Wrestling News & Wrestling Rumors

Well episode one of Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling has come and gone and what did we really expect? It was entertaining for what it was, but it’s just the same as any other cheesy reality show garbage, so you have to go in with your brain off. From my perspective as a true wrestling fan it was funny in parts (not necessarily for good reasons), but mostly was just cringe-worthy and campy. Then again I’m probably not the target audience as Bischoff explained in media appearances.

Right at the start they attempted to make wrestling sound like a tough sport, but the sheer notion that celebrities can put on a match after one week in itself is laughable and makes the sport look weak. They basically explained that it is physical and dangerous but choreographed, which would make some veterans angry, considering the true art of wrestling is to call the matches in the ring and not go though a pre-rehearsed sequence. That’s arguably what is damaging wrestling today. Still it was a good way to explain it to a non fan who has absolutely no idea.

They introduced the crop of semi-famous celebrities, missing out the fact that Rodman has appeared at the top of 3 PPVs, 2 in WCW and one in Australia, Butterbean took part in Wrestlemania 15 (albeit in a boxing match) and that Screech has worked in Memphis and is a huge wrestling fan.

They did the usual supposed “reality” segments, which ironically seem more worked than wrestling storylines themselves, playing up that one of the women is too busy looking in the mirror, that Bonaduce is a “loose cannon” type and so on. Reality TV is cheesy as it is, but intertwining wrestling, which is worked anyway just doesn’t fit in my eyes. Its hard to believe in the fake reality show drama about becoming a wrestler, who’s job is to act in a similar fashion. Its a double work.

The footage of training was ok, Beefcake and Knobbs are famous wrestlers, who can at least teach them the basics, so there’s no problems there, although Knobbs doesn’t exactly look in shape (panting after a forearm). How did Beefcake get the rights to his name after all these years? They were taught 3 moves, a kick to the mid-section, a forearm and a clothesline, yet later in their matches they were jumping off the ropes, which brings me to the matches.

The presentation of the bouts completely ruined the whole frigging concept and turned it in to one big cheese fest. They had a stupid looking worked audience that were overly excited about everything, canned reactions that were constant throughout the fights that drowned out any real reactions to what they were doing and then some god awful piped in sound effects for punches and kicks. It was like Wrestling Society X all over again and made wrestling fans look like complete morons.

If they were supposed to have been judged on their ability to work as heels and babyfaces then we need REAL crowd reactions to judge properly! If they were supposed to be marked on the execution of moves, then don’t pipe in false sound effects to make them all look good! And if you thought it funny that most of Hogan’s friends would be on the show, you’d have laughed because it ended up that ALL of Hogan’s friends were on the show, with the addition of Bubba Love Sponge on commentary! Don’t ever compare Bonaduce to Brian Pillman, EVER!

This was not designed for the wrestling fan and I’m not a fan of reality shows, so it’s a thumbs down from me. At least for the first episode. It may get better. Despite all of this in comparison to other reality shows its on the same level as they are, which is just below the toilet seat.