Bowie V. Ibarra's Blog, page 21
December 28, 2013
FIGHTS: So long, Matt Smith!
ZBFbooks SALUTES MATT SMITH AS HE MAKES WAY FOR A NEW ERA OF DOCTOR WHO
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
I'll never forget the day when I joined a Doctor Who 'Meet Up' group at a place called Lion and the Rose in San Antonio, Texas, to watch the 50th Anniversary Special. The Doctor Who group is pretty cool and I made my way to a table with available seating with a few fellow Doctor Who fan.
I immediately established that I'm ready for Matt Smith to spark discussion on why, I assumed, these three folks were big Matt Smith fans. And, like the ass that I am, I discovered that the three of us shared the same feeling.
We appreciated Matt Smith's stay, but we were ready for him to go.
I dubbed Matt Smith the 'Peter Davidson' of this modern era. Like Davidson, Smith had to fill the shoes of who was, at that time, the most popular Doctor since Tom Baker: David Tennant. And I'll never forget how unhappy I was when he changed into Smith. In fact, even before he shouted his first 'Geronimo', I was already wishing for another Doctor to take his place.
Why do I gripe about Smith? For me, the guy just didn't have the emotional depth or skill of Tennant. After watching episodes scored by Russell T. Davies that were filled with emotional depth, story, and great additions to the Doctor Who canon, I wasn't sure of the new guy.
My initial feelings were justified in the first few episodes. The guy was 'pantomiming' a Doctor, if that makes any sense. Like, he was acting whimsical and fun with no real motivation behind it. Don't get me wrong, there were several episodes where a look or a gesture reached deeper than his actual acting. I can acknowledge that. But those moments felt few and far between for me.
And even though the script bolstered his profile, I think it also hindered his performance as well. I imagine considering the way filming is done for shows, which are typically never linear (read: You might film the end of an episode before moments from the beginning), he might have lost track of how he should 'feel' or what moment came before. Moffett's scripts can sometimes (okay, ALWAYS) be so overly clever or epic that even I lose track of what exactly is going on. Perhaps being green, Smith had similar moments where he couldn't immerse himself in the moment because he wasn't exactly sure what that moment was or how he should feel.
Granted, he got better in subsequent seasons, but it always felt like a kind of 'on-the-job' training. He got better as an actor because he was literally learning how to be a better actor as the program went on. That's very different than growing the character and learning more about them as the program moved forward, which he did a pretty good job of.
In the end, however, I was still very excited to hear about him leaving and looked forward to that day.
Truth is, he did okay. He was just alright, in my eyes. True, you can never really compare apples to oranges when it comes to the unique position of this show. In this case, I would have taken the orange over the apple, even though the apple could provide the same goodness as the orange. I just prefer the orange.
Even though ZBFbooks.com has been one of Smith's critics, I am thankful for the time he put in to the show to build the show's legend, and did enjoy his performances as a whole. But once was enough for me.
So, naturally, when I heard Peter Capaldi was taking Smith's place, I was happy. Here was an older guy who probably has a little more emotional depth, acting skill, and an obvious stronger presence and intensity that's been missing from the series for a while now, perhaps since Eccleston.
So long, Matt Smith. ZBFbooks.com wishes you well in your future endeavors. And here's wishing Peter Capaldi a long and successful run.
And if you like superheroes, you need to give the ZombieBloodFights.com superheroes a chance.
Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
I'll never forget the day when I joined a Doctor Who 'Meet Up' group at a place called Lion and the Rose in San Antonio, Texas, to watch the 50th Anniversary Special. The Doctor Who group is pretty cool and I made my way to a table with available seating with a few fellow Doctor Who fan.
I immediately established that I'm ready for Matt Smith to spark discussion on why, I assumed, these three folks were big Matt Smith fans. And, like the ass that I am, I discovered that the three of us shared the same feeling.
We appreciated Matt Smith's stay, but we were ready for him to go.
I dubbed Matt Smith the 'Peter Davidson' of this modern era. Like Davidson, Smith had to fill the shoes of who was, at that time, the most popular Doctor since Tom Baker: David Tennant. And I'll never forget how unhappy I was when he changed into Smith. In fact, even before he shouted his first 'Geronimo', I was already wishing for another Doctor to take his place.
Why do I gripe about Smith? For me, the guy just didn't have the emotional depth or skill of Tennant. After watching episodes scored by Russell T. Davies that were filled with emotional depth, story, and great additions to the Doctor Who canon, I wasn't sure of the new guy.
My initial feelings were justified in the first few episodes. The guy was 'pantomiming' a Doctor, if that makes any sense. Like, he was acting whimsical and fun with no real motivation behind it. Don't get me wrong, there were several episodes where a look or a gesture reached deeper than his actual acting. I can acknowledge that. But those moments felt few and far between for me.
And even though the script bolstered his profile, I think it also hindered his performance as well. I imagine considering the way filming is done for shows, which are typically never linear (read: You might film the end of an episode before moments from the beginning), he might have lost track of how he should 'feel' or what moment came before. Moffett's scripts can sometimes (okay, ALWAYS) be so overly clever or epic that even I lose track of what exactly is going on. Perhaps being green, Smith had similar moments where he couldn't immerse himself in the moment because he wasn't exactly sure what that moment was or how he should feel.
Granted, he got better in subsequent seasons, but it always felt like a kind of 'on-the-job' training. He got better as an actor because he was literally learning how to be a better actor as the program went on. That's very different than growing the character and learning more about them as the program moved forward, which he did a pretty good job of.
In the end, however, I was still very excited to hear about him leaving and looked forward to that day.
Truth is, he did okay. He was just alright, in my eyes. True, you can never really compare apples to oranges when it comes to the unique position of this show. In this case, I would have taken the orange over the apple, even though the apple could provide the same goodness as the orange. I just prefer the orange.
Even though ZBFbooks.com has been one of Smith's critics, I am thankful for the time he put in to the show to build the show's legend, and did enjoy his performances as a whole. But once was enough for me.
So, naturally, when I heard Peter Capaldi was taking Smith's place, I was happy. Here was an older guy who probably has a little more emotional depth, acting skill, and an obvious stronger presence and intensity that's been missing from the series for a while now, perhaps since Eccleston.
So long, Matt Smith. ZBFbooks.com wishes you well in your future endeavors. And here's wishing Peter Capaldi a long and successful run.
And if you like superheroes, you need to give the ZombieBloodFights.com superheroes a chance.
Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com.
December 24, 2013
FIGHTS: Review - 'Anchorman 2' picks satire over parody
COMEDY CHARACTER DUSTED OFF, POINTS OUT HOW STUPID MODERN 'NEWS' IS
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
After the success of the original 'Anchorman' movie with Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carrell, it was surprising the comedy writers couldn't put together another film until almost a decade later. For those like ZBFbooks.com, the wait was well worth it for 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues'. If you were a fan of the stupid comedy stylings of the first one, you're going to love the second one. If you weren't a fan, then do not go see this movie. It's got the same ridiculous comedy elements as the first one, but moves from straight parody to straight satire.
In brief, in the early 80s, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgandy loses his anchorman job to his wife and is immediately fired, causing a rift in his family that finds him leaving his wife and young boy to work at a Sea World in San Diego. He then gets a job to be one of the anchors of a radical new news concept: 24 Hour News at GNN (Global News Network). The movie takes a cue from 'The Blues Brothers' as Ron puts the newsteam back together.
But they are not the only news team at the new facility. A competitor named Lime challenges Ron to a wager: News Team with the highest ratings for their time wins. The problem is Lime has prime time, and Burgandy has the graveyard hours.
And the silliness builds.
The movie will keep fans of the first one happy, with characters returning and even a surprise near the end of the movie that harkens back to a moment from the first movie.
The comedy tone of the movie changed from parody to satire. Like all good satirical comedies, the movie's plot hides behind humor to expose the problem with modern news: It's not news, but a crappy form of entertainment and distraction from ACTUAL news. Not only that, it also takes a jab at news agencies hiding bad stuff that investors into the company might be involved in, revealing the truth about modern news that they're only going to report what they are, literally, being paid to report. It's not about actual news content, but content that will get people to tune in to placate their sponsors. I could go on a rant about this, but you get the picture.
It's also a commentary on the clutches of corporate culture and its effect on the family. Fortunately, from what I understand, many progressive companies are seeing the value of honoring their employees with time for family.
In the end, the satirical spin on the 'Anchorman' sequel is great and not too heavy-handed to take away from the enjoyment of the movie. It is good for some laughs and is ZBFbooks approved!
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the acclaimed 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. His latest title, 'Codename: La Lechusa' is a supernatural action/adventure story about a single mother by day and assassin by night who is granted magical powers by a curandera. Coupled with her elevated strength, she takes on bad guys in the south Texas town of San Uvalde. It is available today in paperback and Kindle from Amazon.com
Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com today!
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
After the success of the original 'Anchorman' movie with Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carrell, it was surprising the comedy writers couldn't put together another film until almost a decade later. For those like ZBFbooks.com, the wait was well worth it for 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues'. If you were a fan of the stupid comedy stylings of the first one, you're going to love the second one. If you weren't a fan, then do not go see this movie. It's got the same ridiculous comedy elements as the first one, but moves from straight parody to straight satire.
In brief, in the early 80s, Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgandy loses his anchorman job to his wife and is immediately fired, causing a rift in his family that finds him leaving his wife and young boy to work at a Sea World in San Diego. He then gets a job to be one of the anchors of a radical new news concept: 24 Hour News at GNN (Global News Network). The movie takes a cue from 'The Blues Brothers' as Ron puts the newsteam back together.
But they are not the only news team at the new facility. A competitor named Lime challenges Ron to a wager: News Team with the highest ratings for their time wins. The problem is Lime has prime time, and Burgandy has the graveyard hours.
And the silliness builds.
The movie will keep fans of the first one happy, with characters returning and even a surprise near the end of the movie that harkens back to a moment from the first movie.
The comedy tone of the movie changed from parody to satire. Like all good satirical comedies, the movie's plot hides behind humor to expose the problem with modern news: It's not news, but a crappy form of entertainment and distraction from ACTUAL news. Not only that, it also takes a jab at news agencies hiding bad stuff that investors into the company might be involved in, revealing the truth about modern news that they're only going to report what they are, literally, being paid to report. It's not about actual news content, but content that will get people to tune in to placate their sponsors. I could go on a rant about this, but you get the picture.
It's also a commentary on the clutches of corporate culture and its effect on the family. Fortunately, from what I understand, many progressive companies are seeing the value of honoring their employees with time for family.
In the end, the satirical spin on the 'Anchorman' sequel is great and not too heavy-handed to take away from the enjoyment of the movie. It is good for some laughs and is ZBFbooks approved!
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the acclaimed 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. His latest title, 'Codename: La Lechusa' is a supernatural action/adventure story about a single mother by day and assassin by night who is granted magical powers by a curandera. Coupled with her elevated strength, she takes on bad guys in the south Texas town of San Uvalde. It is available today in paperback and Kindle from Amazon.com
Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com today!
FIGHTS: Preview - Inspire Pro 'Ecstasy of Gold' event!
NEW PRO WRESTLING ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO DELIVER
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
South and central Texas continues to be under the radar as a hotbed for some of the best wrestling in the nation, with some of the most enthusiastic fans in the country. One of the newest quality promotions to get a piece of the indy wrestling market is INSPIRE PRO WRESTLING. On January 5th, at Marchesa Theatre in Austin, Texas, they bring it again with a tremendous card.
Check this out.
PAIGE TURNER DEBUT
PUMP PATROL vs. LEGION
ALEX REIGNS vs. SCOTTY 'THAT GUY' SANTIAGO
BOLT BRAY/BARRETT BROWN vs. SAMMY GUEVARA/LOW RIDER
ANDY DALTON vs. RICKY STARKS
JAMES CLAXTON vs. GREAT DEPRESSION vs. ALEX RUDOLDPH
CARSON/MOONSHINE MANTELL vs. THE DAGGER BROTHERS
GREG JAMES vs. TAKAAKI WATANABE
RAY ROWE vs. CHRIS HERO
ELIMINATION MATCH
FRANCO DiANGELO vs. JOJO BRAVO vs. GARY JAY vs.
1st INSPIRE PRO CHAMPION
DAVEY VEGA vs. MIKE DELL vs. JORDAN JENSON
It's going to be a great card with lots of action and fun. If you are in the Austin are on the first weekend of January, 2014, you need to check out this event and have some fun.
Here's a detailed review of the event with Ludwig Voden. Click on the link and hear more about the matchups.
VODEN REPORT
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
South and central Texas continues to be under the radar as a hotbed for some of the best wrestling in the nation, with some of the most enthusiastic fans in the country. One of the newest quality promotions to get a piece of the indy wrestling market is INSPIRE PRO WRESTLING. On January 5th, at Marchesa Theatre in Austin, Texas, they bring it again with a tremendous card.
Check this out.
PAIGE TURNER DEBUT
PUMP PATROL vs. LEGION
ALEX REIGNS vs. SCOTTY 'THAT GUY' SANTIAGO
BOLT BRAY/BARRETT BROWN vs. SAMMY GUEVARA/LOW RIDER
ANDY DALTON vs. RICKY STARKS
JAMES CLAXTON vs. GREAT DEPRESSION vs. ALEX RUDOLDPH
CARSON/MOONSHINE MANTELL vs. THE DAGGER BROTHERS
GREG JAMES vs. TAKAAKI WATANABE
RAY ROWE vs. CHRIS HERO
ELIMINATION MATCH
FRANCO DiANGELO vs. JOJO BRAVO vs. GARY JAY vs.
1st INSPIRE PRO CHAMPION
DAVEY VEGA vs. MIKE DELL vs. JORDAN JENSON
It's going to be a great card with lots of action and fun. If you are in the Austin are on the first weekend of January, 2014, you need to check out this event and have some fun.
Here's a detailed review of the event with Ludwig Voden. Click on the link and hear more about the matchups.
VODEN REPORT
BLOOD: Bizzare Riverwalk proposal frighteningly similar to 'Alamo Rising'
DOWNTOWN SATX LAND GRAB PLAYING OUT LIKE ZBFBOOKS SUPERNATURAL HORROR 'ALAMO RISING'
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Well, I guess I'm not the only one. So, I have to admit, when I saw on the news the other day that there were plans to reorganize downtown Alamo Plaza to lend it the reverence it once had and rightfully deserves, I was a little freaked out. See, I wrote this supernatural horror book called 'Alamo Rising' (available in paperback and kindle) about a downtown businessman who has his land taken away from him by the city council. The businessman happens to be a part of a secret society. And even though he had 'brothers' on the city council, it wasn't enough to have the land taken away from him by another businessman. So this guy goes about unleashing a curse placed on the Alamo during the actual battle that will bring death and devastation to downtown. And now a similar story is actually playing out. City council is planning what, to me, is a land grab for letting things get out of hand. Check out this story. And this one. And even this. Truth is, it sounds just like when Austin said, 'Oh, we want to take this land because its a great natural environment we don't want to squander and rare creatures' and they ended up selling off that land to the highest bidder and building apartments on it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So, as I mentioned before, I'm clearly not the only one that has seen downtown San Antonio become a tourist trap rife with overpriced drinks, rude t-shirt souvenir stands, and out-of-place 3-D virtual rides and dumb carnival style amusements. Seriously? This is what SATX has let downtown become? The site of one of the worlds most legendary battles, where hundreds of Mexicans and Texans alike were killed in a battle that would give birth to this great state is now home for a John Cena wax statue and a 3-D Jungle Ride? Their blood spilled on this sacred land where I can now buy a shirt that says, '1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, Floor', or 'F**k ya'll, I'm from Texas'? This is how this city honors that battle? So, I don't really have anything to compare this to. I've never been to Gettysburg, or Pearl Harbor. Does New Orleans have a place to honor the big battle that happened there? I've got a fiver, though, that says there's not a 3-D House of Scares at Pearl Harbor, or a midway to sink baskets and win a confederate or union clad teddy bear at Gettysburg. Anyway, just like in 'Alamo Rising', folks in the city are wanting to redo Alamo Plaza. For me, anytime city council wants something changed, someone is in their ear stuffing money in their pockets to get it done. Look at the US congress, pushing the healthcare agenda by insurance companies, and eternal wars by the defense industry. What always looks like doing 'good for the community' will always have an ulterior motive. Now, I get the motive. Those 3-D fun houses and place where I can make a wax cast of my hand have no place on such hallowed ground as Alamo Plaza. But those folks that run those places need to make the changes themselves before the city takes their stuff and makes the changes themselves. To be honest, I haven't seen the SATX city council like I did the ATX city council, who were a bunch of greedy, snide bastards. And I sincerely believe this whole Alamo plaza thing is going to play out well. I just sincerely hope when and if this land grab takes place, the city doesn't just build apartments in its place like Austin did. There has been moves to bring apartments to downtown, and with a new HEB being built there, this wild speculation might not be such a stretch. I just hope it doesn't play out like at the end of my book. Ghosts haunting downtown and then at the end when... Well, you're going to have to get the book here to find out what happens to the Alamo, downtown, and city council when everything falls apart. BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the acclaimed 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. Born and raised in south Texas, Bowie calls his books 'Tex-Mexploitation' literature, as they reflect strong south Texas themes and settings, including
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Well, I guess I'm not the only one. So, I have to admit, when I saw on the news the other day that there were plans to reorganize downtown Alamo Plaza to lend it the reverence it once had and rightfully deserves, I was a little freaked out. See, I wrote this supernatural horror book called 'Alamo Rising' (available in paperback and kindle) about a downtown businessman who has his land taken away from him by the city council. The businessman happens to be a part of a secret society. And even though he had 'brothers' on the city council, it wasn't enough to have the land taken away from him by another businessman. So this guy goes about unleashing a curse placed on the Alamo during the actual battle that will bring death and devastation to downtown. And now a similar story is actually playing out. City council is planning what, to me, is a land grab for letting things get out of hand. Check out this story. And this one. And even this. Truth is, it sounds just like when Austin said, 'Oh, we want to take this land because its a great natural environment we don't want to squander and rare creatures' and they ended up selling off that land to the highest bidder and building apartments on it. But I'm getting ahead of myself. So, as I mentioned before, I'm clearly not the only one that has seen downtown San Antonio become a tourist trap rife with overpriced drinks, rude t-shirt souvenir stands, and out-of-place 3-D virtual rides and dumb carnival style amusements. Seriously? This is what SATX has let downtown become? The site of one of the worlds most legendary battles, where hundreds of Mexicans and Texans alike were killed in a battle that would give birth to this great state is now home for a John Cena wax statue and a 3-D Jungle Ride? Their blood spilled on this sacred land where I can now buy a shirt that says, '1 Tequila, 2 Tequila, 3 Tequila, Floor', or 'F**k ya'll, I'm from Texas'? This is how this city honors that battle? So, I don't really have anything to compare this to. I've never been to Gettysburg, or Pearl Harbor. Does New Orleans have a place to honor the big battle that happened there? I've got a fiver, though, that says there's not a 3-D House of Scares at Pearl Harbor, or a midway to sink baskets and win a confederate or union clad teddy bear at Gettysburg. Anyway, just like in 'Alamo Rising', folks in the city are wanting to redo Alamo Plaza. For me, anytime city council wants something changed, someone is in their ear stuffing money in their pockets to get it done. Look at the US congress, pushing the healthcare agenda by insurance companies, and eternal wars by the defense industry. What always looks like doing 'good for the community' will always have an ulterior motive. Now, I get the motive. Those 3-D fun houses and place where I can make a wax cast of my hand have no place on such hallowed ground as Alamo Plaza. But those folks that run those places need to make the changes themselves before the city takes their stuff and makes the changes themselves. To be honest, I haven't seen the SATX city council like I did the ATX city council, who were a bunch of greedy, snide bastards. And I sincerely believe this whole Alamo plaza thing is going to play out well. I just sincerely hope when and if this land grab takes place, the city doesn't just build apartments in its place like Austin did. There has been moves to bring apartments to downtown, and with a new HEB being built there, this wild speculation might not be such a stretch. I just hope it doesn't play out like at the end of my book. Ghosts haunting downtown and then at the end when... Well, you're going to have to get the book here to find out what happens to the Alamo, downtown, and city council when everything falls apart. BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the acclaimed 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. Born and raised in south Texas, Bowie calls his books 'Tex-Mexploitation' literature, as they reflect strong south Texas themes and settings, including
BLOOD: David Tennant's 'Richard II' is outstanding
FORMER DOCTOR WHO STAR TRANSFORMS INTO THE ANCIENT ENGLISH KINGbyBowie V. Ibarra
The Royal Shakespeare Company put together an outstanding production of one of Shakespeare's history plays, 'Richard II'. Starring the world-renowned UK actor, David Tennant of Doctor Who fame, the play is a captivating story of the double-crossed king.
RSC director Gregory Doran makes some fine choices in directing, costumes, and music, bringing an energy to the stage in his use of blocking, levels, and lighting in the thrust stage design. And his choice of cast is outstanding, especially in the casting of Nigel Lindsay as Bolingbrook, Richard's cousin who returns from exile to reclaim what Richard's regime took from his family and rightful heir.
Word on the street is the RSC plans on doing a series of history plays in the coming seasons. If they're anything like this one, they're going to be great.
In short, if you get a chance to check out this production, do it. And don't sweat thinking you can't understand it. When Shakespeare is done right, you will understand everything that's going on. And that is definitely the case with this production.
'Richard II' by the RSC is ZBFbooks approved.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the Texas author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. He earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. His books revolve around zombie horror, supernatural horror, general horror, action/adventure, and combat sports. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com.
The Royal Shakespeare Company put together an outstanding production of one of Shakespeare's history plays, 'Richard II'. Starring the world-renowned UK actor, David Tennant of Doctor Who fame, the play is a captivating story of the double-crossed king.
RSC director Gregory Doran makes some fine choices in directing, costumes, and music, bringing an energy to the stage in his use of blocking, levels, and lighting in the thrust stage design. And his choice of cast is outstanding, especially in the casting of Nigel Lindsay as Bolingbrook, Richard's cousin who returns from exile to reclaim what Richard's regime took from his family and rightful heir.
Word on the street is the RSC plans on doing a series of history plays in the coming seasons. If they're anything like this one, they're going to be great.
In short, if you get a chance to check out this production, do it. And don't sweat thinking you can't understand it. When Shakespeare is done right, you will understand everything that's going on. And that is definitely the case with this production.
'Richard II' by the RSC is ZBFbooks approved.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the Texas author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press. He earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. His books revolve around zombie horror, supernatural horror, general horror, action/adventure, and combat sports. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZBFbooks.com.
December 15, 2013
FIGHTS: 'Chino' Maidana serves Adrian Broner fist-fulls of humble pie, takes title
PROBLEM CHILD BRONER KNOCKED DOWN A NOTCH (LITERALLY!) BY SCRAPPY ARGENTINE
Earlier this year, I recapped a fight between Adrian Broner vs. Gavin Rees. In it, I describe Broner's victory as pretty good, but nowhere near the Mayweather status folks claim he's the heir to. He was good, but not that good as a boxer. Now as a trash talker, yes, he's a total douchebag. But as a boxer? He's just okay.
Well, that assumption was finally put to the test in his title fight against the scrappy Marcos 'El Chino' Maidana at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It was a unique chance for Maidana to grab the gold, put in yet a very familiar position of being lined up as a tomato can for a star that promoters were grooming for brighter days. We know how that played out the first time (don't we, Victor Ortiz). So, you should have known how this night was probably going to play out.
This was an amazing fight filled with great emotion. Here's some notes from the fight: -- BRONER DRY HUMPS MAIDANAAdrian 'Boner'?Cocky and brash, Broner plays too much. Near the end of the 1st round, Broner tried to get into Maidana's head by maneuvering away from a Maidana flurry and dry-humping Maidana from behind. Funny and rude? Yes. It solidified Broner as one of the biggest dumb asses in the sport of boxing today.But did Madiana serve him a receipt later? Yes, he did. Near the end of the fight, with Maidana up on points, he got behind Broner and humped him as well. -- MAIDANA MAKES BRONER LOOK STUPID FOR 12 ROUNDSHeir to the throne of Mayweather? After tonight, he'd be lucky to mop the floors of The Money Team gym. Mayweather might be the king of trash-talking assholes, but at least the guy has the skill to back it up.Broner comes across as a dude who is impersonating a superstar. The dude's good and has some talent. You can't get to this level and not have talent and skill. But he's got to pull his head out of his own ass and put his skill over his trash talk and disgusting antics in the gym. -- BRONER KNOCKED DOWN TWICELOL! -- BRONER LEAVES THE RING IN A HUFF AT THE END OF THE NIGHTBye!There's an old saying I hear a lot, especially in Texas, when someone you don't like is leaving the room: Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. In the end, I'm glad Broner looking like a jackass before, during, and after the fight will forever be preserved online, the modern day stocks, where we can point and laugh at how a dude from Argentina put him on his ass twice and stuffed humble pie down his throat. -- REMATCH?Why not? I'd love to see Maidana hand Broner his ass again. Who wouldn't?
And if you like boxing, you've got to read the ZBFbooks.com series, 'Pit Fighters'. The book features a Scottish Boxer who makes his way to America for a big boxing payday, while making some bones in the MMA cages as well.
'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed book that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
Earlier this year, I recapped a fight between Adrian Broner vs. Gavin Rees. In it, I describe Broner's victory as pretty good, but nowhere near the Mayweather status folks claim he's the heir to. He was good, but not that good as a boxer. Now as a trash talker, yes, he's a total douchebag. But as a boxer? He's just okay.
Well, that assumption was finally put to the test in his title fight against the scrappy Marcos 'El Chino' Maidana at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It was a unique chance for Maidana to grab the gold, put in yet a very familiar position of being lined up as a tomato can for a star that promoters were grooming for brighter days. We know how that played out the first time (don't we, Victor Ortiz). So, you should have known how this night was probably going to play out.
This was an amazing fight filled with great emotion. Here's some notes from the fight: -- BRONER DRY HUMPS MAIDANAAdrian 'Boner'?Cocky and brash, Broner plays too much. Near the end of the 1st round, Broner tried to get into Maidana's head by maneuvering away from a Maidana flurry and dry-humping Maidana from behind. Funny and rude? Yes. It solidified Broner as one of the biggest dumb asses in the sport of boxing today.But did Madiana serve him a receipt later? Yes, he did. Near the end of the fight, with Maidana up on points, he got behind Broner and humped him as well. -- MAIDANA MAKES BRONER LOOK STUPID FOR 12 ROUNDSHeir to the throne of Mayweather? After tonight, he'd be lucky to mop the floors of The Money Team gym. Mayweather might be the king of trash-talking assholes, but at least the guy has the skill to back it up.Broner comes across as a dude who is impersonating a superstar. The dude's good and has some talent. You can't get to this level and not have talent and skill. But he's got to pull his head out of his own ass and put his skill over his trash talk and disgusting antics in the gym. -- BRONER KNOCKED DOWN TWICELOL! -- BRONER LEAVES THE RING IN A HUFF AT THE END OF THE NIGHTBye!There's an old saying I hear a lot, especially in Texas, when someone you don't like is leaving the room: Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. In the end, I'm glad Broner looking like a jackass before, during, and after the fight will forever be preserved online, the modern day stocks, where we can point and laugh at how a dude from Argentina put him on his ass twice and stuffed humble pie down his throat. -- REMATCH?Why not? I'd love to see Maidana hand Broner his ass again. Who wouldn't?
And if you like boxing, you've got to read the ZBFbooks.com series, 'Pit Fighters'. The book features a Scottish Boxer who makes his way to America for a big boxing payday, while making some bones in the MMA cages as well.
'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed book that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
FIGHTS: George St. Pierre cashes out of MMA ... for now
DOMINANT COMBAT SPORTS CHAMP WALKS AWAY FROM HIS TITLE, CITING HEALTH CONCERNS
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
(Photo ripped off from MMAJunkie.com)
You've probably already heard that George St. Pierre, the most dominant welterweight champ in UFC history, dropped his title. Before the fight, St. Pierre had suggested he was having personal health problems. He had claimed he was losing sleep at night, having problems with his vision, and was experiencing memory loss. And now Joe Rogan has pitched some wild speculation that George has suffered brain damage.
Let's face it, the symptoms he claims to be experiencing could be associated with brain damage due to concussions. One of the goals of combat sports is to provide a concussion to your opponent, typically referred to as a 'knockout'. The problem with knockouts and having your head struck a lot is that, indeed, the brain does experience damage when it smacks against the interior of the skull.
Yes, the skull is designed to protect the brain. But the brain is not an organ that is meant to be rattled around in the skull on a daily basis. The problem with that is that the damage done over time, from tiny concussions to the big ones, is that its cumulative. The brain does not repair itself. When you jack it up, its jacked up. I'm no doctor, but I've read enough about concussions and seen the results from fighting legends to see that there's a high price to pay for combat sports glory.
Now, I can understand the perspective of some thinking George is ducking a rematch with Hendrickson, that he's a pussy, and that he 'owes it to the fans' to rematch Hendrickson. I get it. The thing is St. Pierre has been complaining about the problems for a while. I know a friend of mine was cracking up at St. Pierre during one fight in which he returned to his corner complaining he couldn't see out of one of his eyes.
For me, George St. Pierre walking away from the sport for as long as he needs is the right thing to do. The guy's one of the greatest champs of all time. He's got nothing left to prove. St. Pierre does not 'owe' us another fight so he can destroy himself and we have to watch him become the shell of the man he is mentally and physically in the future. The last thing UFC needs is St Pierre being the Ali of the sport. And the last thing MMA needs, the sport that claims to be so 'safe' and 'safer than boxing', is to have one of their all time great champs destroyed mentally forever, being the greeter at the MGM Grand for the rest of his life like Joe Lewis was at Caesars.
St. Pierre's a warrior. If he chose to walk back into the ring of his own free will and not because douchebag Dana forced him to, then that's cool. I'd watch him fight. I'm going to cringe watching the fight, but I'd watch it. Fighting is what warriors do. It's their life.
But if he knows how bad he's doing, then who are we to throw shade at him for walking away from a sport he's dominated for years now. He's given us all he's got, and now he's paying for it. We need to let him do what's right for him.
If you enjoy MMA fights, consider the 'Pit Fighter' combat sports book series from ZBFbooks.com. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
(Photo ripped off from MMAJunkie.com)
You've probably already heard that George St. Pierre, the most dominant welterweight champ in UFC history, dropped his title. Before the fight, St. Pierre had suggested he was having personal health problems. He had claimed he was losing sleep at night, having problems with his vision, and was experiencing memory loss. And now Joe Rogan has pitched some wild speculation that George has suffered brain damage.
Let's face it, the symptoms he claims to be experiencing could be associated with brain damage due to concussions. One of the goals of combat sports is to provide a concussion to your opponent, typically referred to as a 'knockout'. The problem with knockouts and having your head struck a lot is that, indeed, the brain does experience damage when it smacks against the interior of the skull.
Yes, the skull is designed to protect the brain. But the brain is not an organ that is meant to be rattled around in the skull on a daily basis. The problem with that is that the damage done over time, from tiny concussions to the big ones, is that its cumulative. The brain does not repair itself. When you jack it up, its jacked up. I'm no doctor, but I've read enough about concussions and seen the results from fighting legends to see that there's a high price to pay for combat sports glory.
Now, I can understand the perspective of some thinking George is ducking a rematch with Hendrickson, that he's a pussy, and that he 'owes it to the fans' to rematch Hendrickson. I get it. The thing is St. Pierre has been complaining about the problems for a while. I know a friend of mine was cracking up at St. Pierre during one fight in which he returned to his corner complaining he couldn't see out of one of his eyes.
For me, George St. Pierre walking away from the sport for as long as he needs is the right thing to do. The guy's one of the greatest champs of all time. He's got nothing left to prove. St. Pierre does not 'owe' us another fight so he can destroy himself and we have to watch him become the shell of the man he is mentally and physically in the future. The last thing UFC needs is St Pierre being the Ali of the sport. And the last thing MMA needs, the sport that claims to be so 'safe' and 'safer than boxing', is to have one of their all time great champs destroyed mentally forever, being the greeter at the MGM Grand for the rest of his life like Joe Lewis was at Caesars.
St. Pierre's a warrior. If he chose to walk back into the ring of his own free will and not because douchebag Dana forced him to, then that's cool. I'd watch him fight. I'm going to cringe watching the fight, but I'd watch it. Fighting is what warriors do. It's their life.
But if he knows how bad he's doing, then who are we to throw shade at him for walking away from a sport he's dominated for years now. He's given us all he's got, and now he's paying for it. We need to let him do what's right for him.
If you enjoy MMA fights, consider the 'Pit Fighter' combat sports book series from ZBFbooks.com. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
December 13, 2013
BLOOD: Recap - #SATX's BloodThirsty Thursday scores with 'Ax-Mas
SAN ANTONIO MONTHLY FILM SERIES BRINGS QUALITY PROGRAMMING WITH 'SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT' AND 'BLACK CHRISTMAS' DOUBLE FEATURE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
Kelly Warren Hammond, mastermind of the Bloodthirsty Thursday events in San Antonio, Texas, did it again with another outstanding night in the monthly film series. This month, the put together a solid 'Ax-Mas' double feature, hearkening back to the good old days of cinema with a headliner and a b-movie afterwards. The films were the controversial (and uncut) 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' and 'Black Christmas'.
'Silent Night, Deadly Night' tells the story of a young orphan who watched his family murdered by a thief dressed as Santa Claus. Naturally, the kid grows up a big mess that is not remedied in the least through a parochial school for orphans. Every year, the kid has a hard time with Christmas, until he grows up and gets a job at a toy store that makes a terrible decision to save a buck just in time for Christmas. Christmas cruelty ensues.
'Black Christmas' plays out like a crime thriller. It's about a sorority house that is claiming the lives of its members. A local cop is sought out to help find the killer. It featured John Saxon, Olivia Hussey of 'Romeo and Juliet' fame, and Andrea Martin from SCTV.
Along with the show was Fast Custom Shirts, a screen-printing team out of Corpus Christi. It was great to have another chance to get some sweet shirts. Below were two of my picks.
And as per the event, there was a tribute commemorative poster of the featured movie made. You saw it above at the top of the blog. It's a nice and sleazy tribute to the bloody and controversial movie.
In the end, it was yet another outstanding Bloodthirsty Thursday event. The double feature was a nice touch. It would be cool if they did that again every so often.
So apart from a few folks who didn't know what 'NO TALKING' meant when Kelly brought it up formally and it played across the Alamo Drafthouse movie screen twice, it was still an outstanding event that I highly recommend to all the horror hounds of SATX! This event and showing continues to be ZombieBloodFights.com approved!
Thanks for all the time and effort put into each event, Bloodthirsty Thursdays!
And if you need more south Texas horror, consider a title from the leader in Tex-Mexploitation stories, ZBFbooks.com! You'll find stories of zombies, supernatural action/adventure, superheroes, and more! Check it out today!
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
Kelly Warren Hammond, mastermind of the Bloodthirsty Thursday events in San Antonio, Texas, did it again with another outstanding night in the monthly film series. This month, the put together a solid 'Ax-Mas' double feature, hearkening back to the good old days of cinema with a headliner and a b-movie afterwards. The films were the controversial (and uncut) 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' and 'Black Christmas'.
'Silent Night, Deadly Night' tells the story of a young orphan who watched his family murdered by a thief dressed as Santa Claus. Naturally, the kid grows up a big mess that is not remedied in the least through a parochial school for orphans. Every year, the kid has a hard time with Christmas, until he grows up and gets a job at a toy store that makes a terrible decision to save a buck just in time for Christmas. Christmas cruelty ensues.
'Black Christmas' plays out like a crime thriller. It's about a sorority house that is claiming the lives of its members. A local cop is sought out to help find the killer. It featured John Saxon, Olivia Hussey of 'Romeo and Juliet' fame, and Andrea Martin from SCTV.
Along with the show was Fast Custom Shirts, a screen-printing team out of Corpus Christi. It was great to have another chance to get some sweet shirts. Below were two of my picks.
And as per the event, there was a tribute commemorative poster of the featured movie made. You saw it above at the top of the blog. It's a nice and sleazy tribute to the bloody and controversial movie.
In the end, it was yet another outstanding Bloodthirsty Thursday event. The double feature was a nice touch. It would be cool if they did that again every so often.
So apart from a few folks who didn't know what 'NO TALKING' meant when Kelly brought it up formally and it played across the Alamo Drafthouse movie screen twice, it was still an outstanding event that I highly recommend to all the horror hounds of SATX! This event and showing continues to be ZombieBloodFights.com approved!
Thanks for all the time and effort put into each event, Bloodthirsty Thursdays!
And if you need more south Texas horror, consider a title from the leader in Tex-Mexploitation stories, ZBFbooks.com! You'll find stories of zombies, supernatural action/adventure, superheroes, and more! Check it out today!
December 12, 2013
FIGHTS: REVIEW - NWA 'INVASION' 2013 DVD ROCKS!
NEW JAPAN STOMPS INTO TEXAS TO TAKE ON SOME OF THE NWA'S BIG NAMES
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
It's over a year in and the National Wrestling Alliance keeps chugging along in spite of all the folks and many of my fellow 'marks' who thought the NWA couldn't keep it together long enough. It's clear Tony Brooklyn and Bruce Tharpe are doing what it takes to keep the tradition of not only the NWA alive, but of straight pro-wrestling. The matches are very 'entertaining', but continue to emphasize the wrestling aspect of its sacred grappling tradition.
Recently, NWA - Houston promoted an event featuring the stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling taking on some of the best on the US NWA scene. 'NWA Invasion 2013' was an outstanding event, and yet another example of how not only the NWA is providing amazing quality pro-wrestling, but yet another sterling example of how pro-wrestling in Texas is alive and well.
Here are some notes on the DVD:
TOP QUALITY PRODUCTION VALUES
The DVD is skillfully put together with amazing graphics from Diet Productions. The video quality exceeds the normal standard for independent pro-wrestling DVD quality. In fact, the production values eclipse ROH DVDs that I've seen.
WEIRD TO SAY, BUT ADVERTISEMENTS
Between each match is a professional advertisement for sponsors for NWA Houston. I don't know about you, but I'm very happy to see that. It shows that NWA Houston has a pretty nice budget and are taking care of the wrestlers, in my opinion. It's very smart, and shows the NWA knows how good businesses are run.
OUTSTANDING CARD OF THE BEST FROM JAPAN, TEXAS, AND ACROSS THE US
Look at this card:
TEACHER VS. STUDENT MATCH
Lou Marconi vs. Raymond Rowe
'The Sons of Texas' Cowboy Claxton/Alex Reigns
vs.
'The Lords of Chaos' Damien Wayne/Lance Erikson
INTERNATIONAL TAG MATCHUP
Gedo/Watanabe
vs.
'Kingz of the Underground' Scot Summers/Ryan Genesis
Jax Dane vs. Michael Tarver
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Jushin 'Thunder' Liger/Hiroyoshi Tenzan
vs.
'Killer Elite Squad' Lance Hoyt/Davey Boy Smith, Jr.
WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Chase Owens vs. Jason Kincaid
NO DISQUALIFICATION
NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Rob Conway vs. Byron Wilcott
THE TEXAS FANS
One of the best parts of this DVD is listening to the fans and hearing how much they are into the matches. As a Texas fan, I know how much we let ourselves get into the matches and how much fun can be had at these events. I've seen some other DVD's where it seems like the fans are sitting on their hands. But this is a lively crowd, including a hilarious group 'Thank You' every time the ringside timekeeper gives the current minutes of the match. The 'over here' chant during the Jr. Heavyweight Belt retirement ceremony was pretty funny as well.
THE WRESTLING
From the first match to the end, the wrestlers competing on the card deliver when it comes to great wrestling.
In short, the NWA Invasion DVD is a great souvenir of this historic event that emphasizes outstanding wrestling in the tradition of the National Wrestling Alliance. It is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved. If you're a fan
Get your copy of this outstanding DVD today here.
And if you need more combat sports action, follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
It's over a year in and the National Wrestling Alliance keeps chugging along in spite of all the folks and many of my fellow 'marks' who thought the NWA couldn't keep it together long enough. It's clear Tony Brooklyn and Bruce Tharpe are doing what it takes to keep the tradition of not only the NWA alive, but of straight pro-wrestling. The matches are very 'entertaining', but continue to emphasize the wrestling aspect of its sacred grappling tradition.
Recently, NWA - Houston promoted an event featuring the stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling taking on some of the best on the US NWA scene. 'NWA Invasion 2013' was an outstanding event, and yet another example of how not only the NWA is providing amazing quality pro-wrestling, but yet another sterling example of how pro-wrestling in Texas is alive and well.
Here are some notes on the DVD:
TOP QUALITY PRODUCTION VALUES
The DVD is skillfully put together with amazing graphics from Diet Productions. The video quality exceeds the normal standard for independent pro-wrestling DVD quality. In fact, the production values eclipse ROH DVDs that I've seen.
WEIRD TO SAY, BUT ADVERTISEMENTS
Between each match is a professional advertisement for sponsors for NWA Houston. I don't know about you, but I'm very happy to see that. It shows that NWA Houston has a pretty nice budget and are taking care of the wrestlers, in my opinion. It's very smart, and shows the NWA knows how good businesses are run.
OUTSTANDING CARD OF THE BEST FROM JAPAN, TEXAS, AND ACROSS THE US
Look at this card:
TEACHER VS. STUDENT MATCH
Lou Marconi vs. Raymond Rowe
'The Sons of Texas' Cowboy Claxton/Alex Reigns
vs.
'The Lords of Chaos' Damien Wayne/Lance Erikson
INTERNATIONAL TAG MATCHUP
Gedo/Watanabe
vs.
'Kingz of the Underground' Scot Summers/Ryan Genesis
Jax Dane vs. Michael Tarver
WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Jushin 'Thunder' Liger/Hiroyoshi Tenzan
vs.
'Killer Elite Squad' Lance Hoyt/Davey Boy Smith, Jr.
WORLD JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Chase Owens vs. Jason Kincaid
NO DISQUALIFICATION
NWA WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Rob Conway vs. Byron Wilcott
THE TEXAS FANS
One of the best parts of this DVD is listening to the fans and hearing how much they are into the matches. As a Texas fan, I know how much we let ourselves get into the matches and how much fun can be had at these events. I've seen some other DVD's where it seems like the fans are sitting on their hands. But this is a lively crowd, including a hilarious group 'Thank You' every time the ringside timekeeper gives the current minutes of the match. The 'over here' chant during the Jr. Heavyweight Belt retirement ceremony was pretty funny as well.
THE WRESTLING
From the first match to the end, the wrestlers competing on the card deliver when it comes to great wrestling.
In short, the NWA Invasion DVD is a great souvenir of this historic event that emphasizes outstanding wrestling in the tradition of the National Wrestling Alliance. It is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved. If you're a fan
Get your copy of this outstanding DVD today here.
And if you need more combat sports action, follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
December 7, 2013
FIGHTS: A new luchador claims the 'Sin Cara' mantle
FORMER UNMASKED RIVAL TAKES PLACE OF WWE'S BOTCHED LUCHA EXPERIMENT
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
(Photos ripped off from wrestlingrumors.net)
Noted pro-wrestling pundit Brandon Stroud of With Leather along with other online writers reported that the luchador playing Sin Cara has been replaced by Hunico, the luchador that was once Sin Cara Negro who took on Sin Cara in an outstanding Mask vs. Mask match in Mexico. Though I'm disappointed the original athlete who played Sin Cara has, apparently, been shitcanned, I'm happy at the prospect of the legacy of the name being carried on.
Sin Cara, once known as Mistico in Mexico, had become one of the biggest names in Mexico. His athleticism and acrobatic attack was a thing of beauty when he was in his zone. At his height, he was having international title matches like the one's below.
The guy was outstanding. That is, until he began his run in WWE. There's no sense listing his botches, as they have been the stuff of ridicule for years since he's come to the WWE. Even one of his first t-shirts turned into yet another reason for the already stupid WWE universe to make fun of the Mexican superstar.
For whatever reason, the talented luchador could not get one shred of traction on his WWE run. From injuries in matches to sadly hilarious botches to failed wellness testing, Sin Cara's run was atrocious. But it seems WWE has been making enough money off of their own original lucha gimmick that they want to keep the name alive, at least for a while. So it seems they passed the mantle to Hunico, an extremely talented lucha-style wrestler who once competed under a mask even before his WWE run. Truth is, Hunico was actually pretty good. And when he was Sin Cara Negro, his matches were on par with, if not better, than Sin Cara Azul's WWE matches. But he lost his mask to Sin Cara and was repackaged as a Mexican thug cholo. Truth is, I'm thankful that WWE has perpetuated the gimmick with someone else. Though it completely violates the tradition of lucha libre, the silver lining is that they are continuing to back a gimmick that is a positive toward Mexican culture instead of just a trashy Mexican street thug. It's not the first time WWE has violated lucha tradition. Rey Mysterio, who had lost his mask due to the work of asshole Eric Bischoff and the bane of pro-wrestling, Kevin Nash, reclaimed his mask in WWE. Because Vince wasn't stupid like Bischoff and Nash and saw the money potential on the masks and the money of an always-supportive Hispanic/Latino demographic, he put the mask back on Rey. Incidentally, Rey was a 'cholo' type character unmasked as well.
Mexican Americans/Hispanics/Latinos/whatever you want to call us, need positive influences and examples for them. And though WWE continues to perpetuate negative Mexican Archetypes (the cholo) like mainstream media, the legacy of the nobility of masked Mexican wrestlers is an archetype that I'm okay with. I don't even have a problem with their main reasoning being the money they were making on their own original gimmick. They created it, they earned it. It's still a positive influence on Mexican/Latino culture. So I'm hope they continue to move forward with this gimmick change. Word on the street is they've been wanting a Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara match at WrestleMania. Make it a Mask vs. Mask match, and a dream of mine will come true. We'll see what happens and what WWE does with this Sin Cara 2.0. So in the meantime, check out a book that features a lucha libre superstar who crosses over into MMA, very much like Alberto Del Rio once did. Follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
(Photos ripped off from wrestlingrumors.net)
Noted pro-wrestling pundit Brandon Stroud of With Leather along with other online writers reported that the luchador playing Sin Cara has been replaced by Hunico, the luchador that was once Sin Cara Negro who took on Sin Cara in an outstanding Mask vs. Mask match in Mexico. Though I'm disappointed the original athlete who played Sin Cara has, apparently, been shitcanned, I'm happy at the prospect of the legacy of the name being carried on.
Sin Cara, once known as Mistico in Mexico, had become one of the biggest names in Mexico. His athleticism and acrobatic attack was a thing of beauty when he was in his zone. At his height, he was having international title matches like the one's below.
The guy was outstanding. That is, until he began his run in WWE. There's no sense listing his botches, as they have been the stuff of ridicule for years since he's come to the WWE. Even one of his first t-shirts turned into yet another reason for the already stupid WWE universe to make fun of the Mexican superstar.
For whatever reason, the talented luchador could not get one shred of traction on his WWE run. From injuries in matches to sadly hilarious botches to failed wellness testing, Sin Cara's run was atrocious. But it seems WWE has been making enough money off of their own original lucha gimmick that they want to keep the name alive, at least for a while. So it seems they passed the mantle to Hunico, an extremely talented lucha-style wrestler who once competed under a mask even before his WWE run. Truth is, Hunico was actually pretty good. And when he was Sin Cara Negro, his matches were on par with, if not better, than Sin Cara Azul's WWE matches. But he lost his mask to Sin Cara and was repackaged as a Mexican thug cholo. Truth is, I'm thankful that WWE has perpetuated the gimmick with someone else. Though it completely violates the tradition of lucha libre, the silver lining is that they are continuing to back a gimmick that is a positive toward Mexican culture instead of just a trashy Mexican street thug. It's not the first time WWE has violated lucha tradition. Rey Mysterio, who had lost his mask due to the work of asshole Eric Bischoff and the bane of pro-wrestling, Kevin Nash, reclaimed his mask in WWE. Because Vince wasn't stupid like Bischoff and Nash and saw the money potential on the masks and the money of an always-supportive Hispanic/Latino demographic, he put the mask back on Rey. Incidentally, Rey was a 'cholo' type character unmasked as well.
Mexican Americans/Hispanics/Latinos/whatever you want to call us, need positive influences and examples for them. And though WWE continues to perpetuate negative Mexican Archetypes (the cholo) like mainstream media, the legacy of the nobility of masked Mexican wrestlers is an archetype that I'm okay with. I don't even have a problem with their main reasoning being the money they were making on their own original gimmick. They created it, they earned it. It's still a positive influence on Mexican/Latino culture. So I'm hope they continue to move forward with this gimmick change. Word on the street is they've been wanting a Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara match at WrestleMania. Make it a Mask vs. Mask match, and a dream of mine will come true. We'll see what happens and what WWE does with this Sin Cara 2.0. So in the meantime, check out a book that features a lucha libre superstar who crosses over into MMA, very much like Alberto Del Rio once did. Follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights. You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. Get it in paperback or Kindle today.Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
