Happy Birthday Kevin Steen: It's Been A Big Year

To say it has been an exciting and eventful thirtieth year for Kevin Steen. He started the year finishing-up a long run in Ring of Honor and being a part of their first ever-live PPV. He from there would go onto what amounted to a good will tour from independent company to independent company across the North America.  A notable stop in the journey was in PWG where he claimed he was off to help El Generico with the orphans in Mexico. Other claims were he was going to be a whale trainer at Marineland.

In reality none of these was the truth, everyone was in on the gag as rumors of Kevin taking his talents to Florida, and NXT to be a part of the WWE had been flying around before this exodus tour began. Kevin left everything he knew for a chance to cash in a dream in the WWE. He packed up his family and moved to Florida.

Many of his fans worried what the WWE could do to screw up Kevin and thus lose the performer they loved. To be honest not a lot has changed he is still Kevin to this day now with the last name Owens instead of Steen. This was in tribute to his son and the late Owen Hart. Once in the system Kevin really worked hard, embraced the training, and has transformed his body to some degree. He looks in the best shape he has in a long time. He would enter NXT to heroes welcome and despite getting his nose busted up would defeat C.J Parker and it was a familiar sight with a bloody faced now Kevin Owens with his hand raised. He would end that night coming out to congratulate Sami Zayn who he had wrestled with for almost his entire career. It was a genuine and real moment between the two.

We got the happy conclusion that I don’t think many expected but in an instant that would not be the case. He would attack Zayn and lay out the New Champion and demand a title match, which he would get two months after his debut.

Along the way, Kevin showed all his talent in and out of the ring. He was still very much the same guy we had all seen in ROH and elsewhere in his independent career. He would alter his move set and have to do away with several of his moves he used on the independents.  The Package Piledriver is not happening in a WWE ring. F-5even said in French belongs to a guy named Brock Lesnar. He would still have his corner cannonball and a pop-up power-bomb as his finish. He also was given a devastating Power Bomb to the ring apron that he used to take out Sami Zayn and has used it since on several NXT performers.

It would shock everyone when Owens would win the NXT Title in a match where he dominated in such a dominate fashion that it rivaled the beating that Brock Lesnar put on John Cena to win the WWE Championship at Summerslam. Fitting enough the many being marked with a simple K.O T-shirt won the title by TKO laying out his best friend with no remorse.

Owens motivation for what he is doing he has claim is a better life for his family. This is the part where the story of the wrestler and the real life of the wrestler have merged.  Kevin is clearly a heel but he speaks a real truth in what he is saying.

Aside from a minor knee injury, it has been all systems go for the Champ. His upcoming re-match with Sami Zayn is now up in the air with an injury to Zayn this past Monday. Kevin has been great at everything he was \before he got to WWE. The real shock it WWE is letting him do it all and so quickly. He has appeared on commentary many times and it led to a side feud with Alex Riley. He verbally killed Riley on show, on commentary and even on Twitter completely owned him.

It has been an eventful and great year for Kevin Steen. Having met him, he such a wonderful and nice person it makes the smile you have for his success a little bigger. Kevin Steen has deserved all of the success that has come his way.

So... with all this said we wish the NXT CHAMP a Happy Birthday and look forward to what he will do in the next year to top this one. Trust me when I say he will find a way to top it. It wouldn’t shock anyone to see him make his way to the main roster in this next year. When that moment happens, Kevin will rise to the challenge as he always does. Kevin Owens is not going anywhere anytime soon.  

Kevin Owens Has Conquered NXT Faster Than Anyone Could Have Imagined

Kevin Steen was one of the top talents on the independent scene for years. He was often thought of as a guy that would never make it to the WWE simply based on his size. Kevin is never going to be confused with a bodybuilder. He has since arriving in NXT done a lot of work in terms of his body and has dropped some pounds and his arms are not looking like the Hulkster but are looking more buff. It was how Kevin connects with a crowd and what he can do in the ring at his size that makes him standout. The fact Kevin even got to the WWE was amazing and perhaps the success of Bray Wyatt helped open the door for him. Wyatt is another guy that will never win a body building competition but it his great psychology and in-ring work that has elevated him in the WWE system.

I don’t think the biggest Kevin Steen/Kevin Owens fan could have written a script better than what WWE has done with him. It has been an amazing ride and Kevin Owens is remarkably the NXT Champion as he won the belt in just his third match on the WWE Network as part of the NXT product. He has been build as an ass kicker that fights with a single motivation to make life better for his family. This is the true motivation for Kevin Steen as an actual person. It has been said many times the best wrestling characters our people just being themselves and turning up the volume. This is what they have done with Kevin taking his real life story as a man with two young children and a wife and wanting to provide a great life for them.

It would just be a natural assumption that Paul Lévesque aka Triple H has been or become a fan of what Kevin has to offer. The success of Sami Zayn likely is a contributing factor to how well things have gone for Kevin. Zayn has been a standout for the NXT brand from the start since he arrived on the scene in the last couple of years. He has been the MVP of that brand and likely more talented than many of the recent call-ups from NXT. The story of Zayn and Owens real friendship was used to build the feud that elevated Kevin to instant success in NXT and the brand’s champion. Triple H prior to the NXT event that crowned Owens as Champion said it would have been foolish to ignore the real life back-story between Zayn and Owens. It sure seems that Kevin has become fast friends with his boss Triple H and been given a tremendous push to start his career in WWE.

Kevin has been turned into an NXT version of Brock Lesnar in terms of his presentation. He is going out and mauling people not just winning matches but literally knocking people out. It fits with the merchandizing they have done Steen based on the initials of his character’s name KO aka Kevin Owens. 

It makes all the ringing of hands that fans of Steen had when he was going to WWE seemed silly now. Kevin has been treated like the big deal he was in Ring of Honor and the independents. I honestly don’t know how anyone could have any beef with what WWE has done with him to this point.

The fear will now shift to what happens when Kevin eventually makes his way to the main roster. There is a lot of worry for people like Sami Zayn, Charlotte and Adrian Neville who all seem on verge of heading to the main roster. We are still a ways off from worrying about Kevin jumping to that main roster and I would just suggest enjoying the here and now with Kevin. There is nothing to complain about right now. In terms of Kevin, there is zero to complain about right now.

Having had the chance to interview many of Kevin’s friends and colleagues, they all had confidence that Kevin would be a success. In speaking with people since there is a lot of just genuine happiness for how well things have gone for Kevin.

If I have learned, anything about Kevin is how much not just his fans but also many of the people he has shared a ring with love and respects him. It has been a dream like start for Kevin Owens in WWE and the man Kevin Steen is very deserving of it. 

Fight Owens Fight…..is something very easy to root for. Even if he is playing the bad guy as he said on the most recent NXT he has not told a lie about anything since arriving in WWE. He is really at his core someone that you can’t help but root for him to succeed.  

Adam Cole Sidelined With A Shoulder Injury That Requires Surgery

It appears that Adam Cole was injured in his match with Jay Briscoe. He has a damaged shoulder and will need surgery. He announced this at the PWG event over the weekend that was ironically named after him with the title Black COLE Sun. Cole has taped a podcast with Jim Ross that may shed more light on the situation to air in January. Cole’s contract with Ring of Honor was about to expire in December based on what he had said months ago on the Sam Roberts show. What Cole’s status is right now is not as much of an issue as his health. Rumors had been flying around for months that he would be the next independent star to make the jump to NXT. Where his good friend Kevin Steen just debuted this past week with one of the best debut’s wrestling has seen in quite some time.

Cole thanked the fans at PWG and gave this encouraging tweet for all his fans.

I'll be back better than ever. I can promise you that. #AdamColeBayBay
— Adam Cole (@AdamColePro) December 13, 2014

We have had Adam here on Condo on the Moon on two different occasions and he is one of the nicest people I have come across. We wish Adam nothing but the best and hope to see him back in a ring somewhere sooner rather than later. No time line has been given for his recovery but ROH recently released their poster for their next Live Pay-Per-View and Adam was noticeably absent from it. Former WWE Star Alberto Del Rio was on it as he is set to join ROH for several dates leading up too and including the pay-per-view in March in Las Vegas.

Losing Adam to injury or the WWE was going to be a big blow for ROH as he headlined both their live pay-per-views in losing efforts for ROH Championship. It would appear he would not be keeping that streak alive in March.

We offer all the best, to one of the best wrestlers and people in the business today. His future is still very bright and this we hope will just be a minor set back in his career path.

Condo on The Moon Podcast #41: Guest Steve Corino

It is our thrill to have Ring of Honor broadcaster and long time veteran wrestler prior to that Steve Corino on the show this week. We talked with him just hours prior to the debut of on of his close friends Kevin Steen as he debuted last night as Kevin Owens. Will also pick Steve's brain about how broadcasting is done in ROH compared to WWE. The year it has been for ROH in 2014. Some thoughts on Final Battle, his broadcast partner Kevin Kelly and thoughts on many of the ROH roster. Form his obsession with Adam Cole to B.J Whitmer's obsession with him. We talk for a good 30 minutes plus. You'll here Steve's choice for ROH Match of the year and the answer might surprise you. In addition to our conversation with Steve Corino, We give of two cents on the NXT and ROH shows from this past week. C.M Punk to the UFC and the future of his wife in the WWE. As well as some thoughts on a TLC event on weekend for WWE that I consider might not be as interesting as a good nap. It a long one but a good one.



Thanks to Steve and the folks at Ring of Honor we wish them nothing but success in 2015.It has been a busy time in wrestling and it was really a thrill to watch Kevin Steen make his debut in WWE and NXT. It was a fun night and one I won't soon forget.

If you are unable to listen via the site from your device head over to Podomatic where you can listen there or via I-Tunes.

for all the latest on the blog and podcast give us a follow @Condoonthemoon

NXT On The Eve of Kevin Owens (Steen)

On the eve of Kevin Owens in the WWE is about as exciting for Kevin Steen fans as Christmas Eve. While the WWE has been taking a deserved butt whipping about a variety of topics of late Kevin Steen’s build up to his debut is not one of them. This has been perhaps one of the best build-ups to the arrival of a NXT wrestler in the short history of the promotion. Part of why that is comes from who Kevin Steen is as a person and a performer.

I heard all the rumors and this past May decided that I owed it to myself to go see Kevin Steen live in both Toronto at ROH’s Global Wars and at an independent show for Alpha-1 Wrestling. I figured this would be the last real chance I would have to go meet a guy that I had enjoyed for many years prior in ROH and PWG. Meeting people you admire is always a big risk you take. Often they don’t live up to the overblown expectations you have of them. Kevin was not one of those experiences. He is a very nice, humble and genuine person. I had a brief interaction with him at the Ring of Honor show. He was kind, generous with his time, and thankful of the fact I thought so much of him. In reality, it was like a two-minute exchange but it made me feel good about supporting this guy. On the next day in Hamilton, I got to have a more lengthy conversation in a smaller setting. He was just as kind with his time and interaction with me. I found myself watching him interact with everyone that day. He was just as gracious with everyone else so it wasn’t anything unique to me. The time he would take with children was the most touching. He himself has a son and recently welcomed a daughter into his family just prior to coming to WWE.

In fact, his son is named after the late Owen Hart and the reason behind his WWE name of Kevin Owens. Steen’s love of his family has always been at the core of his desire to succeed at what he loves being pro wrestling.

The promos he made leading up to his debut illustrate just how much this moment means to him. He summed it up perfectly in saying that 14 years of his wrestling career have been for this moment. He has detailed for people who are not familiar with him how he has been involved with various NXT and WWE stars over the years.



I have until this point described Kevin as this amazing family man that loves wrestling and his fans. Which he is but once he hits that ring he is a wild crazy man that does things for a man of his body type seem impossible. He is never going to win a bodybuilding contest even though he seems to be in great shape for him after being at the performance center since the end of the summer. He is a mad man that inspired his fans to chant Kill Steen Kill. He has a toned down version of Fight Steen Fight and I guess will now be Fight Kevin Fight or Kill Kevin Kill for the hardcore fans.

I thought it was classy of his former company ROH to recognize his departure in the opening to Final Battle this past Sunday. Steve Corino even giving a shout out as well to “Kevin in Orlando” watching the show which knowing Kevin he most definitely was. Kevin is now looking towards his first battle as a part of WWE. Many feel he will some how be involved with his former tag partner and rival Sami Zayn who teamed with Kevin as El Generico for years. They put on a match in ROH called Ladder War that will rival any WWE TLC match you care to compare it too. It makes a lot of sense to make this happen just prior to Zayn likely heading to the main roster.

Court Bauer a former WWE Writer and consultant for ROH currently in talking about Steen called him a mix between Canada’s Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mike Awesome. Steen has just a great ability to connect with people that is something that you just don’t learn at NXT or anywhere. You just have it or you don’t and he has it in large amounts.

Mike Bennett a current ROH wrestler in an interview we did with him said that if Kevin is not a huge success in the WWE it will not be his fault it will be the WWE’s. So far, the WWE and Kevin have worked together and not really changed much about him and created a great platform to introduce him to a much larger WWE Universe. 

If you have never seen Kevin Steen, you are in for a treat. If you have, it appears Kevin Owens will likely not be some great departure from the wrestler you have come to love and enjoy over the years. I firmly believe Kevin Steen will be a success and echo what Michael Bennett said that if he isn’t the WWE will have dropped the ball some how. I have faith though based on the success of Sami Zayn that Kevin will be able to thrive in the WWE system and given the opportunities to do so.

Christmas has come early for Kevin Steen fans on 12/11/14. We are on the Eve of Owens and I can’t wait.

Condo on the Moon Podcast 38: Jay Lethal ROH Television Champion

We continue down our Road to Final Battle for ROH with our guest Jay Lethal. Who at the time we talked did not yet have his opponent for Final Battle but now he does. Matt Sydal will be challenging Jay for his Ring of Honor Television Title which should be a great match. We do talk with Jay about his love of Randy Savage, his heel turn in ROH and his two different runs with company and a lot more.

In addition we chat about the state of race for number two in pro wrestling in North America now that TNA has found a destination for television. Why John Cena is the worst friend and babyface maybe in the history of wrestling and preview what is a very thin Survivor Series card. In addition get excited for the debut of former ROH star Kevin Steen in NXT as his first promo aired for his new persona Kevin Owens on WWE NXT. All that and lots more.


Thanks to Jay Lethal and ROH for having Jay stop by. We will have more ROH talent dropping in on our Road to Final Battle next week. Stay tuned to @Condoonthemoon for who will be next. In addition if you missed it last week go check out our chat with Kyle O'Reilly one half of ReDRagon the ROH Tag-Team Champs. For all the latest on Final Battle coming live on PPV December 7th head over to www.rohwrestling.com

If you want info on Jay Lethal's Wrestling School we talked about here is a link to the facebook page.

 In addition if you are unable to access the Podcast here please head over to Podomatic where you can listen there or via I-Tunes.

Kevin Steen (Owens) Vingette Debuting on NXT.

Rumors a few weeks ago that Kevin Steen was filming vignettes for his debut can now be confirmed as the first Kevin Steen/Owens Vignette hit the airwaves:


The date 12/11/14 happens to be the next NXT Live event. Also some foreshadowing that Kevin's debut came after a promo for Sami Zayn? Time will tell.
 

Kevin Steen NXT Debut News: Fight Kevin Fight Coming Soon To NXT

News on  Kevin Steen’s debut is being reported by PWInsider.com. Kevin is apparently recording some vignettes leading up to his NXT debut. News came out last week the Kevin will be going by the name Kevin Owens. This is a tribute to his son Owen who was named after the late Owen Hart who was Kevin’s favorite wrestler.

His debut seems to be pegged for the NXT special on December 11,2014 on the WWE Network. Many fans have speculated if Kevin will be some how involved in the title match with his longtime partner on the independents Sami Zayn (El Generico). Kevin when leaving PWG claimed to be going to help the orphans with El Generico in Mexico. Steen had an epic feud with him coming out tagging with him in ROH.

Many people have been waiting to see Kevin make his debut. Recently Hideo Itami (Kenta) has debuted and Finn Balor (Prince Devitt) is about to debut on NXT television. If these promos come to light it should give us some idea what direction Kevin will be heading in his debut. Steen recently did an interview at the performance center that you may or may not have seen back about a month ago that was on YouTube by Jim Varsallone..

Part 1:


Part 2:

Condo On The Moon #34

We talk everything from president Stephanie McMahon to Hell in a Cell. We talk about a great number of topics including the latest round of NXT taping in Florida. Dixie Carter telling more lies as her company TNA looks on verge of death.



If you can't access our podcast here head over to Podomatic and listen there including on I-Tunes.

So that is it for us this week. Next week the fallout of the show and the WWE 3rd Quarterly Report which means new WWE Network numbers to be disappointed in.

10 Canadians We're Thankful For

It is Canadian Thanksgiving so instead of our normal Raw preview I share with all of you my 10 wrestlers that I am thankful for in pro wrestling that are from my country of Canada. There have been many great Canadian's over the years in wrestling. We are keeping this list light and fun so you will not be seeing any Canadian Cripplers on this list. What you will see is a group of talented people that share the same flag and homeland and have had a major impact on wrestling as a whole.

Honorable mention goes out to Canadian Football League that allowed some wrestlers to stay employed in football for years and earn a living. While showing others that football was not their calling like Roman Reigns and The Rock. Many other names like Brian Pillman, Lex Luger and countless others have called the CFL home before hitting a squared circle.

So here is my list of great Canadians to be thankful for and it is only based on my personal opinion and nothing else. Not ranking on ability or looks although you have to admit Trish Stratus does look good in red and white. So with that said here we go with the list.


1. Kevin Steen
2. Trish Stratus
3. Owen Hart
4. Sami Zayn
5. Chris Jericho
6. Edge
7. Bret Hart
8. Tyler Breeze
9. Tyson Kidd
10. Christian

I am sure many will debate the order and it is not based on accomplishments. I just wanted a mix of the past present and future. I am not a huge Bret Hart fan to be honest. I also don't like hockey so Canadians might not all fit your stereotypes to the letter. Who is your top 5 Canadians in wrestling let us know @Condoonthemoon. Send them to us and give us a follow there.

To all my fellow Canadians enjoy the holiday and if your having turkey it will make a boring episode of Raw easier to fall asleep too. 

Michael Elgin And ROH on The Rocks

This whole situation with Michael Elgin and Ring of Honor seems quite odd and doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. While Michael Elgin claims that, we do not know the whole story as relates to his situation with Ring of Honor. I still find it all pretty odd. I welcome hearing what exactly these things are the Elgin is referencing but based on what we do know I tend to side with Ring of Honor.

The one thing that I think we can start with that is an indisputable fact is that Michael Elgin was given one hell of an opportunity by Ring of Honor when he became their champion. He defeated Adam Cole who I don’t think it is any secret I am a huge supporter of and think is a tremendous talent and asset for Ring of Honor. I have had the chance to talk with Cole on two occasions and he is an engaging and intelligent young man and quite the wrestling talent.

Cole embraced his role when he was the Ring of Honor Champion. He has been a huge asset in helping grow the product both in the ring and behind the scenes. Adam has mentioned in talking with me and other wrestling journalists about working with Sinclair Broadcasting on the promotion of Ring of Honor. It is something he admits that he enjoys and by all indications is pretty good at doing.

At the time of the "Best in the World" event that was the first ever on live pay-per-view I questioned if it was wise to have Elgin win the title. If this was solely based just on the storyline, heading into the match it did not make a lot of sense to feel that way. Elgin was positioned and booked in a way that he deserved and needed that moment to happen. Still my reservations of just how good Adam Cole was in terms of marketing the product and to use the often over used term he was "the face of the company." Well at least he would be with Kevin Steen departing for WWE developmental and NXT. Even with that massive shadow, that Steen had in ROH as being clearly their top attraction Cole was learning and growing ready to take on the role without Steen. Elgin while a great in-ring performer was not as polished as Cole in terms of the promoting of not just himself but also the brand as a whole. Just my opinion, but I think if you asked many people they would share in this opinion.

Regardless, Ring of Honor went forward and did what made the best wrestling sense for them. Making Elgin the champion and going forward with him. Steen would leave soon after and that was a major blow for Ring of Honor regardless of who was holding the title at the time. Ring of Honor seemed to not be able to follow up on the success of their first venture into live pay-per-view. In which they exceeded their modest goals of pay-per-view buys. Sometimes the thing is in wrestling even when a babyface deserves and he gets that feel good moment, as fans that is the completion of the journey. Once that guy gets the belt and becomes champion the real work begins for him. He now has the task to keep himself interesting and compelling to the audience. Elgin claimed he wanted to become the most decorated Champion in Ring of Honor history breaking the record for title defenses.

Sounds good we have a motivated champion with a goal beyond simply beating his next opponent. One of the issues that have been stated as part of ROH’s problems with Elgin was an interview that he did with Between the Ropes a site that I write for. He in the interview with Brian Fritz, this subject of Elgin wanting to try out for pro baseball in the spring became a topic. It was covered at some length in which Elgin even talking about hiring a hitting coach and changing things about his training to prepare.

While it is nice to have dreams and if Elgin is not the Ring of Honor Champion this might in fact be a cool story for ROH. As the Champion, though you represent more than just you, but the company as a whole. In this admission of this whole idea of wanting to try out of baseball, it gave the impression that Elgin was not focused on being the champion. Not focused on Ring of Honor and looking ahead to something that would take him away from the company for some period of time. Even if Michael Elgin doesn’t understand this, it gave an impression even if it wasn’t the correct one that his title reign, the championship and Ring of Honor were not his sole focus. That is something you need to project in such a high profile position that he found himself.

Just to counter this with examples of Kevin Steen and Adam Cole. Steen it was widely rumored had done well at a WWE tryout and rumors later surfaced about him getting a contract offer to go there. You never heard Kevin directly talk about it, he would instead focus on what he was doing and the company he was in at the time. Even on his exit from the promotion, he made no mention to where he was going after. Adam Cole recently has been the subject of rumors about him being looked at by the WWE. In the recent chat we had, he said little on that subject despite some questions that would allow him to go in that direction. Instead, he always brought things back to ROH and his group the Kingdom. It is showing the respect to a company that you are under contract too. This is something that clearly has gone off the rails in this relationship with Elgin and Ring of Honor, which has spilled into the public domain via social media.

Elgin’s visa issues were another story that was a huge issue for him that now has been solved. This regardless of anything else is great to see. Elgin had been stuck up here in Canada since losing his title due to visa issues. He is now back home with his wife where he belongs. Visa problema is something that is also an issue for Seleziya Sparx and why she was written out of the House of Truth for the time being.  Based on the versions I have heard Elgin’s visa issues ultimately were after the choice to swap the title to Jay Briscoe had been made.

Elgin has of course made his way back to the U.S and it seemed that things were fine. ROH even added him as a late edition to their card in Michigan on Saturday indicated everything seemed back to normal.  Elgin stated that he was unaware of this and it led to him publicly quitting the company on twitter. Everyone always wonders when things like this take place on social media but this seems to be a shoot and not a wrestling angle of any sort. This is not to say, if Elgin and ROH are able to mend their issues it couldn’t become one. It seems unlikely though with Tomasso Ciampa working a similar angle being exiled from the company for abusing officials.  In addition, Matt Taven recently quit the company only to return as part of the Kingdom.

Elgin is a great talent on this everyone can agree. It just seems that his championship reign will be remembered for a lot of drama and not celebrated for the great and real moment it was. He defeated Adam Cole to win the title on a historic night already for Ring of Honor debuting on live pay-per-view.

Elgin is a talented guy and it is unfortunate things have ended up this way in a blame game for who is at fault for what. It has been a big year for Ring of Honor and things will march on with or without Elgin as the one thing Ring of Honor has proven over the years is the ability to move forward with or without people. They have made a habit out of it by producing and ultimately losing some of the best talents in wrestling in the last decade.

While at the end of the day, I feel for Michael Elgin and all he has been through I do understand things from ROH’s point of view. If Elgin has things we are unaware of in all, of this that we are unaware of I would be interested in hearing them and willing to re-evaluate things based on them.

Given everything that is known at this point I have to side with Ring of Honor and hope the best for Michael Elgin who is a talented guy. The issue for Elgin is he is still under contract with ROH which will make this break-up if it ends up being that another sticky situation that he will have to navigate going forward.

It all rather casts a dark cloud on what for the most part has been one of the most successful years for Ring of Honor as a company. I hope that cooler head prevail and everyone can get back on the same page. That is ultimately, what should best for everyone going forward.

Rumors Already Surfacing For Next NXT Special

Seems the next NXT special is already taking shape with the main event expected to be Sami Zayn challenging Adrian Neville for the NXT title in a one on one match.

Both Zayn and Neville were front and center at an event for the WWE 2K15 game as they will be characters in the game along with former NXT alumni like Bo Dallas, Rusev and Bray Wyatt. Cory Graves is also said to be in the game as well but his career has been in much doubt with concussion problems and has not been seen in NXT in many months. Below are some links to interviews with various talents from that 2K15 event.




Brian Fritz with Sami Zayn
Sam Roberts with Sami Zayn
Brian Fritz with Adrian Neville
Sam Roberts with Bo Dallas
Brian Fritz with Bo Dallas 
Brian Fritz with Bill DeMott 


In addition to that the Lucha Dragons the new Tag-Team Champs will defend against favorites of NXT crowd the Vaudevillians in addition we will see Hideo Itami and Finn Balor better known as Kenta and Prince Devitt have a tag-team match with the Ascension. The two teams did face off at the television tapings recently in Devitt's debut so this would be a re-match of that encounter.

What still is up in the air is if Kevin Steen will be on this show with a set of T.V tapings between now and the proposed early December 11th date for the NXT special event. Steen has yet to debut and he like the other two is expected to have his name altered as well. Adam Cole a recent guest on our podcast spoke about his great relationship with Steen and his belief in the success he will have as part of the WWE. Cole himself has been talked about as perhaps going to NXT come the end of his current contract with ROH. In talking with Cole he just would state that you never know what the future would hold for him going forward. Cole was recently ranked number 9 in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated top 500 wrestlers. A list that saw WWE have the top 3 ranking stars with John Cena at 3, Randy Orton at 2 and Daniel Bryan topping the list.

Steen was seen in photos prior to the 2k15 event looking in tremendous shape and that was the one issue his detractors had about him being a success in the WWE. Kevin while still a large guy has certainly come a long way in the last year in getting into better shape and that has increased since coming into the WWE fold at the end of August.

Baron Corbin has recently debuted and is making waves the competition level and just level of talent in general at NXT is growing by leaps and bounds. Guys like Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze and Adrian Neville have been touring on various WWE house show loops. This in addition to the surprise appearance of those three along with Tyson Kidd on Raw a few weeks back. Kidd is being used currently as part of the angle with his wife and Summer Rae on the main roster. Rumors of some sort of love triangle being at least teased.

So, NXT is on the rise and once Steen officially joins the fold it should lead to some interesting potential match-ups going forward depending on how long guys like Zayn, Breeze and Neville remain on the roster.

You can follow us on Twitter @Condoonthemoon for all our latest on the world of pro wrestling.

Is NXT Better?

The jokes have started about NXT being the superior brand to WWE on social media. You would never hear something like this said about the NBDL the developmental league of the NBA. Lebron James is better than anybody they have in the NBDL and that is fact. 

Could we say the same about John Cena and NXT? Is John Cena a better in-ring worker than Kenta, Kevin Steen, Sami Zayn, Prince Devitt and Adrian Neville? He isn’t really is he? John Cena does have experience of working on a much larger stage for almost a decade. You can love him or hate him but that is a fact.

NXT while it is suppose to be a view into the future it also is a glimpse into the past. Just an hour of weekly television and four major events in a year is how NXT works and how the WWF use to be. Could NXT be as compelling and great a show if they had to provide a 3-hour show and 9-10 hours of content overall in a week? The answer is probably not.

Triple H has talked about building NXT into its own brand and they have been relatively successful to this point. This is something that Paul Levesque has been hands on with and has totally changed the direction of the developmental of this company. This company suffered a major gap in finding and developing between when Jim Ross was in charge of talent relations and Triple H. That gap was when John Laurinaitis who did the company a huge disservice for its future. Seems Johnny legacy was hiring a lot of hot women that can’t wrestle. Jim Ross has a legacy of getting guys like Foley, Austin, The Rock and even Paul himself as part of the WWE Roster. The list of talent Paul Levesque is bringing to table is impressive as well. When we look back on it will see if it is as successful as the one J.R compiled but it is clearly better than the one Johnny Ace came up with in his time.

In a fantasy world, would it be cool to see a show with NXT vs. WWE? Absolutely, if you are expecting NXT guys to go over in such a situation though that probably is not going to happen.   You could have some great matches though. Let’s fantasy book a little below:

Sami Zayn vs. Seth Rollins
Tyler Breeze vs. Dolph Ziggler
Adrian Neville vs. Dean Ambrose
Kevin Steen vs. Bray Wyatt
Kenta vs. Daniel Bryan
Prince Devitt vs. John Cena
Ascension vs. Usos
Tyson Kidd vs. Cesaro

That is a card I would watch, as I am sure many would. NXT has had three huge names in Kenta, Steen and Devitt, you add them to the existing Zayn and Neville, and you have the NXT 5. This might be the term we use for these guys for years to come.  A Sami Zayn tweet led to WWE.com doing a sit-down interview with all five that was truly a great read. Seeing names like Adam Cole, The Young Bucks and John Gargano on that site kind of nuts. If you don’t know those names, you just do not have any clue of independent wrestling. Steen, Cole and the Bucks made Mount Rushmore in PWG. I hope to see them all in the WWE in 2015 they are all deserving.

WWE has really created their own super-independent show with WWE’s money and production values. At the same time, they are training staff in all aspects of a broadcast with their partnership with Full Sail University. They have given hardcore fans an option under the WWE umbrella to see the stars they have watched in outside promotions like ROH, NJPW and other places under their system on their WWE Network. Paul Levesque smartly is not ruling anything out in terms of NXT’s future.

WWE since they ended WCW in 2001 has been searching for competition. They attempted to create their own with the brand split but that never really worked in my opinion. Now in 2014 they may have found their competition in NXT. A group of hungry wrestlers that most of whom already have long resumes looking to bust open the doors to the main roster. If that doesn’t light a fire under the butt of people on the main roster, nothing will. I remember the first NXT Takeover that was their second special event. That week the NXT show had more buzz than the Payback show coming up on the Sunday. As expected, the NXT show delivered but it took a “B” level pay-per-view and lit a fire under some of the people on that card to make it one of the more unexpected great shows of the year.

The tag line for NXT being: The Future is Now. People are buying in even more than they are the WWE with the hardcore audience of wrestling in general and the WWE.

So for a certain type of fan NXT already is and to some extent always will be better than WWE. Ultimately, though NXT is about creating stars on that next level and so far, it has which is ultimately the job it is meant to serve. Having it become a popular and even more popular with some brand may not have been part of the plan but now it is. WWE can make money off NXT just as easily and they will still cash the checks.

NXT has become something greater than what one could have imagined as its goofy reality show origins.  It is now a brand that sports a roster than can compete with any company in the world. Even the one that owns it at times could be included in that. 

Next time you go to say something bad about Triple H remember that Paul Levesque created all of this that you love and can’t enough of in NXT. So maybe he is not the idiot or interested in burying people, as the internet would have you believe.

He is taking pictures with all of these guys and truly reveling in their success as he would his own maybe more so. Ultimately, their success is his success as is true for NXT as a brand and the Performance Center they train those NXT stars. It is all about the game and growing it for the next generation. This according to Sami Zayn already has the future of the WWE in 5 years ready to roll.

He makes a good case that is hard to argue as he has some talented friends to play with currently.

Summerslam: Wyatt vs Jericho

On the night Chris Jericho found a way to hide yet another return to the WWE collectively we were all overjoyed at the prospect of who he was back to face. Bray Wyatt was that man and it seemed like a no-brainer can’t miss feud. It has not lived up to our collective imaginations and hopes for this feud. In fact, can we go as far as to say it has been bad?  The two will get a chance to make us change are minds at Summerslam where it does not take a rocket scientist to come to conclusion that Bray will win this one.

Jericho got a win from out of nowhere at Battleground taking out Bray with his “Code-Breaker” for the victory. In the build to Summerslam Jericho has won matches against Harper and Rowan to ban them from ringside leaving this a straight up one on one contest.

So where has this feud not clicked when it was widely thought of to be on paper a homerun. After all, you have two of the best talkers in wrestling trading verbal smack on each other. Yet this has just not hit on any level. Bray’s talk of Jericho not being able to save us all and not even being able to save himself has just not struck a chord with anyone. Wyatt in his latest promo suggests that Jericho has always been trying to be a hero and live up to his father who was if you didn’t know a pro athlete in the NHL with Rangers and Kings. Jericho has not seemed to have the comebacks we have come to expect from him. His line about following the buzzards and shoving them down Wyatt’s throat to leave him speechless after Summerslam was somewhat blah by his high standards.

In the ring, these two just do not seem to mesh at all for some reason. Which is even more mind boggling when you consider some of the people in Jericho’s history he has got great matches out of. The one that springs most to mind his match with Bill Goldberg. It was easily the best match in his career in WWE and Jericho was the guy that got it from him. Jericho also was able in more recently to make Fandango look like a million bucks at Wrestlemania in his debut. What the WWE did with that is unfortunate but the night after that Wrestlemania Fandango was a star.

Coming after a program with John Cena that did in some ways raise the level of Bray Wyatt, this seemed to be the perfect follow up for him. Facing a guy that unlike Cena would be more than willing to put him over and make him look good in doing so. Least that was the plan it seemed. Not saying that is not the goal of Jericho, it most certainly is. In fact, Jericho claims there were only two feuds that interested him for Wrestlemania 30 and that was against Daniel Bryan or Bray Wyatt. They both had their dance partners lined up so Jericho took a pass on this past Wrestlemania in New Orleans.

I think it goes back to something I talked about a few weeks ago on the Condo on the Moon Podcast. I am starting to question how good Bray actually is in the ring at this point. If you look at his history on the main roster in this gimmick, he has had more misses than hits in his individual matches in my view. Some of that not of his doing like his debut against Kane in that Ring of fire match. It was a dreadful match if you think back on it. His matches with Cena were not that great with the exception of the blow off to the Cena feud with the last man standing match.

His promos even do not seem as special as they once did, though I would argue he still is an amazing talent in that regard. He has the best entrance in wrestling today with creepy music and lantern now added with the audience participation of all the phone lights in the air. It makes for a breath-taking scene every time he comes to the ring.

Kevin Steen in his interview with WWE.com that we linked to the story of his signing talked about wanting to work with Bray or against him in the future. Ironically, I said months ago when rumours first surfaced that Steen might be coming that working as part of the Wyatt’s might be the perfect role for him. It seems Kevin agrees with me. Make no mistake about the fact the success Bray Wyatt has had plays some role in the WWE considering a guy like Steen. Wyatt is never going be on the cover of "Muscle and Fitness," and I think it is safe to say neither will Kevin Steen. Still they don’t need to be and the fact they look different and have a different body type I view as an asset as long as it does not affect their work in the ring. I will say this right now without hesitation that Steen can work circles around Wyatt right now. Once he nails down a move set that the WWE can live with... he will be fine. Bray in-ring has not been as good as you might hope. He has a great finisher, a cool spider walk, and a great presence, but that is about it. He moves reasonably quickly for his size but I think lacks stamina to do it for long stretches.

Back to the Canadian that Bray is currently dealing with in Jericho and their up coming match at Summerslam. I really feel Bray needs to hit a home run in this match. If he fails to do so, no one is going to be blaming Jericho with his great history at being able to pull good matches out of almost anyone. He even had some decent matches with Kane if you can believe that. Do not believe me go spend $9.99 on the WWE Network and you will find evidence of this fact. Much like the pressure was on Bray Wyatt to deliver at Wrestlemania it is on him once again at Summerslam. You can debate how actually successful he was at Wrestlemania. The lucky thing for him is between the Daniel Bryan matches and the ending of the most famous streak in wrestling it kind of slipped under the radar that his match was not the best with John Cena.

Therefore, those buzzards had better lead to a good match for Wyatt or I am not sure how interested anyone will be in seeing him in a third match with Jericho, which is almost certainly the plan. Maybe the answer is Bray has to wrestle in brawling type stipulation matches not unlike what Mick Foley did to get over. The thing is can you have those kind of matches as often as Foley did in the modern PG WWE?  Another question when you look at Mick Foley these days would you want to do that even if you could? Foley is a man that smiles on the outside but has to live in constant pain. People who have had encounters with him always talk about how slow he moves around these days. This is what happens, when your career consists of about 1000 car crashes that masqueraded as wrestling matches.

In any case, Bray still can talk and that has a way of hiding many problems for the average fan. Something that Roman Reigns currently does not have in his back pocket. Nevertheless, Reigns seems to be improving in the ring slightly and his work on the microphone while not to the level of a great talker is improving. 

Finally, maybe it is just me but this latest Chris Jericho run does not have me excited either. Could it be possible that we have reached the point that Jericho is becoming just another part-timer that really does not need to be here anymore? That is probably to harsh, but Jericho is not getting any younger and just has not been the same this time around. His best interaction in this run in my opinion was when he came out and confronted Triple H and Stephanie as nod to the feud he use to have verbally with Stephanie in the “Attitude Era” which was great stuff. Unfortunately, not all of which is up on the network currently as of yet as $9.99 doesn’t get you what it use too. In any case, I do not want to be right about this, as Jericho has always been a favourite of mine even prior to coming to the WWE in 1999.

So maybe both guys have something to prove on Sunday!


 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

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Steen Signs with WWE And Reports to Work August 24th

Sometimes in life, good things still can happen to good people. This is what I am filled with hearing the news that Kevin Steen is now going to be a part of the WWE and NXT. Having heard the rumours of his great tryout in WWE that happened in March of this year it served as motivation to go see him live. I felt it might be my last chance to see him in that intimate setting that independent shows and Ring of Honor.

I was witness to Kevin tearing down the house at the Ted Reeve Arena in front of a capacity crowd over Adam Cole. It was an incredible match in an incredible atmosphere. What will sever Kevin well is his ability to connect with people. There is something Kevin has that you just can’t teach in his ability to connect with people and have them genuinely care about him as a performer. He can do that and has proved it for years and now is getting the chance to take that talent to the next level in NXT and in the WWE Developmental System.

It has been perhaps the worst kept secret in wrestling that this was happening but still there were unfounded rumours of if Steen might have not been able to pass the physical to sign his contract. All of that unfounded speculation can be put to bed as Kevin Steen is coming to Florida on August 25, 2014. He did an interview with WWE .Com in which he talked about a desire to eventual work with or against Bray Wyatt. This is something we here at the Condo on the Moon had speculated could be a good fit for him.

For the moment he gets to re-unite with long time friend Sami Zayn who even in his time in WWE made a few cameos on Kevin’s You-Tube show Weekend Escapades. Steen joins Prince Devitt and Kenta as part of this new arriving trio that should really up the level of competition in NXT.

It will be interesting to see if all three are involved in the NXT live special that is set for early September. There was talk of them coming in as a faction and working together but all of this remains to be seen.

NXT might not be done either as Nick Jackson of the tag-team the Young Bucks was teasing a move to NXT with his brother Matt. As we speculated add in the former ROH and PWG champion Adam Cole and all the members of Mount Rushmore a faction in PWG could be in WWE in 2015. Cole has ROH contract that ends in December after Final Battle the big ROH show of the year that is anticipated to be on traditional pay-per-view this year.


 

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Condo on the Moon Podcast #23: Matt Taven Double Feature Edition

Today let's call the podcast a double feature with Ring of Honor star Matt Taven on the program back at 1005 health. We chat with him about his upcoming match with Jay Lethal at Field of Honor in a steel cage. Look at the independent scene as a whole. In addition he shares his thoughts about Kevin Steen ending his time in the independent scene and in Ring of Honor.

We have a second guest as well who is also a returning guest like Matt Taven. Chris Harrington joins us to dive into the business world of wrestling. Talking about the WWE's recent issues with the network and their quarterly report. TNA and the story of their television issues with Spike-TV. Even dive into a conversation about U-Stream and how ROH has found a way to continue a relationship with them for I-PPV's. In addition a fascinating WWE Trivia question based on 2014 that I got wrong and everyone I have asked since this interview has gotten wrong as well. Can you get it right tune in and see.

This all along with myself and Chris Walder taking a look at WWE Raw and the build to Summerslam. Some tips on some great things you should check out in terms of interviews and podcasts and a run down of the ROH card set to hit Brooklyn on August 15th that has had a couple matches added to it.

It is a long one but a good one hence why were calling this week a double feature which also features a couple guests making return appearances. All of that and it isn't going to cost you 9.99 it is one hundred percent FREE each and every Friday here on Condo on the Moon. So if you like it help us spread the word and let others in on the best podcast they have yet to find on the internet on Pro Wrestling.



Thanks to our guests Matt and Chris for returning to the program we look forward to talking again to them in the future. ROH is in town locally on September 6th for their All-Star Extravaganza I-PPV so go get a ticket while you still can. Just leave a couple cheap ones for myself and Chris Walder if you could. 

If you have trouble accessing podcast through Condo on the Moon go to our podcast home Podomatic and listen there.  

Give our guests a follow on Twitter @MattTaven and Chris Harrington can be found @Mookieghana




 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com. 

State of The Game: A Look At Where Wrestling Is Today

Is it crazy in a week that has been filled with what can only be classed as bad news for the wrestling business that I am still very optimistic about its future? Let’s face it the demise of TNA is not a good thing even if you are not a fan of it like me. The WWE and their failure with the WWE Network is not a good thing either in the grand scheme of things for the business as a whole. In the end it appears the business is very much in a transitional phase. The one company that has made the most of that transitional phase has been Ring of Honor. They now even face a challenge with the departure of Kevin Steen to moving on to the next level. Still, if you look at the industry as a whole, the one thing I do walk away with is that the talent is there for it to be successful.

Maybe this is why I am still optimistic about the ultimate future and you would think that the best of that talent will find its way to WWE. The main roadblock to that in theory is the WWE taking measures to cut costs over the next couple years. This is the correct business move to make in a time where the product is in such a transitional phase. In my previous background of covering the NBA the one thing people tend to always do, or like do, is look to the future and who the next big stars to come are. This idea of the potential of guys like an Andrew Wiggins to become the next big star in the sport fascinates fans and media.  Wrestling has lots of those guys that we can see the potential in of being those big stars. The difference is in pro sports you have 30 or so places for that talent to go and compete to be these top stars. Wrestling has just one really pro team and that is the WWE. It is not to say anything not the WWE can not be entertaining and have some tremendous talent in it. More to say, that the WWE is the one true platform to get that talent “over,” on a very global platform that has the most mainstream attention from the world outside the wrestling bubble. 

So it leads to some very talented people for one reason or another not making it into the show on the big team that is the WWE. As an example of that I give you the Young Bucks who are for my money the best tag team in wrestling today. They recently teased a move to NXT that we reported on earlier this weekend. If they never truly had a shot in WWE for my money it would be a loss for everyone. They are brash and unapologetic for how talented they truly are. You can debate if that is just part of their gimmick that gets them "over," or how they truly feel. This is something that is missing in wrestling to an extent that line between reality and fiction. In any case, anyone that sees them for the most part can’t deny their talent. People raved about the match recently with the Usos and Harper and Rowan that went two out three falls. In May I saw the Bucks in a triple threat with stars from NJPW where that match was even better by a large degree. The difference is the stage it is seen on and the amount of people that know about it.

If you accept this idea that WWE is the one true major sports team and that they in a sense have a monopoly on the business that is pro wrestling, or as they would say sports entertainment, you can see how talent is not able to shine. If the WWE is not really in competition with other wrestling promotions and compete on a different level with entertainment as a whole that gives them a lot of power to do what they want.   In sports if a team passes on a talent they still end up as part of the league as whole. The team suffers consequences based on the choices the make in terms of talent they choose. WWE faces consequences too, but not to the same degree or extent that a sports team would. It is not like you can see Kevin Steen, Young Bucks, Adam Cole, A.J Styles and a list that could go on for days, on that same platform under the same brand. You do and can in a sports league.

The recent signings of guys like Prince Devitt, Kenta and soon to be officially Kevin Steen show someone is paying attention in the "Titan Towers" at what is going on in the rest of the industry. I am here to tell you I firmly believe that person is Paul Levesque, or at least he is listening to the people who are paying attention. The guy who in the past has been accused of burying talent is actually the one bringing it to light these days. You see all the work that Triple H has done with the creation of the WWE Performance Center. In addition his hard work on the NXT brand where that talent learns to develop.

In the past Paul has made reference to the WWE having their playbook and other places having their playbooks. He claims that when people come from other places it is their job with the help of WWE to learn their playbook. Another sports analogy and one that I think makes sense. WWE is not going to change how they do business to accommodate any talent no matter how big or good they are or can be.  What works for ROH, PWG or NJPW is not what works for the WWE. Nor should this at the end of the day,  I think with no offence to other wrestling promotions the WWE over the history of time has proven to be a company that takes calculated risks and has been a survivor. As much as we all like to Monday Night quarterback an episode of Raw and point out what they did wrong. The history and the track record of this company proves they have got more right than wrong over the years.

Proof of that point is asking any wrestler what that ultimate dream for them is? If they do not say to appear or main event a Wrestlemania, I question how successful they truly want to be. That is the ultimate show of shows and if you don’t want or dream to be on it, maybe you need to cut out the high spots and quit risking your life cause you must have some brain damage.

It’s not to say there is anything wrong with having a long career outside of the WWE and having some success which is possible. It is just no one ever dreams to play Triple “A” baseball and not make it to the majors.

If the WWE is willing and the talent coming in are willing to adapt to their playbook it could lead to some magic. A great example of that success has been Sami Zayn who has yet to make his way to the main roster but is clearly learning the WWE way of doing things without giving up who he was before he goes there.

The WWE has already been pretty successful at bringing in a number of guys that are just starting to break through and be ready to be the top stars of tomorrow. Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Dean Ambrose and the guy the WWE sees as their next big thing Roman Reigns. The list could go on an include Bray Wyatt and others but the point is the WWE stocking up on talent and building a highly competitive environment that will push everyone to get better. That is what can make wrestling thrive again. When the guys in the first match are pushing just as hard as the guys in the main event good things can happen.

This is for my money what has been the big reason for ROH having success in 2014. There is a team but competitive environment with in that company. The WWE can have a similar environment if they allow talent the chance to grow and thrive. Which with their massive foot print can help make wrestling grow and bring back some of the fans it has lost over the years.

I just feel too strong about the amount of talent I see both outside of the WWE and with in it to not see brighter days ahead for wrestling. If this doesn’t happen it will only be because the WWE failed to capitalize on all the talent they have and could have at the end of the day. 

I believe that WWE does see the road to a future that is not about hustle, loyalty and respect and we just have to be patient to get there. Fans are in a rush to get there but honestly you have to proceed with caution because it takes months and years to get talents over. It takes far less time to blow it and miss out on making your next big star to go along side names like Hogan, Austin, Punk, Cena etc. Once you make those mistakes you sometimes never get a second chance.

While it may take some time I do believe brighter days are on the horizon. Like we were told to believe in the Shield this is something that I also believe in.

 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

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Could Mount Rushmore Be Coming To NXT in 2015?

It could be nothing, but Nick Jackson one half of the Young Bucks was dropping some hints that he and his brother Matt Jackson could be heading to NXT soon. Kevin Steen who was part of the group known as Mount Rushmore is about to do his final independent date in which he is wrestling Jerry Lawler and is set to head to NXT and WWE Developmental at some point soon after. Lawler in the promo for match all but confirms this in his promo:



Now these hints on Twitter that the Young Bucks who have been the Best Tag-Team on independent scene and wresting in New Japan Pro Wrestling are teasing about going to NXT. In my mind they are the best tag team in wrestling period that are currently working in the business. The Bucks often are active on twitter and say a lot of funny stuff so could this just be a joke? Maybe, but it wouldn’t be a wise one you would figure. Here are the tweets in question and they have been up for sometime and not coming down:

It's pretty ironic we've lost the PWG, ROH, and IWGP Tag championships in a matter of a month.....
— The Young Bucks (@NickJacksonYB) July 30, 2014

I wonder where our careers will take us nxt?
— The Young Bucks (@NickJacksonYB) July 31, 2014

Now if you want to take this dream situation to the next level, you have Adam Cole the fourth member of PWG’s Mount Rushmore and the former ROH Champion having his contract with ROH coming due in December. Cole has been talked about as a prospect that the WWE likely should already have in its fold. You could see Mount Rushmore all in NXT at the same time in 2015. It would be a huge dream for many fans that have loved the work of all four. Sami Zayn has been the true rock star of NXT since his arrival there and these 4 guys all have the potential to do the same.

Pouring cold water on this whole idea is the reality of the WWE making cuts that included NXT today with a list of talents being released. Which many will connect to all the recent cut backs the company has made in the wake of their quarterly investors report and call to end July.

Still talent is talent and there is no denying that all four of these guys have had tremendous success and really done everything they could do outside of the WWE. It would definitely generate a lot of buzz with the hardcore wrestling fans.

Maybe this speculation is just a pie in the sky dream scenario but if it is not this would be something to be very excited about for fans from the independent ranks about NXT and in turn the WWE.

I have a dream, to see Mount Rushmore in 2015 in ring that is owned by the WWE. So far officially we have 0 of the 4, but it is a very real possibility we could have all four in NXT for 2015 if the stars align and WWE is willing to make it happen. Not to say the four would reunite and bring a little PWG to WWE but in my opinion the WWE could use a little PWG and ROH type guys in their fold. They have had so much success with a number of others with same backgrounds as there 4 guys.

This is not a case of should this happen as much as it is if it will happen. These guys are all great at what they do and more than deserving of the opportunity to do it on the biggest stage wrestling has to offer and that is the WWE. The risk in bringing them into to NXT is next to nothing and the reward could be very big if they translate as well as I feel they can. Change their names do whatever you need to do but these 4 guys know how to get "over" in wrestling and have proved it time and time again on the independent scene.

Why not them. Mount Rushmore 2015 all I have to do is BOlieve right?

 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

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New Wave Of NXT Talent: But Keep Things The Same

NXT is about to get a major shake-up with three major stars about to arrive. It should be interesting to see how this will impact on the show. Part of the joy that is NXT for an older fan like me is the fact it is just one hour which is delightful. Things on NXT just seem far more simplistic and easier to digest on a weekly basis.

The fight for real estate on that show is about to get fairly interesting when add Kenta, Prince Devitt and Kevin Steen all potentially about to arrive. It will be interesting to see how this will change if at all the show that is NXT. Some guys that are being featured now might want to look over their shoulder because some serious talent is coming in the door.

Think the three major guys that have little to worry about are Neville, Breeze and Zayn. In addition I think the ladies will always have a place on the show. After that it is open season in my view. You see someone like C.J Parker as an example getting another chance with a re-packaged gimmick as this heel environmentalist. After getting a lot of air time in the past Mo Jo Rawley seems to have been cooled off. He may have been hyped but the reviews on him from people like me were not that kind with good reason.

My hope is there will be a battle for time and position on NXT and not WWE thinking that we just need more time on this show with the amount of top talent we have. Keeping things at the one our mark is fine with me. If they attempted to extend NXT and make it longer I think you would be making a major mistake. The path it is on now with a one hour show and an expected 4 special 2 hour events on the Network seems fine to me.

Note, this is mere speculation on my part but with the WWE Network struggling and new influx of talent I could easily see the idea of a longer NXT be kicked around as it has been one of the more popular shows on the WWE Network consistently.

Tyler Breeze has said in a recent interview on Between the Ropes that his injured finger is almost back to 100% and he is of course the number one contender to the NXT Title. I would suspect Breeze and Neville will headline the next special event. Nothing is for certain with the arrival of Kenta, Prince Devitt and likely Kevin Steen. Steen refuses to acknowledge the WWE signing directly as in his last independent date in Toronto he claimed to have indeed taken a new job as trainer of whales at Marineland. In any case he likely does show up and re-united with Sami Zayn who in a similar fashion refuses to acknowledge that he was and is El Generico. Maybe it is a French thing. I don’t have this part of the French gene though.

This is really a big time for NXT as we have in a sense started the second wave of NXT talent to make up this roster. Bull Dempsey is the latest new character to come around. Some were upset that this gimmick which is basically a throwback old school wrestler was not given to Kevin Steen. I am not one of them as I see this as horrible gimmick that will need some serious work to get over.

In any case keep NXT as it is as the old saying goes if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. Something the WWE should learn to do more. I do have faith with Triple H firmly in control of all that is NXT he will not have any dramatic changes to the product. This in a sense has become like his fourth child. You can tell how much he loves NXT and all the young performers in it.

 

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If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com. 

Condo on The Moon Podcast 20: Thank You Steen Edition

This week on the podcast a special intro off the top dedicated to Kevin Steen as he embarks on his final two matches in Ring of Honor. It was my pleasure to share my thoughts on Steen earlier today in Between the Ropes. This along with WWE talk heading into Battleground and how the TNA Champion will fair in MMA. This and a lot more in episode 20 of the podcast go have a listen:


I mentioned the contest in Between The Ropes for Battleground don't delay as last I checked there was only a few spots left for your chance at picking up 50 bucks for free. Thanks for listen and thanks to Kevin Steen for all he gave to Ring of Honor he leaves big shoes to be filled.

If you are unable to access the podcast through your device of choice no problem just click here and listen over at out podcast hosts Podomatic. 


 

Condo on the Moon is on Twitter and Facebook and check out our weekly podcasts Every Friday! 

If you have questions/comments for our NEW Weekly Google+ Show Live Thursday's 7:30 pm EST use hashtag #AskMachoMoon. You can find us now at Condoonthemoon.com.