Match of the Day - The one where Diesel tries to use Mad Dog Vachon's fake leg as a weapon

Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels - No Holds Barred match for the WWF Championship - In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies (1996)

Today, Canadian wrestling legend, Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon passed away at age 84. Maurice, along with being part of the Vachon family, was also a multiple time heavyweight champion in AWA and WWE Hall of Famer. No disrespect to the man what-so-ever, but - despite all these accolades and accomplishments and rivalries with guys like The Crusher or Dick the Bruiser - I will always remember him most for his participation in the Diesel/Michaels match at In Your House 7 in 1996.

The match between Diesel and his former tag team partner, Shawn Michaels is a notable match in of itself as it serves as the last match that Kevin Nash ever played the character of Diesel in WWF before jumping ship to WCW (not counting a couple of years ago where Nash was dressed in the Diesel gear during his Royal Rumble return). The match was also a "No Holds Barred" match for Michaels' WWF championship and the first PPV or televised match Mad Dog Vachon ever got involved in. Well, a part of him got involved at least. See, Mad Dog Vachon was just a spectator in the audience that night until Diesel got out of the ring mid-match and threw the 67 year old man over the guardrail. Diesel then grabbed at Vachon's leg and ripped it off revealing an artificial leg that Vachon had from losing his real leg in a hit-and-run accident. That's when Diesel took Vachon's prosthetic leg and brought it into the ring to use against Michaels.

Unfortunately for Diesel, the leg was snagged away from him by the Heart Break Kid - who ended up using it to tune up the band and harness super "Mad Dog" powers for a devastating Sweet Chin Music. So devastating in fact that Kevin Nash was never seen in the WWE again until 2002. In a way, one could argue that it was the power of Mad Dog Vachon (and his fake leg) that drove Kevin Nash away all along.

Song of the Day - No Pulse

Disasteradio - No Pulse from Charisma (2010)

How could I have forgotten this wonderfully odd gem?

80's inspired New Zealand synth pop.


This was my jam in 2010.

Last.fm

Match of the Debut - Truth & Consequences, Team Pacman

Ron "The Truth" Killings & Rasheed Lucius "Consequences" Creed (w/Pacman Jones) vs. AJ Styles & Tomko - TNA Tag Team titles match - TNA Bound For Glory (2007)

If there's one year of TNA that I actually watched and forgot about, it's 2007. I guess that's why I thought it was mighty odd that people were saying that Consequences Creed, now Xavier Woods, had already teamed up with R-Truth before the debut of Woods on Raw tonight. As it turns out, before Lethal Consequences (Creed's tag team with Jay Lethal that I do remember), Consequences Creed was the guy added to the team of Ron Killings and... yep, you guessed it, Adam "Pacman" Jones of American football shenanigans fame in TNA in 2007. Since Pacman Jones was technically still under contract with the NFL (he just happened to be suspended at this time), Pacman was not actually allowed to wrestle, which doesn't sound that bad except for the important and incredibly inane fact that he was one half of the TNA tag champions. I'm not going to say this was a poor decision by TNA; putting the title on someone who has never wrestled and happened to be the bad boy of football that week is nothing new. Titles with more prestige have been put on worse nobodies, but here Pacman wasn't even aloud to wrestle. That's where Consequences Creed came in, however, and thanks to Pacman in a way, Creed made a big enough impact in this match to be called back and eventually had a pretty solid run in TNA until 2010.

So here's to the silver-lining of Team Pacman in TNA circa 2007. Here's to Xavier Woods hopefully getting to stay on the main roster for good.

I should also point out that Pacman returned to TNA two weeks ago. Maybe WWE saw this and remembered Team Pacman for the first time since 2007 as well, and remembered that they have the better halves.

Song of the Day - Impostor

Sirs - Impostor from Sirs EP (2013)

It has come to my attention that Purchase, New York power poppers, Sirs will be calling it quits soon. The worst part is they just released a really wicked self titled EP that I'll never get to hear live. Or anything of their's for that matter.



Bummertown City, USA.

Last.fm

Match of the Day - The Hart brothers take on those guys with the thongs on their tights

Bret and Owen Hart vs. Well Dunn - WWF Wrestling Challenge (1993)

This week I was looking to see if there were any matches that took place on my birthday. This match between the Hart Brothers and Well Dunn (Timothy Well & Steven Dunn) was the closest match I could find that was at least aired around by birthday (dated November 14th). This match was probably one of the first times that Bret and Owen Hart teamed together on WWF television in a build up for the Hart Family vs. Jerry Lawler match at Survivor Series. You know, the Hart/Lawler match at Survivor Series that never happened. You know, that match that turned into the Hart Family vs. Shawn Michaels and a bunch of jobbers dressed as knights.

Anyways, he's a nice little piece of history from the first day of my life.

Song of the Day - 93 'Til Infinity

Souls of Mischief - 93 'Til Infinity from 93 'Til Infinity (1993)

Chillin' since 93 'til infinity.

Last.fm

Match of the Day - The final Mike Awesome/Masato Tanaka encounter

Mike Awesome vs. Masato Tanaka - ECW One Night Stand (2005)

It's my birthday, so here's one of my favorite matches.

The Mike Awesome/Masato Tanaka match from ECW's One Night Stand show in 2005 is not the two's first outing together. These two had been fighting each other for the sake of fighting since the early/mid 90's from ECW to FMW in Japan with little to no remorse for each others well being. What makes this particular encounter so special is really pretty much random other than the fact that the crowd was red hot for them and the atmosphere that night was incredible. The two just go out to the ring and continue where they left off from their last match like it was still Heat Wave 1998. There's unprotected chair shots, a brutal Awesome bomb from the apron to a slanted table, an almost 300 pound man continually diving to the outside like this was a PWG All-Star Weekend, and, of course, Joey Styles' nonstop bad-mouthing of Mike Awesome on commentary.

This match might be remembered most for Joey Styles "shoot" on Awesome for being a terrible human being business-wise and the line after Awesome completed his first suicide dive to the outside, "...and it's unfortunate he did not succeed in taking his own life"; a foreshadowing of Awesome's demise as he would actually take his life 2 years later. That's not what makes this match special to me, but it is something that always gets brought up.

Regardless of all Joey Styles stuff, this match and the whole Awesome/Tanaka feud is really a sight to see from their days in FMW to this final battle at One Night Stand. These two put on simple yet brutal matches together that required little to no explanation. Destroying each other was just what they did.

Song of the Day - Lebaron

Russian Circles - Lebaron from Memorial (2013)

Post metal demigods, Russian Circles have a new album... It's pretty great, but you already know that.


Right?

Last.fm

Match of the Day - Kid Kash is Chris Jericho's brother?

David Jericho vs. Taka Michinoku - WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (1998)

WWF Light Heavyweight champion, Taka Michinoku takes on a newcomer by the name of David Jericho in a non-title match for the Heat of Saturday Nights, Shotgun Saturday Night. David performed on and off with WWF at house shows and in dark matches until breaking both of his ankles during a match with Too Cool in 1999. After recovering, David, real name David Cash, returned to ECW where he started out and brought with him a new gimmick as a Kid Rock look-a-like. Thus, Kid Kash was born.

 Kid Kash would eventually get a full contract deal with the WWE in 2005, but the David Jericho character did not make a comeback. Apparently WWE already had a "Jericho" on the roster this time and didn't need another one running around.

Song of the Day - BATH SALTS

Future Death - BATH SALTS from FUTURE DEATH (2013)

Reminiscent of a Zach Hill project that never was/never will be. Spastic drums, blazing guitar riffs, and distorted female vocals - oh my!


Also be on the lookout for Future Death's 2nd album due out early next year!

Last.fm

Match of the Debut - The debut of Kassius Ohno

Kassius Ohno vs. Xavier Woods - FCW TV (2012)

Kassius Ohno, better known by some as indy sensation, Chris Hero, was released from his WWE development contract last Friday. I would say this marks the end of KO, but I have a feeling he'll be back and eventually getting his time to shine in WWE, whatever that may mean nowadays. To reflect on his release, here is the debut, rolling elbow and all, of Chris Hero's transformation into "Kassius Ohno" against Xavier Woods in FCW (now NXT).

Match of the Day - Mr. Instant Replay vs. "Slick" Nick - The Green Bucks

"Mr. Instant Replay" Matt Jackson vs. "Slick" Nick Jackson - HPW Heavyweight title tournament first round match - Hybrid Pro Wrestling (2006)

Currently, the brother team of Nick and Matt Jackson AKA The Young Bucks are one of the top indie tag team darlings going today with their constant spots and superkicks. It wasn't too long ago that the brothers were just two kids inspired by The Hardy Boyz and The Rockers to put on exciting matches together. Here's a match between the two brothers from Southern California in their early days before making a name for themselves and touring the world. They are clearly very green here, but they show a lot of potential even without the multiple dives to the outside, flips for the sake of flips, and superkick after superkick.

This Jackson brother's match also features the now-retired Human Tornado providing color commentary.

Theme results

Family Feud: Brother vs. Brother.

Song of the Day - Watered Down

Swearin' - Watered Down from Surfing Strange (2013)

New stuff from Philly indie rock/pop punk band, Swearin'. Swearin' is co-fronted by Allison Crutchfield, the twin sister of Waxahatchee and formerly P.S. Eliot and Bad Banana along with her sister. Allison's doing her own thing now with Swearin' and it sounds great. Here's a track from Surfing Strange entitled, "Watered Down".

Last.fm

Match of the Day - The Hardy Boyz "I Quit" match

Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy - "I Quit" match - Backlash (2009)

This is the Hardy Boyz feud where Matt Hardy hinted that he was responsible for the fire that burned Jeff's home and killed his dog. Why did Matt do it? Jealousy, of course. This feud first started when Matt lost the ECW title to Jack Swagger (remember that?) and later attacked Jeff with a chair, costing his brother the World Heavyweight title. With the Hardy's title-less, it was the perfect time for the two brothers to finally have a big feud for who's the better Hardy Boy... apparently.

The Hardy Boyz "I Quit" match at Backlash was the final chapter of their four part saga. Ironically, this match included the Hardy's working extensively on the leg for the other to experience enough pain to say "I Quit", but in the end when one Hardy came up with the victory, the other walked away with a broken arm.

Theme results

Family Feud: Brother vs. Brother.

Song of the Day - PLEASANCE (WDGAF)

Kool & Kass - PLEASANCE (WDGAF) from PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS (2013)


Kool AD's new project with Kassa Overall. Basically it's about not giving a fuck. So yeah, what's new?

Last.fm

Match of the Day - The Apache sisters caballera vs. caballera match

Mary Apache vs. Faby Apache - Caballera contra Cabellera (Hair vs. Hair match) - Triplemania XVI (2008)

Speaking of AAA and hair vs. hair matches...

Apparently, this brutal sister feud stems from Faby Apache's relationship with Billy Boy and the Apache sisters' trainer and father, Gran Apache's distaste for Billy Boy. Mary Apache, siding with her father on the whole unworthy boyfriend busy with Billy Boy, takes on her sister, Faby Apache with her real life husband, Billy Boy in her corner in this physical hair vs. hair match. Like the Eddie/Chavo match posted previously, this hair vs. hair match does not end as a usual hair vs. hair match should.

Even without knowing the storyline behind this match, it's still a great fight. Check it out.

Theme results

Family Feud: Sister vs. Sister.

Song of the Day - Baby Face

CUSS - Baby Face from Heavenly (2013)


From the Portland Jesus Lizard-like noise rock outfit, CUSS and their new album, Heavenly (out now). Very heavenly indeed.

Last.fm

Match of the Day - Eddie Guerrero challenges his nephew to a hair vs. hair match

Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. - Hair vs. Hair match - WCW/nWo Bash at the Beach (1998)

Eddie and Chavo had quite the relationship in wrestling to say the least. It seemed whenever they were together they were either winning titles as a well tandem tag team or slugging it out. While Eddie Guerrero was Chavo's uncle, their bond, and rivalry for that matter, was much more like a brotherly one. It probably didn't help either that the two were only 3 years apart in age and had been wrestling each other (in front of wrestling crowds during intermission) since they were kids.

This particular match between the two Guerrero's in WCW is one of their best. In the video above, the match doesn't start until after Chavo Guerrero wrestlers Stevie Ray of the Harlem Heat. It might seem strange that Chavo would have to fight two matches in a row, not to mention a large competitor like Stevie Ray first, but this was all part of Uncle Eddie's plan to wear down his nephew for before the official match. The official match was no ordinary match either, it was a hair vs. hair - a stipulation Eddie was no stranger to as he had been on the losing end of such a gambling match back in AAA with Los Gringos Locos. Who loses? Who get's their head shaved? Take a look and find out!

Theme results

Family Feud: Uncle vs. Nephew.

Theme Week: Family Feud!

It's a new month and that means a new theme week. I really don't have a reason behind this week's theme other than it was something I wanted to look more into. So, here's a weeks worth of matches featuring someone taking on a family member of theirs. it could be sibling rivalry, cousin confrontation, father versus son, nephew versus uncle, you name it. As long as the competitors are really related (not kayfabe) and it is a match in a real promotion, it's eligible.

Enjoy!