Nick Piccone

Nick Piccone is a Pro Wrestling Contributor for PhillyVoice.com. Nick was the founder of the popular sports and pro wrestling blog Bleed Philly before joining Philly Influencer as Editor and Writer in 2015. He's hosted a weekly pro wrestling podcast with Vaughn Johnson, The Straight Shooters, since 2015. Nick also does editing, writing, and audio engineering for the only sports betting radio station in Philadelphia, Fox Sports Radio The Gambler. Nick graduated from nearby Neumann University after growing up in south Philadelphia and southern New Jersey. His family history is entrenched in Philadelphia culture, as Nick's great aunt Dolly's house was used as Rocky's and Adrian's new home in Rocky II. Nick is a huge Philly sports fan, and he has watched professional wrestling since he was five years old; he has not only a strong passion, but also an abundance of knowledge about the industry. Follow Nick on Twitter: @_piccone.

February 28, 2020

Straight Shooters

Straight Shooters: Why is Bill Goldberg the Universal Champion again?

by Nick Piccone

Bill Goldberg defeated "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in Saudi Arabia Thursday, highlighting a Super Showdown event that featured egregious decision-making. From The Undertaker coming out to cost AJ Styles the Tuwaiq Trophy, to Brock Lesnar completely annihilating Ricochet, to Bill Goldberg now atop the WWE along with Lesnar as world champions - what year are we living in?

February 21, 2020

Straight Shooters

Straight Shooters: The legend of Cody continues to grow

by Nick Piccone

Cody Rhodes' victory over Wardlow in AEW's first-ever Steel Cage Match this past week on Dynamite was special. The match was great, the finish was even better, but something about Cody just struck on that night. He's a bona fide legend right now.

February 14, 2020

Straight Shooters

Straight Shooters: AEW vs. NXT war already over? Goldberg's back, and when will WrestleMania come to Philly?

by Nick Piccone

Another week, another AEW Dynamite ratings victory over WWE NXT: 817,000 to 757,000. In the key demo of 18-49, AEW won once again, hitting a .30, good for No. 10 overall in the night's ratings. Meanwhile, NXT hit .24 in the key demo, finishing 21st in the night.

February 9, 2020

Straight Shooters

Straight Shooters: What's going to happen to the WWE Network?

by Nick Piccone

With the XFL debuting to some serious fanfare this weekend, WWE CEO Vince McMahon and interim WWE CFO Frank Riddick talked to investors and media on their 2019 Q4 earnings conference call earlier this week. During that call, McMahon hinted that WWE could sell some of their content — possibly PPVs — to major streaming services that are not the WWE Network.

August 30, 2019

Wrestling

Straight Shooters: The rundown for AEW's 'All Out,' and where they're at as a company

by Nick Piccone

The biggest event of All Elite Wrestling's existence occurs Saturday night at the Sears Centre Arena in the suburbs of Chicago. The very first AEW World Champion will be crowned. The AEW Women's Championship belt will be unveiled. There will likely be some other surprises in store for this pay-per-view.

August 22, 2019

Wrestling

Straight Shooters: NXT vs. AEW is the wrestling war we've been waiting for

by Nick Piccone

The wrestling war is back.

August 17, 2019

Straight Shooters

Straight Shooters: Kofi Kingston's title reign isn't boring, King of the Ring is back

by Nick Piccone

During a raucous weekend in Toronto, the WWE Champion got quite an interesting reaction by the Canadian faithful at SummerSlam in his match against Randy Orton. "Kofi's stupid!" chants rang out and then we saw reaction on social media that some thought Kingston was boring and his title reign was getting stale. All this out of nowhere... not unlike an RKO.

August 9, 2019

Wrestling

Straight Shooters: Harley Race remembered, AEW to Philly in Oct., SummerSlam preview

by Nick Piccone

Another legend in the wrestling industry passed away, as Harley Race succumbed to complications from lung cancer on August 1. Nick Piccone (@nickpiccone) and Vaughn Johnson (@VaughnMJohnson) begin this week's episode of The Straight Shooters with a look back at Race's legendary career.

July 28, 2019

Wrestling

Straight Shooters: Breaking out of the Wrestling Bubble; AEW debuts on TNT Oct. 2

by Nick Piccone

After a RAW Reunion show that was a ratings hit for WWE and the USA Network, is it just an example of a wider issue that a lot of wrestling fans live in a wrestling bubble? Some thought it was a great show, others thought it was lame. Hardcore wrestling fans seemed split on the issue.

July 20, 2019

Wrestling

Straight Shooters: What Bischoff, Heyman can change, review of a big Philly wrestling weekend

by Nick Piccone

As Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman get set to take over as Executive Directors of SmackDown Live and Monday Night RAW, respectively, it really leaves up to interpretation just how much control they both will have over their shows.