Superstar of the Week: Austin Aries
At Destination X on July 8th, Austin Aries defeated Robert Roode for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. In one year, Aries went from earning a TNA contract at Destination X 2011 to the longest reign in X-Division Championship history to the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Destination X 2012. This was the culmination of a dream that seemed improbable to wrestling fans and impossible to Aries himself when his TNA career started one year ago.
TNA Wrestling was the last chance for Aries’ wrestling career. In 2010, Ring of Honor released Aries from his contract after the two-time ROH World Champion was in a mere managerial role in ROH for the final four months of his career. Aries worked for Dragon Gate USA and Evolve in 2010 and early 2011. After he failed to earn a place on the latest incarnation of WWE Tough Enough or a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment, Aries sited a loss of motivation within the wrestling business as a reason why he started pursuing a career outside the ring. Then, TNA Wrestling called. Aries gave professional wrestling another chance and the rest is history.
This championship reign may only last a few weeks. It may even only last a few days. The stars still seem to align for a Robert Roode-James Storm rematch for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Bound for Glory in October. However, for one night in July 2012 in Orlando, Florida, wrestling fans all over the world united as one with elation and joy because the improbable actually occurred. Austin Aries, the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, proved himself the Best in the World when he won the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
Jerk of the Week: Chael Sonnen
In what was a slow week for jerks, Chael Sonnen tops my list for the Jerk of the Week not for what he did as much as what he did not do. In the biggest fight in UFC history on Saturday night, Sonnen failed miserably against his longtime rival Anderson Silva. Silva won the fight by knockout in the second round after a knee to Sonnen’s chest (or face according to some) followed by a fury of punches until the official stopped the fight.
Chael Sonnen used his mouth to sell many buys for the fight with epic trash talk bordering on levels of the greatest trash talking of all time. After his domination in the first fight of Silva, fight fans believed a new champion would occur in Las Vegas. Sonnen seemed to have all the momentum in his favor. Then, Sonnen whiffed on a strike in the second round and opened the door for Anderson Silva to beat him like a piñata. Chael Sonnen lifted the spirits of a nation only to crush our hopes and dreams. Thank you for nothing, Chael. Anderson Silva is still the Middleweight Champion of the world.
Babe of the Week: Brooke Tessmacher
A Melancholy Happy Trails to…
- Andy Griffith, 86 - North Carolina icon and actor known for The Andy Griffith Show, Matlock, and A Face in the Crowd (July 3rd)
- Ernest Borgnine, 95 - Actor known for McHale’s Navy, Escape from New York, and voiced Mermaid Man on Spongebob Squarepants (July 8th)
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