The Flipside: A Legacy of Violence (42)

Last week on Violence we saw the Shawn Hartoberfest themed show which was either hit or miss… I think we know which it was.   As you may know, I’m a Road Agent for the company so I’m sure that some of the guys up top mightn’t always be pleased with what I say but I’m also an investor in this site and I’m also a wrestling fan.  So everytime I sit at this keyboard I’ll give my opinion straight up and if you don’t like it, there’s a “X” on the top right hand corner of your browser.

Normally I touch on everything but I don’t think that’s the way to do it.  Right now I’m touching on the Good and the Ugly.  Everything that remains in purgatory, limbo if you wil, I’m not even considering commenting on.  So if it’s not mentioned it doesn’t mean it’s bad and it doesn’t mean it’s good… it just means I didn’t get nothin’ from it.

Let’s sit our asses down, grab a nice cup of coffee.  Put that cheap stuff done.  Fix yourself a mug of what you give the special guests.  If you’re a smoker, you might enjoy sparking that one up (if you’re outside and reading on your iPhone) otherwise get your iTunes in gear because this week’s theme is Glory of Love by Peter Cetera.  I’ve got the Karate Kid on the brain and I just love that song on that movie.  Just fitted so nicely.  Like a Trey Vincent promo!

Without further adieu, git yo readin’ eyes on coz here is…

The Flipside: A Legacy of Violence (42)

Shawn Hart sits you down and says “This is why I’ve got the championship belt” with the promo which opens Violence.  He’s brash.  He’s cocky.  His work on the mic really drew some heat from the fans.  I’m not sure if I’m feeling the dynammic between he and Suicide though.  Is it possible to have dynamics with comedy vs. shades of grey?  Suicide is articulate and enigmatic and Hart is “there it is right out on my sleeve”.  I’m not really feeling the heat with their program aside from understanding there is “history”.

Cue Remy LeRoux and his Cajun ways.  ‘Ceptin’ the fact he might be a little more Italian phones salesman-like for old TV.  The mysterious surroundings of their exchange really didn’t do much for me… but it did make me wonder what Remy had to offer.  Trey came off a bit heelish and there’s still that ambiguity but I guess that is really the niche for Trey Vincent in LoC.  You’re not sure if he’s one of the good guys or the bad guys.  Good to see LLB on programming.  Speakin’ of Remy, he and Fanatic seemed to have a really good chemistry in the ring together and I think they could work together more in the future.  Only thing against that is the two characters would clash to much to be able to provide any real feud dynamic.

A nice debut segment for the Heart Stoppers.  Gave us a little insight into who they are but not much more.  I guess we’ve all gotta start somewhere right?  Clean cut and sickly… but the fans’ll dig it (as long as they don’t get too Underground and love that dirty side of LoC too much).

I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the segment from Blitzkrieg Funk.  The whole idea of face Germans is still a new idea because when you think of Germans in American programming you think of heels.  I just love their dynamic and content.  It was certainly a nice rebuttal toward Tyke.  As for the rest of the tag stuff, I’m sure most of you know but I’ve got a finger pretty deep into the Team division of LoC and it’s really not my place to comment on the events between the Flying Vergamovs, the True Blue Battlers and Allied Powers.  What I will say is this, it’s an interesting concept we’re trying to get and as for it working or not?  I think we’ll see in three months time if there’s any actual pay-off.

Despite not getting anything from Steven Windsor’s promo earlier, the chemistry between he and Kenshiro Inogami was great.   But has anyone ever come out of a wrestling match with Kenshiro and not looked good?  Not trying to pull any credit from Windsor as he put in a strong showing.

Celeste Darkheart may be a little gree… but Tom Williams wasn’t helping none.  Their segment felt forceful and congested.  I found it hard to watch the whole found my mind wandering off like Homer that time he saw the squirrel.  You know the episode!  I like to see a little more chemistry between on-screen staff characters but I was just seein’ two people putting up walls.  I believe actors call it “blocking”.

Ranken, Creig and Advent.  That was a great swerve and as a wrestling fan, I honestly didn’t see it coming.  I fell for it.  Reeled in and then WHAM!  Great booking there and Advent seems to have tidied up the loose ends with his jaw flapping this week.  It was good to see him a little bit more on game as an LoC star.  Adding Creig to the fray of that feud adds some more interest for me.  I think I’d like to see Advent double-cross Creig and Ranken get some justice back.  Set a three-way up for Ready, Set, Wrestle.  Which, by the way, isn’t too far away… you should probably talk to your cable provider NOW about purchasing that on Pay-Per-View.

Brandon Thomas hit the ring with Aria Murphy.  I’m not big on these man squash woman spots.  Especially when they try to sell the woman as a survivor in the match.  This should’ve ended at the piledriver and then maybe the figure four as an insult to injury.  I don’t think the fans got anything out of this so I’ll be interested to see if this is just Thomas being thrown to the bottom rung coz it seems like a slap in the face to him.  No offence to Murphy.  Anytime my namesake hits the ring I’m sure to watch because she’s a talent and she’s beautiful.  But the show didn’t need this and Brandon Thomas certainly doesn’t need to earn his stripes in what I would call “hazing”.

The Relentless tournament match between Keller and Lance Spencer was insurmountably a great match.  Seems like everytime there’s a quality bout in LoC it’s got K2’s name all over it and I would DEFINITELY love to see a program between those two.  Not happening right now as the King Shit of Fuck Mountain is seemingly in battle gear with Mr. Relentless Aran Thompson.  Should be interesting to see out of that pairing WHO gets the candy.  Although… it’ll certainly be interesting seeing heel versus heel, there mightn’t be any pay-off for the fans unless a face joins the fray.

As a wrestling fan I kinda felt a little Lost in Translation when it came down to Remy and Midnight Cowboy.  One minute I’m by the bayou then the next in the Heart of Texas.  My poor old ears was having trouble adjusting and I think I got lost by the wayside.  I’m still not sure what their program is all about.

The main event was a brutal display of some perfect athleticism and pure wrestling moves.  Umaga Reihana’s incorporation of judo and striking into LoC just gives that top tier of the roster a little bit more edge.  Penance was certainly impressive and it’ll be interesting to see how his program deals with losing to Reihana in the Loser Leaves Town match.  The segment portion of the main event seemed a little contrived and planned… it didn’t feel like the swerve it should have been.  Nor did it explain how Trev Echo has the powers to sanctify the match as an Underground match.  Is it because he’ll turn a blind eye to it?

Cue Rune fucking Winters! I’ve been a fan of him for quite some time and he was carrying FATE around on his shoulders like a Heyman in an Invasion angle.  Cue shovel.  My second favourite valet, after Armsy McDanger.   Surprise wrestling match for RSW?  Winters and Thomas?  For the Starlet championship?  Are they gonna drag Rune into the mud or are they just simply removing the women’s division from existence?  Hrmmm…. I’m not so sure.

This was probably the best of the three shows LoC has put out.  Only gripe is we didn’t see enough of the World Champion.  Excellent opening segment.   But I want to see more of that angle because it’s just not building a dynamic for me.  It also seems like the only storyline that has really got it’s teeth in itself is the Ranken/Advent(/Creig?) venture and that is moving along nicely.  The Underground scene is moving forward but did the segment with Echo put it over?  All in all… still quite the entertaining as the momentum seems to be building.