Match of the Day - Good 'ol JR takes on SIR Michael Cole

Jim Ross vs. "Sir" Michael Cole - Raw (2011)

It was announced today that after 20 years in the biz, good 'ol JR is leaving the WWE.

Rumor has it that his departure by have something to do with the drunken WWE 2K14 press conference fiasco last month or so. Maybe this will lead to one last Jim Ross embarrassing beatdown/mockery. Man, I sure hope not. Twenty years is long enough.

Seriuosly though, JR will be missed.

Match of the Day - "Hood" Tracy Smothers wrestles as Shaquille Ali in USWA

Tracy "Shaquille Ali" Smothers w/the Nation of Domination vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler Unified World title match - USWA (1997)

Don't let Corey whats-his-name foul you on commentary, Tracy Smothers might be the name given to him at birth, but Smothers around 1997 was now known as Shaquille Ali, a member of USWA's Nation of Domination. Smothers, known for being a down-home southern boy most of his career decided to join the Nation, led by PG-13 of Faarooq's original WWF stable, and live out the life of "the hood".

While this Nation of Domination was not as well written as WWF's version, USWA had something that could have been really good with the individuals involved. In a way, this Nation was more like the original Full Blooded Italians gimmick that ECW had created where most of the members were not really full blooded just really hot blooded. Most of the Nation were not really from the hood or had any business being in a Malcolm X like stable. I should also point out that Tracy Smothers was in the original Full Blooded Italians stable.

One thing that this Shaquille Ali gimmick lacked was a heel commentator to help drive home the fact that Tracy Smothers was no longer the country boy that he used to be and now known by his nation name, Shaquille Ali. This heel figure could have also strengthened the gimmick by explaining just what the "Nation of Domination" was and what they were all about.

Personally, I find Tracy Smothers to be one of the most underrated wrestlers of his time. He's a great heel, he's capable of playing something other than a cowboy even though he's from the south, he's been named after two of the greatest athletes of all time, and - on top of all that - he once wrestled a bear! An un-muzzled bear!

If that doesn't spell championship material... a don't know what does.

The match: Smothers as Shaq Ali gets a shot at the Unified World title against Jerry "I own this company so I'm King" Lawler. Smothers almost wins the match due to interference by Wolfie D of PG-13, but Brian Christopher, Lawler's son, comes out to stop the 3 count. Unfortunately for Lawler, referee Downtown Bruno (Harvey Wippleman) only sees the interference by Christoper and reverses the discussion of the match. Shaq wins but Lawler retains the title. 

Match of the Day - Rocky's debut

In honor of The Rock's win last night at the Royal Rumble while he takes a short break from making Disney action adventure movies and shitty sequels to mediocre franchises, here's Rocky's debut way way back in the year 1996.

"Wildman" Marc Mero's Team (Mero, Rocky Maivia, Jake Roberts, and "The Stalker" Barry Windham) vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsely's Team (Helmsely, Goldust, Crush, and Jerry Lawler) - Survivor Series match - WWF Survivor Series (1996)

Shortly after Dwayne Johnson showed off his agility and awkward dropkicks at USWA, owned by Jerry Lawler at the time who happens to be in this match, the first 3rd generation superstar was ready to grace the squared-circle deep in the belly of Madison Square Garden where his father and father's father had previously made a name for themselves.

And since Rocky Johnson and Chief Peter Maivia had made a name for themselves, it was decided that Dwayne Johnson take the name of Rocky Johnson and mash it together with Peter Maivia to create - Rocky Maivia. Honestly though, it really didn't matter if he had named himself Peter Johnson at this point, he was a 3rd generation superstar; he was going to be used whether he could wrestle or not.

Whether or not he was going to eventually break out of the spotlight of his elders and become his own on star is another story for another day. Many people can argue when exactly Rocky Maivia became The Rock, the people's champ, but this match is no way near that time. This was the blue chipper era for Dwayne Johnson - long before he could ever image starring in Walking Tall remakes or Mummy spin-offs...

This match consists of a team made of heels captained by Marc "I don't know how to be anyone except Johnny B. Badd" Mero and his rival at the time, Hunter Hearst Helmsely and his team of stalkers, drunks, and Rocky Maivias. Along with Rocky in this match, there are three other 2nd generation wrestlers: Goldust, son of Dusty Rhodes, Barry Windham, son of Black Mulligan, and Jake Roberts, son of Grizzly Smith. 

Side note:

Also at this time, Jake Roberts was having a small feud with Jerry Lawler in an angle where Robert's "Demons" were openly discussed and paralleled his real life battles with alcohol and cocaine (which they didn't mention of course). This sort of art imitating reality type situation was an early element of the Attitude Era and the more Jerry Springer/soap opera style of wrestling we say from the late 90's (onward basically). The "demons" angle where a wrestler legitimately has a problem and it is thrown into their onscreen character has also been used on Road Warrior Hawk and his much more exploited drug/alcohol problem in the heart of the Attitude Era as well as Scott Hall's drinking problems all throughout his WCW/NWO career. I want to say there was also a small bit where Rowdy Roddy Piper would just get drunk on the Smackdown Brand revamp of Piper's Pit every week, but maybe that was just me subtly wishing I had something to take to get through that Mr. America gimmick. Ayeyeye.

Anyways, here's Rocky Maivia's debut. He wins the match and no one really hates the guts of his gimmick yet.

Enjoy.

Match of the Day - Happy New Year's Eve with The King & Gregory Helms

Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. Gregory "don't call me The Hurricane anymore" Helms - WWE New Year's Revolution (2006)

I don't really remember the story behind this match.

It's at New Year's Revolution, though... so it's relevant.

A plus in this match is listening to Joey Styles on commentary. Unfortunately you have to also listen to Jonathan Coachman. Remember that guy? Listening to Gregory Helms commentate during his own match was more entertaining than that joker.