What We're Wrestling With

Photo by Martin Kníže on Unsplash

This week's blog was supposed to be 'Cook's Choice' which doesn't mean leftover meatloaf, it means we write what we want and don't worry about the other person's topic. Technically it still is, because he's trying something he's never done before, and she was inspired by it, even though it's not her cup of tea. 
His Take:

I have the best friends.You should be SO jealous!! I’ve always wanted to write about sports and this week I get to do it!

If you're part of the IWC, or paid attention to the television upfronts this week, you know there was a lockdown on Turner Networks and that was because AEW got to announce that they’re going to have a weekly LIVE wrestling show on TNT. This fall things should get really interesting. But I’m not here to talk about that, I’m here to talk about one of my favorite pay per views of the year, this Sunday’s Money in the Bank!!! I’ve always loved this ppv because it is the one ppv where I truly feel that anything can happen. People have cashed in their contracts the same night, some have cashed them in at Wrestlemania, and some have cashed them in on a random Raw or Smackdown. This year, I’m going to give my predictions for winner or each match and next week I’ll post a short scorecard of how I did. It should noted that while I do read news about wrestling, I have stayed away from any articles that may spoil the outcome of any of the matches. Basically, I didn’t read the dirt sheets. Let’s get to it!

Daniel Bryan & Rowan vs. The Usos: For this one, I’ve got to stick with the champs. The Usos are the superior tag team, but they’re also right in the middle of a fued with The Revival. I can’t imagine that WWE would take one of the best tag teams off of the show that really needs them. Plus, I think it’s better to have a heel tag team on Smackdown right now. My pick: Daniel Bryan & Rowan

Tony Nese vs. Ariya Daivari: Ugh, I wish this was a loser leave town match and Tony Nese would win. I really dislike Ariya Daivari. The less I say about this the better. My pick: Tony Nese.

Samoa Joe vs. Rey Mysterio: While I don’t like the stalker gimmick that they’re putting on Joe, I think this match will be the beginning of the official “Dominick Mysterio becomes a wrestler” angle and his feud with Samoa Joe. My Pick: Samoa Joe

Kofi Kingston vs. Kevin Owens: There’s no way they’re gonna take the belt off Kofi right now. Even though Owens is one of the most popular heels of this decade, I’m going Kofi all the way. I hope Kofi brings Xavier with him. Even though they’re short a member right now, I don’t want X to fade away into backstage segments. Actually, I think Woods is a hugely underrated talent and it’s a shame that they don’t use him more. Sorry I went off on a tangent there, but my pick: Kofi Kingston.

The Miz vs. Shane McMahon: IN A STEEL CAGE!!!!! Oh God, I’m so excited for this match. After a loose by mistake at Wrestlemania, I hope the Miz (and his dad) gets revenge on Shane. Although I’ve been impressed with Shane’s performances, I’m hoping he gets what’s coming to him. My pick: The Miz

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair: I’m thinking The Man is gonna keep being the man. Right now Becky needs the belt more than Charlotte, and I don’t think the company wants to take the belt off Becky Two Belts a month after they built their biggest ppv of the year around here. My pick: Becky Lynch

Roman Reigns vs. Elias: I’m gonna play my dark horse card with this one and say Elias. I think this could be the beginning of a great feud with these two, and I hope it is. I think Elias could be Reign’s Roddy Piper. My pick: Elias

Natalya vs. Dana Brooke vs. Naomi vs. Bayley vs. Mandy Rose vs. Ember Moon vs. Carmella vs. Nikki Cross: I can’t tell you how excited I am for this match. Not only do we get some of the most kick-ass women wrestlers, but we also get some of the most underrated women wrestlers in the promotion. For me, this was hard to call. I can see it going to Nikki Cross, but I’m not sure what her character is supposed to be yet. It seems like when she’s backstage she’s a face, but in the ring she’s a heel? After a lot of thinking….My pick: Mandy Rose

Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Baron Corbin vs. Ali vs. Finn Bálor vs. Andrade vs. Randy Orton: For me this one wasn’t as much about why someone would win, it was about why someone wouldn’t win. By process of elimination, for me it came down to Ali. He’s the one that’s going to benefit the most by winning, and I’m predicting he’ll cash in his contract for the Intercontinental Championship. My pick: Ali

Seth Rollins (c) vs. AJ Styles: I’m thinking the champ is gonna retain on Sunday. Like Reigns vs. Elias, I would like to see a long feud between this two. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening, I think after Sunday they’re both moving on to new opponents. My pick: Seth Rollins

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lacey Evans: This, I think, is going to be the upset of the evening. I’m calling this one for Lacey Evans. She’s brand new, nobody knows what she’s capable of, and she’s pretty much got a rocket strapped to her back. She’s also got the perfect personality to exploit the fact that she’s the one that took down “The Man” My pick: Lacey Evans

All in all, I think this is a great card for Sunday’s show. Thank you so much for reading this, I hope you enjoy Money in the Bank and I’ll see you back here next week for a look at how my predictions stood up to who scored the 1-2-3!!

Her Take: 

It’s one of my most vivid memories, so let me tell you about it.

I’m 8 years-old sitting with my back against the couch, between my dad’s knees, on the patchwork patterned shag carpeting in my parent’s living room. My grandpa is sits next to my dad and my older brother is stretched out in the middle of the floor with a pillow wedged under his head. In the kitchen, my grandma is at the table and I can hear her talking to my mom, who’s doing the dishes. The air in our house smells like the smoke from my mother’s cigarette, now crushed in the ashtray on the table, and fried hamburger.

My dad’s legs are warm and comforting, his feet smell musty but I rest my hands on them anyway, and it’s comfortable. In my memory, we were all comfortable then.

The TV is on, Hee Haw is ending, and my dad is just about to tell my brother to change the channel. I could, but I’m not quite tall enough to see the numbers on the dial for the cable box that’s perched on top of the TV.

“Billy, turn it to channel 54.”

Clickclickclickclickclickclick. My brother turns the knob.

The music starts, the WWF logo flies onto the screen, and it’s time for wrestling.

It was like this week after week when I was a kid. My dad watching wrestling, my brother and I there with him. We watch King Kong Bundy, or Andre the Giant, or even Hulk Hogan wrestle an endless string of guys in plain red or blue trucks. And of course, there’s going to be some kind of spectacular take-down and we’re all going to act surprised that Macho Man Randy Savage came running in with a folding chair. And we’ll be surprised every time something like that happens. It’s not so much about what we’re watching, we’re really just being there with my Dad, sometimes my grandpa, spending that time.

So now, all this time later, I love wrestling. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t WATCH wrestling, I don’t know ANYTHING ABOUT wrestling, but I love it all the same. Because it was something we all had together, as weird as that sounds, and it makes me happy.