Happy birthday to John Malkovich, Kurt Angle, Judi Dench, McKayla Maroney, Donny Osmond, John Milton, Kirk Douglas, Simon Helberg, Redd Foxx, Dick Butkus, Michael Dorn, Deacon Jones, Steve Taylor and Jakob Dylan.
That is an impressive list to share a birthday with, don't ya think? :-)
Showing posts with label TNA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TNA. Show all posts
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Let's Boogie! A look back at Disco Inferno, one of professional wrestling's underrated stars.
Disco Inferno debuted with WCW in 1995 primarily as a jobber and low card wrestler. He would dance to the ring and in the ring and during matches wearing obnoxious bell bottom tights. He'd often forget how to apply his submission finisher and carried a cheat-sheet with him. So how was this guy underrated? It's simple. Glenn "Disco Inferno" Gilbertti was a technically sound, comedically talented wrestler who took a character many other people would have ran away from and carried it to a respectable level of mid-card success whiuch included multiple singles championships.
Disco Inferno's push towards mid-card status began in 1996. He won the WCW Television Title September 22 on Monday Nitro and began a program with Perry Saturn. Disco lost the title to Saturn on November 3 only to regain it December 8. His second and final Television Title reign came to an end 4 week later at the hands of Booker T. From this point on, Disco Inferno was primarily used for comedic roles only.
During the next three years, Disco formed, and dissolved, a tag team with Alex Wright - The Dancing Fools and later as Boogie Knights. He also became an associate member of nWo Wolfpac leading to breif mid-card feuds with Konnan and Buff Bagwell. Disco was also aligned with the Mamalukes as the group's "enforcer" and later was aligned with the Filthy Animals which influenced his brief name change to Disqo.
When WWE purchased WCW in 2001, they declined to purchase Disco Inferno's contract which led to a stint with World Wrestling All-Stars where he worked as a jobber and heel commentator.
Disco Inferno wrestled briefly in TNA under his real name with a silly gimmick of his name always being spelled wrong. He also served as the company's road agent from 2007-08. In 2009 he left the wrestling business to become the host at Sapphire Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas.
Despite the ridiculous gimmick and even more ridiculous hair and wrestling attire, Disco Inferno remains one of the underrated stars of professional wrestling. Gilbertti was technically sound in the ring and had a knack for silly comedic antics. He accepted a character which would likely have been undesirable for many others in the business and ran...uh, danced with it to a moderate level of success. Disco Inferno may have just been a dancing fool for WCW but he did it 100% full speed ahead no matter what he was asked to do. He never mailed it in or half-assed it and that right there is what he deserves the most credit for.
Disco Inferno's push towards mid-card status began in 1996. He won the WCW Television Title September 22 on Monday Nitro and began a program with Perry Saturn. Disco lost the title to Saturn on November 3 only to regain it December 8. His second and final Television Title reign came to an end 4 week later at the hands of Booker T. From this point on, Disco Inferno was primarily used for comedic roles only.
During the next three years, Disco formed, and dissolved, a tag team with Alex Wright - The Dancing Fools and later as Boogie Knights. He also became an associate member of nWo Wolfpac leading to breif mid-card feuds with Konnan and Buff Bagwell. Disco was also aligned with the Mamalukes as the group's "enforcer" and later was aligned with the Filthy Animals which influenced his brief name change to Disqo.
When WWE purchased WCW in 2001, they declined to purchase Disco Inferno's contract which led to a stint with World Wrestling All-Stars where he worked as a jobber and heel commentator.
Disco Inferno wrestled briefly in TNA under his real name with a silly gimmick of his name always being spelled wrong. He also served as the company's road agent from 2007-08. In 2009 he left the wrestling business to become the host at Sapphire Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas.
Despite the ridiculous gimmick and even more ridiculous hair and wrestling attire, Disco Inferno remains one of the underrated stars of professional wrestling. Gilbertti was technically sound in the ring and had a knack for silly comedic antics. He accepted a character which would likely have been undesirable for many others in the business and ran...uh, danced with it to a moderate level of success. Disco Inferno may have just been a dancing fool for WCW but he did it 100% full speed ahead no matter what he was asked to do. He never mailed it in or half-assed it and that right there is what he deserves the most credit for.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Professional Wrestling's Most Underrated Stars: Jeff Jarrett (The first in a series)
Professional wrestling has seen its share of underrated and underappreciated stars. Very few however, stand out more than "Double J" Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett has established himself has a top heel, or bad-guy, throughout his career, always being the one you couldn't trust and always looked out for only one person: Jeff Jarrett.
Jeff Jarrett debuted in the World Wrestling Federation in 1993 with a country singer gimmick. He frequently used a guitar as a weapon by smashing it over the heads of his opponents. In January of 1995, he won the Intercontinental Title for the first time, defeating Razor Ramon on Monday Night Raw. He left the company in 1996 after a contract dispute and signed a one year contact the arch rival WCW.
Upon arriving in WCW, Jarrett declared himself a "free agent" and the bidding for his services began between the growing nWo and the legendary Four Horsemen. He was inducted into the Horsemen in December of 1996 only to turn on the group months later, culminating in a brief feud with Steve McMichael. Jarrett went back to the World Wrestling Federation in October of 1997.
Jarrett's second stint with the former WWF (now WWE), saw his star finally begin to rise. He droppped the country singer gimmick and began a feud with original Degeneration X memeber X-pac which came to a peak with a "hair vs. hair" match which Jarrett lost. In the following months, Jarrett became Tag Team Champs with the late Owen Hart, one of his best friends, and was also simultaneously the European and Intercontinental Champion (also known as InterEuro Champion). His heel character developed most during this time as he was portaryed as a misogynist and abusive towards his female managers, Debra and Miss Kitty. This is something Jarrett never gets credit for being able to pull off in a convincing manner.
It was his feud with Chyna which sets Jarret apart in the world of underrated wrestlers. Never before had a male superstar been put in a high profile one on one feud with a female wrestler. (Not to mention never before had a female wrestler owned the Intercontinental Title.) Jarrett and Chyna made it look good and it is something which has yet to be duplicated in the wrestling world.
In June of 2002, Jeff and his father Jerry began a promotion called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a weekly pay-per-view event. In 2004, they reached a deal with FOX broadcasting and TNA Impact! was born. Jarrett continued his heel ways in TNA, constantly backstabbing and slandering other wrestlers to advance his own career. He was involved in high profile feuds with such greats as Sting, Kevin Nash, and Kurt Angle, a feud which had very personal real-life ramifications as Jarrett married Kurt's ex-wife Karen.
Although he spent time as a babyface, or good duy, in TNA, Jarrett is best as a heel. He has a talent for playing the jerk and the one you can't trust. He does it in a believable and very convincing manner. He was able to peak and reach top-level, main event status in TNA, but he will forever be one of professional wrestling's most underrated performers.
follow my Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JTLovecraft
Jeff Jarrett debuted in the World Wrestling Federation in 1993 with a country singer gimmick. He frequently used a guitar as a weapon by smashing it over the heads of his opponents. In January of 1995, he won the Intercontinental Title for the first time, defeating Razor Ramon on Monday Night Raw. He left the company in 1996 after a contract dispute and signed a one year contact the arch rival WCW.
Upon arriving in WCW, Jarrett declared himself a "free agent" and the bidding for his services began between the growing nWo and the legendary Four Horsemen. He was inducted into the Horsemen in December of 1996 only to turn on the group months later, culminating in a brief feud with Steve McMichael. Jarrett went back to the World Wrestling Federation in October of 1997.
Jarrett's second stint with the former WWF (now WWE), saw his star finally begin to rise. He droppped the country singer gimmick and began a feud with original Degeneration X memeber X-pac which came to a peak with a "hair vs. hair" match which Jarrett lost. In the following months, Jarrett became Tag Team Champs with the late Owen Hart, one of his best friends, and was also simultaneously the European and Intercontinental Champion (also known as InterEuro Champion). His heel character developed most during this time as he was portaryed as a misogynist and abusive towards his female managers, Debra and Miss Kitty. This is something Jarrett never gets credit for being able to pull off in a convincing manner.
It was his feud with Chyna which sets Jarret apart in the world of underrated wrestlers. Never before had a male superstar been put in a high profile one on one feud with a female wrestler. (Not to mention never before had a female wrestler owned the Intercontinental Title.) Jarrett and Chyna made it look good and it is something which has yet to be duplicated in the wrestling world.
In June of 2002, Jeff and his father Jerry began a promotion called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a weekly pay-per-view event. In 2004, they reached a deal with FOX broadcasting and TNA Impact! was born. Jarrett continued his heel ways in TNA, constantly backstabbing and slandering other wrestlers to advance his own career. He was involved in high profile feuds with such greats as Sting, Kevin Nash, and Kurt Angle, a feud which had very personal real-life ramifications as Jarrett married Kurt's ex-wife Karen.
Although he spent time as a babyface, or good duy, in TNA, Jarrett is best as a heel. He has a talent for playing the jerk and the one you can't trust. He does it in a believable and very convincing manner. He was able to peak and reach top-level, main event status in TNA, but he will forever be one of professional wrestling's most underrated performers.
follow my Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JTLovecraft
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