WWF Summerslam 1998 (Retro Review)

Good morning ladies and gents, I am your Local Hero, your Review Guy, Cameron McDonley and it's time for another retro review! With just 48 Hours away until this Sunday's festivities, I bring you a review and retrospective of the most profitable and some say, greatest Summerslam of all time. That's right, we are reviewing Summerslam 1998: The Highway To Hell, which emanates from the hallowed halls of the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York City. So without further ado, let's inject Rest Hold Party with a lethal dose of Attitude!

To kickoff this action-packed event on a hot summer night in late August of 1998, D' Lo Brown defends his European Championship against one of the most memorable characters in the WWF at the time, Val Venis. This was a very even, back and forth matchup between two men who wanted nothing more than to be the European Champion on this night. Over the course of this contest there were a lot of high impact moves and spots. Val Venis at one point in the match jumped off the top rope and got caught by the champion who proceeded to execute a sit-out spinebuster type of maneuver on the challenger only to get a near-fall. Val Venis would go for a T-Bone Suplex as well as a few other moves, but the most devastating part of the match was when D' Lo had him in position for a powerbomb, picked him up and in a very grotesque fashion, dropped the challenger on his neck.

The match would end in a disqualification when Val ripped D' Lo's chest protector off of him, proceeded to go to the top rope where the referee would try to stop him (and succeeded) by accidentally crotching him on the post. Venis would retaliate later by pushing the referee down which would cost him. However not all's lost as the Big Valbowski would scoop slam the ref on the canvas, go to the top rope and execute a devastating Money Shot. Overall an entertaining opener minus the frightening powerbomb. Good way to start the show.

Match Rating: 3/5 

Now this next match was not a competitive affair, nor was it advertised to be. It was a match of comedic proportions between a team accompanied to the ring by Insane Clown Posse known as The Oddities and another all-Japanese team that went by the name of Kai En Tai, who were famous for trying to cut off a certain part of Val's anatomy earlier on in the year. Most of this match as you would expect was mainly Taka Michinoku and Dick Togo bumping around like crazy for these tall, huge behemoths that stand between them and victory. It was not a terribly long match either as after 10 minutes or so it ended in a very quick and painless fashion (for the fans watching at least) as Golga stacked every member of the team on top of each other and pinned them all at once for the win. Not much else to say here, as it was certainly far from the best match on this otherwise stacked to the hills card.

Match Rating: 2.5/5 

As dull as the last match was, this next battle surely made up for it as it was a rather entertaining affair. It was also a very personal one, as it was billed to be a Hair vs Hair match between Jeff Jarrett and DX Member X-Pac. Earlier on in the night Double J committed a despicable and heinous act in the words of Jim Ross as Jarrett and Southern Justice shaved Howard Finkel's head unrtil he was completely bald. Now I don't know how much hair he had left on his head, but it apparently meant a lot to these people in MSG as they booed JJ and chanted "Jarrett Sucks" for the rest of the segment on Heat.

Now on to the actual PPV match, this one was highly competitive and both men did whatever they could to avoid getting their hair shaved. The future founder of TNA Wrestling tried to cheat his way to victory, but to no avail as it backfired. X-Pac ended up grabbing his all-important guitar, smashed it over his head while the referee could not visibly see what was going on, and ended up getting the three count. You'd think that meant that Jarrett had to suck it up, buttercup and get his head shaved, but nope! In hilarious fashion, the clippers botched and gave out in the middle of cutting his hair so they had to resort to shears to cut whatever they could before taking him to the back to finish the job. Long story short he's not bald, he just has short hair. Fun match I must say.

Match Rating: 3/5

This tag match involving Sable and her opponents Marc Mero & Jacqueline was looking to be a Handicap match as she had not yet revealed who her opponent was, but much to everyone's surprise and the chagrin of her adversaries, she did find a partner, but in the unlikely form of the Rated R SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPERSTARRRRRRRRR (not yet sadly, just barely debuting), EDGE!

Now this match was another short one as it only went 8-10 minutes (a staple of this very romanticized era in wrestling), but it did feature a memorable spot of sorts as Edge leapt over the top rope onto both Mero & Jacqueline before Sable would end it with a TKO to obtain the victory. Edge and Sable also had a really awkward staring contest in the middle of the ring before Edge ran off into the crowd. I guess you could say that on that day, he saw clearly.

Very much a quick and painless match, but not dull in the slightest.

Match Rating: 2.7/5

This next contest was sure to be a knock-down, drag-out war, as Owen Hart and Ken Shamrock were gonna face off in a Lion's Den Match. And sure enough, it was everything it was billed to be as this match was nothing like what anybody was used to seeing in the WWF, even at that time. Instead of a match with a bunch of weapons or brawling into the backstage area, this match was a shoot-style type of affair. Very heavy strikes, brutal moves and using the opponent's head as a battering ram into the beams of the cage were all present in this match, or should I say fight.

I enjoy matches that feel real, and this one definitely felt like a real shoot fight between two wrestlers who honestly probably could've handled themselves rather well had this been an actual shoot. With Ken being a former UFC Superfight Champion and the late Owen Hart being a graduate of the famed Hart Dungeon in Calgary, this was certainly believable and if shown to a non-wrestling fan, I'm sure 85% of it could be seen as legitimate. All in all a great contest and one of the finest outings on this entire PPV.

Match Rating: 3.5/5

Mankind was scheduled to team up with the "Big Red Machine" Kane in this next match with the New Age Outlaws, but Kane refused to team with Mrs. Foley's baby boy, therefore effectively making this a handicap match. This match was a good match for something that's not necessarily a good stipulation. It was still very much engaging as there was a few hope spots in there for the lone tag team champion, but in the end all resistance to defeat proved to be futile, as Road Dogg and Billy Gunn ended up becoming the new WWF TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS OF THE WORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRLD.

After the match the New Age Outlaws proceeded to place Mankind in the dumpster where alas, Kane was indeed waiting. He popped out of the dumpster with a sledgehammer in hand, and basically committed attempted murder on Mankind with the sledgehammer. Sounds like that feud is far from over. Overall a good match.

Match Rating: 3/5 

After all the great action MSG had seen on August 30th, 1998, it was time for the two main events. The first of which was a Ladder Match for the very historically prestigious Intercontinental Championship between two men who would eventually become two of the biggest stars this business has ever seen. Those men were Triple H and The Rock. And what a matchup this turned out to be.

This long and grueling match started off slow, but as time went on it picked up a lot of steam. Both men vigorously laid into each other, not at all letting up the punishment. Many times the ladder was in play as a weapon, including a spot in the match where The Rock sandwiched HHH's leg in between the ladder and then used a chair in the most vile way possible, further destroying his rival's leg in the process so that way he could not stop Rock from climbing up the ladder and grabbing what he feels is rightfully his. However HHH persevered and continued fighting, even giving The Brahma Bull a dropkick to the face while he was holding the ladder on the outside, giving him a very bloody reciprocal for his callous actions. At the end of the night, the man standing atop of all the carnage and violence was one man, The Game himself. The People's Champion was not the IC Champion anymore.

Not much more to say other than this was certainly Match Of the Night.

Match Rating: 4.5/5

Here we go ladies and gentlemen, this is your main event of the evening! The final stop on the Highway To Hell has finally arrived, and these two megastars will finally collide for the World Wrestling Federation Championship. At the height of the Attitude Era, this was your main event for the highest bought Summerslam of all time. 700,000 buys and it was all for this one match right here.

While this may not have been the best match of the night in many fans' eyes, it was certainly the biggest match you could do on this night. It certainly did not lack in firepower either, as both Stone Cold and the Undertaker came swinging out of the gate and drama was very high for most of this match, including fighting in the crowd and a very memorable spot in the match where The Undertaker placed Austin on the announce table, went to the top rope and landed the biggest legdrop known to man onto Austin. Crazy enough that table did not break, and I'm not sure how their bodies didn't break given the almighty force of that spot. Easily the biggest OMG moment of the night.

After all of those spots and high-drama action points included a thwarted appearance by Kane, the match finally ended when Austin hit the Stunner on the Undertaker, got the pinfall victory and celebrated what was for sure a big win for the champion on this night. When it looked like 'Taker was gonna attack him at the close of the show with title in hand, he decided not to and handed the rightful champion his title belt, walking away and leaving the ring to the Texas Rattlesnake to close the PPV.

Overall a very phenomenal match.

Match Rating: 4/5

Overall Show Rating: 4.5/5
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Well that's it for this review for what was for sure a great show and in my opinion the best Summerslam of All Time.

I am the Local Hero, your Review Guy himself Cameron McDonley and I will see you all again very, very soon!

NEWS: NWA Smoky Mountain will have its final show on 8/19

In a shocking turn of events, NWA Smoky Mountain announced on their Facebook page on 7/30 that their event on 8/19 titled "ReGenesis" will be the promotion's final event.   No information other than that was revealed until an official statement on their website. Here is the statement that was given on their website:

"The event on Saturday, August 19 in Kingsport, TN will be the last NWA Smoky Mountain event. Current NWA Smoky Mountain promoter Tony Givens will address the crowd and explain the situation further.

Thanks to all of the people that have supported us over the last 6 years. We hope to see you all there on August 19 in Kingsport, TN"

On top of that announcement, there has been some matches announced for that event. Here is the official card so far for ReGenesis:

NWA United States Tag Team Title Match

The Ugly Ducklings (Rob Killjoy & Lance Lude)
w/ Coach Mikey (c)
vs.
The Brotherhood (Mickey Midas & Myron Reed)

6 Man Tag Team Match 

NWA World Tag Team Champions The Heatseekers (Sigmon & Elliott Russell)
& NWA Smoky Mountain TV Champion Axton Ray
vs.
Illuminati Members: Jordan Kage, ATM & Chris Richards

NWA Mountain Empire Title Match

“Mr. Fighting Spirit” Toby Farley (c)
w/ Rob Knight
vs.
“Mr. 500” Timmy Lou Retton
w/ Dylan Wayne Sizemore 

Main Event

“The Complete Athlete” Devin Driscoll
vs.
“Iron Man” Rob Conway

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That is all the information given by NWA Smoky Mountain at this time. Stay tuned to Rest Hold Party for more updates on the match card and the event. Those interested in attending the event should visit http://www.nwasmokymountain.com 

Also visit NWA Smoky Mountain's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/nwasmokymtn/

AAA When Worlds Collide 1994 (Retro Review)

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, humanoids of all ages, welcome back to Rest Hold Party! I am your Local Hero, your Review Guy himself, Cameron McDonley and I am here for what should be a very special review this evening as I review one of the greatest and most historic shows in all of Professional Wrestling history. As you see in the title, I will be reviewing AAA's When Worlds Collide event, which was live from the sold out LA Sports Arena on November 6, 1994. Two huge main event matches, plus other matches of historical significance on this show so without further ado, let's get straight to the action!

The show kicks off in a very unusual way compared to other promotions' pay per views at that time, as Mascarita Sagrada teams up with Octagoncito against current world minis champion at that time period Espectrito and his partner Jerrito Estrada. From an casual wrestling fan's standpoint watching this PPV, most of them had to have been thinking that this match was gonna have some comedy in it and would be more of a fun, light-hearted affair compared to the other matches on this show, but this match was nothing but, as all 4 wrestlers delivered on this night to kick off the PPV. Very high flying as commonplace in Lucha Libre, but also hard-hitting and very competitive. Sagrada was very impressive as always in this match, as he showed off his athleticism as well as his wherewithal to look very fluid inside the ring with his movements as well as his very solid-looking arm drags. This was indeed a very interesting way to kick off the show, nevertheless a very good match.

Match Rating: 3/5

The next match was a very notable one, as we would see a very young Rey Mysterio Jr, Heavy Metal and Latin Lover face Fuerza Guerrera, Madonna's Boyfriend and another incredibly young, up-and-coming luchador in Psicosis. As you would expect from the competitors involved, it was a solid match for sure. It started off with Psicosis and his team attacking the Technicos (faces) from behind, turning this athletic competition into a battle for respect. Mysterio would take some very serious bumps in this contest, as he would be lifted overhead and thrown into the crowd and also suplexed onto the floor by Madonna's boyfriend. Heavy Metal would take a beating as well, being ganged up on by the Rudos (heels) numerous times over the course of this match. There was also a pretty devastating spot in which Rey would hit a senton to the outside on Madonna's Boyfriend who was laying down on the outside. All of Rey's body would land square on the head of Louie Spicolli. Ouch!

There was also a part where Latin Lover would have a staredown with Madonna's Boyfriend who were about the same size as each other before they would lock horns and trade moves for a good 5 minutes. Seemed to me like there was a definite teaser for a match or feud between those two down the line, and although I have admittedly not seen much of AAA from that time period, a match between those two probably ended up happening at some point. After the conclusion of the match, the Rudos would retain their focus on Heavy Metal, proceeding to attack him in order to infuriate the audience, as their unfortunate victim's father was one of the officials for this match. Overall a very good showing from all six men.

Match rating: 3/5 

Our next matchup was the second and last six-man tag team match of the night, as Chris Benoit, 2 Cold Scorpio and the legendary Tito Santana go up against Jerry Estrada, La Parka and Blue Panther. This match was another one that was highly competitive, as all six wrestlers were able to show their strengths in this one. Other than this GIF worthy moment above this text, this match had very notable spots involving Chris Benoit, as he suplexed Blue Panther on the apron, hit a German Suplex with a bridge on La Parka and had a nasty spot when he jumped off the top for a flying headbutt attempt, missed the target and landed square on the top of his head. I can only imagine the pain that must've caused, considering his now infamous history of concussions.

2 Cold Scorpio looked great here as well, having a bit of an exchange between himself and La Parka for a good duration of the match. Tito Santana surprisingly had a great outing here, as it seems he adapted to the Lucha Libre style very quickly. He didn't come off looking bad at all here, rather pretty great. Really makes me wonder why he never had a lengthy run in either AAA or their rival promotion CMLL, I feel he could've done exceptionally well. Overall another very solid battle on this fine show.

Match Rating: 3/5

Now this may be a very, and I mean a VERY bold statement to make, but this match might just be the best wrestling match of the entire 90s. Now before you come at me with pitchforks ready to riot just like this LA crowd did, let me just tell you who is all involved in this match:

You have the team of Los Gringos Locos, which had the two best wrestlers in the world at that time in Eddie Guerrero and "Love Machine" Art Barr in one corner, and in the other corner you have two legendary luchadors, the team of Octagon and El Hijo Del Santo. One of those men is one of the most respected wrestlers in Mexico and the other is the son of the iconic El Santo. Now tell me this match isn't going to be great!

Anyway, this match was the only one out of the entire night to be the traditional two out of three falls and had a stipulation, a Lucha De Apuestas so to speak, as it was a Hair vs Mask match. With that said, imagine this passionate crowd witnessing a match like this. Every time a single move or near fall took place, the crowd either raged immensely at the thought of seeing their heroes unmasked or the delight of seeing the heels having their hair cut off with a pair of shears.

Drama was incredibly high throughout the contest, but it reached a fever pitch late in the third fall of the match as Eddie would distract the referee and Art Barr would pick up Octagon for one of the most devastating Tombstone Piledrivers I have ever seen. The crowd was in a frenzy with heat coming towards the direction of the AAA World Tag Team Champions, as Octagon would be shortly eliminated from the match, leaving El Hijo Del Santo alone with these dastardly villains. The near falls became more and more frantic towards the end, as this raucous LA crowd were on their feet in anticipation for Del Santo finally getting revenge on Eddie for unmasking himself and betraying him in Arena Mexico just short of a year before this. And that he did, as he ended up putting both Eddie and Art in a school-boy, pinning both of them with their shoulders on the mat for the three count and being able to wear his mask for another 20+ years. Not to mention Blue Panther reciprocating that Tombstone Piledriver on Art while the referee's back was turned.
Overall easily the best match of that entire decade.

Match Rating: 5/5

While the last match was notable for many reasons, this one was notable for many different other reasons. Main reason being the things that took place in this match. Billed as a Steel Cage match in the "biggest steel cage ever", longtime rivals Konnan and Perro Aguayo would take all the hype heading into this match and certainly live up to it. Seeing this for the second time I can safely say two things: One, this is the second best match of the entire PPV, Two this might be just the bloodiest, most goriest match I've ever seen in a wrestling ring that wasn't in Japan.

These two mainly brawled for most of the match, going everywhere around the cage from pillar to post with seething rage and radiating anger. However the tone of the match completely changed when Aguayo charged towards Konnan with speed ready to take him down with a clothesline when Konnan picked him up and launched him headfirst into the beam holding the cage together. Just as that happened, Aguayo's head looked like a red Fruit Gusher. Also I heard Dank Memes Melt Steel Beams, but that's a myth, apparently Konnan does. :)

Anyway, from then on the match was all Konnan for the next 20 minutes and continued that way when Art and Eddie came out and passed brass knuckles to the already smug and confident Konnan. However, fortunes changed for Aguayo when Los Dynamite Brothers chased off Los Gringos Locos and Cien Caras punched Konnan off the cage as he was escaping, allowing Perro Aguayo to climb over the top for the win. Overall a very good main event to end the show.

Match Rating: 4/5

Overall Show Rating: 4.5/5 

After reviewing one of the most fun shows I've ever had the pleasure of viewing, I can safely say that this was one of the best PPV's of all time, with easily the best match of the entire 90s as it's co-main event. To all who haven't yet seen this show, I urge you to as soon as possible, it's a masterpiece of a show.

Anyway that should do it for this review! Until next time, this is your Local Hero and your Review Guy known as Cameron McDonley saying goodbye everybody!

Impact Wrestling: Genesis (Review)

Welcome back Pro Wrestling fans and loyal readers of Rest Hold Party, I am your Local Hero, your Review Guy, Cameron Crash and this time, we are going back to the Impact Zone for this week's edition of Impact Wrestling, titled Genesis. We have 3 huge matches, including a Monster's Ball match involving the Knockouts and a 30 Minute Ironman match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, so without any further ado, let's get straight to the action!

The show begins with a promo from The Broken Hardys, talking about the green briefcase Brother Nero has in his hands and how is going to use it next week on Open Fight Night, when they were interrupted by the DCC, who issue them a challenge for their tag team championships. Decay then interrupt DCC, stating their desire to also fight the "Greatest Tag Team In All Space and Time". What seems to be just a promo turns into a skirmish, and now we have a Triple Threat Tag Team match for the TNA Tag Team Championships.

The match was a very fun one, quite the fast-paced endeavor as I did not find myself looking at my phone for a second during this match. In the end, the BROKEN BRILLIANCE of Matt Hardy and the nefarious Brother Nero are enough for them to obtain the victory and kickoff Genesis with a bang. While it was far from the best match on the card and definitely not a show-stealer, I can say that it was highly enjoyable from start to finish.
Rating: 3.5/5 

Preceding that incredibly fun match, we get the usual segment that once again turns the show from fun and exciting to outright cringe-worthy. If you guessed that it had something to do with either Maria Kanellis, Braxton Sutter, Allie or Laurel Van Ness, you guessed it right and should get a gold star. Basically the gist of these branching segments that we saw throughout the night (Yeah, it went THAT long) , was that Braxton and Laurel were on a dinner date and the woman in this situation was being obnoxious and so full of herself that Sutter was tired of it and left. It probably would've been quick and painless if it just lasted 5 minutes at the very least, but MOST OF THE EPISODE?! God, if I wasn't tired of this storyline a few months ago, I am surely tired of it now. Please for the love of all that's holy, JUST END IT!!!
Rating: 0.9/5 

Thankfully we switch gears from that awful segment, as Drew Galloway makes his way to the ring for a promo. He makes it short and sweet, and just declares an open challenge for his Impact Grand Championship. Moose answers it, and it doesn't even bother him at all.

Now this match was a really good one, as it was competitive throughout and did its job of furthering storylines while displaying a well-balanced exertion of physicality for most of the two rounds that it lasted for. My favorite part of the match was the powerbomb on the apron executed by Moose with a destructive amount of velocity directed at the lower back of the champion. The aggressiveness of the challenger in round 1 was not enough to regain the title, as Galloway came back with a vengeance in the second round, doing whatever it took to hold onto that silver belt, including but not limited to raking the eyes and two shots to the lower extremities. It all worked out at the conclusion of the match however, as "The Chosen One" was once again victorious.
Rating: 4/5

Following what has been a very solid feud and a series of matches with a level of storytelling and match-quality that is unusual for the Knockouts division, it culminates here in a violent and brutality-filled Monster's Ball between the "Death Dealer" Rosemary and Jade. Normally you would see men take part in matches with a deathmatch type of style like this, but these two women are tough as nails, and the match that they were about to give you was something you weren't prepared for as a fan of women's wrestling.

These two used everything that was at their disposal in what was simply a war. Kendo Sticks, Trash Cans, Steel Chairs, Thumbtacks and a barbed-wire board were all extensively taken advantage of in a display of what amazing storytelling and logical booking can lead to. There were spots that made me cringe for all the right reasons as well, including a lionsault off the middle rope onto a prone Rosemary who was lying under a barbed-wire board. Gail Kim rushed to the ring in order to check on her friend Jade, but got an array of mist in her face, proving that no good deed goes unpunished.

Although I enjoyed that match, I hope both competitors are okay and are able to continue competing, at a high level or otherwise.
Rating: 4.5/5

After what has mostly been a pleasant night of solid wrestling and fun television, we have reached our destination, the sole reason why most fans of Impact Wrestling tuned into the program on that night. Indeed, it is time for the main event of the evening. A 30 Minute Match for the top prize in this show. The TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

As you can imagine, this was a very engaging 30 minutes, as there was time not only devoted to the story at hand, but also given to what you were seeing in the ring and beyond. With Davey Richards not in the picture due to the Wolves' conversation in the backstage area, Bobby Lashley was dominating Eddie Edwards with everything that he had for most of this contest. Those first 10 minutes were not short on physicality however, as Lashley did three major moves to the champion during this time period. A Belly To Belly Suplex over the top rope to the outside of the ring, a nasty powerbomb neck-first on the steel ramp and a spear that looked like he ripped his smaller opponent in two.

Despite being ahead for most of this match. "The Destroyer" was hellbent on tearing him apart limb from limb. However it didn't quite work out that way, as in the bitter end of this contest, it looked like Edwards was gonna slay this beast once again. That also didn't happen either, because Lashley held on to his adversary's guillotine choke for the time remaining until the announcement of the victor was made. Simply put, Bobby Freakin' Lashley is once again champion.
Rating: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 3.45/5 

It was a really fun show for most of my time watching it. However, I sincerely hope that this storyline with Laurel Van Ness, Maria Kanellis, Braxton Sutter and Allie ends soon. I am sick and tired of it and it just drags the show down immensely. On a high note, it was fun to watch and there were a lot of notable moments that were pretty cool to see. All in all it was very watchable.
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Well I guess that's it for this review, I am and forever will be your Local Hero and your Review Guy Cameron McDonley. I'll hopefully see you soon with another blog!

NWA Smoky Mountain Review (1/28/17)

Welcome Professional Wrestling fans and loyal readers of Rest Hold Party, I am the Local Hero, the Review Guy himself, Cameron McDonley. Today, I hop back on the saddle for a new review!!! This time, I am reviewing a show that has history, that has tradition, and dates all the way back to the territory era. That's right ladies and gentlemen, I am reviewing the newest edition of NWA Smoky Mountain television!

The program kicks off with an announcement regarding the main event at Encore on February 12th. It will be a No Time Limit, No Holds Barred, anything goes contest between Jason Kincaid and Chase Owens for the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship! After that brief announcement and a quick preview of tonight's card, we go straight to the action!

Our first match of the night was a sight to behold, as the NWA Smoky Mountain TV champion Axton Ray defended his title against Timmy Lou Retton. Personally I thought the match was an excellent way to start off the show, as these two had a very fast-paced, highly competitive match. You didn't see either man on the ground too often, as these two wrestlers took flight numerous times throughout this struggle for that prize. Given the size of Timmy Lou Retton, that was most likely not an easy feat to be leaping with grace as if he was a 1990's WCW Cruiserweight. At the end of it all, Axton Ray was victorious and still your reigning and defending Television Champion.
Rating: 3.5/5 

After a quick commercial break, we are treated to a 6-Man Tag Team Match already in progress, as The Hardliners & Travis Lee compete against Robbie Cassidy and the G-Squad. This match was another competitive one, and it stayed that way until The Hardliners and Travis Lee tried to use their numbers game take advantage of a situation that would only benefit them and their victory. Out comes Wild Bill, and immediately they clear the ring. It seems like the playing field is now even, but as soon as Wild Bill went to the top rope, a shocked buzz fills the arena as he hit Cassidy with a diving headbutt off the top, ensuring a victory and possibly a new addition to the stable of The Hardliners and Lee. Pretty fun match with a nice turn at the end. Very enjoyable.
Rating: 3.5/5 

Following the last two matches and another announcement regarding Encore, we have your main event of the evening. The NWA United States Tag Team Championships are on the line as The Heatseekers defend against the Ugly Ducklings. I'm just gonna say this right now. If there's any one match you need to see from the card this week, it's this tag team tile match. It was a hard-fought match between two of the best teams in NWA Smoky Mountain, and four of the best wrestlers in the tag team division. What I loved the most about this match is Sigmon's performance throughout the 20+ minutes that this match was taking place. He was no- nonsense, didn't show off too much. Just went in there and made everything he did look like it killed the guy. His move-set also reminds me of a few well-established technical wrestlers from wrestling's past, especially with his suplexes and the Flying Headbutt. Everybody else performed very well also, and left it all out in the ring. The champions may have left with their belts after controversially using a ladder to their advantage while the referee was not keeping his eye on the action, but at the end of it all, neither team has anything to be ashamed of, as they put on one heck of a clinic!
Rating: 4.45/5 

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Well, that is it for this week's review, I am once again the Local Hero and the Review Guy, Cameron McDonley and I hope to see you all again soon with either another review, or a news article!

BREAKING NEWS: Triple H confirms Women's Wrestling Tournament

Ladies and gentlemen, this women's wrestling revolution continues! It has been confirmed that this summer on the WWE Network, World Wrestling Entertainment will orchestrate a women's wrestling tournament! Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and current head of NXT himself Triple H confirmed this on the FOX Sports Wrestling Compadres Slamcast. Thanks to Wrestling Inc, here's the excerpt where The Game verified this news:

DALE RUTLEDGE: Last time on the show, [Stephanie McMahon] mentioned an idea for the women's talent that you were working on. Has there been any further development on that?

TRIPLE H: So, that's another one of my big, big kind of passions, is to go do that, a women's tournament. And we're down the road a bit of — the harder thing now, in a changing landscape, I feel like sometimes in WWE, like, you know, Tuesday, I'm like, "Okay, so this is where we're going, right? No changing it? Yes!" On Wednesday morning, you have to call, it's like, "We're not doing that anymore."

So you look at the landscape and how much it's changed in the last year. NXT Takeovers now are attached to our "Big Four" pay-per-views. Raw and SmackDown have split brands and have pay-per-views of their own, but there's more pay-per-views. When you look at the big calendar of where do you stick an event, that's changed. And you have to look for the space where you go like, "Do it here! … no, that's not good, you have a holiday." Right?

So it's really just been a process with the women of us finding the right time and space. This one worked out great with the little gap before Rumble here, to fit this tournament in and doing it in a shorter time frame, doing it live.

The women, we're probably going to do this summer, is what I'm hoping, and a lot of women performers just [reacted] when I said that, but that's the plan anyway. And you know, again, much like cruisers, it's to go scour the globe and maybe find the girls that are out there doing this that no one's heard of, that no one has seen, that are like these diamonds waiting, and bring them up. And let's see what they can do, and entertain people with the tournament, and let them be exposed to this new talent. And at the same time, just massively increase the opportunity and the talent pool for us, and for everyone, really. 

So, there you have it. Be on the lookout for a WWE Women's Tournament sometime in the summer of 2017! Rest Hold Party will have more on this breaking story as it develops...

BREAKING NEWS: Kurt Angle to be inducted in the 2017 WWE Hall Of Fame!

Oh, It's True, It's True! The Olympic Gold Medalist himself is being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame class of 2017! It was announced earlier this afternoon by WWE themselves on their website. Angle is a former WCW, TNA, WWE and IWGP Heavyweight Champion as well as one of the most accomplished amateur wrestlers in the entire world. His work is revered in the sport of professional wrestling, with critically acclaimed matches with the likes of Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles, Sting, Samoa Joe and Chris Benoit just to name a few. His Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards also speak for themselves, as he has claimed awards in a multitude of categories.

When reached for comment by wwe.com , this is what Triple H had to say about this induction:

"Kurt Angle’s accomplishments both in the Olympics and WWE were extraordinary. He was one of the most gifted athletes to ever enter the ring, and we are honored to welcome him into the WWE Hall of Fame." 

This historic induction will also mark the first time Angle has been involved with WWE since his subsequent release in 2006, but there is still no word on if he will have a match for the promotion at any time in the near future, or even an appearance in this year's Royal Rumble match.

Congratulations to Kurt Angle on being the next inductee into the WWE Hall Of Fame Class of 2017 from all of us here at Rest Hold Party.

[SOURCE HERE: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwe-hall-fame/wwe-hall-of-fame-2017/article/kurt-angle-wwe-hall-of-fame-class-2017]

BREAKING NEWS: NBCUniversal/Charter Negotiations Could Affect WWE

According to Variety, NBC Universal are in a carriage-negotiation standoff with Charter that has a probability of seeing millions of customers lose access to channels owned by NBCU starting January 1st. The reason being is that Charter have rejected a package price for NBCU's channels that are similar to those paid by other cable and television distributors. It is due to that, that negotiations have come to a halt.

The results of this was a marketing campaign to pressure Charter's customers into calling them and ask to take a more flexible negotiation stance. If a deal does not come to fruition, there will be a total blackout of NBC Universal-related programming starting January 1st of 2017. The channels affected are as follows:Bravo, E!, Syfy, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, and Oxygen. 

When reached for comment by Variety, this is what NBC Universal had to say:

"NBCUniversal values its partnership with Charter Spectrum, our third largest distributor. Charter Spectrum has been unyielding in its demand for terms superior to those agreed to by the rest of the industry, including larger distributors. Given this position, we feel the responsibility to inform viewers that Charter Spectrum may drop NBCUniversal’s networks at the end of the year, including NBC, Telemundo, USA, Bravo and hit shows including the #1 show on TV—Sunday Night Football, WWE, the Golden Globes, This is Us and more." 

(SOURCE: http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/nbcuniversal-charter-1201949840/) 

Understandably, this is a huge story for pro wrestling as well, knowing that WWE is the leading promotion in all of the world and this blackout if it were to happen, could drastically cut down most of WWE's viewership for RAW and SmackDown Live, which both are on the USA Network. Seeing how ratings have been lately for World Wrestling Entertainment, they cannot afford a loss as big as 2 million viewers or even more, given that Charter is the third largest distributor and a large part of the United States has Time Warner Cable. 

We will keep you updated on this story as things continue to unfold....... 

TOPIC: Kurt Angle wants to wrestle Seth Rollins?

According to an article posted by Inquisitr, the 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist and former World Heavyweight Champion in both WWE and TNA is not only eyeing a return to World Wrestling Entertainment, but is also having a specific goal in mind as to who he wants to wrestle with in that very ring. Kurt Angle made it very clear who he was thinking about facing in an interview he conducted with Title Match Wrestling. Here is a quote from that very in-depth discussion:

"I wanted [to wrestle] Daniel Bryan, but unfortunately I don’t think he’s able to go anymore. But I’d say, right now, on that roster, Seth Rollins is the guy. I watch how he is, what he does, his style, his ability in the ring… Right now he’s one of the best in the world. There are other wrestlers that I wanna wrestle: Rusev, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns. But right now, I think that Seth Rollins has the bullseye on his chest, and he’s the guy that raises expectations." 

Although he did mention a few other names who are in that proverbial list of professional wrestlers that he wants to step in the ring with, it seems like "The Architect" Seth Rollins is on the very top of that list. It would certainly be an intriguing clash of styles, as you have a wrestler regarded as one of the best to ever step in a ring trading holds with a man who a multitude of fans believe to be one of the most exceptional wrestlers in this modern age. "The Man" vs "The Wrestling Machine" could be a money match in Vince's company.

So, what do you all think of this revelation? Would you pay to see what could be match of the year? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue reading our site for more wrestling news, rumors and reviews! This is the Local Hero signing off. Goodnight everybody!

[VIDEO HERE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_YWwZe1YIQ]

[INQUISITR ARTICLE HERE: http://www.inquisitr.com/3811870/kurt-angle-says-he-wants-to-wrestle-seth-rollins-when-he-returns-to-wwe/]

RUMOR: WWE Cutting Back on PPV Events in 2017

This year, WWE has had many Pay-Per-View events, to the point that many fans and critics alike believe it is an overabundance. However, that may be one thing that changes next year in 2017, according to All Wrestling News. (Credit to them, link right here:http://www.allwrestlingnews.com/wwe-news/wwe-cutting-back-on-pay-per-view-events-next-year/ )

While little to no details have been provided about this change yet, the feeling is that there will be less events than were originally plan, presumably because there has been a lack of subscribers to the WWE Network since the brand extension.

Sadly enough, those might be the only details available at this time, which is why this is labeled as a rumor rather than actual news. Stay tuned to Rest Hold Party as details become available.

ROH Episode #263 (Review)

Welcome back ladies and gents, I am the Local Hero, the Review Guy Cameron Mcdonley, and this time, I have the esteemed privilege of taking you all out to a ball game! That's right, this edition of Ring Of Honor Wrestling is broadcasted from MCU Park, as it is a special known as Field Of Honor!!! So without further ado, let's hit the ring for more exciting ROH action!

Our opening contest of the night is a Ring Of Honor World Television Championship match between Bobby Fish and EVIL. This match was an enjoyable one, as EVIL continued his wicked ways and disrespected the Code Of Honor and the rules every time opportunity knocked on his door. However, it was far from enough for the Los Ingobernables member to wrest the title from his opposition, as "The Infamous" Bobby Fish locked in a rear naked choke and obtained another outstanding submission victory! Not to mention, there was no shortage of the usual martial arts maneuvers displayed by the champion, as he applied the pressure on every hold, strike and counterattack he did until the match commenced with his competitive adversary tapping on the mat.
Rating: 3.5/5

The following match that was to succeed a solid Television Title match was one with a historic footnote attached to it, as the IWGP Intercontinental Championship is defended for the first time ever in the United States, as the champion (at that time) "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin put his title on the line against one of the most impressive upstart athletes in Ring Of Honor history, Donovan Dijak. This competition was one that had a completely different tone from the rest, as these two did not pull any punches and gave each other everything they had in what was sure to go down as a historic match in history, no matter how large or minute that footnote will be. Dijak may have had a highly physical match with Bobby Fish at All-Star Extravaganza just recently, but this contest showed that he can match power with the best of them, and impressively enough, that includes a machine like Elgin, who has had a stellar year in multiple promotions. The championship was successfully defended indeed, but one can truly ponder how far the challenger Dijak will go in his career, as he is still fairly young.
Rating: 4/5

After two exceptional one-on-one encounters, we shift gears to what should, and will be a frantic 8-Man Tag Team main event. The Motor City Machine Guns, ACH and Lio Rush formed together to combat the Bullet Club, which consisted of the Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Yujiro Takahashi on this particular occasion. As I rightfully predicted, this match was sheer chaos, just complete utter mayhem in the best way, as all 8 men were on top of their game in this insane contest. When you have the caliber of athletes that these wrestlers were in the ring, and when you know all of these competitors have a high-flying background, you just had to know that this was gonna be the conclusion of such combustible elements. High spots everywhere, superkicks were ever present and high-impact moves were fired off one after the other in what was a pure blast to watch, and I guarantee you, the fans there had to feel the same way. Although it wasn't the better wrestling match of the night, it was surely satisfying seeing a fast-paced battle.
Rating: 3.85/5 

Full Show Rating: 4/5 

This was most certainly a highly enjoyable show, as there wasn't any angles in the show, just very fun, exciting and intriguing matches. I have no negatives about this show as always, but this edition of their television definitely had a different flavor to it, and I turned off my computer as a satisfied wrestling fan. That's all that really matters is that at the end of the day, people enjoy it.

That was it for this review, I hope you have enjoyed coming along for this wild ride as much as I did scribing it to you all. I am the Local Hero, the Review Guy Cameron Mcdonley, and I am afraid it is my time to sign off. Goodbye everybody!

ROH: All-Star Extravaganza Review! (9/30/16)

Good morning ladies and gents, I am the Local Hero, the Review Guy Cameron Mcdonley, and today, I am here to review what just might be PPV of the year for Ring Of Honor. Yes, I am finally reviewing All-Star Extravaganza 8!!! As per usual, I'm gonna stop talking, and get to writing, because this was epic! Let's get straight to the festivities!!

This incredible show begins with a television title match between Bobby Fish and rising ROH wrestler Donovan Dijak. The match was not the best match of the night, but it was still a great showing from both men, as Bobby Fish's offense was as submission based as you can get and Dijak was not afraid to go full steam ahead with his power and his uncanny speed. The champion was just mere seconds away from seeing his title slip from his grasp when he got hit with Feast Your Eyes, but luckily enough his foot was on the bottom rope. The beginning of the end came when Dijak missed one of the most beautiful moonsaults I've seen in my life, and it wasn't long before his opponent Bobby Fish applied an inescapable rear naked choke, ending the match by submission.
Rating: 3.5/5 

The match that was to follow this solid match was a four-corner survival between ANX (Kenny King & Rhett Titus), Dalton Castle & Colt Cabana, War Machine (Hanson & Rowe) and Shane Taylor & Keith Lee. This was still a good match, as there was a lot of notable spots including a sequence that included an impressive frog splash by Rhett Titus and a pain-inflicting clothesline by Shane Taylor that sent his love sick adversary flipping in the air. All the massive wrestlers in this match including a 400 pound monster known as Keith Lee launched their bodies to the outside, leaving a devastated Rhett Titus and eccentric Dalton Castle in the ring alone. Castle hits a bang-a-rang, obtaining a huge victory for himself and a true ROH legend in Colt Cabana.
Rating: 3.5/5

After we hear from Nigel McGuinness and his worries about tonight's main event, we cut to another satisfying dose of in-ring action as Dragon Lee faced Kamaitachi in what I believe was one of the dark horse matches of the night. Many expected it to be a good one including myself, but the match we got was worth seeing every minute of. These two men took a lot of risks throughout this match. Multiple dives, hard strikes and one of the most sickening brainbusters I've ever seen in my life. That would've easily been the end of the match right there, but these two men were more intent on destroying their bodies than ending what has already been an insane match. It perorates with a Phoenix Suplex that had Kamaitachi down for the count, leaving Dragon Lee as your victor.
Rating: 4.5/5 

Preceding this battle was one that was surprisingly short, as Kyle O' Reilly faced Hangman Page in what was most likely the shortest match of the night. However 10 minutes was enough to get a handful of physicality in, as O' Reilly did not let up on his opponent, striking hard as ever and applying submissions like a well-oiled machine until Page tapped rather quickly. The malice behind Page was still there though, as he put Kyle's arm in a chair, launching him into the steel ring post like he was possessed by Alberto Del Rio, must to the dismay of Bobby Fish who was too late to save his fallen brethren. It is speculated that Adam Cole ordered Hangman Page to commit such a heinous act, and a this point in the angle I'd agree. I just wish these two can have another match somewhere in the near future, because I know they're capable of so much more than a 10 minute match.
Rating: 3.5/5 

The six-man Tag Team Championship tournament is underway with a match between The Briscoes and Toru Yano vs ACH, Kushida and Jay White. This match was a usual 15 minute tag match, as everybody landed each of their spots while displaying some decent psychology. The match eventually broke down quite frantically, as a brawl broke out, spiraling into everyone connecting with their finishers until ACH stopped Toru Yano dead in his tracks with a 450 splash, claiming the first victory in the tournament.
Rating: 3/5 

Jay Lethal opposes IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito on the other side of the ring for this next match. From the sound of the bell, these two went at it, showing intensity with every move seen in this match. Naito hits a spinebuster reminiscent of the legendary Arn Anderson to transition into Destino, which is his finishing maneuver. Sadly he did not connect, as Lethal reversed it into a cutter position. He attempted Lethal Injection, which that was also reversed but luckily for Lethal, he still inflicted significant damage with a spinning heel kick that looked devastating. After fighting off a 2 on 1 assault from his opponent and EVIL, he hit a Lethal Injection from the second rope and only gets a two count, shocking everyone in the process! The damage was already done however, as Naito had his powerbomb reversed into a two move sequence: a Hurricanrana and a third Lethal Injection. Great match, Lethal still looks incredibly strong after that win and Naito did not look weak at all. Even better yet, that's the 4th time in a month that a New Japan guy lost to an ROH wrestler! All around awesome.
Rating: 4/5

Our co-main event of the evening is Adam Cole vs 'Unbreakable" Michael Elgin for the ROH World Title. The feud that sent ROH into the mainstream wrestling scene at Best In The World two years ago, and here we are, it has come full circle with Adam Cole once again Ring Of Honor World Champion and Elgin opposing him as the challenger. This match was arguably one of the better ones these two had, as the story was well-documented heading into this match and they played off of it really well, using spots that are shades of their past encounters, including their more famous contest from 2014. The NJPW/CMLL star came very close to knocking the champion off the hilltop, but as always, Cole finds a way to win and survive, and here he is, hitting the Last Shot on Elgin for the pinfall victory.
Rating: 3.99/5 

Finally, we have reached the main event of the evening after a great 3 hour show! Motor City Machine Guns, The Addiction and the Young Bucks all in one match, with a ladder between them! That's right readers, Ladder War 6 has finally come, the be all, end all of ladder matches right here! What else more can I say? This match was like nothing I've ever seen in this business. These men obviously don't have the meaning of the word danger in their vocabulary, as all of these teams risked their lives by going out there and having this match. By the end of it, table shards were everywhere, ladders and bodies were broken from the abuse and punishment they took. Christopher Daniels was the most damaged in this match, as he was bleeding profusely and his body was mangled from what he went through. I was left speechless by every spot, but none more than Daniels landing back first on a set-up barricade that I had no doubt was gonna break, but it never budged off the contraption. "The Fallen Angel" was more broken than every table, ladder and chair he went through, and that is no exaggeration. Kamaitachi and Jay White who weren't officially in the match went through tables as well, rendering them eliminated from the equation. The match culminated with an Indy-Taker off the top of the ladder on Kazarian through the table by Matt & Nick Jackson and the tandem ripping the titles from the clasp. We have new Ring Of Honor World Tag Team Champions, and God did they ever deserve it. That match was a brutal, gruesome masterpiece, and it cannot be disputed or brought up for discussion. I just hope everyone is okay after the match. An absolute classic, no doubt in my mind.
Rating: 5/5 

Full Show rating: 5/5

This was indeed Pay-Per-View of the year for ROH, if not argued as the best for this year. Between Death Before Dishonor, Wrestle Kingdom 10, NXT Takeover Dallas and this PPV, I am gonna have a hard time voting for PPV of the year if we ever do awards for 2016. Just magnificent.

This has been my first PPV review,and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I am the Local Hero, the Review Guy Cameron Mcdonley, and at least for 7 more hours, this is Goodbye Everybody!

Lucha Underground Review: September 28th, 2016

Lucha! Lucha! Lucha! That's right ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed time for another Lucha Underground review, courtesy of Cameron Mcdonley, the Man of 1,000 Reviews. This one was a very stacked show, with very good matches and seeds planted for future angles so without further ado, let's flip out of the ring and into this great show!

As a precursor to the normal intro, we see a backstage segment involving Dario Cueto and Sexy Star, who is the current Gift Of The Gods Champion. Dario says that Sexy Star should fear having that championship around her waist, because if she ever fights his brother Matanza, she would be destroyed like the rest of his opponents.
He also announces an Atomicos match between the Trios Champions, herself and Worldwide Underground later on in the show.  After he leaves, Johnny Mundo appears, making Sexy very aware that he could be the next Gift Of The Gods Champion very soon.
Rating: 3/5 

Following the usual band playing and the commentators welcoming us to the show, we get a match between Sinestra De La Muerte and a much more intense Prince Puma. The match was a lot more calculating and psychology-based than a lot of Puma's matches in The Temple, and the Believers saw every minute of that evident newfound dark intensity. Every kick, strike, submission hold and even the natural high spots in his arsenal were all met with a luchador who wrestles with more purpose than ever before. He connected brutally with a spinning Michinoku Driver at the end, but with Mil Muertes watching at ringside, he picked up his already destroyed opponent for a Flatliner obviously intended to mock the Man of 1,000 deaths. Muertes and Puma brawl furiously after the match with Puma getting the upper hand, forcing Catrina's hand to send her man packing. This feud is definitely far from over.
Rating: 3.5/5 

Preceding the match and the commercial break after it, Dario Cueto is seen in his office with Cortez Castro, trying to counterfeit non-existing care for his former Crew member. He promises to bring the real killer to justice, which is foreshadowing something happening later on in the season, I can't quite put my finger on it. He books Castro in a match against Pentagon Dark, which at this point is like feeding a premature infant to the wolves.
Rating: 3/5 

Immediately succeeding the segment, we cut straight to the match between Cortez Castro and Pentagon Dark. It didn't last too long, but there was a lot of stiff shots landed on the opposing sides, including the sequence at the end which concluded with one of the most vicious Package Piledrivers I've ever seen. Out of all the moves in the match, that one seriously made me wince seeing it. Thank God Lucha Underground doesn't show post-match replays, because many viewers at home would have excruciating pain in their neck looking at that spot. I really hope that isn't the end for Castro, I would very much appreciate seeing this storyline progress further than just getting his arm broken by a psychopath. Pentagon cuts a profanity-laced promo on Chavo Guerrero and El Dragon Azteca, stating that he doesn't even respect his own mother, which is dangerous for either one of them. Short promo, but it certainly got the point across, that's for sure.
Rating: 3/5 

This episode was seriously so fun to watch, the time seemed to pass by, as I asked myself "Is the co-main event already happening?" Yes, it is already upon us, and a fun match it was! The aggression was an incontrovertible integral part of this match, as there was no letting up or pulling any punches in this contest. For all the comedic value of Jack Evans and the high spots of Mundo & Aerostar, Drago, PJ Black, Taya and Sexy Star all left with considerable welts and bruises on their bodies. Taya seemed like she was injured after the match and Sexy was busted open at the corner of her eye, but other than that, it was an incredibly solid match that I enjoyed throughout.
Rating: 4.5/5 

We discontinue the ringside feed to see Catrina in her lair with Mil Muertes. She grabs Sinestra De La Muerte, snaps his neck, and puts his soul into her body, effectively killing somebody she brought to life in the first place. She then turns to Mil and says that he "needs this" before transferring Sinestra's soul into his body, turning his eyes red once more. I have a gut feeling, we're gonna see a different side of Mil Muertes and Catrina that we've never seen in the past, I can sense it.
Rating: 3.5/5 

The main event is right now! Chavo Guerrero goes one on one against El Dragon Azteca Jr, with Rey Mysterio Jr as the special guest referee! Now this was easily the best match of the night by far, as these two had a great encounter. You had your perfect mixture of high-flying, physical shots, technical wrestling and psychology, all thrown together into one exceptional competition. Storytelling was also a major factor in this match, as you could see the frustration of Rey and Chavo with one another throughout the heated bout. It reached a immovable breaking point when Guerrero striking Rey, provoking him to retaliate with a punch. Azteca acquired the victory with a hurricanrana and a noticeable fast count from the "official", preventing Chavo from eventually getting his hands on Pentagon Dark. Rey impacted his bitter rival with a 619. ending the in-ring portion of the show.
Rating: 4.75/5 

Heretofore we went off the air, a promo hyping the return of Black Lotus as she was eyeing the temple while sitting next to a group of ninjas was depicted om the screen. Looks like she'll be coming back soon, hopefully as a heel still working under the guidance of Dario Cueto. Good promo overall, not much to say
Rating: 3/5


Full Show Rating: 4.5/5


As much as all good things must come to an end, I was dreading the conjecture of this review, as I had a great time writing it. Sadly it has to come, but not to worry, I'll be back with a review of the final TNA Impact tomorrow and an All-Star Extravaganza review shortly after the PPV goes off the air. As for tonight, this is Cameron Mcdonley saying Goodbye Everybody!