Condo On The Moon Podcast #61: NXT and ROH Invade Philly

We go off on Macho Mandow being worse than the Nacho Man. We run trough all the action at ROH War of the Worlds and NXT in Philly and we as required by some law preview Payback. We also talk about Ronda Rousey and her thoughts on WWE return as she does her book tour.


If you are not able to listen or download here on the site head over to Podomatic and listen or download there.

Condo On The Moon Podcast: Matt Taven Returns

Matt Taven has added some gold in Japan since he last stopped by the podcast. Taven and Bennett get ready for a busy week as ROH and NJPW come together for 4 shows next week in Philadelphia and Toronto


If you are unable to listen via the site head over to Podomatic to listen or download there.

ROH Makes 13 Lucky In Vegas

Ring of Honor celebrated their Thirteenth Anniversary show in Las Vegas last night. Normally the number 13 is associated with bad luck but things are looking up for ROH. The company seemed to have hit a bit of a plateau after Final Battle. It easily could have led to things going in the wrong direction. The fact that this company’s MVP was rumored to be out the door to WWE in Adam Cole. He came off a tremendous 2014 which saw him become arguably the best wrestler not in NXT system. He would suffer an injury at Final Battle and have to have shoulder surgery. He ended up sticking with Ring of Honor and based on our interviews with Michael Bennett and Matt Taven his recovery is ahead of schedule. It was good news for ROH that they can have Adam Cole for longer than they might have expected.

The entered last night without Cole but put together a compelling card that featured the Bullet Club. A.J Styles had a great match with ACH that elevated his stock even in a losing effort. The Young Bucks challenged for the ROH title and had yet another classic with ReDragon. This match offered one of the surprises of the night as Shyana Baszler one of Ronda Rousey’s Four Horsewomen was in the corner of ReDragon and played a role in the match without getting physically involved. Much like Filthy Tom Lawler had done at the “War of the World’s” show that provided the match of the year for ROH last year with these two teams.

It was expected to be Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson in a three-way tag match against The Addiction and The Kingdom. Doc Gallows had travel issues and ended up stuck in Detroit and missed the show. Karl would go it alone and all five guys in this match made it work as The Kingdom team of Matt Taven and Michael Bennett getting a key win. This was typical ROH where they are dealt a bad hand and they make the most out of it and in the end got a match that did not suffer from the challenges dealt to them.

It was also a big night for the Kingdom, as Maria would also have a match with ODB on the card. It is rare that we see a woman’s match in ROH. This showed that it could be exciting and something new for the company. Michael Bennett and Mark Briscoe pulled double duty working likely harder in this match than they did in their own individual matches. Maria started the match pretending she was pregnant and unable to have the match. It was all a set up as Bennett came out and attacked Mark as Maria corked ODB with the Title of Love and this thing was off to the races. It was a very high-energy match full of great spots involving the guys and gals. In the end, ODB won and the Title of Love was sadly destroyed.

It was also teased in the Main Event that the guys behind the red masks lurking in the crowd could in fact be The Kingdom. Could this be the angle to bring back Adam Cole? Perhaps time will tell but a strong night for the Kingdom without Adam Cole present keeping the faction very strong.

Jay Lethal got a chance to go with a former WWE and World Champion and put on a match where he did not look out of place. He obviously had to cheat to win but that is what heels do not that we see enough of that in pro wrestling today. In ROH the people who are bad do bad things, it makes sense. As far as Alberto El Patron, he has real embraced the ROH fans and given a rub to the ROH brand as a whole. It has made his coming in for a series of dates well worth it. Adding creditability to the product helps grow the base of fans for Ring of Honor and helps them shed the image of being some kind of independent show. It is still a thought while not true those casual fans not familiar with ROH think.

Jay Briscoe retained his title as many expected retained his title. It was a decent match that many complained was over-booked with the masked red men attacked Briscoe, Nigel stopped Elgin from using a chair, and Ciampa saved Nigel from getting power-bombed by Elgin. It was a lot going on but in the end, the expected outcome happened.

What was more important is that Samoa Joe returned and he cut a promo declaring he is back and wants whomever the ROH Champion would be coming out of tonight. He would come to the ring after the match on his way there locked eyes with Elgin and continued on to the ring and had a classic star down with Jay Briscoe.  I would think that for my money you make Joe vs. Briscoe the main event for Best in the World the next announced PPV in June. In the meantime, Joe can battle Elgin and Jay Briscoe can get to the bottom of which these masked men actually are. Kills some time and gives you the proper main event for next PPV.

In other news, it seems Cedric Alexander could be heading towards a heel turn. He lost to Matt Sydal in the opener, which was a good match where Alexander fell short. Kevin Steen deemed Alexander as the future of the company when he left for NXT. Seems logical to build an angle where Alexander has had enough of being a good guy and dealing with high expectations and failing to deliver. Could be a great story and change for Cedric. I am not sure what he would be like as a heel but I am willing to give it a chance to see.

Roderick Strong continues to have great matches, still stuck at the bottom of the card to his frustration.  The fact he is not under contract to the company is part of the reason for this in my view. While he tries to position himself as a contender for the title, it has to be frustrating to see Samoa Joe walk in the door and get an instant shot. However, given Joe’s history with company it is hard to argue the point of it making sense.

Moose has been someone ROH is slowly grooming to be a big star. It was an impressive win over Mark Briscoe who bumped around like a maniac for him in this match. In addition, has a slow burn that could easily flip Moose baby face as Veda Scott stopped Moose from shaking hands and using the Code of Honor. He had an impressive spot for a big man dropkicking Mark Briscoe off the top rope to the floor.

In the end, this show did a lot of good for ROH creating a positive buzz for the brand. Will it translate to Pay-Per-View success? Sadly, it might not being booked on the same weekend, as a big Ronda Rousey UFC fight but it still can be a positive. The reviews and the reactions to the show have been generally positive and the show had a buzz factor too it. In addition, ROH not rushing with PPV has been a good idea. If they can have a good few months with their Wrestlemania weekend show and the co-promoted NJPW shows in Philly with War of the Worlds and two shows making up Global Wars this year in Toronto. If they can continue to keep the ball rolling forward and get a good build to Best in the World, they should be heading in a positive direction.

It was ironic fans were chanting F-TNA during Joe’s speech. ROH may not agree given they have had A.J Styles, The Addiction and now Samoa Joe handed to them on a silver platter thanks to TNA’s failures. It has really helped add some depth to the ROH roster with quality names that can draw.

It was a good night if you’re a ROH fan. It will be an even better night if it helps draw more people to product in this competitive market for the eyes of a lot of fans that are disillusioned with WWE. ROH is on a slow and sometimes frustrating path to success. It may not move as fast as you would hope or wish, but it seems always to be moving in the right direction.

I watched a free WWE show and yet was more entertained by a show I had to pay for which speaks volumes as to where both companies are for me. 

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

Kyle O'Reilly of ReDRagon enters Condo On Moon Podcast #37

Pictured on the left above is our guest this week one half of the ROH and IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champions Canada's own Kyle O'Reilly. We talk on a variety of topics from the road for Red Dragon to Final Battle, Success in Japan, Ronda Rousey showing up at PWG Young Bucks and everything in between. Along witl that Chris Walder in back from the IR we talk WWE and Vince going mental on Liverpool. James gets bent out of shape over the PWI top 50 women's list. This and a whole lot more.



Our thanks to Kyle and Ring of Honor Wrestling. Catch ROH in San Antonio to more and up coming in Baltimore but most importantly at Final Battle live on PPV December 7th. Look for more ROH Talent in the coming weeks as we at Condo on the Moon follow Ring of Honor down the Road to Final Battle with some great guests.

If you can't access the podcast here please head over to Podomatic where you can listen there or through I-tunes via Podomatic.

Keep up to date following us @Condoonthemoon on Twitter.  

ROH's Kingdom Is Going Global

The relationship between NJPW and ROH seems to be growing as Mike Bennett and Matt Taven along with Maria will be taking their Kingdom to Japan for a tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling. The tour goes from November 22- December 7, 2014. This will rule them out for Final Battle.

Which will leave Adam Cole, who recently secured a title match with Jay Briscoe, to go it alone in the Main Event of Final Battle on Live PPV in New York City.

The Kingdom will be Challenging ReDRagon is San Antonio who made their own news in Japan capturing the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships. ReDRagon if they are successful in San Antonio will be defending there ROH Tag Team Titles against the team they beat in Japan the Time Splitters at Final Battle. Alex Shelley and Kushida last appeared in May in the shows in Toronto and New York. The relationship between Ring of Honor and New Japan seems to be growing after successful shows in May in both Toronto and New York City for co-promoted events.

NJPW also made some big news landing Jim Ross to do English commentary for their debut on PPV in North America on January 4, 2015. This is being put on in connection with Global Force Wrestling. What this will mean for the use of ROH talent on that show remains a bit of a mystery.

In any case, the ties between the two promotions seem strong as the Young Bucks are scheduled to appear at Final Battle part of the biggest faction in NJPW. The growing in popularity by the day among hardcore wrestling fans Bullet Club.

This will mark the second time Bennett and his new bride Maria will be heading to Japan. While frequent guest and newest member of the Kingdom Matt Taven will be making his first venture to the land of the rising sun.

We congratulate them all and look forward to hearing their stories of global domination in future podcasts hopeful here in Condo on the Moon. We are like the unofficial home for the Kingdom the only member we have not been able to nail down is the lovely Maria.

In any case, this is good news for fans of both promotions and opens the door to interesting possibilities for the future.

ROH has a story with all the details on Kingdom heading over to Japan. We here at Condo on the Moon are getting cranked up to do our Road to Final Battle on our Podcast. We had the great fortune to have Adam Cole, Mike Bennett, Matt Taven and Court Bauer join us prior to Best in the World. The debut for the company on live PPV and we are attempting to have a guest list just as grand heading into Final Battle.

This should be getting going with a guest this Friday. Be on the look out for confirmation @condoonthemoon on Twitter for what ROH stars are coming to talk with us.

Road To Final Battle Starting To Take Shape.

After this weekend, Adam Cole is set to main event his second ROH Live Pay-Per-View as he earned the right to challenge Jay Briscoe who won ROH World Championship in September in Toronto at All Star Extravaganza. Cole won the Survivor of the fittest tournament to earn the number one contender spot. Hear Cole’s thoughts on that along with Kevin Kelly and Steve Corino talking about ReDRagon making some waves in NJPW.



ReDragon has captured the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championships. This comes just after winning the Jr. Tag Team Tournament defeating the Young Bucks in the finals. They defeated the Time Splitters to win the championships. They are also still currently the ROH Tag Team Champions and will face a tough challenge of facing Mike Bennett and Matt Taven members of the Kingdom teaming up to go for the titles in San Antonio next weekend.

The Young Bucks former IWGP Jr. Tag Team Champs and former ROH Tag Team Champions will be on hand at Final Battle and it should be interesting to see who they will end up facing. They had an over the top exciting main event with ReDragon in 2 out of 3 falls at All Star Extravaganza.

Things are heating up for ROH, as Final Battle is just under a month away live in New York City and on pay-per-view on December 7th, 2014.

From Live ROH To On The Couch Watching Raw

We took a bit of a break over the weekend as I was at the All-Star Extravaganza being a wrestling fan more than a journalist. I did do a piece on Ring of Honor for the folks at Between the Ropes as there was a lot of drama tied to the card up here in Toronto with Michael Elgin dropping the ROH title.  Jay Briscoe is not just the second two time ROH Champion in history. Aside from all the drama with that, I got to see Adam Cole and Young Bucks who are not just my personal favorites but are some of the best workers not in WWE today.

The Young Bucks I will gladly declare are the best tag-team wrestling on the planet today. People will say they are two small for the WWE, but I would say they make up for it with an exciting move set that is ever expanding. They are almost unable to have a bad match at this point. Cole has grown in the last few years to be a fantastic heel and worker in the ring. It may still be awhile before we see any of these three on a Monday night but based on the last few Monday’s we could use some fresh ideas and or faces.

To make the transition from live Ring of Honor wrestling to Monday Night Raw will be interesting. Especially seeing as this is a streak of two weeks in a row where Raw has been awful. Can they make it three in a row? After Michael Sam got a job with Cowboys and passed on WWE’s invitation, they kept in the gutter and came up with “Plan B” of Jerry Springer. WWE has  Springer set to be in a segment with Brie and Nikki Bella. This has train wreck waiting to happen written all over it.

Total Divas is back and I barely could get through the first episode of the third season of the show. I am over the whole concept and maybe resentful that it is leaking into regular WWE programming. I just do not find the show very interesting and it has just stopped being entertaining to me. I may be alone in this will see how season three does in the ratings as it appears there is lots of contrived cat fighting and forced fake drama ahead for this season.

NXT is set to have its third special event of the week that is something to look forward too. The main event 4-way match is the one clear standout match on paper. Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze, Tyson Kidd and NXT Champion Adrian Neville as part of that championship match.  The rest of the card on paper does not look as good as the past efforts for the NXT crew has offered. Will see how it turns out with the show set to take place on the significant date of September 11.

So that is about it. Condo on the Moon is back after a minute to catch our breath. Now if my voice will come back to 100% that would be great. Cheering for Adam Cole and Young Bucks can be tough on the vocal chords.

 

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. 

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.


 

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. 

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! 

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. 

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?

 

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The ROH Champ Adam Cole Checks In To Condo on Moon Podcast

We have been promoting it since last week and the time is here as Adam Cole the Ring Of Honor World Champion is here on our podcast. Adam will be in action this weekend for ROH and from their moves on to "Best In The World" to defend his World Title against Michael Elgin on June 22nd live on PPV. It is the first time Ring of Honor will be on live PPV and we talk with Adam about the pressure for him leading into this big event in the history of the company. Thoughts on the man he is facing in one Michael Elgin. His recent loss of his PWG Title and all the stuff he has done in that promotion and a lot more. Including as people heard last week me breaking the news to him about the relationship status of Ronda Rousey. It is a great interview and on top of that we talk all of the news in the week in WWE. The future for their world title and Daniel Bryan and the future for The Shield. Look back on how Batista's run went in WWE and a lot more. It is we think our biggest show ever so enough hype just go have a listen and see if you agree?


Thanks to Adam Cole and our guest last week Matt Taven we hope to have another great guest for you next week as well. I have a couple irons in the fire but nothing has been set in stone. Check out @Condoonthemoon and will keep you updated on who we will have next week. If your new to our podcast we hope you enjoyed it and will come back and join us. We are doing are best to give you a product worth coming to check out every Friday.

If you have trouble accessing the podcast through the site on your device go directly to our podcast host just click here.

So Long Kevin Steen's Weekend Escapades...Hello Kevin Wyatt?

During our podcast I do believe we stumbled upon perhaps the perfect way for Kevin Steen to enter WWE. At some point would he make a great fourth member of the Wyatt family? There is some irony in the idea as Steen likely never gets a look from WWE if not for the success of Bray Wyatt. Does KILL WYATT KILL make sense? It kind of does! Kevin Wyatt doesn’t sound horrible does it? Even, Kevin Harper brother of Luke Harper might be nice fit.

Steen seems to be someone that could fit into that gimmick somewhat easily. maybe a Panda Mask? It all kind of makes sense the more I think about it. Kevin Steen and his love of animals could come in handy. Sure this all pretty damn early to speculate on as Steen will be heading to developmental not the main roster.

Chris Hero ended up spending years in developmental and never getting to the main roster. Sami Zyan once upon a time El Generico a tag partner and than rival of Steen in his run in ROH. The two are legitimate friends that came up together coming out of Quebec. He is currently in NXT and has been there for close to a year I think.

In any case another sign that Steen is wrapping up things on the independent scene he did a final episode of his web show “Kevin Steen’s Weekend Escapades.” Steen did not mention the WWE as the reason for ending the show. He stated having less time and the birth of his new daughter as the reason.

Steen was in action for Pro Wrestling Gorilla and it could be his last appearance there if rumours are true. He is part of Mount Rushmore in PWG with the Young Bucks and Adam Cole. Steen was in action with the Bucks last night and got the win. He addressed that crowd and said he wanted to address the rumours. He said they are true he will be going to the I-Hop after the show and none of the fans were invited.

Steen is an emotional guy and it seems he wants to avoid all these different send offs. I think the one and only Kevin Steen going away party will take place at ROH Best in the World on June 22nd, 2014. That seems a fitting place for a guy that has given his blood sweat and tears to build ROH back up to the point they are at and taking it to a historic place it has never been.

I just want to thank Kevin for being the guy that not only opened my eyes to wrestling outside of the WWE but investing my time and money to go out and support it. Kevin Steen is a tremendous representative of independent wrestling.



Weekend Escapades made me both appreciate the grind that independent wrestlers go through and see what fun it is to be at an independent show. Kevin Steen gave me that eye opening experience and not just a love of him but a love for all the guys he was sharing rings with across North America.

Thank You Kevin and good luck as member of the Wyatt’s or whatever they come up with for you in WWE. I know you’ll make it work and do a good job for yourself, your family and all of your fans!

Condo on Moon Podcast- Stock Watch Edition

This has been a busy week in Wrestling and for me personally. WWE Stock took a nose dive on news they did not cash in big time on their T.V as the WWE is staying put with NBC Universal. We talk about what the WWE might do about the WWE World Championship with Daniel Bryan on mend from neck surgery. In addition we talk about my wrestling weekend that I wrote about if you missed it. I had a great time at Global Wars and we look ahead to ROH War of the Worlds. In addition rumours about a tag-team that may be coming for ROH's debut on PPV at Best In The World on June 22nd. I also mention how I am now a columnist for Between The Ropes and writing for them as well as here.Recount my encounters with several wrestlers I met on the weekend from ROH.


I mentioned the local promotion Alpha-1-Wrestling here in Hamilton. I actually got the date wrong it is July 6th and here is there Power Rangers Promo for that event that is pretty funny check it out.



Follow us on Condo on the Moon on Twitter or hey if you really love us like us on Facebook too. You can also check out all my work for Between the Ropes with this link and give them a follow @BetweenTheRopes on Twitter.In addition unless you are an Alicia Fox fan follow my podcast partner @WalderSports on Twitter.

IWC Podcast Back Talking Mania, ROH, And Divas Oh My

Week two what you gonna do brother! Well I will tell you we talk about Daniel Bryan and his road after Wrestlemania. TNA's return to PPV that was called Lockdown but by looks of the crowd maybe it should have been Lockout. While TNA struggles ROH seems to on the rise? Talk about the lack of knowledge about the Mania under card. Does a Battle Royal work in 2014 as a concept. In addition what former WWE Women's Champion is not a fan of the term Diva. We look at the state of Diva's Division in WWE.


If your enjoying the show please let people know about as we are trying to get this podcast off the ground and build an audience and a fanbase for this. We have some guests were trying to book for the upcoming weeks that we hope you will enjoy.