interview he discusses John Cena, WWE, TNA, his upcoming movie role and the fact that porn star Ron Jeremy is going to be playing him in a movie (HUH???). You can listen to that interview here!


(Credit goes to The Wrestling Observer for the above news!)

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Wrestling Top 10 Lists:









Top 10 Wrestlers Turned MMA Fighters

(This is my personal list of the best pro wrestlers turned MMA fighters or MMA fighters turned pro wrestlers...whichever you prefer! It seems to be the new trend now a days with wrestlers. When things don't work out with the WWE some guys seem to flock towards MMA. Guys like Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley are getting HUGE hype right now, but they are nowhere near the first ones to make the jump. Here's a list of the guys I feel are the 10 best wrestlers/MMA fighters. I believe I'm pretty qualified to speak on the subject of MMA.....)


This list IS IN a particular order......



Honorable Mentions:

Craig "The Pitbull" Pittman - Yes, it's true! The evil drill sergeant from WCW was actually an MMA fighter as well. He hasn't fought since 1995 but he has compiled up a sweet 1-1 record.

Paulo "Giant" Silva - Remember "Giant" Silva from "The Oddities"? Unfortunately I do as well. It just so happens that "Giant" Silva's oozing charisma couldn't cut it in the WWE as he soon went into MMA and has compiled up a gnarly 2-6 record since. Ouch!

Sylvester Terkay - Remember this guy? He might not have had the best run in the WWE...but the guy is currently 3-1 in MMA. Now if he would only compete again.....



AND NOW.....THE TOP 10!!!



10) Ron "H20" Waterman

Ron Waterman was an MMA fighter who ended up getting a WWE developmental deal that went....well nowhere. It's a good thing he's a pretty good MMA fighter. Since 1999 he is 16-6-2 and went 2-1 last year!

9) Dos Caras Jr.

Dos Caras Jr. is a badass wrestler down in Mexico and he's just as bad in an MMA ring. He's currently on a 4-fight win streak with his last win coming just last year. The dude is a machine.

8) Sean O'Haire

Sean O'Haire gets boosted up a little due to the fact that I was such a huge fan of his WCW and WWE run. It's really too bad that his WWE gimmick didn't work out. That was one gimmick that I was sure was going to "make it" and was absolutely shocked to see that it didn't catch on. Oh well, since leaving the WWE, O'Haire has gone 3-2 in his MMA career but hasn't fought since 2007. Maybe one day we will see this man back on television.

7) Kazuyuki Fujita

Fujita is a PRIDE legend who believe it or not....was a professional wrestler at one time. With an MMA record of 15-7 and a HARD ASS head, Fujita is a must for this list.

6) Kazushi Sakuraba

For those of you unfamiliar with MMA, Sakuraba is a LEGEND in the sport. The only reason he isn't ranked higher is because his wrestling stint was pretty short.

5) Bob Sapp

Sapp is a monster...plain and simple. You've all seen the guy in The Longest Yard and if you are an MMA fan then you OF COURSE know about Sapp. What a lot of people don't know is that Sapp use to be under a developmental deal with WCW but wasn't picked up when WCW was bought out by the WWE. It's all good though seeing as Sapp has managed to muster up a 10-3-1 record and will be fighting former WWE champion Bobby Lashley in a few weeks. I still think Vince could've made a TON of money off of Sapp....but what do I know?

4) Brock Lesnar

By the time his MMA career comes to an end, Lesnar may have very well cemented a legacy that surpasses that of the three guys ranked ahead of him on this list. He's only 3-1 in MMA but he has managed to capture the UFC heavyweight title as well as defeat one of the all-time greatest MMA legends in "The Natural" Randy Couture. Brock is well on his way to becoming the greatest MMA heavyweight of all-time....not named Fedor Emelianenko.

3) Don Frye

Don Frye is an MMA legend who went on to have a pretty good wrestling career in Japan. Plus Frye is a badass. For those of you who have never seen this clip......I present you with a gift:





2) Ken Shamrock

When Shamrock made the jump from the UFC to the WWE (something that would NEVER happen today) it was met with a lot of skepticism. Could a UFC fighter really become one of the top dogs in the WWE? The answer was....yes! As much as I loathe Shamrock now a days, I was a massive fan of his run in the WWE back then. He was a pretty good in-ring worker and his gimmick where he would SNAP in an instant was classic. I honestly do wish Shamrock would've stuck around longer....but he had more fighting left in him.

1) Dan Severn

Severn takes the top spot here due to the success he had both in the wrestling ring and in an MMA ring. In 1995, Severn defeated Chris Candido for the NWA heavyweight title and also captured the UFC heavyweight title. He became the first man to hold an MMA title and pro wrestling title.....which is probably why he takes the top spot here. Severn also held onto the NWA title for over four years and has been in over 100 MMA fights! I dare someone to tell me he doesn't deserve this top spot!

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YouTube! Find Of The Week!


This is seriously one of the best heel turns EVER! Man I miss these days.....

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And that's it for me this week. Remember, don't be a stranger to 411! Bookmark the site and visit it countless times a day. Hell, be brave and make it your homepage! Trust me, it will make you a better person......

See you next Saturday back in the Squared Circle! Until then, you can find me on MySpace or Facebook! I also recently broke down and got a Twitter as well!