Opinion

Greg DeMarco’s 3 Stars Of The WWE Network: 205 Live & NXT July 3-4, 2018

Published

5 years ago

July 6, 2018

The WWE Network features some of the best content of the wrestling week on a consistent basis. Thus, those Network shows deserve the same 3 Stars of The Night treatment as Monday Night Raw and Smackdown Live.

Here they are, my 3 Stars of The WWE Network for July 3-4, 2018: 205 Live and NXT!

The Third Star:
The Mighty (Shane Thorne & Nick Miller)

I’m not gonna lie here–I’m 100% biased when it comes to The Mighty.

As TMDK, they captured the hearts and imaginations of fans all over the world. I was lucky enough to work with Nick Miller myself, as we booked the then Mikey Nicholls, where he first worked as a heel and showed early promise of a career that’s taken him to NXT.

Their match was a handicap match (thanks to child birth), but this was all about character development for The Mighty. If they keep this up, NXT gold could end up around their waists.

The Second Star:
EC3

Coming out of a NXT Takeover Chicago that saw one man lose and the other do nothing more than sitting in the crowd, EC3 and Johnny Gargano went to war in the main event of NXT this week.

The story of the match was Gargano’s continued departure from Johnny Wrestling as he marches towards Johnny Aggression (and, of course, eventually Johnny Hero), the real star of the match was the former Ethan Carter III.

I’m still concerned that EC3, much like Drew McIntyre before him, is out of place in NXT, but time will have to tell me if I am right. For now, EC3 continues to outperform the opposition in nearly every way possible, en route to whatever his WWE future may hold.

Others given consideration:
Johnny Gargano, Santana Garrett, Bianca Bel Air, Noam Dar, and Drake Maverick.

And now…a distinction usually reserved for the top performer of the night…the first star!

The First Star:
Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy (tie)

Since WrestleMania 34, 205 Live has been carried by Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy. They’ve appeared more than anyone, putting on a show with every opponent possible..including each other.

Tuesday’s match-up was seemingly their last for a while, as Mustafa Ali overcame the onslaught of Buddy Murphy, a match that it seemed like the Australian was certain to win.

And that’s the reason for the tie. The match was booked to tell us the story that Buddy Murphy was about to pick up the decisive victory and end his issue with Ali. Had he won, he’d occupy this spot all to his own.

But he didn’t win! Mustafa Ali pulls out the win with a Tornado DDT off of the ring steps (which were in the ring), winning the feud and most importantly (in my mind) driving this tie at the top this week.

Who are your three stars of the Network? Comment on social media @ChairshotGreg, @theCHAIRSHOTcom, and use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

In hockey, a game’s “Three Stars Of The Night” represent the top three performers of the night. For more clarification, I defer to this Pittsburgh Gazette explanation:

“The tradition dates to the 1936-37 season, when Imperial Oil became the principal sponsor of Hockey Night in Canada radio broadcasts and was seeking a way to promote one of its products, Three Star gasoline. The idea of doing so by selecting the top three performers in a particular game purportedly came from a Canadian advertising agency.

Many clubs do recognize the player with the most three-star selections with an award or trophy, usually in conjunction with a corporate sponsorship, at the end of the season (or sometimes, each month). All six Canadian franchises, for example, have an affiliation with a well-known brewery.

The NHL keeps track of its own Three Stars Of The Night selections, but that is done on a league-wide basis. The league employs a system that awards 30 points to a first star, 20 to a second star and 10 to a third – a running total can be found on the league’s website – but it does not present an award based on them.”

In hockey tradition, the first star represents the best of the three, but all three are considered to be receiving a high honor.

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

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Opinion

King’s WrestleMania Rewind: Stone Cold VS. Scott Hall (WrestleMania X8)

Chris King is back with another WrestleMania Rewind, looking at the NWO’s Scott Hall battling Stone Cold Steve Austin at WWE WrestleMania X8 from Toronto!

Published

2 weeks ago

March 14, 2023

Chris King

Chris King is back with another WrestleMania Rewind, looking at the NWO’s Scott Hall battling Stone Cold Steve Austin at WWE WrestleMania X8 from Toronto!

Chris King is back this week with another edition of WrestleMania Rewind, where he is rewatching all the past Mania matches and feuds. This week you’re in for a treat as we look back at ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin vs. Scott Hall at WrestleMania X8.

In late 2001, Vince McMahon bought out his competition WCW and acquired the rights to a plethora of talent including Booker T, Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and the iconic trio known as NWO. Hulk Hogan; Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall were hell raisers, and what better way to make a name for yourself than take out the two top superstars in the WWE The Rock, and Stone Cold?

The NWO cost Austin his chance at becoming the Undisputed Champion at No Way Out during his match with Chris Jericho. Adding insult to injury, the NWO spray-painted ‘The Texas Rattlesnake’ with their brand logo just like they did in WCW. As you can imagine, Austin was pissed and out for revenge against the group and primarily Scott Hall.

Hall would challenge Stone Cold to a match at WrestleMania 18. Both superstars beat the living hell out of each other leading up to this highly-anticipated match for who runs the WWE.

The glass broke and Stone Cold made his iconic entrance, and black and white NWO covered Halls’ entrance alongside Kevin Nash. With the odds stacked against ‘The Toughest S.O.B’ could Austin or NWO prove their dominance? Sadly the NWO broke up that very night when Hulk Hogan came to the aid of his adversary The Rock after their ‘iconic’ dream match. Stone Cold would ensure the victory with the Stunner. Hall would perform an Oscar-worthy sell over the finisher.

What a time to be a wrestling fan in the 2000s when nothing was impossible for WWE. Who would’ve thought WCW would go out of business and Hogan would make his long-awaited return to WWE?

Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!

Opinion

King’s WrestleMania Rewind: Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens (WWE WrestleMania 36)

Chris King takes a look at the most underrated WWE WrestleMania matches, and starts off with Seth Rollins battling Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 36!

Published

3 weeks ago

March 8, 2023

Chris King

WWE WrestleMania 36 Kevin Owens Seth Rollins

Chris King takes a look at the most underrated WWE WrestleMania matches, and starts off with Seth Rollins battling Kevin Owens in the WWE Performance Center at WrestleMania 36!

Chris King is starting a new series heading into WrestleMania season dubbed WrestleMania Rewind. Each week he’ll be going back and sharing his insight over underrated matches at the Show of Shows. First up, is Kevin Owens vs. “The Monday Night Messiah” Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 36.

At the 2019 edition of Survivor Series, Rollins sacrificed himself during the men’s traditional match allowing SmackDown to ultimately gain the victory. The following night the self-proclaimed Messiah, berated the whole roster but KO was not having any part of it. Owens quickly became a huge barrier in Rollins’ cause for the greater good. The Authors of Pain attacked Owens with Rollins’ character in question.

Owens finally had enough of his rival’s mind games and torment and challenged Rollins to a match on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. Rollins mockingly accepted his challenge and the match was made official for night one of WrestleMania. Owens came out of the gate beating the holy hell out of the Monday Night Messiah trying to achieve his long-awaited moment at Mania but, Rollins tried to steal a disqualification victory by using the ring bell.

Owens hellbent on revenge provoked Rollins into turning their encounter into a no-disqualification contest where the fight could be taken all over the empty arena. The highlight of the match, was when KO used the WrestleMania sign to deliver a thunderous senton bomb through the announce table. Owens would secure the victory with a Stunner in an incredible match. Despite having no crowd during the pandemic era, both KO and Rollins put on an intense performance under the brightest lights.

In my personal opinion, this was a great feud that helped both superstars in their transformation as compelling characters for years to come.