After reviewing the legends edition last month, the producers of "Wrestling's Bloodiest Wars:Death Wish" asked if I would view the ultra violent episode in the series and I took the opportunity to watch the show, which airs on various cable systems.
Ron Mathis vs. Joe Gacy
The show opens with two upstarts, Ron Mathis and Joe Gacy in a dog collar match from CZW, and chaos ensues immediately, as Gacy waffles Mathis with a chair. A variety of weapons are used in the ring, including a kendo stick, a Sponge Bob Square Pants pinata with thumbtacks in it, and a VCR. Mathis is bleeding, but counters and hit Gacy with a flat liner on a chair. However, the momentum switches again, as Mathis climbed to the top and Gacy used the dog collar to send him crashing through a chair. The action spills outside of the ring and Gacy hits a power bomb on the ground, which he followed with another power bomb on the apron. Eventually, the competitors make their way into the ring and Mathis mounts a comeback, as he uses a running power slam to put Gacy through a door. After the furniture was smashed, Mathis used a pile driver on thumbtacks to get the win.
Bestia vs. Masada
This is an ultra violent underground match, where they are only two groups of spectators and it looks like something similar to Fight Club. Masada, who is a twelve year veteran, is a hybrid competitor and despite his extensive career in death matches, he was actually trained at Shawn Micheals' Texas Wrestling Academy before he began his career in 2002. During his notable career, he worked in Big Japan for eight years on a full time basis,which is very rare for foreign wrestlers. Masada also had a lengthy run as CZW world champion a few years ago and he was one of the top stars for the company. A combination of injuries and political hurdles led to his departure from CZW last year, but he currently still wrestles in Texas regularly and various other independent shows. It's somewhat surprising that Masada hasn't had the opportunity for more main stream exposure because as mentioned, he can wrestle a variety of styles. Bestia is the son of lucha legend, Damien and his few American appearances for the defunct Extreme Rising promotion impressed fans. This match is a complete brawl and they battle outside the building mere minutes into the match. The two exchange chair shots and stiff chops before Bestia hits Masada with a piece of dry way, which prompted him to stumble into the venue. Another sheet of dry wall to the head and Masada is bleeding, but he counters as the momentum switches again. In what could only be described as insane, Masada sticks BBQ skewers into Bestia's head and as they are sticking in his head, the luchador begins to bleed as well. A ladder is bridged between two chairs and Bestia lands a hurricanrana, which sent Masada crashing onto the ladder. Eventually, Masada power bombs Bestia on the ladder in the corner and stabs him with the skewers to get the submission.
Matt Tremont vs. Joe Gacy
This is another CZW bout from the series of violent contests between this two competitors and this match is one par with their previous encounters. Tremont, who won the CZW Tournament Of Death a few weeks ago, is one of the competitors that has kept the death match style relevant on the independent scene and he definitely deserved to win the tournament for his hard work during the past few years. They start brawling around the ring until Tremont hits a DDT and they action goes into the ring. Tremont attempts to stab Gacy with a BBQ fork, but he avoids it and gets control of the fork. Gacy stabs Tremont in the head and The Bulldozer is bleeding. Eventually, Gacy throws Tremont from the top rope onto a wooden crate and it's a brutal bump. Gacy followed up with a boston crab and Tremont refused to tap, but the referee called for the bell after he was unresponsive in the submission.
Ron Mathis vs. Rory Mondo
The fans bring the weapons match provides a wild atmosphere for this battle and Mathis is bleeding minutes into the match after a DDT on a car battery. Mondo follows up as he hits Mathis with a video game system and the blood pours from his head. Mathis counters and hits an STO on the apron, which sent Mondo crashing to the floor. When the action goes back into the ring, Mathis lands a tiger driver, but Mondo counters with a kendo stick shot to the head. Mondo sets up a chair and drops Mathis on it with the burning hammer for the dangerous bump. Eventually, Mathis hits a tombstome from the ropes onto a section the guard rail to get the win.
BC Killer vs. Eddie Carnage
This is another ultra violent underground death match and it represents the insanity of the series. As soon as the match starts, BC smashes several light tubes onto Carnage, but the momentum switches and Carnage throws chairs at him. Carnage hits BC with some light tubes and digs the edge of a light tube into his head as the blood continues to pour during the match. BC uses a staple gun to Carnage's head and he sets up a pane of glass against a wall. BC uses a chair to smash the pane of glass on Carnage and the action goes back into the ring, but Carnage hits a suplex through a pane of glass in the corner. Carnage lights his wrist tape on fire and hits BC with an elbow to get the win.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Will Ken Shamrock retire?
Last Friday, Ken Shamrock fought at the age of 51 and lost via TKO in the first round. Shamrock, who hasn't fought since 2010 before he stepped into the Bellator Cage, was dropped with a right hook from former internet street fighter, Kimbo Slice. While the fight itself was ridiculous and more of a sideshow than anything, it's another chapter in the rather sad story of the downfall of Ken Shamrock. Once promoted as "The World's Most Dangerous Man," Shamrock originally started in pro wrestling in the late 1980s and made a name for himself wrestling in Japan, which allowed him an introduction to mixed martial arts when the Pancrase organization launched in 1993. Shamrock found success in shoot fighting and he was one of the original competitors for the first UFC tournament later that year. Despite Brazilian Ju Jit Su fighter, Royce Gracie dominating most of the early UFC events, Shamrock would emerge as the top star of the promotion and became the face of mixed martial arts in a America during a time when it was considered an underground sport. He fought almost all of the top competitors of the early era of MMA and he earned a record of 23-5-2 during his initial run in the sport. During Shamrock's prime, MMA was nowhere near the popularity that it has today and he opted to sign with the WWE in 1997 because it was considerably better money than cage fighting. It's unfortunate that MMA wasn't as popular when Shamrock returned to pro wrestling because it would have made him a major star and despite a decent push upon his arrival to the WWE, he usually worked the upper mid card at best because most fans didn't know about his extensive accomplishments in cage fighting. Perhaps, the element that limited Shamrock the most was his lack of mic skills and while memorable, his nearly three year run in the WWE was somewhat lackluster.
Returning to MMA in 2000, Shamrock was a featured star for both Pride in Japan and the UFC in America, but garnered a 3-7 record during the next six years of fighting in the spotlight, which prompted many to suggest his retirement. He fought on smaller carders for the next few years and was scheduled to fight former WWE superstar, Bobby Lashley, but Shamrock tested positive for steroids from a previous bout, and was suspended for a year. In 2010, he returned to the cage for the upstart Impact Fighting Championship promotion to battle veteran, Pedro Rizzo in Sydney Australia. Shamrock was stopped in the first round via TKO and it's considered a low point in his career, as the event drew a low attendance and the building was very quiet when Shamrock was defeated. The IFC would fold following the event and Shamrock continued fighting on smaller shows. After a win and another loss the same year, many assumed Shamrock was finally done fighting and he was seen as a celebrity body guard during the past few years.
Ken Shamrock's return to mixed martial arts for Bellator is probably a way for him to get another paycheck from fighting, but at this point, it's embarrassing to see him compete. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from his accomplishments, but he was past his prime ten years ago and a legend fighting for another paycheck to continue to tarnish his legacy is a disappointing situation. Kimbo Slice, who is a relatively humble competitor outside of the cage, earned a paycheck so it's good for him, but what's next for Shamrock? Hopefully this was just a publicity stunt for Bellator to get some viewers for the product and he isn't actually signed to a multifight deal because it would be irresponsible for Shamrock to fight again. The subject of Ken Shamrock being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame was reported recently and it seems as though he won't get the induction, which is actually the right decision. As mentioned, Shamrock's run in the WWE was memorable, but overall, he was a mid carder and during his relatively short run in the company. However, he was inducted in the UFC Hall Of Fame several years ago and he certainly earned a spot there. For his own safety, Shamrock probably shouldn't be allowed to fight again and hopefully, he can make the complete transition to another aspect of the sport, such as his duties as a train because sadly, Shamrock's mishaps fighting past his prime have somewhat overshadowed the accomplishments of his legendary career.
Returning to MMA in 2000, Shamrock was a featured star for both Pride in Japan and the UFC in America, but garnered a 3-7 record during the next six years of fighting in the spotlight, which prompted many to suggest his retirement. He fought on smaller carders for the next few years and was scheduled to fight former WWE superstar, Bobby Lashley, but Shamrock tested positive for steroids from a previous bout, and was suspended for a year. In 2010, he returned to the cage for the upstart Impact Fighting Championship promotion to battle veteran, Pedro Rizzo in Sydney Australia. Shamrock was stopped in the first round via TKO and it's considered a low point in his career, as the event drew a low attendance and the building was very quiet when Shamrock was defeated. The IFC would fold following the event and Shamrock continued fighting on smaller shows. After a win and another loss the same year, many assumed Shamrock was finally done fighting and he was seen as a celebrity body guard during the past few years.
Ken Shamrock's return to mixed martial arts for Bellator is probably a way for him to get another paycheck from fighting, but at this point, it's embarrassing to see him compete. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from his accomplishments, but he was past his prime ten years ago and a legend fighting for another paycheck to continue to tarnish his legacy is a disappointing situation. Kimbo Slice, who is a relatively humble competitor outside of the cage, earned a paycheck so it's good for him, but what's next for Shamrock? Hopefully this was just a publicity stunt for Bellator to get some viewers for the product and he isn't actually signed to a multifight deal because it would be irresponsible for Shamrock to fight again. The subject of Ken Shamrock being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame was reported recently and it seems as though he won't get the induction, which is actually the right decision. As mentioned, Shamrock's run in the WWE was memorable, but overall, he was a mid carder and during his relatively short run in the company. However, he was inducted in the UFC Hall Of Fame several years ago and he certainly earned a spot there. For his own safety, Shamrock probably shouldn't be allowed to fight again and hopefully, he can make the complete transition to another aspect of the sport, such as his duties as a train because sadly, Shamrock's mishaps fighting past his prime have somewhat overshadowed the accomplishments of his legendary career.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
The Career of Dusty Rhodes
I was completely shocked and saddened when I heard that "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes passed away last week at the age of 69. I don't know if any article, DVD set or tribute special could truly summarize the impact that Dusty had on the wrestling industry during a career that spanned nearly five decades and the entire wrestling world has echoed how influential he was to the business.
Similar to the story told in many of his colorful interviews, Dusty was the son of a plumber in Texas and his home state would provide a starting point for his legendary career. After overcoming poverty and childhood illness, Virgil Runnels spent time at West Texas State playing football before Joe Blanchard, the promoter of a smaller territory, introduced him to professional wrestling. Now known as Dusty Rhodes, Runnels made his debut in the late 60s and a series of figures in the business had a major influence on him. Gary Hart, Terry Funk, Fritz Von Erich, and others contributed to Runnels becoming established in the pro ranks. Dusty and fellow Texan, Dick Murdoch became the villainous Texas Outlaws, and the duo worked several territories during the early 1970s. However, it was in Florida during a tag match with Pak Song that Dusty turned baby face and the American Dream was born in 1974. The Dream wrestled all around the world, including tours of New Japan Pro Wrestling and a short run in the WWWF. Even though Dusty wrestled primarily in the southern territories, he was well known in the north east and worked main event matches against Superstar Billy Graham in the late 70s, which shows just how over Rhodes was anywhere he wrestled.
Embraced as a working class hero, Dusty used a combination of his unique interviews and charisma to become one of the biggest stars of his era, winning the NWA World Heavyweight title on three different occasions during his in ring career. During his run in the Florida territory, Dusty learned from the legendary promoter, Eddie Graham and he used much of the knowledge he learned from Graham when he was the booker for Jim Crockett Promotions in the 80s. Some of wrestling's most historic events were created by Rhodes, including War Games, The Great American Bash, and many other concepts that were used in the NWA. As mentioned, Dusty's interviews are what connected with many fans and in particular, the "Hard Times" promo is one of the most well known in pro wrestling history. While Dusty had many memorable promos, the hard times promo stands out because it really represented why the audience identified with him. There was an authenticity to Dusty Rhodes and the crowd knew that he was genuine when he said he knew that it's not easy for the working class. Dusty actually was a plumber's son and his blue collar background allowed fans to see him as one of them. Even Rhodes' rotund frame allowed him to further identify with the audience because he looked like he could work at the same job as them. Dusty's ability to connect with fans from all backgrounds was remarkable and again, the authenticity allowed fans to relate to him. Dusty told fans not to give up and his own career is a proof that hard work can accomplish many things.
Throughout most of the 1980s, Rhodes would feud with the Four Horseman and he was one of the top draws for the NWA. As much as Dusty was an entertainer, he could also wrestle and a road map of scar tissue on his forehead showed that he gave the fans their money's worth when they bought a ticket to see Dusty Rhodes. After Ted Turner bought the Crockett organization, Dusty would eventually sign with the WWE and debut the polka dot attire that is still mentioned today. After a nearly twenty year career when he joined the WWE, it was probably a wise decision for him to used a more entertainment based style because it didn't take as much of a toll him. After a memorable WWE run, Dusty returned to WCW, where he worked on the booking committee and as a commentator for the next several years. In 2000, Dusty had a brief run in ECW and feud with Steve Corino, which concluded with a classic bull rope match and Corino credited Dusty for helping to make his career.
After WCW folded, Rhodes worked for the TNA booking committee for a few years before he signed a WWE deal in 2005. Dusty worked on the WWE creative team and more recently, he worked with many of the NXT talent. Obviously, Dusty had a major impact on the history of the business, but his influence will be seen for years, as he helped many of the stars that are the future of the industry. As I said, you can't summarize the influence Rhodes had in one article or DVD, but if I could use a phrase to describe Dusty, it would be unique. Nothing about him was typical and he was a special talent. He didn't have a typical look, he didn't cut a typical interview, and he didn't have a typical career. He was a special talent that didn't hesitant to be an original in the wrestling business. He made the audience believe in him and believe that anything was possible, which is why many fans expressed a sadness about the news that he passed. The passing of the legendary Dusty Rhodes is certainly "hard times" for fans and the talents that worked with him. Dusty Rhodes has passed away, but the American Dream will live on forever.
Similar to the story told in many of his colorful interviews, Dusty was the son of a plumber in Texas and his home state would provide a starting point for his legendary career. After overcoming poverty and childhood illness, Virgil Runnels spent time at West Texas State playing football before Joe Blanchard, the promoter of a smaller territory, introduced him to professional wrestling. Now known as Dusty Rhodes, Runnels made his debut in the late 60s and a series of figures in the business had a major influence on him. Gary Hart, Terry Funk, Fritz Von Erich, and others contributed to Runnels becoming established in the pro ranks. Dusty and fellow Texan, Dick Murdoch became the villainous Texas Outlaws, and the duo worked several territories during the early 1970s. However, it was in Florida during a tag match with Pak Song that Dusty turned baby face and the American Dream was born in 1974. The Dream wrestled all around the world, including tours of New Japan Pro Wrestling and a short run in the WWWF. Even though Dusty wrestled primarily in the southern territories, he was well known in the north east and worked main event matches against Superstar Billy Graham in the late 70s, which shows just how over Rhodes was anywhere he wrestled.
Embraced as a working class hero, Dusty used a combination of his unique interviews and charisma to become one of the biggest stars of his era, winning the NWA World Heavyweight title on three different occasions during his in ring career. During his run in the Florida territory, Dusty learned from the legendary promoter, Eddie Graham and he used much of the knowledge he learned from Graham when he was the booker for Jim Crockett Promotions in the 80s. Some of wrestling's most historic events were created by Rhodes, including War Games, The Great American Bash, and many other concepts that were used in the NWA. As mentioned, Dusty's interviews are what connected with many fans and in particular, the "Hard Times" promo is one of the most well known in pro wrestling history. While Dusty had many memorable promos, the hard times promo stands out because it really represented why the audience identified with him. There was an authenticity to Dusty Rhodes and the crowd knew that he was genuine when he said he knew that it's not easy for the working class. Dusty actually was a plumber's son and his blue collar background allowed fans to see him as one of them. Even Rhodes' rotund frame allowed him to further identify with the audience because he looked like he could work at the same job as them. Dusty's ability to connect with fans from all backgrounds was remarkable and again, the authenticity allowed fans to relate to him. Dusty told fans not to give up and his own career is a proof that hard work can accomplish many things.
Throughout most of the 1980s, Rhodes would feud with the Four Horseman and he was one of the top draws for the NWA. As much as Dusty was an entertainer, he could also wrestle and a road map of scar tissue on his forehead showed that he gave the fans their money's worth when they bought a ticket to see Dusty Rhodes. After Ted Turner bought the Crockett organization, Dusty would eventually sign with the WWE and debut the polka dot attire that is still mentioned today. After a nearly twenty year career when he joined the WWE, it was probably a wise decision for him to used a more entertainment based style because it didn't take as much of a toll him. After a memorable WWE run, Dusty returned to WCW, where he worked on the booking committee and as a commentator for the next several years. In 2000, Dusty had a brief run in ECW and feud with Steve Corino, which concluded with a classic bull rope match and Corino credited Dusty for helping to make his career.
After WCW folded, Rhodes worked for the TNA booking committee for a few years before he signed a WWE deal in 2005. Dusty worked on the WWE creative team and more recently, he worked with many of the NXT talent. Obviously, Dusty had a major impact on the history of the business, but his influence will be seen for years, as he helped many of the stars that are the future of the industry. As I said, you can't summarize the influence Rhodes had in one article or DVD, but if I could use a phrase to describe Dusty, it would be unique. Nothing about him was typical and he was a special talent. He didn't have a typical look, he didn't cut a typical interview, and he didn't have a typical career. He was a special talent that didn't hesitant to be an original in the wrestling business. He made the audience believe in him and believe that anything was possible, which is why many fans expressed a sadness about the news that he passed. The passing of the legendary Dusty Rhodes is certainly "hard times" for fans and the talents that worked with him. Dusty Rhodes has passed away, but the American Dream will live on forever.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Rickey Shane Page's road to TOD
Combat Zone Wrestling has been one of the top independent promotions in the United States for over a decade and this Saturday, the company will present the fourteenth annual Tournament Of Death, which is one of its most anticipated events. As with any company, CZW has seen its share of ups and downs over its sixteen year history with infamous injuries, office problems, and other disputes, but since the organization was purchased by DJ Hyde in 2009, the promotion has shook much of the ultra violent stigma that it held previously. The additions of competitors such as Biff Busick, Mike Bailey, and others have made the CZW roster the most well rounded in the history of the organization. The Tournament Of Death is an opportunity for performers to blend wrestling skills with some insane death match elements to present some very entertaining hybrid style matches. Some of the ultra violent main stays in this year's tournament include Nick Gage, Matt Tremont, Danny Havoc, and others, but there's a new comer to the field that is looking to have a career defining performance in the ultra violent underground.
Rickey Shane Page is a nearly fourteen year veteran of the independent circuit and despite his heavyweight frame, he brings an athletic style to the squared circle and he's an extremely agile competitor. When I read that Rickey was signed for TOD, I knew it was a great opportunity because he's one of the most underrated talents on the independent scene today and the main stage of TOD provides him some well deserved exposure. When Page was booked to work on a local card in Pittsburgh where I was doing commentary for the show, he had an incredible match with stand out star, Heidi Lovelace and I asked him about working on this article, and more specifically, what road led him to one of the most dangerous tournaments in wrestling?
As a youth growing up in Ohio, Rickey was a die hard wrestling fan and after watching Mick Foley get tossed from the top of the cell at the King of the Ring in 1998, he decided to pursue a career in the ring. Before he stepped into the pro ranks, Page and friends would performer backyard matches, which actual garnered attention among local spectators. When he was finally old enough to begin training, Rickey enlisted the help of Chris Kole and within a year, he began his start at various small shows around Ohio in 2001. During his time as a rookie, Page met one of his best friends, Vincent Nothing and the duo would form the Faith In Nothing tag team. Now under a mask as Christian Faith, Rickey would team with Vincent for several years and the team became one of the top draws for several leagues around the Cleveland area, including Cleveland All Pro Wrestling and Absolute Intense Wrestling. A combination of the fast paced independent style and risky matches led to the eventual retirement of Vincent Nothing, but Page was at a crossroad in his own career in 2010.
The following year, Christian Faith shed the mask to become Rickey Shane Page, who as mentioned, is an extremely agile bruiser that brings elements of the Japanese strong style to the table. As the years progressed, Page began to establish his own fan following and his performances in AIW in recent years have brought more opportunities his way. More specifically, as a regular for Alpha-1 in Canada, where he's the current Zero Gravity champion, Rickey has a tremendous fan base. He also expanded his horizons in the United States for AAW in Chicago and he's the Heritage champion under the Christian Faith persona. While he acknowledges the hardships of the road, Rickey knows it's a valuable experience and appreciates his international fan base, "Canada is my second home. I love the fans. the wrestlers are some of the best I've ever seen I love everything about it. Alpha 1 is a great promotion I think all fans should check out." he said. However, it was some of his hardcore battles in AIW, which is becoming one of the top independent companies in its own right, that earned Page a spot in the tournament of death.
No stranger to matches involving tables, light tubes, or barbed wire, Page recognizes the risk of a death match tournament, but is ready to embrace the opportunity to take his career to the next level. When asked about potential injuries, he said, "Being apart of TOD is a bucket list thing for me. I've always been a fan of CZW. Some of the first indy wrestling I ever saw was CZW. Guys like Nick Gage, Wife Beater, and Sick Nick Mondo were all amazing and I watched all their stuff. I can't wait to compete at TOD. There is always a concern for injury when wrestling, weather it's a death match or not, but we're all professionals and know why we're doing. I'm ready!"
Just after 2 PM in Delaware this Saturday afternoon, Rickey Shane Page enters TOD after fourteen years of hard work and traveling hundreds of miles to a variety of shows to make a name for himself. Rickey starts the event in a light tube match up against death match veteran, Danny Havoc and if he advances, Page could wrestle two more times during the event to claim the trophy. Regardless of the result, many fans will get to see the skills of Rickey Shane Page and he looks to continue the momentum in his career and said, "The goal is to wrestle all over the country and world. The UK and Japan are at the top of my list. Also going to California would be cool. I want to wrestle at places I'm a fan of like Attack Pro Wrestling, New Japan, BJW, PWG. WXW." Rickey also shares his knowledge with the next generation, as he opened, The Roaring Elbow Academy in 2014 and for more information on Rickey Shane Page or the training center, go to rickeyshanepage.com
For ticket information on the CZW Tournament Of Death event or the IPPV of the show, you can go to czwrestling.com
Rickey Shane Page is a nearly fourteen year veteran of the independent circuit and despite his heavyweight frame, he brings an athletic style to the squared circle and he's an extremely agile competitor. When I read that Rickey was signed for TOD, I knew it was a great opportunity because he's one of the most underrated talents on the independent scene today and the main stage of TOD provides him some well deserved exposure. When Page was booked to work on a local card in Pittsburgh where I was doing commentary for the show, he had an incredible match with stand out star, Heidi Lovelace and I asked him about working on this article, and more specifically, what road led him to one of the most dangerous tournaments in wrestling?
As a youth growing up in Ohio, Rickey was a die hard wrestling fan and after watching Mick Foley get tossed from the top of the cell at the King of the Ring in 1998, he decided to pursue a career in the ring. Before he stepped into the pro ranks, Page and friends would performer backyard matches, which actual garnered attention among local spectators. When he was finally old enough to begin training, Rickey enlisted the help of Chris Kole and within a year, he began his start at various small shows around Ohio in 2001. During his time as a rookie, Page met one of his best friends, Vincent Nothing and the duo would form the Faith In Nothing tag team. Now under a mask as Christian Faith, Rickey would team with Vincent for several years and the team became one of the top draws for several leagues around the Cleveland area, including Cleveland All Pro Wrestling and Absolute Intense Wrestling. A combination of the fast paced independent style and risky matches led to the eventual retirement of Vincent Nothing, but Page was at a crossroad in his own career in 2010.
The following year, Christian Faith shed the mask to become Rickey Shane Page, who as mentioned, is an extremely agile bruiser that brings elements of the Japanese strong style to the table. As the years progressed, Page began to establish his own fan following and his performances in AIW in recent years have brought more opportunities his way. More specifically, as a regular for Alpha-1 in Canada, where he's the current Zero Gravity champion, Rickey has a tremendous fan base. He also expanded his horizons in the United States for AAW in Chicago and he's the Heritage champion under the Christian Faith persona. While he acknowledges the hardships of the road, Rickey knows it's a valuable experience and appreciates his international fan base, "Canada is my second home. I love the fans. the wrestlers are some of the best I've ever seen I love everything about it. Alpha 1 is a great promotion I think all fans should check out." he said. However, it was some of his hardcore battles in AIW, which is becoming one of the top independent companies in its own right, that earned Page a spot in the tournament of death.
No stranger to matches involving tables, light tubes, or barbed wire, Page recognizes the risk of a death match tournament, but is ready to embrace the opportunity to take his career to the next level. When asked about potential injuries, he said, "Being apart of TOD is a bucket list thing for me. I've always been a fan of CZW. Some of the first indy wrestling I ever saw was CZW. Guys like Nick Gage, Wife Beater, and Sick Nick Mondo were all amazing and I watched all their stuff. I can't wait to compete at TOD. There is always a concern for injury when wrestling, weather it's a death match or not, but we're all professionals and know why we're doing. I'm ready!"
Just after 2 PM in Delaware this Saturday afternoon, Rickey Shane Page enters TOD after fourteen years of hard work and traveling hundreds of miles to a variety of shows to make a name for himself. Rickey starts the event in a light tube match up against death match veteran, Danny Havoc and if he advances, Page could wrestle two more times during the event to claim the trophy. Regardless of the result, many fans will get to see the skills of Rickey Shane Page and he looks to continue the momentum in his career and said, "The goal is to wrestle all over the country and world. The UK and Japan are at the top of my list. Also going to California would be cool. I want to wrestle at places I'm a fan of like Attack Pro Wrestling, New Japan, BJW, PWG. WXW." Rickey also shares his knowledge with the next generation, as he opened, The Roaring Elbow Academy in 2014 and for more information on Rickey Shane Page or the training center, go to rickeyshanepage.com
For ticket information on the CZW Tournament Of Death event or the IPPV of the show, you can go to czwrestling.com
Thursday, June 4, 2015
ROH/TNA on Destination America
This week, Ring Of Honor debuted on Destination America as a lead in for TNA Impact, which moved from its original Friday time slot to Wednesdays and it presents a very interesting situation with two competing companies on the same network. It was surprising when it was announced that ROH would air on Destination America, which fueled rumors that Impact could be cancelled later this year. Initially, the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer reported that TNA would be cancelled, but it was later revealed that it was just an option for the network, not a definite cancellation. Anything that Meltzer says should be taken with a grain of salt, but the speculation prompted reports that Destination America could be looking for a cheaper alternative with ROH, which could be a legitimate possibility. Obviously, only the Destination America executives know what the numbers should be to justify the cost of TNA, but it should be considered that roughly half of the audience that watched Impact on Spike has transitioned to the new network, mostly because Destination America doesn't have the main stream availability of Spike TV.
First of all, anyone that is somehow looking forward to the potential shut down of TNA is misguided and as I've said before, it would set wrestling back a decade. While the company has a laundry list of mistakes that will make you shake your head and ask what the logic is behind some of the decisions made, it's still the second biggest promotion in the United States in terms of their US and international distribution deals. If TNA goes out of business, there will be talented performers that deserve a national stage, but there won't have an organization to sign them, as there are only a limited amount of spots in other companies. It happens in every business, but as far as wrestling goes, when ECW and WCW went under in a span of a few months, the industry was flooded with free agents and ultimately, some of those wrestlers exited the industry because there just weren't enough spots. There are several performers on the TNA roster that are either just getting national exposure or have reestablished themselves and it would be disappointing if those talents weren't seen on a main platform. Marti Bell and Jade were two stand out competitors on the independent scene, and are getting an opportunity to show case their skills on a main stage. Eric Young, who is one of the most versatile workers in the business today, has done really well recently and his ability could be on par to be a main eventer. Low Ki, who had his share of business disagreements almost everywhere he worked, is on national TV again and despite whatever problems he had with other companies, he's still an extremely talented athlete. In fact, the argument could be made that the major criticism isn't the roster, but rather the ridiculous angles that were booked during the past several years.
When Impact moved to the new time slot, I attempted to give the show a chance as somewhat of a fresh start, but in typical TNA fashion, there was an angle that proved that the company still hasn't learned from the botched storylines of previous years. James Storm, who is a solid performer and has done really well with the cult type angle, was shown talking to Mickie James about joining the Revolution. Mickie declined and then security camera footage showed of them exit the area. Storm stopped Mickie next to train tracks and pushed her off the platform so it was implied that Storm attempted to kill Mickie James. Yes, there was an attempted murder angle on a wrestling show and it's not a deathmatch tournament either. I have a few questions, WHY IS THERE A MURDER ANGLE ON A WRESTLING SHOW?! HOW DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?! WHO WROTE IT AND ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH PUTTING ON TV?! Obviously, Mickie James didn't get killed and there will probably be a lame explanation for her return to TV in a few weeks, but the whole thing is ridiculous. It just makes the audience roll their eyes and how does such an angle do anything to help the product? Are people going to tune in next week to see if Mickie survived getting hit by a train when they know it was blatantly staged? You can get away with stretching logic in pro wrestling, such as Stone Cold returning at the conclusion of a show after being arrested earlier in the show, but you can't insult the audience's intelligence. Again, are people supposed to tune in next week because it was implied Mickie was hit by a train? Both Storm and Mickie are talented competitors, and they could be booked for something better on the show. The ridiculous angles sour alot of fans on the TNA product and it's one of the reasons that there's still a stigma toward the company. If TNA gets cancelled, it won't be cancelled because of the wrestling, but rather the storylines outside of the ring.
Ring Of Honor had a solid showing and the Destination America deal allows the promotion more distribution for the markets that don't have a Sinclair affiliate. The ROH show will still air on Sinclair so the network isn't cannibalizing its own programming with the Wednesdays night slot and it give the company more ad revenue. However, let's not pretend that Destination America will launch ROH to the next level because when TNA moved to the network, many fans mocked it for it's lack of availability. Don't get me wrong, the new TV spot gives more fans the opportunity to see ROH and the combination of the Sinclair stations with Destination America coverage is beneficial to the promotion, but it's not exactly a main stream cable network. In many respects, it's a win-win situation for ROH as the company gets more distribution for the show they are already producing for the Sinclair network and there's more potential ad revenue. With the increased exposure, ROH should improve their production value because the lighting is usually terrible, but it seems to be improving for the more recent shows.
On a better note, the ROH/TNA programing has generated a buzz about wrestling, which is good for the business and with the WWE showcasing new stars, such as Kevin Owens, it's certainly an interesting time for fans. If TNA actually gets cancelled remains to be seen, but I've written previously that it could be similar to WCW in terms of being too damaged of a brand to improve, but even if that's the scenario, there are very few benefits if TNA closes. Perhaps, the only major benefit would be that it creates an opportunity for Global Force to get a TV spot, but as mentioned earlier, there are limited spots in the business and it's not an easy task for a new company to get a TV deal. Regardless, let's hope the buzz continues and it could be a pivotal year for the business.
First of all, anyone that is somehow looking forward to the potential shut down of TNA is misguided and as I've said before, it would set wrestling back a decade. While the company has a laundry list of mistakes that will make you shake your head and ask what the logic is behind some of the decisions made, it's still the second biggest promotion in the United States in terms of their US and international distribution deals. If TNA goes out of business, there will be talented performers that deserve a national stage, but there won't have an organization to sign them, as there are only a limited amount of spots in other companies. It happens in every business, but as far as wrestling goes, when ECW and WCW went under in a span of a few months, the industry was flooded with free agents and ultimately, some of those wrestlers exited the industry because there just weren't enough spots. There are several performers on the TNA roster that are either just getting national exposure or have reestablished themselves and it would be disappointing if those talents weren't seen on a main platform. Marti Bell and Jade were two stand out competitors on the independent scene, and are getting an opportunity to show case their skills on a main stage. Eric Young, who is one of the most versatile workers in the business today, has done really well recently and his ability could be on par to be a main eventer. Low Ki, who had his share of business disagreements almost everywhere he worked, is on national TV again and despite whatever problems he had with other companies, he's still an extremely talented athlete. In fact, the argument could be made that the major criticism isn't the roster, but rather the ridiculous angles that were booked during the past several years.
When Impact moved to the new time slot, I attempted to give the show a chance as somewhat of a fresh start, but in typical TNA fashion, there was an angle that proved that the company still hasn't learned from the botched storylines of previous years. James Storm, who is a solid performer and has done really well with the cult type angle, was shown talking to Mickie James about joining the Revolution. Mickie declined and then security camera footage showed of them exit the area. Storm stopped Mickie next to train tracks and pushed her off the platform so it was implied that Storm attempted to kill Mickie James. Yes, there was an attempted murder angle on a wrestling show and it's not a deathmatch tournament either. I have a few questions, WHY IS THERE A MURDER ANGLE ON A WRESTLING SHOW?! HOW DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?! WHO WROTE IT AND ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH PUTTING ON TV?! Obviously, Mickie James didn't get killed and there will probably be a lame explanation for her return to TV in a few weeks, but the whole thing is ridiculous. It just makes the audience roll their eyes and how does such an angle do anything to help the product? Are people going to tune in next week to see if Mickie survived getting hit by a train when they know it was blatantly staged? You can get away with stretching logic in pro wrestling, such as Stone Cold returning at the conclusion of a show after being arrested earlier in the show, but you can't insult the audience's intelligence. Again, are people supposed to tune in next week because it was implied Mickie was hit by a train? Both Storm and Mickie are talented competitors, and they could be booked for something better on the show. The ridiculous angles sour alot of fans on the TNA product and it's one of the reasons that there's still a stigma toward the company. If TNA gets cancelled, it won't be cancelled because of the wrestling, but rather the storylines outside of the ring.
Ring Of Honor had a solid showing and the Destination America deal allows the promotion more distribution for the markets that don't have a Sinclair affiliate. The ROH show will still air on Sinclair so the network isn't cannibalizing its own programming with the Wednesdays night slot and it give the company more ad revenue. However, let's not pretend that Destination America will launch ROH to the next level because when TNA moved to the network, many fans mocked it for it's lack of availability. Don't get me wrong, the new TV spot gives more fans the opportunity to see ROH and the combination of the Sinclair stations with Destination America coverage is beneficial to the promotion, but it's not exactly a main stream cable network. In many respects, it's a win-win situation for ROH as the company gets more distribution for the show they are already producing for the Sinclair network and there's more potential ad revenue. With the increased exposure, ROH should improve their production value because the lighting is usually terrible, but it seems to be improving for the more recent shows.
On a better note, the ROH/TNA programing has generated a buzz about wrestling, which is good for the business and with the WWE showcasing new stars, such as Kevin Owens, it's certainly an interesting time for fans. If TNA actually gets cancelled remains to be seen, but I've written previously that it could be similar to WCW in terms of being too damaged of a brand to improve, but even if that's the scenario, there are very few benefits if TNA closes. Perhaps, the only major benefit would be that it creates an opportunity for Global Force to get a TV spot, but as mentioned earlier, there are limited spots in the business and it's not an easy task for a new company to get a TV deal. Regardless, let's hope the buzz continues and it could be a pivotal year for the business.
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