Wrestling Deja Vu 01.12.09: Madness!

Hey yo

Welcome to another edition of Wrestling Deja Vu. Today we’ve got Jay Lethal’s tribute to the Macho Man under the microscope. Unlike prior subjects, Black Machismo is supposed to be a copy of Randy Savage, so it should be an interesting topic to dissect.

Looking back

MDK is furious I didn’t mention she loved Kane.

I told you to mention my undying love! Way to screw up a good article! Just you wait, I’ll get my revenge!

Let the record show that MDK loves Kane.

JLAJRC brings up rumors of yesteryear.

You are definitely right to compare these two. I remember a couple of years ago there were strong rumors that Kane was gonna retire and that the WWE were actively trying to get Abyss to replace him in some way. Of course, neither thing happened.

I remember this, and I think with a little tweak or two; Abyss could have done well in the WWE. They’d probably have to change his mask since it looks like Mankind’s.

And introducing the wrestlers

Jay Lethal has been employed by TNA for 3 years or so. Prior to the birth of Black Machismo, Lethal spent his time competing for, but never winning, the X Division title. He’s had two matches that prove TNA management has plans for him in the future. A 2006 match against Jeff Jarrett featured Jay Lethal (pre-Machismo) in a title match. Lethal proved he could hang with a main eventer and this match is still remembered by me for that reason. By 2007, Lethal was in full Macho Man mode and had the opportunity to wrestle Kurt Angle for the X Division title. Lethal won and things looked bright….until Samoa Joe made Lethal look weak that night. Things weren’t made better when Lethal lost a non-title match with Christopher Daniels on the following Impact. Machismo has enjoyed success since then, but none of it compares to a victory over Kurt Angle. The events following Lethal’s victory against Kurt Angle can sum up his career in TNA. He’s had the chance to shine, but has never been able to follow through for one reason or another.

Randy Savage was one of the most unique individuals to ever step foot in a wrestling ring. His trademark voice and his flamboyant ring attire made him entertaining, but he was also able to wrestle at a high level. The Macho Man’s Wrestlemania III match with Ricky Steamboat was a great one, and one you should check out if you have the means. Savage was a popular wrestler for the majority of his career and was able to participate in the main event and the midcard. He’s retired now, but for one reason or another, he will probably never be recognized by the WWE.

Execution

Black Machismo is born

I Can’t Sing, I Can’t Dance, But I Can Make Romance

Kevin Nash and Alex Shelley were at the top of their comedic game during the whole Paparazzi Productions saga. One of the things that came out of these segments was the Black Machismo gimmick. After the Paparazzi Championship Series, Jay Lethal became affiliated with Kevin Nash. This is where Lethal became Black Machismo. Lethal’s affiliation with Big Sexy allowed him to emulate Randy Savage exactly, but all good things must end. When the two were no longer partnered up in segments, Lethal reverted back to his old self, but still carried some Machismo with him by using the same attire and voice.

There are instances where Lethal is in a serious manner and he’ll completely drop any signs of the Macho Man. His feud with Sonjay Dutt (billed as a blood feud) gave Lethal ample opportunity to be serious. Now that Lethal is tag teaming, hopefully we get to see more of Black Machismo.

In Ring Action

You can spot the similarities between Black Machismo and the Macho Man from the moment Lethal enters the arena. A remix of Pomp and Circumstance, coupled with the Macho Mannerisms, have taken Jay Lethal from average X Division competitor (with a bright future) to a former X Division and Tag Team champion (with an even brighter future). In the ring, Jay Lethal altered his moves a tad bit. Whenever he’s looking to create a crowd reaction, he invokes the spirit of the Macho Man and poses in a similar manner. Macho Man’s elbow once brought Hulk Hogan back from the dead so it was academic that Jay Lethal was going to add that to his arsenal. Lethal hasn’t abandoned his flashy X division moveset, but has changed up his game to pay tribute to Savage.

The Rundown

Jay Lethal does a great Macho Man impersonation and imitation is supposed to be most sincere form of flattery. He also has the attire matched up to a tee and the mannerisms are top notch too. Lethal hasn’t completely morphed into a Randy Savage clone which allows him to be taken seriously in some aspects. Some people complain that the Black Machismo gimmick is limiting the potential of Jay Lethal, but I believe this experience has given him an aura of confidence and has gotten him over with the fans. The gimmick cannot last forever, but it’s been fun while it’s lasted.

Goodnight, Travel Well

– In case you haven’t, be sure to check out the 411mania 2008 Awards. Sure, 2008 is almost two weeks over, but it wasn’t that bad a year…right?

2008 Awards Part 1

2008 Awards Part 2

2008 Awards Part 3

2008 Awards Part 4

2008 Awards Part 5

– Still craving some football? It’s not a game, but 411’s Tony Farinella got to interview Jerry Rice. Very Cool.

– Last week‘s BCS Championship game was unwatchable. Tim Tebow was everywhere and people were putting him over like a saint. You‘d think he was going to cure cancer or something. I did catch some of the game in hopes of catching Good Ole’ JR, but I didn’t see him. I did however catch Tim Tebow’s black strips and the message on them inspired this Photoshop.

Tebow 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!

– The Wrestler was an awesome movie. I don’t believe it was the greatest movie of all-time like some have said, but I enjoyed it immensely. The film is probably more powerful to individuals who don’t know some of the aspects of independent wrestling. That aside, great film and a must-see.

-Raw is tonight and there are some big time matches scheduled, but I really can’t wait until next week. I’m probably in the minority, but I enjoy whenever Vince McMahon is on the screen. I’m also interested to see if they start a whodunnit storyline or if they just let all that potential waste.

– That’s the end of this week’s edition of the Wrestling Deja Vu. The next article will contain some new features and hopefully I can keep this format going and get some consistency. So join WDV next week for another look at the old gimmicks we see today. Thanks for reading and I hope you come back next week.