Ring Of Honor impresses in its San Antonio debut but raises concern

I went on record after Ring Of Honor's debut Saturday in San Antonio and said the show was the best wrestling event i've ever attended. It was even better than Wrestlemania 25, the same event that produced the epic Undertaker-Shawn Michaels classic, which may go down as the greatest match in WWE history.

ROH didn't disappoint the fans in its debut, churning out top notch wrestling matches from beginning to end, bell to bell. From the tag team match featuring four Texas talents with Rudy Russo and AJ Summers versus Carson and Ricky Starks to the main event of Jay Briscoe successfully retaining his ROH World Title in a great match against Davey Richards, every wrestler brought their A-game.

It's just a shame that fans didn't give the wrestlers enough due, and instead, trolled them with  "Test Of Strength" and other random chats. I get that the experience of a pro wrestling show is all about having fun, but it is also about appreciating the performers who bust their tails to put on excellent matches for your enjoyment.

When fans start putting themselves over at the expense of Richards, Eddie Edwards, Jay Lethal etc, it disrespects their hardwork in the ring.

But, I can look on the other side of the coin and see that the reason fans chant don't wrestlers' names is maybe because of lack of character development. Character development hasn't been ROH's forte over the past couple of years.

Who is Richards as a wrestler? Edwards? Lethal? ACH, eventhough I recommend Triple H to YouTube him and sign him to a contract after watching his best stuff, who is he as a personality?

It is difficult for ROH to develop its characters when it has one hour of television to work with, but it has been on syndicated television under the Sinclair umbrella for almost two years. Their booking has gotten better since Jim Cornette was relieved of his booking duties, but it still struggles to establish personalities who fans can get behind.

The company has to address this issue and let the talents' personalities branch out so fans can get behind them. Or else, the wrestlers will be busting their behinds only for the fans to make a mockery of their talents by trying to get themselves over.

Triple H concussion story should have gone to another WWE Superstar

WWE produced a cliffhanger angle at the end of Monday Night Raw this week where Triple H could not continue his match with new Paul Heyman protégé Curtis Axel aka Michael McGuillicutty, son of Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig.

Triple H sat in between the timekeeper’s table and the announcer’s desk selling the war he went through with Brock Lesnar inside a steel cage at Extreme Rules.

The concussion angle was designed to give Triple H an out without having to job to Axel on his first night after being repackaged. Wrestling fans have debated online on whether “The Cerebral Assasin” should have put over Axel by having him take advantage of the injuries. Laying a major beatdown on a future hall of famer would have given Axel instant credibility with fans.

Well there are certainly a segment of fans that still enjoy seeing Triple H perform in the squared circle, I believe he did not need a major angle like this to write him off television for the time being. The match with Lesnar would have sufficed.

I believe the concussion angle should have been reserved for a superstar who’s needed to show vulnerability since his rise atop the WWE mountain. John Cena would have benefited from a concussion angle because he would have shown the vulnerability that fans have been clamoring for years, if not months.

Fans have been tired of “Super Cena” and the way he runs roughshod over opponents like they do not pose a challenge. Cena getting a concussion due to the Last Man Standing match with Ryback at Extreme Rules would have made Ryback a dominant monster who took out WWE’s No. 1 hero and WWE Champion.

The injury would give Cena an out to let him recuperate from nagging injuries while Ryback builds himself up as a heel WWE Champion taking on superstars like Randy Orton, Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio. Maybe WWE would build up new faces while the leader of the Cenation takes a well-deserved break.

Triple H has nothing to gain with the concussion story, unlike Cena who could use that injury to elevate Ryback or another heel superstar.

But when you are an aging superstar in his last years as a wrestler and preparing to run the family business, any way to stay relevant helps your career.

Where did heel heat go?

Where in the heck did heel heat go? Why aren't arenas scorching with anger when a (bad guy) antagonizes the fans?

In 2013, "Heat" has cooled down because the world has gone soft and hot button issues that are touched upon are considered too controversial to discuss.

I'm not condoning Bully Ray's actions after last Thursday's "Impact Wrestling" television in Chicago, Ill. The TNA World Heavyweight Champion repeatedly unleashed gay slurs at a fan in front of his family, calling him f*ggot.

In a world that empowers bigotry and discrimination, it was ill advised judgement on Ray's part to attack the fan in that fashion.

But in the confines of a wrestling ring where good vs. evil is prevalent, we have to separate Bully Ray, the performer, from Mark LoMonaco, the man.

Did the hateful slurs come from the mouth of Bully Ray, who positioned himself as the top heel in the company after defeating Jeff Hardy for the TNA World Title at Lockdown and aligning with Aces and Eights, or LoMonaco?

With wrestling being devoid of true heat seekers outside of CM Punk, Ray is trying to do his job as the top heel and top wrestler in the company by goading fans to loathe him with torrid passion that they would watch TNA every week to see who could dethrone him.

Fans have to realize that comments made to get you emotionally involved with professional wrestling's characters are just that: comments. They are words to make you cheer your favorite wrestlers until your lungs blow out and boo the very wrestlers you detest.

I know we live in a sensitive world, but fans should not judge wrestlers by the words they say to entertain you on a weekly basis.

Did Bully Ray go over the line? Yes but that's what bad guys do. They go step out of boundaries to draw people to buy tickets or to watch the next wrestling show.

That's heat and fans should bask in the emotion of professinal wrestling instead of alienating it.

The Whole F'n Schmo ep. 6- Aces and Eights takeover

River City Wrestling Heavyweight Champion Michael Faith is a bully and a proud hater of the hispanic people. But "The Largeador" has to be given credit for running roughshod over the RCW roster for over a year. Arguably the most dominant wrestler in the promotion's history talked with me, while alongside his lady friend Kyra Myra, after his latest RCW Title defense against Sicodelico Jr. March 9. Whole F'n Schmo was also graced by the presence of Aces and Eights who hijacked the show to talk about their Lethal Lockdown match against Team TNA at TNA Lockdown March 10.

The Whole F'n Schmo ep. 5 TNA Lockdown Fan Interaction Special

TNA Lockdown Fan Interaction was an awesome weekend. I had the opportunity to interview TNA superstars and personalities. The weekend included promising to buy beer and chicken, getting turned down for a date by a TNA Knockout and getting escorted out of the Crowne Plaza Riverwalk. Enjoy my experience during TNA Lockdown Fan Interaction.

TNA star looks to bring Jersey flavor to San Antonio

TNA Star Robbie E

Total Nonstop Action wrestling star Robbie E has no qualms talking about himself. The
Robbie E you see on Spike TV every Thursday hamming out vocabulary such as "bro"
and "hamster" is who he really is in real life. Affliction style T-shirts and a Pauly D-like
hairstyle are what you see if you run into him on the streets.

"I'm from Jersey. I go to the beach, club, and tan. The gym is my life. The clothes you
see me wear are the clothes you will see me wear when I go out to dinner and when go to
the airport."

E's brazen ego allows him to claim he is the "greatest wrestler there is" when the
promotion casts luminary superstars such as, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff
Hardy, "The Icon" Sting, Kurt Angle and Hulk Hogan. Having won the TNA X-Division and Television Championships in his 2 1-2 year stint in
the company, the arrogant wrestler from Seaside Heights, N.J. is not finished trying to
back up his ego.

He wants to be TNA's third Grand Slam champion, joining AJ Styles
and Samoa Joe on that exclusive list.

"I'm only 29 years old so the sky is the limit. The TNA World Heavyweight
Championship and Tag Team titles are in my future. I have only just begun."

Winning the Grand Slam would further elevate the company in his own eyes.

"I mean look at me. Who wouldn't want me as the face of their company?" E said.

E has the opportunity to continue cementing his name when he and the TNA stars invade
San Antonio March 10 for the TNA Lockdown pay-per-view at the Alamodome.

The annual event will host three steel cage matches main evented by TNA World Champion
Hardy defending his title against Bully Ray. The other steel cage matches include Team
TNA, captained by Sting, versus Team Aces & Eights, led by TNA Television Champion
Devon and Kurt Angle versus Wes Brisco of A & E.

"There's going to be crazy hardcore stuff going on this year. Who knows what Kurt
Angle is going to do this year? Impact Wrestling is an experience like no other. Every
match will be action packed and you get to see the hot Knockouts, and most importantly,
you get to see Robbie E," he said.

E looks forward to the Hardy-Ray matchup the most. Hardy and Ray are no strangers to
each other, having competed in classic tag team matches as part of the Hardy Boyz versus
Dudley Boyz rivalry in World Wrestling Entertainment.

"I feel Bully Ray has something up his sleeve. They have history unlike no other so to see
them lock horns inside a steel cage is huge," E said.

Fans also have the opportunity to meet the stars at its TNA Fan Interaction event at the
Crown Plaza Hotel Downtown March 9.

Before E was wrestling in front of thousands of fans for TNA, he was plying his trade in
independent promotions around the Northeast after being trained by Extreme
Championship Wrestling star and current TNA agent Simon Diamond.  The independents
are shows where wrestlers prepare for the national spotlight by peforming in front of
small crowds in small arenas.

He received a tryout match with TNA Wrestling in July 2010 after wrestling for 10 years.
The company offered him a deal shortly after the tryout.

"(Being in a national promotion) is what every wrestler wants. The travel, having
wrestling be your only job, and getting fame when you are on television and getting
recognized when you are out in public was awesome the first day it happened and it is
just as awesome now," E said.

The brash wrestler was always confident he would earn a spot in a national promotion.

"I was never going to stop trying (to make it to a higher level). Some wrestlers give up
after a few years, but I said I would keep going until something happens," E said.

His hard work was not only rewarded with a TNA contract and titles but also the
opportunity to work with reality television stars. E has faced off with Jersey Shore's Angelina and JWoww on the TNA Impact Wrestling show. He even stepped into the ring against Ronnie from the hit MTV show.

"He was a hampster bro. He was half my size. He was a midget," E claimed.

E might have to put another "hampster" in his place at Lockdown.

He and his bouncer Big Robbie T aka Rob Terry have had miscommunication issues
stemming from Terry attempting to outshine him in a recent dance competition called
The Bro Off.

Their issues could culminate in a match March 10 at the Alamodome.

"He has been trying to out bro me and he don't know me because I am the No. 1 bro. He
has to realize that. I have had to put him in his place by smacking him around a little bit.
He knows the deal. I pay him to be my bouncer. The spotlight is on Robbie E not Robbie
T," E said.

You can purchase tickets for TNA Lockdown through http://www.ticketmaster.com or at
the Alamodome box office. You can catch Impact Wrestling on Spike TV every
Thursday at 8 ET/7 CT.

Follow me @WholeFnSchmo

The Whole F'n Schmo ep. 4- Interview with ECW icon Tommy Dreamer

Extreme Championship Wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer has been slammed through tables, even flaming tables. He's been sliced open with a cheese grater, singapored caned where the sun don't shine and has received countless injuries throughout his career.

Known as the "Innovator of Violence," Dreamer can dish pain as good as he can receive it. Feb. 9 at the National Wrestling Alliance-Branded Outlaw Wrestling's Extreme Anniversary at Woodlawn Gym was just another day at the office for Dreamer.

The ECW icon went to war with NWA-BOW Heavyweight Champion Jax Dane. Chairs, singapore canes, and trash cans were aplenty during their epic battle.

As good as Dreamer brought the fight, Dane brought it better. On that night, "The Vanilla Godzilla" spinebustered Dreamer through a trash can to retain his title.

In defeat, the fans still chanted Dreamer's name and let him know how much his efforts were appreciated. After his epic war, Dreamer was gracious to give me an interview, even though he was feeling the aftereffects of his encounter with Dane.

The Innovator of Violence talks about his beginnings in ECW, turning down a contract from WCW, his appearances in both WWE and TNA these past few months, and what he has been up to lately. The dude even had the audacity to take over my show.

Following the success of Dreamer's appearance, NWA-BOW keeps rolling with a new show March 16 at Woodlawn Gym. The NWA World Heavyweight Champion Tokyo Monster Mahagas defends the world title at BOW for the first time. Also see Dane, The NWA World Tag Team Champions Kingz of the Underground, NWA/BOW Cruiserweight Champion Rudy Russo, and many more. Follow Branded Outlaw Wresting on Facebook and go to www.BRANDEDOUTLAWWRESTLING.com for details.

Follow me @TheWholeFnSchmo. Follow Dreamer @TheTommyDreamer