Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda, the king and queen of ’80s workout videos, are back to help your waistline during the pandemic.
For the first time in six years, Richard Simmons has updated his YouTube page with some classic workouts from the past.
“We have had an overwhelming request for Richard to return in some way as a comfort to all dealing with the pandemic,” a representative explained to Fox News. “We thought we would start by re-releasing some workouts and other inspirational content on his [YouTube] channel. Richard is very touched by the outreach.”
Unfortunately, 71-year-old Simmons is still staying out of the public eye. Simmons hasn’t made any public appearances since 2014, sparking numerous rumors about his health and whereabouts.
Jane Fonda has returned with new videos on TikTok where she has revived her iconic ’80s workout routine.
Tonight on the WWE Friday Night Smackdown open discussion thread:
John Cena has overcome all types of challenges throughout his decorated WWE career. Now, is he ready to step into the mayhem and take on his most twisted challenge yet?
Bray Wyatt proposed that their WrestleMania showdown be a Firefly Fun House Match, as this epic confrontation was worth more than an ordinary match. After all, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt is anything but ordinary.
Will the 16-time World Champion accept the invitation to battle on Wyatt’s home turf?(via WWE.com)
Tonight on the final Friday Night Smackdown before WrestleMania: John Cena answers Bray Wyatt’s challenge, The Usos and New Day appear on Miz TV, and hopefully we get some plot developments that turn the WrestleMania matches they’re advertising into the WrestleMania matches we know about.
As always, give a thumbs up to any comments from tonight’s open thread you enjoy and we’ll include 10 of the best in tomorrow’s Best and Worst of Friday Night Smackdown on Fox report. Make sure to flip your comments to “newest” in the drop down menu under “discussion,” and enjoy the show!
Comedies can be difficult to compare. Sometimes you’re in the mood for something cerebral, and other times you just want to watch people get punched in the nuts. While there are definitely some gems in Netflix’s movie sections, you have to dig through a lot of straight-to-DVD sequels and bad indie flicks to find the best comedies to watch. While people have cracked the code for finding the best comedies on Netflix right now, we’ve put together a list of some of the funniest movies as a starting point in your quest for the perfect Friday night in.
Bill Murray has some great comedies living on his resumé, but none are as iconic, or at least, well-loved as Groundhog Day. That’s because watching Murray play a surly weather-man forced to relive the same day over and over again is basically a comedy goldmine of a plot. At first, Phil (Murray) enjoys the time loop, binge-drinking, filming some half-hearted news segments in a hick town in Pennsylvania, having one-night stands, etc, but eventually, he realizes that in order to escape his never-ending bed-and-breakfast hell, he’s got to better himself, not an easy task.
Even if you’ve never seen any of the Monty Python films, you most certainly know of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It’s been quoted, memed, gif-ed, and idolized by comedy fans for generations. At its core, it’s a parody of the legends of King Arthur and his knights. It’s stocked with an impressive cast — John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, etc — and its full of eccentric characters, bizarre adventures, and gut-bustingly funny jokes. Think failed Trojan Rabbits, modern-day murder investigations, animated monsters, and musical numbers. Intellectual midgets everywhere will love it.
Comedian John Mulaney delivers another brilliantly off-kilter comedy special for Netflix, this time paying tribute to children’s programming of the past with Mulaney and some friends palling around with kids for most of the 70-minute runtime. Jake Gyllenhaal gets deliciously weird as Mr. Music, and there’s a tween talk show with Richard Kind, but it’s Mulaney — who foregoes a script in favor of honest, insightful, darkly comedic convos with these kids — who really shines here.
Kingpin is the kind of movie that could only be made in the ’90s. The absurdist comedy stars Woody Harrelson as a washed-up pro-bowler who lost his arm in a fight. Years later, he’s given the chance to face off against his nemesis by coaching a talented Amish kid who happens to be a bowling prodigy. The two have to navigate crime bosses and groupies with ulterior motives to compete in a tournament with a cash prize of $1 million. Harrelson is terrific as always, but just check your brain at the door with this one.
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg make a surprisingly perfect comedic duo and the two draw on their Grumpy Old Men-like chemistry for this buddy cop action flick about two mismatched NYPD officers who uncover a plot by a multinational corporation to steal millions from the city’s police retirement fund. Wahlberg plays the brawns, a quick-tempered detective forced to babysit Ferrell’s mild-mannered accountant after he accidentally shot Derek Jeter during the World Series. That right there should tell you all you need to know about this film.
Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz star in this dark, absurdist comedy about a man searching for love under some very strange circumstances. Farrell plays David, a man whose wife recently left him. David is sent to a hotel where he’s told he must find a mate within 45 days or be turned into an animal. While there, David witnesses strange rituals and must follow strict rules in order to find love, but it’s not until he ventures into the woods, where the “loners” live, that he pairs up with a woman (Weisz) who may be his soulmate. It’s weird, eccentric, and the perfect Farrell-starring vehicle.
Eddie Murphy stages a bit of a comeback in this biopic about famed comedian, actor, showman Rudy Ray Moore, better known as Dolemite to fans of his raunchy comedy albums, stand-up tours, and blaxploitation films. Murphy plays Moore at the beginning of his career when he was just a record store clerk looking to break out in the business. He’s joined by a cast that includes Keegan-Michael Key, Ron Cephas Jones, Tituss Burgess, and others, but it’s Murphy who shines here, giving possibly the best performance of his career as a man who will stop at nothing to pursue his dream.
You can’t think of classic ’80s teen comedies and not include Matthew Broderick’s rebellious school comedy in those musings. Broderick brought Ferris Bueller, a smart-mouthed kid with a flair for the dramatic, to life in this beloved movie that also stars Alan Ruck and Jennifer Grey. Bueller goes to extreme lengths to skip school with his best friend and girlfriend, leading them on an adventure that includes a musical parade in the city and a brush with the law. Being bad never looked so fun.
Edgar Wright’s 2010 action comedy about a hapless boy who must defeat evil ex-boyfriends in order to win the hand of the girl he loves is a fast-paced ride that bombards the senses. Michael Cera plays a loveable goof in the titular hero, a young man enamored with a woman named Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). In order to be with his lady love, Scott must fight her evil exes, six guys, one girl, who challenge him to truly strange contests. The film is a cinematic mash-up of Japanese anime and gamer culture, intended for the crowd who grew up on Nintendo and comic books, but it brings plenty of laughs all the same.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in this drama that’s equal parts rom-com and a harrowing look at mental illness. Cooper plays Pat Solitano, a former high school teacher who recently completed a stint at a mental institution. Things aren’t going well for Pat. He’s moved back in with his overbearing parents (a wickedly-funny Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver), his now ex-wife cheated on him, he doesn’t get along with his therapist, and he’s operating under the delusion that if he gets fit and gets his sh*t together, he can get his wife back. Lawrence plays Tiffany, a young woman with problems of her own. She’s depressed after the death of her husband and prefers sex with strangers to drown the pain. The two strike up a friendship that pushes both to their mental and emotional limits. It’s a messy, complicated love story, which makes for a nice change of pace if sappy-sweet rom-coms just aren’t doing it for you.
You’ve probably never heard of this rom-com starring Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, which is a damn shame because the two have great chemistry on screen and the plot’s just quirky enough to feel refreshingly different from anything else on this list. Kendrick plays Martha, a woman reeling from a bad break-up and searching for direction in her life who meets Rockwell’s Francis, a hitman who targets his own employers and is on the run from a nasty government agent (and excellent Tim Roth). It’s weird, but in a fun way, ya know?
Hailee Steinfeld stars in this teenage dramedy about a socially-awkward high school student whose world comes crashing down around her when her best friend begins hooking up with her older, more popular brother. Steinfeld’s Nadine is the cringe-worthy loner that so many John Hughes films were built around, but her life becomes even more unbearable when she loses her best friend to her brother and accidentally sexts her crush. What makes this film stand out from the other teenage soap operas currently housed on Netflix is the addition of Woody Harrelson as Nadine’s sarcastic, apathetic teacher, who gives her the worst kind of advice, and Steinfeld’s acting, a perfect blend of comedic intuitiveness and reserved emotion.
The Coen brothers are back with a slick new Western romp, one that serves as an ode to all of the tropes present in Hollywood’s best Wild West adaptations. Split into six parts, each story is loosely connected although thematically and tonally different. Tim Blake Nelson stars as the titular hero, a sharpshooting songster who takes part in the film’s opening musical portion. From there, we get stories of outlaws getting their due, prospectors mining for gold, ghostly hauntings, and wagon trails. Forget trying to follow the thread and simply enjoy the ride with this one.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star in this foul-mouthed buddy comedy film as two detectives tasked with protecting a witness while investigating a case of stolen heroin from their own precinct’s evidence storage facility. Marcus (Lawrence) and Mike (Smith) have been friends since childhood and are now working the beat together in Miami. When $100 million of heroin goes missing from their unit’s storage facility, they’re sent to track down who might have taken it before Internal Affairs intercedes. Smith and Lawrence have an easy, lived-in chemistry that really sells this thing, and the action’s not too bad either.
This indie comedy has quickly become a cult classic, turning familiar scary movie tropes on their heads in bloody and hilarious ways. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine star as two bumbling-yet-well-meaning hillbillies who get pulled into a nightmare scenario when a group of horny coeds think they’re trying to kill them. In a series of events that escalates in violence, Tucker and Dale try to do the right thing while managing to stay alive in the process. As one of the best horror comedies, it’s a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by those looking for off-the-beaten-path hilarity.
Charlize Theron stars in this comedy about a woman behaving badly, like steal your husband badly. Mavis (Theron) is a fiction writer living in the big city who returns to her small hometown after a divorce intent on rekindling a romance with her high school boyfriend (Patrick Wilson). The man’s got a wife and a new baby, but Mavis is sure a couple of sexy outfits, shots, and a rock concert can change that. She gets “guidance” from an old acquaintance (a delightful Patton Oswalt), but really, the point of this movie is to prove women can be just as sloppy and unhinged as men can be, so don’t expect some grand “seeing-the-light” moment.
Mike Meyers returns as the international man of mystery in this ’90s comedy with Heather Graham. Dr. Evil is back too and he’s stolen Austin Powers’ all-important mojo with a handy time-travel device, so he and Agent Felicity Shagwell (Graham) must travel back to the ’60s to recover it and stop Evil from ending the world. Jerry Springer, Mini-Me, and Fat Bastard all make an appearance but the draw is watching Meyers add a different look to the character as he struggles to find his sexy again.
If you like your wanderlust just a bit on the weird side, may we recommend this adventure comedy starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe. Dano plays Hank, a man marooned on an island, ready to commit suicide, before a corpse washes ashore. Radcliffe plays the dead man, whom Hank soon befriends and discovers he can manipulate like a Swiss Army Knife. As Hank treks through the wilderness in search of civilization, he uses the corpse, which slowly comes to life, goes by the name Manny, and, at one point, is used as a jet-ski powered by uncontrollable flatulence, to reconnect with the world around him. It’s strange, there’s lots of farting, but there’s also some great Survivor Man-type of adventuring going on.
Goon proves that a movie about hockey can not only be hilariously profane, but it can also be kind of sweet. Doug Glatt (Sean Williams Scott) is so dumb, but so incredibly nice that it’s impossible to root against him. When it becomes clear that he has a real affinity for punching the hell out of people, he gets recruited onto a semi-pro hockey team as an enforcer. Tired of being labeled the family loser, Doug just wants to find his thing, and it turns out, hockey is definitely that thing. Even those rolled their eyes at Scott’s Stifler shtick in the American Pie movies will be pleasantly surprised at what he brings to the table in this film, an extremely funny twist on the traditional underdog sports tale.
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly team up for this absurd comedy about a pair of middle-aged men still living at home with their parents. Ferrell’s Brennan is a sheltered mama’s boy while Reilly’s Dale is just a lazy slob. The two are forced to become roommates when their parents get hitched, a living situation that sparks plenty of problems and some hilarious pranks that end with the two finally getting their sh*t together in time for the f*cking Catalina Wine Mixer.
Jenny Slate is one of the more underrated comedians in the game right now, but she proved herself a capable leading lady in Gillian Robespierre’s indie rom-com, Obvious Child. Slate plays Donna, a young hopeful trying to make it in the world of stand-up. She frequents a few undergrounds around New York City, honing her set while disappointing her successful academic mother by phoning it in at a used bookstore in Brooklyn for her regular 9-5. She has a brief and promising love affair with Max (Jake Lacy) before facing a dilemma: an unplanned pregnancy. There aren’t many films that can tackle the sensitive topic of abortion with dignity, grace, and a ton of poop jokes, so you’ll want to check this one out.
Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island crew have given us plenty of comedy gems over the years, but this may be one of their more inventive shorts. The group spoofs notorious baseball stars Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire in this visual rap album that imagines the brothers in their heyday. Think Beyonce’s Lemonade but, you know, sports.
Saturday Night Live vet Andy Samberg recruits some of his fellow former cast members to join in the fun for this action-comedy about a guy named Rod Kimble who fancies himself a daredevil. Rod is readying to attempt his biggest stunt yet — jumping over 15 school buses — to raise money for his stepdad’s upcoming heart operation. The laughs come when Samberg — and Bill Hader, Isla Fisher, Danny McBride, Will Arnett, and Chris Parnell — try to pull this thing off despite Rod’s hilarious lack of athletic ability or talent.
Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, and DeWanda Wise team up for this romantic comedy about a young woman’s final hurrah before leaving NYC. Rodriguez plays a journalist named Jenny who must pack up her life, leave her friends, and travel to the West Coast for an exciting job opportunity. Unfortunately for her, her boyfriend of nearly 10 years decides to call it quits, which leaves Jenny on the party warpath, determined to have one final night of fun before her big trip. Lakeith Stanfield also stars in this, and with Netflix’s pretty stellar rom-com track record lately, bet on this being a fun watch.
Some comedies are thoughtful, incisive works of art that tell relatable stories about the human condition through humor. This is not that kind of comedy. Instead, John Cho and Kal Penn have the time of their lives getting high and hunting for mini burgers as Harold (Cho), an uptight office worker, and Kumar, (Penn) his stoner buddy.
Anyone who caught Jessica Williams during her tenure on The Daily Show knows that she’s destined for greatness. Despite being so young, she had a confidence, a voice, and a commanding presence that you just can’t fake. The Incredible Jessica James is her first starring vehicle since her time as a correspondent, and it is a true testament to where she’s headed. In a clever look at the life of a struggling playwright who is getting over a breakup, The Incredible Jessica James allows Williams to unleash her fire in the most charming way possible, and she and Chris O’Dowd have an easy chemistry that makes you root for them to make it despite not having a thing in common. Having just come out last year, The Incredible Jessica James is still one of the best comedy movies Netflix has delivered.
Dustin Hoffman stars in this wildly funny ’80s romp, playing a difficult-to-work-with actor who disguises himself as a woman to win a role. Hoffman’s Michael is a perfectionist and has earned a nasty reputation around town, which is why he’s forced to dress as a woman and audition for a small role on a soap opera to fund his next play. His time on the show ends up being a success however, forcing Michael to keep up his charade and risk his relationships in the process.
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt star in this rom com from James L. Brooks. Nicholson plays Melvin, a misanthropic author with obsessive-compulsive disorder who forms a friendship with a waitress named Carol (Hunt), who good-naturedly puts up with his many quirks. When Melvin’s gay neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear) is attacked during a robbery, Melvin’s carefully cultivated routine is upended, forcing him to make new connections and confront past hurts.
There are entire generations out there who only know Steve Guttenberg from films like Honey I Shrunk The Kids and Little Giants. It’s a crying shame. A blight on America’s pop culture history. And it shall be corrected now, with us, UPROXX, introducing the world to this 80s action gem which stars Guttenberg and Kim Cattrall as part of a group of misfits who enter the police academy and try to prank their way through to earning a badge.
Ali Wong and Randall Park star in the latest rom-com from Netflix. This time around, the plot follows two childhood sweethearts who’ve spent the last 15 years apart and try to reconnect when one moves back home. Wong plays a successful chef opening a new restaurant in San Francisco while Park plays her former best friend still living at home and working for his dad. Both have some growing up to do, but the film eschews classic romcom tropes for bits that are funnier and more poignant than your average lighthearted fare.
Recent Changes Through April 2020:
Removed: Trainspotting, Up In The Air, 50/50, Junebug, The Waterboy, Kung Fu Hustle, Men In Black, Sleeping With Other People
Added: Groundhog Day, Tootsie, The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, Kingpin, Silver Linings Playbook, The Other Guys, Mr. Right, Police Academy
Any changes that happen at the top of NBA teams’ draft boards between now and the 2020 NBA Draft (whenever that happens) are likely to be a result of either careful analysis or straight-up overthinking. The information flow has ceased among NBA teams. As far as has been reported, no teams have yet begun interviewing players or taking the pre-draft process virtual in any meaningful way. Yet LaMelo Ball seems to be striking the fancy of NBA decision-makers once again.
As Sam Vecenie wrote at The Athletic this week as he placed Ball in the top slot on his big board, “… in this draft, where things are this up in the air, I’m willing to roll the dice on Ball and hope he keeps getting better. The talent level is very real at a premium position.” It’s fair to wonder how anyone is changing how they feel about anyone with pro basketball shut down across the planet. Which brings the conversation back to the central question: Thoughtful reconsideration or overthinking?
Back in September, Ball drew comparisons to everyone from Spencer Dinwiddie to Luka Doncic. As the league transitioned toward smaller lineups for the bulk of a 48-minute game, efficient wing playmakers who can bust matchups became teams’ logical counterpunch. What Kawhi Leonard did in the playoffs last year, thoroughly controlling every moment of Toronto’s championship run, showed the value such a player can have.
Ball is not that big nor at that level as a defender, but the mismatches he will pose from day one in the NBA are nonetheless similar. Where Ball’s true value lies is in his genes. Like his brother Lonzo, LaMelo is a preternatural playmaker. The aggressive version of Lonzo the Pelicans unlocked is a great template to imagine how LaMelo can translate to the NBA.
With an absence of new information, Ball tantalizes thanks to his unique style and versatility. LaVar Ball coached his sons’ teams to play fast, and they dictate tempo better than most young players. The difference with LaMelo is a far more aggressive and capable scorer in addition to quarterbacking his teams.
From sand workouts to build athleticism to the green light he’s had at every level, Ball is unpredictable because nothing scares him. Ball isn’t scared to take outrageous off-the-dribble triples or take a floater from a depraved angle.
That aggressiveness is the root of the knock on him — unlike Lonzo, LaMelo has some bad habits built into his game that could be harder to fix. In a video breakdown with Mike Schmitz of ESPN, Ball praised the Ilawarra coaching staff for helping him better understand the principles of team defense. Though he made strides in that department over the course of the season that could help him survive defending wing players in the NBA, Ball is not unlike his competition for the No. 1 overall pick, Anthony Edwards Jr., in that at his worst, he plays like an undisciplined amateur.
The idea that teams are overthinking their heightened excitement about Ball doesn’t hold much water. If anything, NBA scouts probably allowed a season-ending foot injury to get in the way of their analysis earlier in the winter. This is a player NBA teams have been monitoring since high school, and he’s improved greatly over the years. His time in the National Basketball League in Australia was inconsistent and didn’t result in a lot of winning, but the immense ceiling is still there.
As this year’s pre-draft process begins to look more like the Wild West, teams will rest on the laurels of their scouting and analytics. There will be no Draft Combine; no workouts. A player like Ball with multiple seasons of professional experience and heaps of intel is likely to benefit, especially because of how smoothly he will fill the need for any team searching for a jumbo playmaker.
Hoops fans have viewed the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a potential all-timer. Three names have been frequently mentioned as first-ballot inclusions this year, and according to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, all three of them are going to have their names read when the class is formally announced on Saturday.
Charania brings word that the trio of Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and the late Kobe Bryant will get enshrined in Springfield when the annual ceremony occurs later this year. The official announcement, which is usually made at the Final Four but had to be slightly adjusted this year due to the NCAA canceling all winter and spring championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball @Hoophall Class of 2020, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA@Stadium. Formal announcements will be made on Saturday.
It is, obviously, a well-deserved honor for all three players. Duncan and Garnett are two of the greatest power forwards to ever step on the hardwood, while Bryant is an icon, even after his passing in a helicopter accident earlier this year. Missing out on a Kobe Bryant Hall of Fame induction speech is particularly sad, but it should still be a wonderful occasion looking back on his life and career, regardless. And besides, we predict that Duncan and especially Garnett will give speeches we’ll never forget whenever the ceremony ends up happening.
Selena Gomez revealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during an Instagram stream with fellow singer and former Disney Channel star Miley Cyrus Friday (April 3). Appearing on Cyrus’ Instagram Live series Bright Minded, Gomez discussed the large donation she’d recently made to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center earlier this week and wound up recounting a visit to McClean psychiatric hospital in Massachusetts, where she learned more about the disorder and how it has affected her over the years.
Gomez is quoted in a Billboard article about the stream, saying, “Recently, I went to one of the best mental hospitals in… America, McClean Hospital, and I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar. And so when I got to know more information, it actually helps me. It doesn’t scare me once I know it.”
As she discussed the diagnosis, she also shared how she had to shake off lessons learned through her upbringing in order to process her realization. “I think people get scared of that,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh!’ And I’ve seen it, I’ve seen some of it even in my own family, where I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ I’m from Texas, it’s just not known to talk about mental health. You got to seem cool. And then I see anger built up in children and teenagers or whatever young adults because they are wanting that so badly. I just feel like when I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it. And it took the fear away.”
Gomez said she’d had anxiety and depression throughout her career but hadn’t connected it to a possible clinical disorder. She explained that now that she knows, she felt “equal parts terrified and relieved — terrified because the veil was lifted but relieved that I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered with various depressions and anxieties for so many years. I never had full awareness or answers about this condition.”
You can watch the full episode of Bright Minded on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram.
This weekend was supposed to be when the basketball world descended on Atlanta for the Final Four, but with the NCAA Tournament canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this weekend will be much like the last two, one of filling the time however possible and continuing to try and stay safe through social distancing to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Still, we can’t shake the feeling that we should be able to take in some college hoops this weekend and as such we are firing up a 10-year-old video game to give us a glimpse at what could have been. There has not been a college basketball video game made since EA Sports’ NCAA Basketball 10, so I dusted off my Xbox 360 and, after some trials and tribulations involving an old game disc, got to work on figuring out what might have happened if the 2020 Final Four played out with rosters from 2009-10.
Since we don’t know what the Final Four would actually look like, we are going to simulate a few different possibilities. The first being the chalk favorites (Gonzaga, Dayton, Kansas, and Baylor), pitting the four top seeds from Joe Lunardi’s final bracket prediction against each other, which as we all know never happens, but it’s a starting point. The second was taking the Final Four from FiveThirtyEight’s projections (Kansas, Maryland, San Diego State, and Michigan State).
The third was building the 2020 bracket (using Lundardi’s final prediction) in the 2010 game and having the video game determine a Final Four, of which it did a surprisingly good job of and didn’t have any wild upsets. The Final Four the game projects is Kansas, Villanova, Gonzaga, and Ohio State (with full results able to be seen at the bottom of this post).
We will be simulating these games, available for you to watch if you so choose on our Twitch channel (twitch.tv/DimeUproxx). We’ll be streaming one Final Four (semifinals followed by finals) each day Saturday through Monday on 10 minute halves, so three games will take just over an hour, total. We’ll start with the all-chalk games on Saturday, FiveThirtyEight’s bracket prediction Final Four on Sunday, and the NCAA 10 predictions on Monday, with all streams starting at 5 p.m. ET.
Last time in the Best and Worst of NXT UK: Aoife Valkyrie defeated Nina Samuels, and Travis Banks did his best against Jordan Devlin. If you’d like to read previous installments of the Best and Worst of NXT UK, click right here. Follow With Spandex on Twitter and Facebook. You can also follow me on Twitter if you want.
And now, the Best and Worst of NXT UK from April 2, 2020.
Successful Factionalism
WWE
Things I Love #1: This episode features one match with almost the entire men’s roster in it, which basically takes up the second half of the show. So what do they do? Spend the first half of the show on two matches that feature the women’s roster. Any non-NXT wrestling show (including AEW Dynamite) would have found a way to fill out that time without any extra focus on the women, and I’m glad this brand is different in that regard.
Things I Love #2: It’s great that Kay Lee Ray and Jinny seem to get along. They’re both cocky heels, so their readiness to team up might be a surprise. But all Jinny cares about is being the most stylish queen in NXT UK, and all Kay Lee cares about is the Women’s Championship. Jinny’s not after the title (at least not right now) so she’s no threat to Kay Lee, and Kay Lee only ever wears jeans when she’s not in ring gear, so she’s no threat to Jinny. Plus teaming up with KLR helps Jinny feel important, and teaming up with Jinny helps KLR look strong against her probably next challenger Piper Niven. I love it when people get along and character motivations make sense.
The team-up between Niven and Dani Luna is if anything less cohesive than the heel alliance, but that makes sense too. Dani’s brand new and does’t really know anyone, and all of Piper’s previous friends have either turned to the dark side or fled the show for Parts Unknown. So it seems likely early on that the heel team will win, and sure enough, they do.
If I have a complaint about this match, it’s that they do a little too much of that clichéd thing where the heels are cheating and the babyface who’s not legal (Piper in this case) tries to get in the ring to deal with it, so the ref spends like a full two minutes turned entirely toward the babyface corner yelling to stay out of the ring while the heels do whatever they want behind his back. You’d think refs would eventually learn which wrestlers can be trusted. But that’s just wrestling, I guess.
The Changeling Returns
WWE
Literal Faery Childe Xia Brookside is back from a hiatus (and what an episode to return on!) and celebrates by getting a solid win against Amale, who’s name I really wish was pronounced Ah-mah-lay but apparently it isn’t. This is almost a squash, but it makes Xia look strong on her return. It also reverses the body image stereotyping of the first match, by pitting a likable skinny girl against a bad girl with a booty. I’m not sure that needed doing, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t intentional, but they did it all the same.
WWE
Xia’s growing a lot as a performer, which I like watching. That finisher is a little slow and awkward in the middle, but I like what she’s going for. Hopefully she’ll be able to keep training for however long the show’s not taping. She’s from a wrestling family, so you have to assume she’s well-equipped for working out. (Is there a “Brookside Dungeon?”)
The Final Blow-Out
WWE
It’s pretty great actually that the last match before an unannounced hiatus of undetermined length is a 20-man Battle Royal. Just let all the guys get in the ring one last time to do all their shit before everybody goes home. Not that they knew what was going to happen when they taped this, but it was well into March so they may have at least had an inkling that things were about to get weird.
Here are some things I liked in the Battle Royal:
Moustache Mountain entering together and smiling at each other like “Are we really going to fight if it comes down to it?”
A-Kid using Saxton Huxley to avoid letting his feet hit the ground when he gets thrown over the top rope. You could call this “the Kofi spot” but I don’t think Kofi has ever ridden a man like a beast of burden.
The fact that the Tag Team members of both Gallus and Imperium aren’t in the match. A three man faction would be too strong in a match like this, especially if it’s guys as big as Gallus or as skilled as Imperium. Leaving those guys out lets Joe Coffey and Alexander Wolfe look strong on their own (especially since they both make it to the final four) with dominating unfairly.
Moustache Mountain really fighting each other when it does come down to it.
Bomber Dave Mastiff being the guy it takes a whole bunch of guys to toss out.
Ilja Dragunov and Tyler Bate as the final two. I know they’re both faces, but they look great in the ring together and I hope this leads to a one-on-one match down the road (even if it’s way down the road).
Ilja winning. He’s been on the rise since his arrival, and this is a great look for wrestling’s most likable Soviet Super-Soldier. Plus he eliminates Bate because Tyler can’t help showing off instead of stepping through the ropes like a normal person, which illustrates Tyler’s number one flaw.
WWE
Of course, we don’t know when Ilja will actually get his shot at WALTER, because this is the last episode of NXT UK that was taped before the Coronavirus shut everything down. The plan had been to record some episode at WrestleMania Axxess like last year, but obviously that’s not happening. They don’t mention this on the air, but they do promote a “Rise of NXT UK” recap show for next week. We’ll see what happens the week after that, and the week after that, and so on. I’ve grown to love this show, and I’ll miss it for however long its gone. At the same time, I can’t say I’m sad that they’re not just recording crowd-free episodes at the UK Performance Center.
So we don’t know when there will be more new episodes of NXT UK, but when there are I’ll be here to recap them.
If you’re thoroughly prepared for your home quarantine, you likely purchased a few bottles of whiskey and a whole lot of beer. When it comes to crucial supplies, these two items fall right below toilet paper, bread, and pasta in the preparedness kit hierarchy. And with the quarantine heading into its fourth full week, combining the whiskey with the pint –resulting in a boilermaker — is starting to look pretty alluring.
You’d have a good precedent to work off of if you decide to go that route. Seabass, the villainous trucker from Dumb And Dumber, is a boilermaker aficionado. It’s a simple, perfect non-cocktail and very easy to fix in between games of Jenga and Netflix binges. You can either drink the shot and then chase it with the beer or drop the shot into the beer and chug it down.
Bartenders don’t really subscribe to the second version, too messy. Better to sip on the whiskey and the beer back-to-back. But regardless of the technique you choose, you’ll want to pick two complementary flavors. To help with that, we asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their go-to pairings of beer and whisky. Check their answers below!
Knob Creek Straight Rye And Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Usually, I tend to sip on a beer or a whiskey, surprisingly not generally next to each other. But if I am mixing the pair? Probably something hotter, like Knob Creek Straight Rye and a good pale ale like Sierra Nevada.
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon And Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon with Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch. I like this pairing because this bourbon is also crafted in small batches and it has caramel notes that add to the fermented process of an artisanal beer. Mikkeller is the master of artisanal brewing and it is very interesting to follow them as they look for the unique flavors and ingredients from the places they visit to produce their batch.
Wild Turkey Bourbon And Coors Light
Amanda Swanson, bar manager at Fine & Rare in New York City
I could easily sit here and think of a really beautiful and complex beer and bourbon pairing and go into detail about the tasting notes, but if I’m being perfectly honest, I only drink boilermakers when I’m feeling casual and need to let my brain unwind. My go-to boilermaker is a Coors Light and a Wild Turkey bourbon. The beer goes down like water and the Wild Turkey is quintessentially classic bourbon.
High West Midwinter Night’s Dram and Highwater Campfire Stout
There’s no combination I enjoy more than Highwater Campfire Stout (S’more Stout) paired with High West Midwinter Night’s Dram. The chocolate, rich, bold taste of the stout pairs perfectly with the spices of the rye whiskey aged in French oak barrels.
I love drinking a stout beer – usually Guinness Stout with Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon. The deep chocolatey and bitter notes in Guinness pairs really well with the spiced caramel notes in the bourbon.
Old Forester 1897 Bourbon And Grayton Staff Pale Ale
Any day of the week, hands down the Staff Pale Ale from Grayton Beer Company alongside a pour of Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond. Have you ever experienced the sunrise and the sunset at the same time? Now you will.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon And J. Wakefield El Jefe Hefeweizen
My favorite Boilermaker is El Jefe Hefeweizen from J. Wakefield Brewing with Buffalo Trace Bourbon. El Jefe is a traditional German Hefeweizen but with the addition of fresh coconut flakes and Buffalo Trace gives you lots of toffee and vanilla. What a great combination. Sign me in.
Wild Turkey 101 Rye And Bell’s Hopslam IPA
Ben Schiller, beverage director at RPM Restaurants in Chicago
Wild Turkey 101 Rye and an Imperial IPA like Bell’s Hopslam. Everyone has heard about Wild Turkey, but I don’t think they are given the love they rightly deserve. Their 101 Rye is full of flavor and perfectly paired with a hoppy, crisp Imperial IPA.
Writer’s Picks:
Glenmorangie 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky And Genesee Cream Ale
We love this combination between a cheap, “dad beer”, and a nuanced, well-made, classic single malt Scotch whisky. You might be surprised that these two pair very well together because the creamy, sweet, corn-rich flavor of the cream ale matches perfectly with the vanilla, cream, and butterscotch sweetness of the Glenmorangie
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon And Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Bourbon and pilsners might as well have been made for each other. One of our favorite pairings is Elijah Craig Small Batch with its toffee, caramel, and oaky-flavor along with the malty, corn, and refreshing flavors of a can (or pint) of Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils.
Days after Tony Ferguson called for Khabib Nurmagomedov to be stripped of the lightweight championship for pulling out of their UFC 249 showdown, the champ is apparently ready to any location in the world to make the bout happen.
Nurmagomedov left the United States to travel to the UAE, where it was assumed UFC 249 would take place. He was eventually re-routed to Russia due to travel restrictions and acknowledged he is under quarantine in an Instagram post. But after UFC president Dana White claimed “everyone knew” Nurmagomedov would not fight, the unbeaten champ pushed back and said he’s “100 percent” willing to fight in two weeks if White gives him a location.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) saying he never said he was out of 249, he just isn’t going to fly anywhere when he doesn’t know where he’s flying to. He also doesn’t believe getting out of Russia is as simple as others suggest. pic.twitter.com/pf5RSiwemG
“Right now, if they give me location and I can come out from Russia and I can go to any country,” Nurmagomedov said, per Yahoo! Sports. “U.S., Abu Dhabi, doesn’t matter. I’m going to fight, 100 percent. Just give me location. Every day, I send Dana White a message. ‘Hey, where’s my location.’ This is not my mistake.”
Nurmagomedov later told ESPN if the fight doesn’t happen as planned, he’d like it to be rebooked as early as August as he prepares to observe a fasting period for the month of Ramadan. Nurmagomedov also said he wouldn’t care if the UFC created an interim title in the event he doesn’t fight at UFC 249, potentially opening the door for Justin Gaethje to take his place and square off with Ferguson.
Should this be cancelled, it would mark the fifth time a scheduled Nurmagomedov-Ferguson tilt hasn’t gone through as planned.
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