Month: July 2020

J. Cole’s love for the sport of basketball is well-documented. Not only has he been a feature at the NBA All-Star Game both as a performer and as a dunk contest prop, but he’s also used his journey in the sport as a parallel to his rap career in his albums, music videos, and business partnerships. Earlier this year, he used hoop dream home movies as an ad for his upcoming sneaker with Puma, and as the NBA prepares to return in its Orlando “bubble,” numerous players have been seen sporting the shoe.

However, a new essay from Cole for The Players’ Tribune reveals just how deeply that love goes: so deep, in fact, that he once considered quitting his day job to pursue a pro basketball career. In the wake of the release of his critically-hailed, fan favorite album 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Cole reveals that he found himself with a lot of free time on his hands, a sense of complacency regarding rap, and the itch to get back onto the court: “Slowly, the dream of playing professionally began to make its way back to the front of my mind,” he recalls. “I was approaching 31, four years older than I thought I would be, but still possessing most of the athleticism I had in my 20’s.” He told himself, “‘If you’re gonna do this, now is the time.”’”

He freely admits that there were obstacles to that dream, though. “One of the biggest hurdles I would have to climb was my skill level, or lack thereof,” he self-owns. “I was, at best, a Lifetime Fitness All-Star.” His problems, he details, included “an inconsistent jumpshot due to a raggedy form, a weak left hand, and a lack of confidence.” He says the thing that drove him back to rap was the sense of missed potential he knew he’d feel if he didn’t push his Dreamville label to the next level. He also missed collaborating with other rappers, something that he did a lot more of in 2019.

Now, he proclaims that he’s put his hopp dream behind him — mostly — and rediscovered his hunger for hip-hop. Even so, he leaves the essay off with a cryptic line that makes it sound like he hasn’t completely given up on his other career aspiration. “At 35 years old, I know that sounds crazy when said out loud,” he confesses, “But I believe all of the best dreams do.”

Read the full essay here.

Ahead of the NBA’s restart at Disney, a number of players announced they would be opting out of playing. Among the contenders to make legitimate playoff pushes, the biggest name that announced his intention not to play was Victor Oladipo, citing concern in being able to get his body back up to speed as he continues to work his way back from a ruptured quad a season ago.

Oladipo did join the team in Orlando — an easy trip for him given that he lives there — and has since changed his stance on playing, noting he’s now considering playing in the restart after feeling good in practices. On Monday, Pacers coach Nate McMillan confirmed that intention for Oladipo to play, noting he does expect the star guard to play in this week’s first scrimmage game and they will continue evaluating from there.

However, while getting one All-Star back, the Pacers are down All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis, who is battling a plantar fasciitis flare up that has kept him not just out of practice in the bubble but has kept him from putting any weight on his leg for a few days, per McMillan, via 107.5 The Fan.

“I do,” McMillan said when asked specifically about Oladipo playing in the scrimmages.

“He’s going through the practices and he’s looking good. Our first scrimmage is on Thursday and we’ll see how our guys feel, and we’ll get them minutes accordingly. Right now, there’s no restrictions on anyone (besides Domantas Sabonis). Other than that, I expect everybody to be ready to go.”

Sabonis has been a revelation in Indiana the last two years since acquiring him alongside Oladipo in the Paul George trade, and his absence would take away some significant firepower from the Pacers offensive attack. Indiana is currently fifth in the East, tied with the Sixers, and without Oladipo the expectation was they would slide firmly to the sixth spot during the eight-game restart. With Oladipo playing, they have a chance of battling with Philly, but will need a recovery from Sabonis from a very difficult injury to get a firm handle on.

One of the oddest things about the COVID-19 pandemic is that it’s hard to identify people at times because they are wearing a mask. It can be tough noticing people you regularly see in the community because more than half their face is obscured.

In this case, people were trying to locate and identify John Thomas Archer, a 23-year-old architecture student who wowed people in the ReMARKable Cleanouts second-hand store in Norwood, Massachusetts. But it was hard to figure out who he is because of the mask he wore to protect him from getting or spreading COVID-19.

On Saturday, July 11, he walked into the store and asked an employee, Melissa Rediker, if he could play one of the pianos on display, it had a “Do Not Play’ sign attached.

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Archer sat down at a Steinway and started banging out a song that always gets everyone in the bar singing along, “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey. Everyone knew what Archer was playing right off the bat due to the songs infectious bass line.

The store placed a video of his playing on its Facebook page and it went viral.

Good News Movement on Facebook Watch

The video made the store owner, Mark Waters, so happy that he decided to give Archer the piano.

“He started playing and the place lit up!” Waters told CBS Boston, adding: “We’ll give him the piano. Bring the kid in! We’d be more than happy to bring it to him. We can’t find him! Nobody knows who this young man was.”

This kicked off a search for the “mystery man” who was found by Julie McDonald at WBZ Channel 4 who interviewed him on the newscast three days later.

via ReMARKable Cleanouts / Facebook

That Tuesday, Archer’s girlfriend send him a text saying that people were looking for him.

“My girlfriend sent me a text that the media was looking for me,” he said. “I didn’t know so many people would be affected by watching me play. I am just baffled.”

Archer told McDonald that he was an “amateur” musician and the at the Journey tune was the first he ever learned. He didn’t have a piano at home, just a keyboard. The next day he returned to the store and gave a performance of “All of Me” by John Legend.

“He’s a good young man and I’m glad he gets to have the piano,” Waters said. “If it brings joy into his life, that brings joy into my heart.”

“I just wish there was more stories like this with everyone opening their hearts,” he told Good Morning America. “I’d like to donate something every day if it brought people into a good mood.”

The only problem was that the store isn’t sure how to get the piano up to his fourth-floor apartment.

“A very talented and kind young man who will be receiving a piano…we can get it to his home, but having trouble finding a way to get it on the 4th floor!!” ReMARKable Cleanouts wrote on their Facebook page.

“Do we know anyone who can deliver a piano to a 4th floor? Asking for a friend,” they also posted.

When the NBA announced its intentions to restart the season at Walt Disney World in Orlando, the biggest question was whether the planned bubble would be able to successfully insulate the league and its players from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in an area that has seen a massive spike in cases in the last month-plus.

The biggest hurdle was going to be the early weeks — as the MLS learned when two entire teams had to withdraw from their tournament in Orlando due to outbreaks within their teams — and so far, so good for the NBA. The first round of player testing saw two positive tests in the bubble, but both were caught during the quarantine period while those players were still in their hotel room and had not interacted with others.

On Monday, the league announced even more good news, as over the past week of testing, with 346 players being tested, there were zero positive tests. This indicates that the system is working as intended, as player testing outside the bubble has flagged positive cases prior to those players joining their teams in Orlando, and making those players test negative twice before coming to Orlando — where they must test negative two more times before joining their teams.

It is a rare bit of good news and offers a test case of how aggressive testing, isolation, and taking the necessary precautions of wearing masks and social distancing can have the intended effect of mitigating the spread of the virus tremendously. While this is a good start, the league and its players must continue being vigilant about following protocols and keeping the bubble secure, but for those hoping basketball does indeed start on time, this is welcome news.

Untitled Goose Game was an indie smash hit in 2019, and now gamers will finally get a physical edition of the game along with some lovely extras. The game that lets you be a horrible goose is finally getting a box, along with a Lovely Edition physical release and a vinyl pressing of the delightful music from the game that had you gently wreck a town for your own goosey pleasure.

The release, part of Iam8Bit’s presentation at the Summer Game Fest Developer Showcase on Monday, puts what was a viral success in a box and adds a number of extras based on the game’s setting. As announced on Monday, the standard edition of the game’s physical release will run at $35 on the Switch and $30 on PlayStation 4 and get you a disc or cartridge, 24-page “Plaza Catalogue” of “useful items and objects that a goose might enjoy collecting.” You also get a “no goose” sticker and an 11×17 village map poster.

Iam8Bit’s special edition is an eco-friendly Lovely Edition that has all kinds of fun biodegradable features, but perhaps most interestingly is the soundtrack, pressed on a special vinyl that’s designed to mimic the game’s abrupt musical cues based on what kind of chicanery your goose got up to. The record, with music by Dan Golding, is an adaptation of Claude Debussy’s Préludes and has a “double groove” pressing that is said to create a unique playing experience every time you listen.

The vinyl is also on reclaimed vinyl, so it’s a physical release of a game that’s very eco-friendly, which is nice. The vinyl alone is a fun addition to a fan’s collection, and the unique aspect of the record would be a fun bit of memorabilia to pick up if you already have a digital copy of the game and don’t need the extras. Not every game’s soundtrack needs to be owned on wax, but this one certainly made the game better and would be a delightful listen when not in control of a goose.

Sure, the pandemic’s still going strong (at least in the U.S.), but here’s some good news: so is Hulu’s content game. The streaming service continues to deliver a slate of original shows, movies, and blockbusters to keep us entertained… distracted… from going absolutely insane. Take your pick. For comedy fans, Vince Vaughn’s The Binge looks promising. Slay The Dragon feels like the political documentary that should be required viewing in this election year. And Freeform’s giving us a romantic twist on self-isolation with its latest drama.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) Hulu this August.

The Binge (Hulu original streaming 8/28)
Vince Vaughn and Booksmart breakout Skyler Gisondo star in Hulu’s latest comedy flick that feels like a funnier version of The Purge concept. Swap in a consequence-free day of murdering with one that lets citizens drink, party, and do drugs to their heart’s content for 24-hours only before they go back to being sober for the rest of the year, and you’ve got a good idea of where this thing is going.

Slay The Dragon (documentary streaming 8/6)
This eye-opening doc sets out to reveal a sinister truth about our current voting system — one that has less to do with Russian interference and more with Republican gerrymandering. The film follows a citizen’s group trying to end the practice, one that the Republican party has employed for years to reset voting boundaries, essentially wasting votes and curbing districts to help candidates come out on top. It’s essential viewing before this year’s election.

Love in the Time of Corona (series streaming 8/22)
Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. produces and leads the cast of this new Freeform series set in, you guessed it, the current pandemic. The show centers on a handful of couples/singles looking for romance, sex, and a deeper connection while isolated because of COVID-19.

Here’s the full list of titles coming to Hulu in August:

Avail. 8/1
Monchhichi: Complete Season 1B
The Pier (El Embarcadero): Complete Seasons 1 & 2
UniKitty: Complete Season 2B
71 (2015)
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
A Good Woman (2006)
A Perfect Murder (1998)
Australia (2008)
The Brothers McMullen (1995)
Cats & Dogs (2001)
Child’s Play (1988)
City Slickers (1991)
City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly’s Gold (1994)
Company Business (1991)
Death At A Funeral (2010)
Elena Undone (2010)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Free Fall (2013)
Gayby (2012)
Hellraiser (1987)
Hurricane Bianca (2016)
Just Charlie (2017)
The Last Stand (2013)
Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga’Hoole (2010)
Margin Call (2011)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Pit Stop (2013)
Rain Man (1988)
Rustlers’ Rhapsody (1985)
Safe (2012)
The Saint (1997)
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
Sordid Lives (2000)
Spare Parts (2015)
Stanley & Iris (1990)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Stuck On You (2003)
Top Gun (1986)
Ultraviolet (2006)
Up in the Air (2009)
Were The World Mine (2008)

Avail. 8/2
Shark vs. Surfer: Special

Avail. 8/3
Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)
Ordinary Love (2019)

Avail. 8/6
The Real Housewives of Orange County: Complete Season 14
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Slay the Dragon (2020)

Avail. 8/7
The New York Times Presents: This Is Dominic Fike: The Next Big Thing?

Avail. 8/10
Hard Night Falling (2019)
Lucky Day (2020)

Avail. 8/11
Alive And Kicking (2016)
Monster’s Ball (2001)

Avail. 8/12
Smile Down the Runway: Season 1, Episodes 1-12

Avail. 8/14
Bernie The Dolphin 2 (2019)

Avail. 8/15
A Crime to Remember: Complete Season 4
Bake You Rich: Complete Season 1
Caribbean Life: Complete Season 16
Chopped: Complete Season 40 & 41
Christina On The Coast: Complete Season 1
Honeymoon Hunters: Complete Season 1
House Hunters International: Complete Season 129 – 134
Island Life: Complete Season 15
Mediterranean Life: Complete Season 1
Murder in Paradise: Complete Season 1
Naked and Afraid: Complete Seasons 9 & 10
Property Brothers: Buying & Selling: Complete Season 6
Say Yes to the Dress: Complete Season 17
Sword Art Online: Alicization: Complete Season 1
Worst Bakers in America: Complete Season 1
Worst Cooks in America: Complete Season 16

Avail. 8/16
Behind You (2020)

Avail. 8/18
The Cup (2012)

Avail. 8/20
Daffodils (2020)
Unacknowledged (2017)

Avail. 8/21
Find Me In Paris: Complete Season 3

Avail. 8/22
Love in the Time of Corona: Series Premiere

Avail. 8/23
Blindspot: Complete Season 5

Avail. 8/24
The Roads Not Taken (2020)

Avail. 8/26
Mom: Complete Season 7

Avail. 8/28
The Binge (2020)

Avail. 8/31
Casino Royale (2006)
Primal (2019)
Quantum of Solace (2008)
The Courier (2019)

Here’s what’s leaving Hulu in August:

Leaving 8/31
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
The American President (1995)
Assassination Tango (2003)
Born to be Wild (2011)
Casino (1995)
Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
Charlotte’s Web (1973)
Child’s Play (1988)
Cliffhanger (1993)
The Cookout (2004)
Crooked Hearts (1991)
Dave (1993)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
Equilibrium (2002)
Fair Game (2010)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Fun in Acapulco (1963)
Gorky Park (1983)
Happily N’Ever After (2007)
Happily N’Ever After 2 (2009)
Hud (1963)
Incident at Loch Ness (2004)
Joyride (1997)
Liar, Liar (1997)
The Marine 3: Homefront (2013)
Molly (1999)
Moonstruck (1987)
Rain Man (1988)
Risky Business (1983)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
The Scout (1994)
Sex Drive (2008)
Shirley Valentine (1989)
Starting Out in the Evening (2007)
Top Gun (1986)
Trade (2007)
The Whistle Blower (1987)
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2007)
The X-Files (1998)
Zardoz (1974)

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

The Last Dance (Netflix) — If you missed this gripping docuseries on ESPN, you can catch it now on Netflix. The show takes a deep dive into Michael Jordan’s time with the Chicago Bulls, specifically the team’s 1997-98 season, which saw them chasing a sixth NBA title. So much goes down in the span of 10 episodes — from Jordan’s gambling addiction to Scottie Pippen’s departure and Dennis Rodman’s wild, unsanctioned Vegas vacation — you’ll probably be glued to your screen once you start. Plan accordingly.

I May Destroy You (HBO, 9:00 p.m.) — Still struggling to finish her book and desperate for money, Arabella takes a job helping Theo with a vegan delivery start-up. This prompts Terry to air her concerns over their deepening friendship, but only after she throws a birthday celebration that forces Kwame to go to extremes to avoid reminders of his own sexual assault.

The Arena (TNT, 8:00 p.m.) — NBA greats Charles Barkley, Dwyane Wade, and Draymond Green give fans a different kind of pre-game chat, discussing everything from the COVID-19 outbreak to Black Lives Matter.

The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons – Ever! (ABC, 8:00 p.m.) — The show looks back on Brad Womack’s two-season-spanning journey to find love which began with a physical confrontation and ended with a shocking double-elimination.

First of all, welcome back to Pro Wrestling coverage on Uproxx. We don’t have our own vertical anymore, but I’ll still be here from time to time under the Uproxx Sports banner to talk about the big shows and whatever else needs to be talked about. It won’t be the same without the open threads and results and countless news posts, but, all things considered, change can be a good thing and I’m happy to be back on this website, covering my favorite pseudo-sport.

This week, the thing I’m the most excited to talk about is Slammiversary 2020. Some of you may remember two years ago when I sent the wrestling internet into an uproar by declaring Slammiversary 2018 the best PPV of the year. Last year’s show wasn’t nearly as impressive, but it remains a PPV I have a soft spot for, and even though I haven’t been watching Impact recently I was excited to see what they had to offer. On the whole, I was not disappointed.

First of all, just to get the most unpleasant stuff out of the way, I was impressed by who wasn’t on the show. Impact has cleared out their roster of its most problematic members, which didn’t used to be something they seemed interested in at all. That’s not to say none of their wrestlers are morally complicated figures, but there’s no Elgin, no Ryan, no Crist, and no Tessa Blanchard, and if nothing else that makes my job easier because I can write about the wrestling with the extra paragraphs about what makes the wrestling hard to enjoy.

Slammiversary opened with the Rascalz (Dez and Wentz) offering to fight any tag team that wanted to face them. Everybody expected the just-signed Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, but the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) showed up instead. Any possibly disappointment (particularly from those of us who weren’t watching TNA the last time the MCMGs were around) was quickly softened by a really fun, fast-paced match. The veterans Shelley and Sabin were just as energetic as Dez and Wentz, and it turned out to be a lesson to the younger guys, with the moral being, “Be careful about saying you can beat anyone, because you don’t know who’s backstage.” The Machine Guns won the match, setting themselves up to enter the Tag Team Championship picture.

That will put them up against the North, who retained their Titles in a match against Ken Shamrock and Sami Callihan. If this had been a WWE show, you could imagine the two randomly paired up guys winning the belts, but it was clear that was never going to happen here. The North are strong champions, and I’m always here for Murder Grandpa Ken Shamrock. I’m a little confused about Callihan’s character right now, which made it harder to invest in their partnership. In any case, it wasn’t the strongest match of the night, and the highlight was after it was over, when the MCMGs showed up to challenge the North to a Title Match on TV. Not going to lie, I’ll tune in for that.

The weakest match of the night was obviously Moose versus Tommy Dreamer for the TNA Championship. I always enjoy Tommy Dreamer as a recurring presence on basically every wrestling show. He’s dignified enough to play an elder statesman of hardcore violence while also goofy enough to be an effective part of comedy bits. What I never need to see is Dreamer in a singles PPV match in 2020 (or beyond). Also, now that Moose has been challenged for and retained the belt he found in the basement of Impact Headquarters, does that mean he’s a legit champion? It’s Impact, so probably.

The Gauntlet Match to become Number One Contender for the Knockouts Championship wasn’t very good either, which is a shame because it was filled with talented women. It wasn’t what I was expecting from a “Gauntlet Match” in that it was exactly like a Royal Rumble. It started with Tasha Steelz and Kylie Rae, with another woman joining every minute or two (I think they said it was every two minutes, but it seemed to vary a lot). The whole thing kind of stayed a crowded mess into we got down to the final four (Kimber Lee, Rosemary, Taya Valkyrie, and Kylie Rae), when it finally started to seem like somebody had booked this match. It came down to Taya and Kylie, with Kylie getting the win. It’s great to see Kylie doing well here, and she’s always a joy to watch. I could have done without the “comedy” spots of Johnny Bravo coming out dressed like Taya and then Rosemary, but the fact that Rosemary was already in the ring when the latter happened at least heightened the absurdity.

Fortunately the other women’s match was one of the best matches of the night, with Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace facing off against Deonna Purrazzo. Purrazzo’s both a skilled technician and a charismatic performer, and the perfect foil for Jordynne Grace’s size and strength. The number one thing people mock about Impact Wrestling is their willingness to take WWE’s castoffs and treat them like stars, but watching Purrazzo in action you can help but feel that she simply is a star, and it’s WWE that made the mistake in failing to treat her like one. I was surprised that she won the Knockouts Title this early in her run, but it feels earned and it was really exciting in the moment. Also, she and Kylie Rae ought to have a great feud. They’re both amazing wrestlers, they’ve got that “cocky heel/earnest face” dynamic down, and there’s a fun meta angle with them each representing “the one that got away” to WWE and AEW’s respective women’s divisions.

The other contender for match of the night was the X-Division Championship match between Willie Mack and Chris Bey. I’m a big fan of Willie Mack, and while I wasn’t sure his light blue gear and yellow contact lenses were the best look for him, he did great work here as always. I’m less familiar with Chris Bey, but he seems really great and put on such a showing in this match that I wasn’t mad when he won the X-Title off of Willie. Interested to see where both of these guys go from here, with the roster getting a refresh and opening doors for new feuds and rivalries.

Speaking of which, Heath Slater turned up for a surprise in-ring promo. His speech itself was good, but his “Free Agent” tee and the later backstage segment made it clear that Impact is going to do the same “earn your spot” story with him that WWE did a couple of years back, and I can’t say that sounds exciting. A modest proposal: just let the man wrestle! He’s got kids.

There was also a big build to a surprise fourth man in the match for the vacated Impact World Championship, which already included Ace Austin, Eddie Edwards, and Trey Miguel. First, Rich Swann returned from injury to fill that fourth spot, which was quite a letdown. But then Eric Young showed up, making scary faces in a scary mask, and made it a five-way. Young never found a spot in WWE after the breakup of Sanity, so it’s good to see him back in a place that appreciates him. He also got over like a monster by beating the hell out of Rich Swann, effectively putting him back on the injured list.

It turned out to be Eddie Edwards who actually won the World Championship, however. I’ve got no problem with that. Eddie’s been doing great work the last few years, and he feels pretty legit in this role right now. After the match, Ace Austin and his buddy Madman Fulton decided to beat Eddie up, but he was saved by his new friends, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows! So yeah, the Good Brothers did eventually show up, and it looks like they’re babyfaces, which is interesting. Then the night ended with a quick reveal that EC3 is back too. Presumably either he or Eric Young will soon be coming after Eddie’s belt, either of which sounds like a fun time.

Slammiversary wasn’t the only big show this weekend. The next night we got WWE’s Horror Show at Extreme Rules, an oddly Halloween-themed PPV in July. The tag division also opened that show, with the New Day losing their Smackdown Tag Titles to the Artists Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in a Tables Match. Hopefully this earns two of the best wrestlers in the world some of the respect WWE seems reluctant to give them. And hopefully Kofi’s okay after that double table finish, because damn that looked deadly.

The two best matches of the night, to the surprise of nobody who’s been keeping up with WWE during the pandemic, were the women’s matches, both of which featured WWE’s empty-arena MVPs Bayley and Sasha Banks. As a known huge fan of Nikki Cross, I loved seeing how strong she looked in challenging Bayley for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Narratively, I didn’t expect Nikki to win, but the match itself made me feel like she could, and like Bayley was justified in using a foreign object (Sasha’s big BOSS ring) to sneak out a win she probably couldn’t have managed clean.

Sasha’s own match with Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship was perhaps even better over all, but it had the even more ridiculous finish. Asuka resorted to the Green Mist, but Sasha ducked it and the referee got a face full. Bayley took down Asuka from behind, stole the referee’s shirt, and then counted the pinfall and demanded the bell be rung. So now the Role Models consider Sasha Banks the new Raw Women’s Champion, but everyone else (and especially Asuka) are probably going to have a talk with them about that. I’m sure that will go well.

The most ridiculous thing on this card was Seth Rollins and Rey Mysterio in an Eye For An Eye match, which required the winner to remove the loser’s eye from its socket. Seth managed to win according to that stipulation, and then everyone—commentary, medical staff, even Seth himself—immediately seemed shocked and horrified that Rey’s eye was out of his head (seen only briefly through his fingers and clearly made of rubber). Seth even vomited about it. Look guys, if you don’t want disgusting things to happen, consider not booking matches with disgusting stipulations?

Dolph Ziggler got to pick his own stipulation for his WWE Championship Match with Drew McIntyre, so he made it an Extreme Rules match for him, but not for the Champ. So Ziggler got to do whatever he wanted and use any weapon he could grab, but Drew had to follow all the rules of wrestling or lost his Title on a DQ. Of course, Drew kicked Dolph in the face and won the match anyway. That was always going to happen. I like Drew as Champion, but he needs better contenders than this, and soon.

Finally, Braun Strowman fought Bray Wyatt in a swamp. This wasn’t the worst COVID-era “cinematic match,” but it certainly wasn’t the best one either. It was mostly just two guys brawling in hip-deep dirty water with lily pads all over the place. The best part was when Braun was lured by a vision of Alexa Bliss offering to be with him, paying off the long-forgotten Mixed Match Challenge subplot about them being kind of in love. And then of course the Fiend showed up at the end, indicating that this rivalry is not over yet, and that we don’t have to worry that Bray’s reversion to his old swampy self was permanent. Off to SummerSlam, one assumes.

Extreme Rules had its moments, not just of Horror but occasionally of wrestling, but if you’re only going to watch one show from this past weekend, you should watch Slammiversary. Impact may not always hold things together on an ongoing basis, but when everything hits just right they can put on great shows. At WWE, in contrast, there’s sort of a base level of mediocrity (especially in COVID times), that every match has to overcome, and many don’t.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this lengthy review of the weekend’s wrestling. Let me know in the comments what kind of pro wrestling content you’d like to see here in Uproxx Sports, with the caveat that it’s only me and probably only a couple of times a week. In the meantime, I’ll definitely be back for future PPVs and other shows that seem worth reviewing.

Drake is back on his UK drill vibe thanks to Headie One, the rising Tottenham star who has become one of the faces of the movement over the past several years, and their “Only You Freestyle” video which just dropped. Over a muscular, trademark M1onthebeat production, the two rappers reel off a pair of long, threat-filled verses as they wander through a garage filled with Range Rovers and members of their respective crews.

Drake first introduced the burgeoning sound of UK drill to his oeuvre in late 2019, when his song “War” was mistaken by American audiences for the similar grime style of Skepta and Stormzy. He then incorporated the sounds more heavily into his May mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes, on which he also shared the spotlight with members of the scene’s New York offshoot on the track “Demons.”

Drake’s incorporation of the style has — like much of his output recently — met mixed reactions. While some, like Stormzy, feel that Drake’s indulgence is a good thing for British music scenes, others, like grime vet Wiley, have called Drake a culture vulture. Meanwhile, there’s little doubt that searches for Headie One’s about to skyrocket as a new audience of potential fans is exposed to the collaborator from Stormzy’s “Audacity.”

Watch Headie One’s “Only You Freestyle” video with Drake above.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Westside Gunn survives a shootout in his new video for “Allah Sent Me” from his recently released album, Flygod Is An Awesome God II. The Buffalo, New York rapper once again employs Griselda Records’ signature black-and-white look for the new video, which was previously seen in videos for “Dr. Bird’s” and “Cruiser Weight Coke.” The song features verses from Gunn’s cohorts Benny and Conway, while the visual narrative sees Gunn wake, pray, and cruise the streets in a red Lamborghini truck which pops from the grayscale visuals in vibrant, electric red.

Later in the video, Gunn visits the traphouse, where he counts money and checks on his stash. Unfortunately, he’s quickly alerted to the presence of a would-be jacker who lays in wait outside. Gunn makes a mad dash and the shootout commences. Because it’s his video, Gunn walks away victorious, returning home to his lady as the video fades out.

Flygod Is An Awesome God II is Gunn’s second release of 2020, following up Pray For Paris, which he completed while sick with the COVID-19 coronavirus. It seems it will take a lot more than that to get him to slow up his hustle.

Watch Westside Gunn’s “Allah Sent Me” video above.