Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling: Episode 4 Review

We're in our fourth week of Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, halfway home to see who takes home the CCW title....brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Let's get to this week, entitled "Work the Crowd."

First Quarter Hour

-We're in the CCW gym and watching everyone work out. The remaining cast members are wondering if Nikki has was it takes to survive. The hotness then manages to get her leg caught in a press machine and needs Butterbean to assist. Incredibly attractive? Yes. Kinda dumb? Also, yes.

-Uh oh...it's Eric Bischoff. He says he's impressed at how far they've progressed and presents them with their next challenge: cutting a wrestling promo. Bischoff introduces the ring announcer Todd Keneley (UPW), who apparently teaches how to cut promos. Todd then does a horrendous Hogan impersonation.

-Todd Bridges' first attempt is smooth, while Nikki can't stop laughing. Rodman also struggles, essentially doing a Hogan impersonation as well. The best part by far is when Dustin "Screech" Diamond and Danny Bonaduce go head-to-head.

Bonaduce says something that irritates Diamond to the point he slaps him and claims a personal attack. I rewound this several times and still can't figure out what Diamond is talking about, but I guess it was something about grabbing his chin.

The two are pulled apart, Bonaduce calls Diamond a bitch and Keneley then brings the segment to an awkward close. This screamed of being set up as their scuffle was lacking any real...well...violence? The group will have to cut promos live in front of the crowd tonight.

-The three new moves of the week are the hip toss, getting thrown into the turnbuckle and the elbow smash. Much like everything in wrestling is steel (cages, chairs, posts, etc.), everything seems to also involve a 'smash,' doesn't it?

-Nikki thinks these moves are more advanced. She suddenly gets terrified when she has to give a hip toss and walks out of the ring, offering to be eliminated. She claims she's injured and doesn't want to do anything that would put her out "for a year." Ok. On the other side, Trishelle is also scared to take the hip toss. Bonaduce is struggling as well and gets hurt after taking his first good toss. He asks to go see the medic and the ominous music hits.

Second Quarter Hour

-Team Nasty is upset as Nikki is outside smoking and unsure if she's coming back. She finally walks back in and Knobs walks out in disgust. Diamond puts it on the line for her that one of them could get sent home if she has a bad performance.

She urges that Erin should come back if they can get her as she isn't any good. Rodman asks why she joined the show if she didn't want to be there and Nikki doesn't answer the obvious: because she needed work and no one knows who she is.

-Hogan strolls in to talk to Nikki one-on-one, keeping his sunglasses on the entire time. She claims that the team wants Erin more than her, leaving out the fact she asked to leave. Hogan says that's not cool and offers to work with her more directly. Uh-huh.

-Bonaduce is back, but is still scared to take the hip toss. Bridges, wearing the ever-present fedora hat, is looking great taking bumps. He might be a dark horse to win this whole thing.

-Hogan brings in Nikki to work with Screech as he observes. As she gets two inches of air off a hip toss, Hogan says, 'Perfect'. Huh? She says she'll take this opportunity to work with Hogan with her the rest of her life. In every reality show with an elimination theme, there is always one person who survives even though they shouldn't. This is Nikki Ziering.

Third Quarter Hour

-We're live in the CCW Arena and Butterbean/Trishelle cut a heel promo on-screen which is decent. They are playing up a Beauty and Best type of deal. Next up are Bonaduce and Bridges, who talk like they've had 10 Red Bulls. We don't get any insight from the judges on whether they liked the promos, which would be helpful. What are they looking for? What do they like and not like?

-Tag action now and we're seeing more character development in the ring. Bonaduce and Bridges hit ill-timed double elbows on Bean and do a "Beefcake Strut". It seems there is less in-ring work this week, which is probably a good thing. Lots of close-ups and quick cuts as we've seen in past weeks.

-Bonaduce takes another bad hip toss and still can't run the ropes right. Bridges hits a cartwheel into a elbow on Bean in the corner which looks good. The heels get the win though as Bean hits a running splash on Bridges. Hogan even gets a Macho Man reference in watching Trishelle (seen here) and Bean's celebration. Mega Powers never die, brotherrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

-You know, I wonder what fellow Real World co-star and WWE talent The Miz thinks of Trishelle embarking on this wrestling journey.

-Screech and Nikki cut an average promo, even though Nikki does get a nice catchphrase for her Candy Girl gimmick: everyone has a sweet tooth. Again, her ring attire is fantastic. Rodman dusts off the Rodzilla gimmick and cuts an awful promo, more drunk athlete than anything.

-It's a handicap match with Screech/Nikki vs. Rodman. Hogan loves Diamond's facials and thinks he has it all. The earlier issues with Bonaduce aren't mentioned again, which is bizarre.

Final Quarter Hour

-Both Diamond/Nikki take terrible looking hip tosses, not getting any air at all. Diamond's midsection kicks are barely avoiding hitting Rodman's nuts. This match is dragging elephant ass.

-Rodman makes a babyface comeback, even doing a 'Pitty City' from Brian Knobs on Nikki. Yep, there's one thing I don't miss about the Nasty Boys. He hits a second-rope clothesline on Diamond for the win. The crowd goes crazy as apparently they are blind and like bad pro wrestling.

-Neither team is getting a break tonight from being eliminated, so you know someone from Team Beefcake is getting cut to help even the sides. If so, it's a bit ridiculous as both Rodman and Nikki are the worst still remaining.

-Bischoff gives Bean and Rodman a pass, Hart gives Bonaduce and Diamond a pass and Hogan gives Bridges a pass. We're down to Trishelle and Nikki. Hogan likes the Red Hot Redneck gimmick of Trishelle, but says something is still not clicking. He thinks that Nikki has it some days and some days she doesn't. I'd love to see examples of the days she has 'it'.

However, he pulls a surprise and eliminates Nikki, meaning all of Knobs' crew has been cut thus far. Now the mystery sets in...at what point did she become pregnant and was it by Beefcake as has been rumored?

Next week: the teams combine, Rob Van Dam drops by, Bonaduce hurts himself and there's an ambulance!

Josh Nason has written and maintained Ropes, Ring and Cage since 2007. He can be reached at [e-mail]. Please credit this site if using any of this information. Thanks!