Oddly enough, the tribute came well after the halfway point of the show, and the fact that neither Vince McMahon, nor any other former or current wrestler shared any thoughts or words regarding this sad event makes it quite obvious that the WWE CEO has yet to get over his grudge with Savage.  What that grudge stems from is anyone’s guess.  Some believe it may have something to do with Savage sleeping with McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie, several years ago, however, there is no evidence of that actually happening. Perhaps Macho Man’s passing will ultimately lead to McMahon’s unveiling of why the Macho Man was black-listed from the WWE.  Only time will tell.

In the meantime, we are left with this four-minute tribute to the many year’s of exciting wrestling that Randy Savage provided during his time in the ring.

WWE and MMA: Two sports that have superficial similarities, but adhere to wildly different philosophies. The WWE is about showmanship, sensationalism, and spectacle. MMA is about gladiators fighting with little fanfare to determine the better athlete. Well, this is an easy contest to judge. Bring on the ring girls, the (slightly more) drunk fans, and the fireworks during entrances. MMA may be more “real,” but real doesn’t equal fun. You know what equals fun? The dumb fun of the WWE. Here’s why.

9. Props
Watching people fight with their arms and legs might be more athletically impressive, but from an entertainment perspective, nothing beats giving people weapons to beat the hell out of each other. Well, maybe not GIVE them weapons, but don’t stop them from obtaining them on their own. The WWE has taught us that most anything can become a weapon if you hit someone in the head with it. Folding chairs are the best example, but I prefer the more metaphorical beatings. Like when a defending champ gets beaten to a pulp with their own belt. Now that’s defeat.

If the MMA wanted to compete on this front, they would strategically sprinkle makeshift weapons throughout the octagon, like a wrench or a random lamp. Your move, Dana White.

8. Substandard Referees
The world isn’t fair. You need to know how to cut corners and get ahead. MMA won’t allow for this education because the referees in MMA are just so damn observant. They know when you’re poking a guy in the eye or illegally biting his crotch.

Not in the WWE. Their referees act as though they are the lovechild of Mr. Magoo and Harry Caray, stumbling around, often fighting with managers when they should be counting the pin. Their incompetence facilitates outside-the-box thinking that builds critical reasoning skills for later in life. By not enforcing the rules, the WWE is allowing their wrestlers to grow.

7. Outfits
How awesome would it have been if during his heyday if Chuck Liddell stepped into the octagon dressed like a cowboy or Pacific Island warrior? Don’t answer that. It was rhetorical. It would be infinity awesome. The WWE guys get to strut their stuff with headwear, fringed boots, sunglasses, and, God willing, denim overalls. The MMA guys just have to wear those Speedos that help them win. Boring. At the very least, every fighter should be decked out in streamers. Meet me halfway, MMA.

6. Vince McMahon
To a point, Vince McMahon and Dana White are very similar personalities. They both have made cultural institutions out of once-marginalized sports. They both are extremely hands-on, Mark Cuban-type executives. They both participate in their sports, rather than just running them. But only one has no problem being a total jackass and allowing himself to be a character in the show he’s producing. Looking like a George Hamilton-Lou Ferrigno hybrid, Vince McMahon is essentially a Donald Trump-like piece of 24/7 performance art. Commitment like that makes McMahon one of the best parts of the very thing he created. How meta.

5. Celebrity Matches
This one is really interesting. Every once in a while, the WWE brings in a celebrity promoting a movie or TV show to guest wrestle or to preside over a WWE match. Which is fun for everyone. I mean, what’s better than seeing David Arquette wrestle playfully in an exhibition match? That question was not rhetorical. What’s better is seeing him get his ass handed to him in the octagon until he taps out in abject humiliation. However, MMA refuses to throw pretty-boy celebrities in with its fighters, so we have to throw our weight behind the WWE.

4. Announcers
I have always felt that enthusiasm should supersede both objectivity and competence when it comes to sportscasting. The voices of the WWE feel like spectators who carry the thrill of competition with them. Actually, they don’t, but I love the way they keep reminding us that they can’t believe what they’re seeing and constantly egg on the wrestlers as though they were spectators in a “Yo Mama” battle. If Anthony Pettis’ kick off the wall had been done with WWE announcers at the helm instead of MMA guys, we would still hear them hooting and hollering about that kick whenever we opened our windows. Though the idea of watching a WWE match with really somber announcers is pretty funny too, the MMA with straight announcing just feels too damn professional.

3. Gimmick Matches
This argument is along the line of the “props” argument, but even more important, hence its higher ranking. Every MMA match I see is in the same venue. The octagon. Which was cool at first, but now seems as boring as a square. I’ve never been bored with WWE matches because even though their ring maintains the same shape, they mess with it in other completely revolutionary ways.

For instance, they turn the ring into a cage. Sure, the octagon is cage-like, but it’s lacks a roof. Cages need roofs, which is why you see so many MMA fighters climb up the walls and scurry away during a big match. They need to be locked in.

Further, there are never any tacks on the ground of an MMA match. What’s up with that? Crazy. Nor are there ever any MMA bouts that require the contestants to climb a ladder to physically obtain the belt, making them the champion. In the MMA, all you ever have to do is beat the guy regularly. Bo-ring.

2. Wrestlers Get the Mic
I want to be entertained by personalities, not just accomplishments. If Georges St. Pierre steps into the ring, I don’t just want him to fight. I want him to gesticulate wildly and ask if I am able to smell what he’s cooking. It’s like the MMA guys have no passion for their work. They simply fight, punch the clock, and do it all again the next day. If an MMA fighter thinks the citizens of Detroit are a bunch of window-licking mouth-breathers, he should tell his entire Detroit audience as much. The joy of seeing a pro-wrestler insult an entire city far outweighs stoic professionalism. Advantage, WWE.

1. The Movie Springboard
WWE has Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and to a MUCH lesser extent, John Cena. The WWE has produced some of the world’s finest actors. I’m pretty sure that Gene Hackman and Daniel Day-Lewis were both in the WWE at some point, but my internet is down, so I can’t verify that. MMA has Brock Lesnar, who can’t act his way out of a paper bag. If you love wrestling half-naked guys for money and you have cinematic aspirations, you’re a fool if you don’t go to the WWE. It’s where thespians fight. MMA is just where the better athletes fight. Well, I got news for you: If I wanted to watch good athletes, I’d put on bowling.

How the Big Diesel found time between his scheduled game of H.O.R.S.E with B.Manley and his music video productions is unknown, but he made it.  That allowed WWE President Vince McMahon to refrain from settling with an impersonator, although such a plan did work out well last time with Denver Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke.

Shaq also managed to make his way into the featured match of the night when he encountered The Big Show in the center of the ring.  After exchanging one-handed chokes, Shaq would eventually toss the giant through the ropes.  Much to the delight of Cavs’ star LeBron James, GM Danny Ferry, and coach Mike Brown, no injuries were sustained.

Giants, leprechauns and a whole lot of bad acting.  The WWE sounds like just the place for Shaq.

Here is a clip of Shaq kissing Jericho.

The Big Diesel’s encounter with Hornswoggle.

Shaq and The Big Show go at it.

Piper, whose real name is Roderick George Toombs, was pulled over by police at 1am local time.  He was taken to jail and held on bail for $5000 before being released at about 8am that morning.  He has been scheduled to appear in court July 23.  Hopefully Piper will be a little more controlled than his old rival Hulk Hogan was during his appearance in front of the judge.

It was only a couple of months ago when Piper was once again making his presence felt in the WWE at WrestleMania 25. He has since stated that owner Vince McMahon was looking to get him back in another storyline for one of the WWE’s shows.  That plan will likely be on hold now as Piper deals with this incident.  When asked previously about the role of drugs and alcohol within the business, he stated the following:

“Thinking about the friends, the brothers I’ve lost, makes me feel lonesome. I lived with these guys, literally.  I wonder why no-one on the outside catches on to what’s happening? I guess it’s because they don’t care.” [The Sun]

We do care Roddy and we do catch on.  The real question is “does anyone within the business care?”  Right now the answer seems to be an emphatic “NO.”

Last night was Vince’s night of revenge, and he got at it early.  After an introduction to help inform anyone not familiar with what has happened, the Kroenke look-a-like came out to the jeers of the crowd.  He greeted David Stern, Jack Nicholson and Jerry Buss, who were also ringside in look-a-like form, then entered the ring and took the mic.  After a 2-minute rant, Vince McMahon makes his way to the ring and gets in a few insults of his own, including jabs at Kroenke’s lack business skills and his first name, “Enus”.  You could probably imagine where that went.

McMahon then accused the Nuggets owner of trying to push around the WWE and its fans.  That was when Vince finally pushed back, giving Kroenke a shot to the neck that would send him sprawling outside the ring.  The usualy WWE theatrics contiued with several other wrestlers coming out and taking their turn on the mic (including one dawning a LeBron jersey) until a fight broke out.

There was also a Nuggets vs. Lakers match as the main event of the night, won obviously by the Lakers.  It’s a shame that the basketball Lakers couldn’t pull out a similar result.  As a result, McMahon likely wasn’t the only one who had a “night of fun”.  It was Kroenke who had the final celebration last night.

Here is the segment in two clips.

This is an interesting twist, as the WWE owner has now showed his full support for the Nuggets opposition in the Western Conference finals.  As for the cage match between McMahon and Kroenke?  We might have to wait on that one for now.

Vince McMahon used his interview with ESPN to once again voice his displeasure with the Nuggets organization, and poke fun at the poor business skills of Kroenke.  It was also stated that a joint press release was rejected by Vince because of its nature, which involved an apology to the Nuggets.  Instead, the WWE is scheduled to have their own press conference today at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York, where Vince will disclose the proposal he received.

Also on tap in the upcoming week:  Vince McMahon plans to have some fun with this whole issue by calling out Kroenke on Monday night at the event in Los Angeles, and also will stage a Nuggets vs Lakers type of wrestling match.  Stay tuned.

In the mean time, here is Vince McMahon’s interview with ESPN.

This incredible video captures the moment a massive brawl erupted during a rugby match and engulfed nearly every player on the pitch.

The Romanian Rugby federation said it has “condemned the players for conduct devoid of fair-play”. I wonder if Vince Mcmahon will ask any of these players to join the WWE and next years Royal Rumble?

It only lasted one season, but damn, it was entertaining.  Now for a measly 16,000 dollars you can own a piece of professional football history.

A Los Angeles Extreme XFL Champions ring is up for sale.  It is an actual players ring from the infamous “Million Dollar Game” and only 8 years later it has made its way to an internet pawn shop.

You better put your order in fast for this beauty, because I think I just might buy it. You can find the ring here at Championship-rings.net, where the pros go to pawn.

Check out this promo video and see for yourself, the glory that was the XFL. The best part of the video is when someone refers to Brian Bosworh as a “Shakespearean actor”.

“I got tangled up. It turned out bad,” he said, adding that the only thing hurting was “My tailbone a little bit. My back is all right.”

“Just understanding why they’re doing it and not letting them get the best of me,” said Griffin, who was 11 of 12 from the field. “I don’t want to get into the individual game they’re trying to play with me. I don’t want to have to sit out a game for doing something stupid in retaliation. The best thing to do is just to walk away.” [Sportsline]

Ameer Ali’s form was fantastic we score it a 9 out of 10 for technique and form.  I wonder if Vince McMahon got a hold of this video yet?