The VHS Memoirs Volume 1

I'm not sure how many reads this concept will get, but in honor of today's Royal Rumble, I'd like to write an edition of "The VHS Memoirs," a collection of more personal stories to reflect on my adventures as a wrestling fan for as long as I can remember. I decided to use that particular title because many of the events that will be referred to or written about were originally recorded on VHS tapes as I first watched them air live. Yes, tapes, those clunky blocks that now clog the bargain bin of most thrift stores.

I know usually I don't mention much personal information because you click (and I thank you sincerely for it) on these columns to read about wrestling, not me. However, hopefully this short story can provide some nostalgia for those that choose to read this entry.

While I have many memories about "the most exciting 60 minutes in sports entertainment," there's a specific tale that highlights the retro aspect of this concept quite well.

In 1994, when I was nearly 5 years old, the sport of professional wrestling was still in the mist of the cartoonish, and now infamous "new generation" phase. But, these over-the-top personas suited little Jim just fine. I had already began to collect everything wrestling, place mats, pillow cases, and of course, action figures. In fact, I vividly remember trips to the now defunct "Hills" department store and that finding ANY Hasbro figure that I didn't own was an exciting occasion.

I loved the heroes, booed the villains, and wrestling was perceived how it was originally intended.

I will sound like the grumpy old man with a cane here, but at the time of Rumble '94, the concept of digital cable and ordering pay-per-view events through your remote weren't the standard yet, which more than anything shows how fast technology progressed in a relatively short time. At this point, you had to call your local cable company, a familiar tagline to those earlier "free-for-all" shows, and order the event on the phone.

My parents were attending a family gathering so my Uncle BJ, who was in his early 20s at the time, came to keep watch on the house and make sure the pay-per-view was ordered. Since he was a wrestling fan, he brought his cousins, Nikki and Chris, both in their early teens at the time. Ironically, this trio took me with them to attend WWF house show events nearly five years later, but that's another entry for another time.

One of the many gripes I have about all the instant access to almost everything currently is that shows don't have that "special event" atmosphere to it as often as in years previously. As was usually tradition for kindergartener  Jim, when these "big" pay-per-views happened, I put the classic blue plastic Hasbro ring in front of me just in case I wanted to reenact the action with mini versions of the larger than life stars I saw on screen.

Again, I was two months short of 5 so forgive me for not providing recall of every original detail of the show, but two specific occurrences standout even more than two decades later. Prior to the show, pizza was delivered and then my uncle called the cable company to order the Royal Rumble. The problem was, if there was a particularly high demand for a pay-per-view event, you would often get a busy signal or were put on hold until an operator could take the call. If you couldn't get through, you simply couldn't order the show until someone on the other end of the line could take your call. Through the years, there were several occasions and several tense moment before the signal was beamed through the cable box to broadcast the bright colors of the era through the screen.

With only five PPV events a year, Rumble '94 was "one of the big shows" and phone lines were jammed as Chris and Nikki were nice enough to play with action figures so that little Jim was entertained. Uncle BJ patiently waited on the line, as not to disappoint his nephew and the minutes tickled close to the start of the show. Almost as if it was on cue, just before the live broadcast began, the order was placed and we had access to the event. I specifically remember everyone frantically running down the steps and to expedite the process, Chris was nice enough to grab the action figures, and Nikki was a kind citizen, putting little Jim over her shoulder toward the TV. From the actual event, I remember that I was mad that The Undertaker was being attacked by all the "bad guys" and it wasn't fair. I'm guessing I can remember this segment because he later "rises" to the video screen, which was a memorable moment. What I recall next is what that year's event is known for the most, the ending sequence that saw both Bret Hart and Lex Luger hit the floor at the same time. Everyone watching had a different opinion about who won the prestigious Royal Rumble match. I was (and still am) a Bret Hart fan so I thought he won, and pointed at the screen to show evidence that probably didn't actually exist that Lex had hit the floor.

As history tells us, they both won and went on to wrestle Yokozuna at Wrestlemania 10 with Bret winning the championship that Hulk Hogan refused to drop to him. Now, more often than not, the heroes on screen, aren't always nice people and the perception of sports entertainment is very different among fans. But, it was nice to remember when the internet didn't cater to jaded fans, right? An energy drink will replace the Hasbro action figures, but I will tune in to watch the Rumble, a yearly tradition that kicks off Wrestlemania season. I'm going to (try to) enjoy the event and I hope you enjoy it too. Feel free to let me know some of your Rumble memories and it's always nice to hear stories from others.

Enjoy the Rumble!

TNA's Sienna runs for a good cause

A beautiful woman running through the streets in her underwear would probably make you take notice.

Why exactly is going on?

The answer to that question will be explained in just a few weeks, as TNA Knockout, Sienna will strip down and dash through the chilly streets of her hometown, Detroit, MI to raise money for a very worthwhile cause. Through Cupid's Undie Run, the motor city native will raise funds for the children's tumor foundation, and there are many incentive for fans to get involved toward this noble cause.

A very unique fundraiser for an individual that always took a very unique path.

Clad in peacock feathers with her pinkies extended, Sienna usually walks to the ring with a scowl on her face as Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise" blares in the background. Despite her hard-hitting and villainous persona inside the ring ropes, this female athlete has a soft side. Yes, when she's not pummeling opponents in the ring or in the cage, Sienna has always looked to give back.

Long before she ran down the sidewalk without pants or appeared on pay-per-view, the competitor once known as Allysin Kay was an enthusiastic fan with a dream. She was a fan of the sport as long as she can remember, watching as much wrestling as she possibly could with her family during her youth. At a very young age, Allysin decided that the role of a hair stylist or a nurse just wasn't for her, she wanted to be a professional wrestler. She was so amazed with the larger than life characters that beamed through the television screen that she decided early on that sports entertainment was the only path for her.

Living in Detroit, a region known for its wrestling as far back as The Sheik's promotion running cards at the Cobo Hall in the 1960s, Allysin wanted to find a reputable school to learn her craft. The eager 20-year-old found the training center of veteran grappler, Matthew Priest and enrolled in the class. Again, this provided a unique set of circumstances for the future Knockouts champion.

"When I started training, I was one of two girls in a class of probably 30 guys. I think a lot of indy girls have this same story, except Shavonne and I didn't try to be one of the boys. We were rougher than the boys! A lot of the guys quit, but we stuck it out. I don't know if it was just in our personalities or if we felt we had something to prove, but we were brutes. In our first practice match, Shavonne slapped me so hard in the face that my teeth were misaligned for a week. I couldn't bite down straight. Funny thing is, I wasn't even mad. Now, I would destroy someone. Training started every Saturday at noon and ran indefinitely. Sometimes we would be in the ring until 9 PM. I remember having specific blocks of our training where we would get in the ring and cut promos to our peers as the audience. The head trainer, Mathew Priest, would go on long tangents about psychology. It felt like we were actually in school, in a good way. If I learned nothing else in training, it was at least those fundamentals, and I believe they've carried on with me throughout my career. We learned how to take different types of bumps, but we never focused on moves," she recalled.

Despite her appearance, Kay always took the tedious process of learning to land on the canvas extremely serious, proving she wasn't just another pretty face among her female contemporaries. However, the absurdity that is often only found in the wrestling business provided an occasional pause from the intense training sessions.

"I do recall one late night in training, being all hopped up on a real sketchy energy drink and learning flying head scissors. We had just moved into a new building in Detroit where we ran our training and shows. We had access to whatever the prior owners left behind. In what became our locker room, we discovered crates upon crates of this obscure energy drink: Red Toe. I can't find any info online about this but I swear it was real. It was like a combination of battery acid and socks, but after the first sip it got surprisingly more tolerable. You'll never see a flying head scissors like a Red Toe flying head scissors," she remembers

During the course of the next five years, Allysin Kay traveled the independent circuit, learning from every opponent, and refined her skills. As she continues to do today, she appeared on cards for every major women's wrestling promotion, including Shine, Shimmer, and Women Superstars Uncensored. She developed a devious persona, and the signature blond streaks through her hair made her a fixture on the independent scene. In 2013, the notoriety that her skills garnered her brought the opportunity to tour Japan, a valuable experience that she considers a career highlight.

"Living and wrestling in Japan for three months is one of my fondest memories in my entire pro wrestling career. It was an incredible experience. I know I'll go back one day, though I'm afraid that no experience could ever top the one I had. It was highly in part to the people I was with, all by chance. I formed a special bond with Crazy Mary Dobson and Serena Deeb there, and that will stay with me forever," Kay said.

She returned from Japan a more polished and confident athlete, prompting her to challenge herself in another form of competition. When she's not relaxing and watching her favorite horror films, fitness goals are a usual hobby. Power lifting, Ju jitsu, and even yoga are on her schedule when she's not in the ring. Considering her background and the popularity of female fighting, Allysin decided to test herself in a mixed martial arts bout in late 2015.

"I had my first MMA fight in December 2015. I won by second round rear naked choke. Some point in the first round I got poked in the eye, completely unbeknownst to me until my eye started to close between rounds. It was entirely shut by the time the second round started. I was so afraid that the ref was going to call the fight, but he let me continue," she said

Kay impressed when she overcame early adversity in the early moments and then used her skills to secure the victory. Her mixed martial arts debut went well enough that a second fight was planned, but a major career event added a new agenda to her career.

Allysin's extensive work on the independent scene earned her an invitation to the TNA Knockouts Knockdown pay-per-view as Sienna, and she was signed to a TNA contract the following month. After competing in Mexico, she won the Knockouts championship on pay-per-view, one of her most notable accomplishments.

"I debuted last spring during their Knockouts Knockdown PPV, facing Gail Kim. I went to Mexico to represent TNA in AAA's Lucha World Cup, and came home to win the Knockouts Championship at Slammiversary. That's pretty intense," she said.

Despite the national television experience and international travels, she remains a humble athlete that looks to use her notoriety as a notorious villain on-screen to make a difference.

I love Cupid's Undie Run's mission, and the gimmick of the race is fun and seems to be an extra incentive for people to donate. I practically fight people in my underwear anyway, just not usually in below freezing temperatures. I'm big on researching charities before donating my time or money to them. The proceeds of this fundraiser go to The Children's Tumor Foundation, which is a great non-profit organization. It has rated 4 out of 4 stars on Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row in 2016. They're also transparent with their financial statements. Their main focus is finding a cure for neurofibromatosis. I do have friends whose children have had different types of cancer, and it's one of the worst things I can imagine a parent going through. Though I've actually only recently met someone with NF. We live in a world where most people don't really care about something if it's not directly affecting them to some capacity. I never want to be one of those people," she explained

Subzero temperatures haven't stopped Sienna before and she plans to make this year her most successful fundraising campaign saying, "I first did Cupid's Undie Run in 2014, raising $1,000. I was invited by a friend. I enjoyed it so much, I did it again in 2015 and raised $2,500. I missed last year's event due to scheduling conflicts, so this year I'm trying to make up for lost time and I set a super ambitious goal of $10,000! It was $5,000 at first, but then I raised over $3,000 just in October alone! So naturally, I upped my goal. We've passed the original $5,000 goal at this point, but we are still pretty far off from $10,000 with only a couple weeks left!"

Aside from helping toward a good cause, fans that donate will be entered into a raffle to win prize packages, including gifts from TNA, Shimmer and Shine. As an added bonus, Sienna has promised to post pictures of her undie run if the fundraising goal is reached. A unique athlete, Sienna will use this unique opportunity for fans to see her run around in her underwear in the snow for a very good cause in just a few weeks.

For more information on how to donate, you can go to http://my.cupids.org/siennatna

The career of Bobby Williams

Within professional wrestling, the drama that unfolds on the literal canvas is presented as figurative art as good battles evil for championships. In many cases, there are two, and sometimes four athletes that make this showcase of athleticism happen, but there's also a fixture that is hidden by design, the referee.

Yes, the authority figure in stripes is often an overlooked commodity, even by the most diehard fans that study the details of the sport. The camouflaging of an official is done intentionally until the proper time, and a quality official is often the glue that holds the flow of the match together as the athletes performing take the audience along for the ride. The dramatic and memorable near falls that occur during a contest, as well as the finish of the match, all depend on the ability of the individual making the count.

As I mentioned previously, as a commentator in the Pittsburgh area, I've had the chance to call the action of some very talented competitors. When it comes to referees in the steel city, it's almost unanimous that longtime official, Bobby Williams is the best at the job in the area. After spending more than half his life in the wrestling business and sharing the ring with dozens of national stars, Williams developed a reputation as one of the most dependable refs on the local scene.

However, long before he stood in the same ring as AJ, Styles, CM Punk, or Bret Hart, Bobby was an enthusiastic fan of the sport. In fact, Williams has followed the genre his entire life.

"I have always been a wrestling as long as I can remember. It goes back even before I was born. My father used to go to see Pittsburgh studio wrestling when he was a kid. So, I grew up around watching wrestling. As a kid, my fondest memory of wrestling has to be Summerslam 1992. Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog was by far the match that drew me in. To this day, it is still my favorite match," he recalled.

His obsession with sports entertainment grew during his youth and he devoured as much wrestling as he could find until a local show played a pivotal role in his life.

"When I was in middle school, I used to watch any wrestling I could find on TV. The WWE, WCW, ECW, and a few local wrestling companies. One day I was in the lunch room at school and noticed a poster for a wrestling event that was coming to the school featuring Headshrinker Samu. I tore it down and brought it home. I showed my brother who was equally excited to go, too.  This is where I was infected by the sickness. That first live show changed my life forever," he said.

At that local event in 1997, an 11-year-old Bobby met former WWE star Samu, and decided that his dream to become a professional wrestler would one day become a reality. In an effort to learned as much as possible, the youngster found the Samoan's instant messenger name and learned much about the industry from the veteran grappler through extensive online conversations. At this point, Samu was booking shows for the Pro Wrestling Express promotion and this led to Bobby attending events for the promotion that later had an impact on his career. He took his hobby of attending shows and incorporated it into his school work, allowing for tedious projects to become fun for him.

"In school, I was taking a graphic design and web design class. One of my projects for the year was to run and manage a website. So, I began a project of covering the local matches. I would take a notebook, pen, and my camera to snap some photos, and keep notes on the matches," he said.

During the peak of the wrestling boom in 1999, a friend of the Williams family and local legend, T. Rantula began running his own events under the Far North Wrestling banner. Still in middle school, Bobby was allowed to help set up the ring at events, an experience he truly enjoyed as he was thrilled to be involved in the sport. While attending these events, he met another family friend, the late James Fawcett, who was known to Pittsburgh fans as Devil Bhudakahn. Fawcett found out that Bobby designed websites and asked for a web page.

"He found out that I built websites and asked me to run his page. I agreed and we exchanged contact information. A few days later, he came over to the house and we began creating his website. Jimmy logged all of his matches on film and paper so it made it easier to add content. For the next year and a half, I went everywhere with Jimmy. I would set up the rings before the show and do whatever was asked," Bobby explained.

In January of 2001, Fawcett wanted to repay Bobby for the work he did on the web pages.  "He offered me something that was worth more to me than any sum of money. He wanted to train me," Bobby remembers.

Still not old enough to drive, Williams needed parental permission before he could begin his formal training, which his parents denied because of his education and the possible injuries. Ironically, similar to how Samu started his interest to pursue wrestling, another WWE star played a critical role in the start of his training.

"My dad traveled a lot for work. He was flying back from Detroit and stopped inside the airport for a sandwich when he ran into Al Snow at a Burger King. He approached Al and engaged in conversation about me. He explained the situation and Al's words would change my dad's opinion. He told my dad if I would go on to do anything in pro wrestling, it would be best to start early. That night, I was given the okay to begin my training.  Before I began, Jimmy came to pick me up, but first he sat my parents down and told them I was in good hands and he's not letting me train as a wrestler yet, just as a referee. That made my parents feel so much better about it.  That night I began my training as a referee," he said.

 At just 14 years old, Bobby Williams entered into the wild world of professional wrestling and in the years that followed, he completed training to ref, as well as the tedious process of safely learning how to become a professional wrestler from his mentor. The early 2000s were a time when his career flourished and Williams was one of the most active performers in the Pittsburgh area, either wrestling or refereeing on shows nearly every weekend.

One of the highlights of his career saw things come full circle for him when he had the opportunity to work as a ref for the 1PW promotion in 2006.

 "My Favorite moment occurred in England. I was in the ring for a promo with Jeff Jarrett, who was doing an angle with Bret Hart on the show where Bret hand picked his opponent. So, here I am in Doncaster, England in the ring. Bret Harts music played, he cuts promo introducing Jarrett's opponent, Harry Smith, the son of the British Bulldog so Bulldog's music hits. It reminded me so my much of Summerslam 92," he explained.

For nearly a decade, Bobby wrestled around the tri-state area, mostly for the Pro Wrestling Express promotion, in addition to his ref duties, but a bruised sternum suffered during a match in 2012 led to his decision to hang up the boots the following year. Still, Williams continued his work as a referee and for the past several years worked as the senior official for the International Wrestling Cartel, where he shared the squared circle with countless names in the industry. Williams was undoubtedly assigned these high profile contests because he truly understands the role of the referee.

"The key to being a good referee is understanding the importance of a match. A good referee is assertive and vocal. I learned that early on. I have seen so many referees take away so much from a match because they don't vocalize the rules," he said.

In December of 2014, Williams experienced another peak in his career when he did extra work as a "rosebud" at a WWE live event in Pittsburgh.

"A friend of mine worked quite a bit as an extra for WWE and through conversation, he told me who to contact. So, I sent an email and received the word. It was such a cool experience. Sure, I had worked some big shows, but at the time, my biggest crowd was 1800 people. This is the WWE and a 16,000 seat arena. It was such a great eye opener to see how a well oiled machine is truly operated. That night I worked with Bray Wyatt, Adam Rose, and R-Truth, who I had previously worked with," he said.

With an ultimate goal as a WWE referee, Bobby is optimistic about the future. "I have been reffing for 16 years. I hope that I can continue working and meeting new people."

Affectionately known as "Potter" among those in the local scene for his striking resemblance to the JK Rowlings' character, Bobby Williams has dedicated the majority of his life to learning the craft of a skilled referee. From counting the canvas at sparely attended West Virginia shows to performing in front of a WWE crowd, the journey in the wrestling business took him to another country and multiple states. More than anything, the past decade and a half was the story of someone that achieved their dream and became a respected professional in the process, which is why Bobby Williams is regarded as the best official in the Pittsburgh area.

If you would like to contract Bobby Williams, you can reach him via RPWwrestling@gmail.com

Bellator 170

Tito Ortiz vs. Chael Sonnen will draw ratings for Bellator tomorrow night on Spike TV. The fight itself is also irrelevant and could potentially be another blemish on the promotion's track record.

At a time when the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the major league of mixed martial arts that sold for over $4 billion last year, is looking to promote its next pay-per-view stars, Bellator is still trying to establish themselves as something other than "UFC lite." Scott Coker, the president of the Viacom-owned MMA group, has done that, yielding mixed results in the process. Most will recall the disaster that was "Dada 5000" vs. the late Kimbo Slice on the same card as the almost laughable Royce/Shamrock bout. On the other end of the spectrum, there are competitors like Micheal Chandler, Patricio Pitbull, Michael Page, and others that have delivered thrilling performances. So, while Bellator does showcase the side show fights, you usually don't know what might happen unless you tune in, which is the key to garnering viewers.

Ahead of Bellator 170, there are questions about if Ortiz/Sonnen is a contest that could potentially embarrass the company. From the prospective of die hard fans, there's no draw to watch the match-up, Tito is an aging fighter that the evolution of the sport eclipsed long again and hasn't been relevant in a decade, winning only three bouts during that span. Sonnen, an average competitor, somehow talked his way into the spotlight during his nearly five year run in the UFC. At 41, Ortiz isn't making some career resurgence, and Sonnen seems to be merely cashing in on his name value or lack thereof while he can so there's not much on the line in this fight.

After that, when you consider that it's not as though stylistically fans were demanding Tito vs. Chael, and it's easy to see why there's not much anticipation for this contest. So, why will it do numbers?

Much like any other genre, the key to major success for mixed martial arts is drawing the general public to the product, something that the UFC did tremendously in 2005 with the Ultimate Fighter reality show and that foundation set the stage for the global entity it has become today. For Bellator, they bring in names that the general public have heard of before and then feature them on cable. The average person that doesn't follow the sport regularly sees the name Tito Ortiz and decides to tune in because it's a chance to see a well known MMA fighter on free TV. Bellator's one venture into pay-per-view was a flop because fans aren't going to pay to watch fighters that are past their prime compete for a perceived minor league group, but with free TV there's a market for the novelty acts since it cost consumers nothing extra to watch it.

Truthfully, that's the major problem that Bellator will continue to have unless they sign or promote more current stars. They haven't found a way to monetize the product that puts them anywhere near the level of the UFC. Don't get me wrong, it's a smart business move for Bellator to promote bouts that fans wouldn't usually see in the UFC, but there must be substance added to the sizzle on the card or there are results like the Bellator 149 debacle. The Kimbo/Shamrock card was a good example of this, it had a solid under card, and the gimmick main event was short so it did enough to draw viewers, but didn't sour the rest of the card.

On the horizon, the legendary Fedor Emelianenko is scheduled to fighter former UFC competitor Matt Mitrione. Despite being past his prime, Fedor, arguably the greatest MMA fighter in history, has reached almost mythical status within combat sports so that's certainly a positive for the company. Along with that, Bellator has a roster that has improved exponentially over the past few years, including the acquisition of Rory MacDonald, the Canadian welterweight that opted not to renew his deal with the UFC. Theoretically, the dispute between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and some of its well known athletes regarding compensation could provide the opportunity for Bellator to add some star power to the roster, but if this card flops, it won't help the perception of the organization. At this point, the group is still viewed as minor league, but will there be a boost in the status of the company?

Tito vs. Sonnen is the first Bellator card of the year and could set the tone going forward. If the bout is lackluster, it creates a predicament for Coker and the rest of management because there won't be much momentum going toward Fedor's bout in February. Fans aren't demanding to watch Tito or Chael, and the two grapplers don't have the best track record so there's more of an infamous tone to the contest. Sonnen, who failed multiple drug test and was fired from his broadcasting duties for the UFC, is returning from a two year suspension. Sonnen plead guilt to money laundering and fraud charges a few year ago. Chael brings a record of 29-14-1 into the cage. Tito was charged with domestic violence in 2010 and then with DUI in 2014.

The point being, if this fight flops, the viewing audience won't be too sympathetic toward these fighters. If I had to guess, I would say that Chael wins a decision in lackluster fight. As mentioned, the event will draw ratings for Spike TV, but if it helps or hinders the progress of the promotion remains to be seen. It will be interesting to see if the event is a success or another disaster for Bellator.

The Perry Saturn situation

Despite the changes in the wrestling business and the healthier trends among performers today, some veterans of the industry still pay the price for their risky style, both inside and outside of the ring. Perry Satullo, known for nearly three decades as Saturn, posted a video on his Facebook page just a few days ago and is in a desperate situation.

During an interview with Bill Apter late last year, Saturn explained that he was diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries from his time in professional wrestling, and the following month a Go Fund Me page was set up to assist with his substantial medical expenses. At the time, his longtime friend, Chris Jericho donated $5,000 to the cause and Dallas Page also donated $2,000 to help kick off the campaign. From what was explained on the donation page, the costs of MRI and other tests during recent months have been very financially difficult for the Satullo family. The brief video is difficult to watch as an emotional Saturn ask for help and explained that he doesn't know if he will be homeless going forward.

Perry doesn't look well and his appearance has noticeably changed from just a few months ago so clearly, the health problems he has are taking their toll.

It's an extremely sad conclusion to a once promising career, and even more tragic, a story that is seen too often in the world of professional wrestling, one that was brought to the main stream after Mickey Rourke's portrayal in the film, "The Wrestler" nearly a decade ago.

For Perry Saturn, his journey in sports entertainment began after he served four years as an army ranger in the United States military before he attended the legendary Killer Kowalski's training school in 1988. The grizzled vet taught Satullo well, and he began working around the country and even internationally despite only a few years experience inside the ring ropes. During his time working in Massachusetts, Perry met John Kronus, who also eventually trained at the Kowalski school and the pair formed a tag team. The Eliminators, the duo that opened ECW's first pay-per-view in 1997, started their run under much different circumstances. In 1993, Saturn and Kronus began working as a team in Memphis under the USWA banner, and shared an apartment since they barely made enough money in the territory to cover expenses. The lean times in Memphis paid off after The Eliminators were noticed by Paul Heyman and brought in for Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1995. The combination of Saturn and Kronus delivered a solid presentation, as both competitors were very agile for their size and used a risky style that suited the promotion.

In mid-1997, Perry suffered a serious knee injury that required surgery and was thought to be sidelined indefinitely. However, he made a surprise return to the ECW arena at the "Wrestlepalooza" event just a few months later and famously dropped an elbow from the top rope while wearing a leg brace. The injury was time for Saturn to consider his career options and he decided to pursue a deal with World Championship Wrestling, which brought a better offer and more exposure than he had as part of a tag team. Still just months from the major knee surgery, Perry debuted in WCW in late 1997 and joined Raven's Flock, a subtle reference to the time they shared in south Philadelphia.

The tattooed brawler had a unique appearance and solid skills that made him an asset for the Turner company. In early 1999, Saturn proved that he could work a character as well when he was defeated in a match that called for him to wear a dress, a gimmick that he ran with and actually made a memorable part of his career. A situation that some would see as an obstacle, Perry used to enhanced his character and added to his bizarre on-screen persona. After winning championships and consistently delivering solid matches, Perry became unsatisfied with WCW, citing that politics hindered his progress in the company.

In January of 2000, Saturn was among the "Radicalz" that famously jumped to the WWF and appeared in the front row on Raw. He had a decent run there, but some speculated that an incident with an enhancement talent led to his role in the company being limited. During a bout taped for the secondary TV show "Metal," Saturn wrestled Mike Bell, who accidentally botched an arm drag, landing the WWE star on his head. Saturn was furious and began to legitimately punch Bell before throwing him outside the ring, where he landed on his head. The contest finished as planned, but the office was concerned because of the possibility for injury based on an accident. Later, Saturn said he was wrong for his actions. Following that match, Saturn was given a gimmick where he talked to a mop. Again, this would be an obstacle for some, but Perry used it to add to his eccentric character on TV. As a result, "Moppy" is a memorable angle from his career. In April 2002, Saturn injured his knee and was on the sidelines for several months before he was released.

His post-WWE career was the start of a downward spiral, and after working sporadically on the independent scene, Saturn completely disappeared. While extensive drug use took over, Perry's friends and family didn't know where he was, leading many fans to speculate about if he passed away. While living on the street in 2004, Perry stopped someone that attempted to rape a woman, but was shot before the assailant fled the scene. After he recovered from the shooting, Perry continued to struggle with an addiction to methamphetamine. He remained homeless for several years after he spent most of the money earned in his wrestling career on drugs.

Finally, Perry Saturn achieved sobriety and made efforts to turn his life around, which he detailed when he resurfaced in the wrestling scene for a Kayfabe Commentatires' "Youshoot" interview in 2010. During the production, Saturn spoke very candidly about his drug use and the effect it had on his life. Who knows how much his addiction contributed to the brain injuries that he has today? Perry even returned to the ring for a few matches and began to appear at conventions after it was publicized that he cleaned up his life.

Unfortunately, the damage to his body has drastically affected his quality of life in recent years, as it's explained on his donation page that he's showing signs of dementia. Obviously, Saturn is responsible for the decisions he made in the past, and if someone chooses to donate to his medical expenses or not is their own personal decision, but stories like this have often ended in tragedy so it would be nice if Perry Saturn somehow gets the medical care that he clearly needs for his condition. Hopefully, after a notable career, Saturn can get help and this situation won't became another cautionary story in the wrestling business.

What's the story of ECW?

What is the story of Extreme Championship Wrestling?

The wild cult phenomenon of the 90s was the subject of books, documentaries, countless shoot interviews, DVDs, and special presentations. Still, the true sum of the influence that the South Philadelphia-based group had probably can't be summarized with just one collection of stories. In many ways, every fan of ECW has their own "extreme" tale of how they discovered this underground product after years of the early 90s cartoon era that soured many fans on the major leagues of wrestling.

Recently, the WWE Network featured the "Authentic Untold Story of ECW," a panel discussion that included Bubba, D-von, Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer, and Taz. The 47-minute production seemed a little rushed and didn't scratch the surface of what could be told among the panel, but it certainly provided a unique view into some of the backstory of the renegade promotion.

As was mentioned by Paul Heyman, the concept of ECW, Eastern Championship Wrestling was started by Todd Gordon after Joel Goodhart's Tristate Wrestling Alliance folded. In truth, Goodhart ran his promotion like a mark, a "promoter" that wanted to fantasy book the cards he wanted to see instead of the cards that would draw money where he ran shows. As a result, the TWA was a flash in the pan and is only really remembered because it has the slightest link to ECW. In some ways, Todd Gordon could be described the same way, he fronted money so that he could become involved in the wrestling business and other than the initial funds, he didn't really play much of a role in what Extreme Championship Wrestling is truly remembered for today. Let's be honest here, the spot shows that Gordon ran in 1992-1993 had no resemblance or influence on the shows that Paul Heyman booked a few years later. It's fair to say that the only connection between the earliest ECW event under Gordon and the extreme events booked by Heyman was that the company had the same initials. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to bury Todd Gordon, but the fact is Paul Heyman was the force behind the ECW that revolutionized the industry while Gordon tagged along for a few years because of his initial investment.

By 1995, the extreme vision that would change the presentation of the sport in the United States before the end of the decade began to take shape. The introduction of Raven, who worked extensively in the business previously, was a spinoff of the grudge era that Kurt Cobain's melodic growl brought to the main stream. The turbulence of the real life of Scott Levy was channeled into an outcast character that was the complete opposite of the type of personas that were seen elsewhere, and his two year feud with Tommy Dreamer is one of the most storied rivalries of its era. At the same time, blood baths provided the shock value for the organization. Axl vs. Ian Rotten bleed buckets in countless matches simply to provide a generous amount of crimson at the shows. In retrospect, the product in 1995 and some of 1996 was still very unrefined in terms of the in ring product with some sloppy wrestling at times, but always a compelling product. Keep in mind, there's a different scale to rate events with depending on if you've only watched the TV show or the unedited ECW arena events, which sometimes featured a mediocre under card. Some fans will cite the early matches from Guerrero, Malenko, or Jericho as the technical portion of the company, but most don't realize that those three worked for Paul Heyman for a very short span, leaving for WCW just a few months later. The more representative aspect of extreme technical wrestling surfaced later when Lance Storm, Super Crazy, Little Guido, and Jerry Lynn were fixtures in ECW.

Almost as if on cue, Extreme Championship Wrestling began to hit its peak in 1997, the same year it debuted on pay-per-view. The argument could be made 97-99 was the peak of the promotion as a whole because for the majority of that time they had all the key stars on the roster. With the exception of Raven, who signed with WCW in mid-97, The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, Taz, Sabu, and The Dudleys all became recognizable stars through 1999. That same period also had some of the better booking in the history of the company, as the shows were better paced and the group didn't overuse props (even to a further extent) to substitute for the lack of star power later on. The fast paced ECW style allowed a group with a shoestring budget to make an impact in the industry that was noticed by the two big league corporations, which is how the extreme concept eventually revolutionized the presentation of the genre in the United States. As WWF and WCW were battling for ratings, they often borrowed many angles that were created in ECW, and marketed them to a main stream audience. The wrestling boom of the late 90s also helped ECW because more of the general public became aware of pro wrestling, but that same boost in business almost contributed to its demise.

As the Monday night war became a weekly slug fest where each organization featured the best they had at the time, new talent was used regularly to provide surprise debuts in an effort to provide an "anything can happen" atmosphere that was designed to keep viewers from channel surfing between shows. Across the board, more money was offered to sign talent to exclusive contracts. This business strategy was ultimately one of the many reasons that WCW folded, as insane numbers were offered just to keep performers under contract. ECW had to try to keep pace, and despite their success on pay-per-view and being recognized on the national scene, their television show was still distributed only through syndication. The way the group pushed the envelope didn't make it a product that would be considered for most networks, and true to the underground aspect, the company didn't have sponsors or ad revenue through syndication. A national TV deal opened the door for those revenue streams, but Heyman was scrambling as WWF and WCW featured hardcore matches for record-setting TV audiences, and he signed a terrible business deal that aired ECW on TNN in 1999.

Within weeks of the company's national TV debut, Taz and The Dudley Boys gave their notice, as they were offered a deal by the WWF. Prior to that Shane Douglas, one of the cornerstones of the company, had left because he was owed several thousand dollars and surfaced in WCW, where he worked until the group closed in 2001. The national TV deal increased the production cost substantially, and several wrestlers weren't getting paid despite ECW's popularity. When Taz, one of the most pushed and well established wrestlers, planned to leave, Heyman had to find another dominate heavyweight champion. Mike Awesome, who wrestled for years in FMW, worked sporadically for ECW in 1998 and when he returned, he won the heavyweight belt the month after the company started on TNN. Awesome's run was less than six months and during that time, he was owed a considerable amount of money so he jumped to WCW in April of 2000. Lance Storm, a great athlete that helped provided variety for the product, was in a similar situation and also opted to sign a Turner deal.

Ironically, ECW was successful even near the end of the company. Granted, there was an overuse of tables and weapons to camouflage the lack of star power by the end of 2000, but the product was still solid, something that can't quite be said for WCW at the time. Aside from the financials, which is what truly counts, Extreme Championship Wrestling also had successful numbers prior to its collapse. Their TNN show was the highest rated show on the network, they generated a few million dollars in pay-per-view buys for the last few PPV events, and the major shows always had a packed house.

To attempt to analysis why ECW closed would be an article on its own, but the bottom line is, the production costs of the TNN deal were too much for the company to sustain itself. The nature of the TV deal didn't bring ECW a rights fee or more advertisement revenue, which is why it was such a terrible deal for the promotion. To put it in prospective, one of the WWE's most important revenue streams is the contract for the rights to distribute their TV shows, a contract that brings them a few hundred million dollars for USA to get to air Raw and Smackdown. Theoretically, a national TV deal should've brought ECW those type of revenue streams, but since Heyman was desperately trying to expand to keep pace with the bigger companies, he signed an agreement that gave ECW nothing in exchange for the rights to air the TV show. The only thing that Heyman got from TNN was that the expanded distribution allowed for ECW to market their product to a wide audience so that they could sell more tickets to live events or more PPV buys.

This month marks 16 years since ECW closed its doors, but the impact the renegade group can still be seen today, as the high risk style influenced an entire generation of performers. Ultimately, ECW and WCW were causalities of the wrestling war of the 90s, similar to the way that Jim Crockett Promotions and the AWA were the national companies that folded during the boom of the 80s. The results of January 2001 proved to change the course of the industry, especially considering that in the past decade and a half, the WWE has become the only truly major league company in the United States, which has positive and negative effects on the business.

So, what is the story of ECW?

Disregarding Vince McMahon's project that was designed to quiet the ECW chants, (which it did) the original ECW generated a passion and an emotional response from fans. Some fans found ECW on TV while randomly flipping through the channels at 2 AM, some fans found it through the early days of dial-up internet, and younger fans are now discovering it on the WWE Network. Whatever the story, it's almost undeniable that Extreme Championship Wrestling was a fun product for fans because you just didn't know what was going to happen. You didn't know who was going to jump ship, who might go through a table, or who might win the title at a live pay-per-view.

All things considered, it's remarkable that a company that started in a bingo hall and had no budget was able to put itself alongside corporations in the wrestling landscape. With the span of seven years, Extreme Championship Wrestling made it to PPV, national TV, and revolutionized the presentation of the industry in the United States. What might've happened if ECW had remained opened can be debated, but it without question helped shape the industry today, a notable accomplishment for the small group that started in South Philadelphia.

Anthem buys TNA

Dixie Carter has officially relinquished power in TNA.

Anthem Entertainment, the parent company of the Fight Network, released a press release to announce that it has officially purchased the majority of Impact Wrestling, forming Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions. While the news was apparent when the Canadian media company paid to clean up Dixie's mess to make way for the purchase, the press release revealed that while Dixie will retain a minority share, (the numbers suggest somewhere around 5%) she resigned as chairman of Impact Ventures and will only sit on the board of directors for Anthem Entertainment, which translates to no position of authority in TNA.

In truth, this "executive" position for Dixie is more of a vanity job in an attempt for her to save face so who knows if she will be an advisor for Anthem six months from now? It's honestly amazing that somehow TNA survived all the turbulence to not only remain in business, but theoretically have the funding to stabilize itself. Although, Dixie had no leverage in the negotiations, because who else would go into business with her? From a business prospective, the Fight Network had the chance to own one of its continuous sources of content and acquire the second largest pro wrestling company in the United States within the same deal.

Anthem Entertainment is a multi-million dollar company so the doors of TNA will stay open, but what does the company need to become profitable?

Ed Nordholm, the vice president of Anthem Entertainment, will be the president of Impact after the sale is complete. First, it should be noted that even if Anthem makes all the right decisions regarding this project, it will be at least a year before noticeable progress will be made.

1. Distribution
While Anthem can distribute episodes of Impact itself through the Fight Network in Canada, there must be some effort toward expanding their TV presence in the United States. The Pop deal kept the company afloat as it would've went under without it, but the numbers are marginal and stagnant. To put it in prospective, the Viacom-owned Spike TV has 80% clearance in America, and the lesser known Pop garners a 64% clearance. The goal of any business is to get as many eyes as on the product as possible and then to monetize it for a profit. The ways to achieve that profit all hinge on the distribution of the product. If more fans watch the show there's a possibility for more ad revenue, sponsorship, the ability to market a pay-per-view, the house shows etc. Without the proper distribution, fans won't know what the company is selling. So, it can't be emphasized enough that more TV clearance is the key to long term success for TNA.

2. Production
When the company began taping several episodes of TV in the span of a few days outside of Orlando Studios a few years ago, it also was forced to slash production costs any place possible. As we know now, Dixie cut the production budget to the bare bones and still couldn't afford to pay for it, which resulted in one of the many lawsuits that Anthem had to clean up prior to the purchase of the group. The reduced lightening and camera availability made the show look completely bush league. The visual of the dimly lit episodes gave the impression that it was a minor league product and thus limited the perception of the star power of the performers.

3. Stars
After the mass exodus a few years ago, many of the key TNA stars went on to become successful elsewhere, but that left the promotion with a lack of legitimate star power, a situation that wasn't helped by the booking fumbles of the past. Considering that Anthem has substantial funding resources, it's important that they at least attempt to sign some of the credible free agents on the market, names the fans recognize. Again, it's about getting eyes on the product, and Impact Wrestling is essentially trying to get a piece of the WWE pie. Keep in mind, there's a difference between signing every WWE castaway possible (something TNA did often in its early years) and a deal with a star that can actually bring something to the table. Names that immediately come to mind are Cody Rhodes, Alberto Del Rio, and Rey Mysterio. Cody was there for a brief period and reportedly wasn't offered a lucrative enough contract so he only worked a few matches. Del Rio was supposedly in negotiations with the organization on a few occasions, but didn't get the right money offer. Obviously, Mysterio has the name value to demand a good deal. Those roadblocks can now be cleared with Anthem writing the checks so it makes sense for them to invest into names that can move numbers for the company. Speaking of the funding, if Anthem is willing to spend the money, it might be possible that current WWE stars might at least consider the idea of working a lighter schedule after their contract expires. Remember, there's a different between what an aging Scott Steiner "contributed" to TNA compared to the following that Mysterio has as one of the most popular stars of the past decade. Granted, Mysterio isn't in the prime of his career, but getting more fans to tune in brings more exposure to the younger talent on the roster and in the process it could help make them stars.

The Hardys are stars and they've generated a following with the "broken" gimmick, but Anthem needs to find a way to truly monetize it. If it's through more pay-per-views or a house show tour, TNA has yet to make money from the notoriety of the gimmick, and it certainly appears that there's potential for it to draw for the promotion. Honestly, I really can't stand the "Total Deletion" storyline because it stretches the limit of logic too far in the context of a pro wrestling show, and I don't think the causal fan will watch something so out of the realm of the typical wrestling show. In my opinion, flying drones and other off the wall segments are silly, not innovative. In fact, I would suggest that B-movie type segments and a volcano are so illogical on a wrestling show that most fans that aren't familiar with TNA would roll their eyes at some of the more outlandish "deletion" shows.

However, just because "Total Deletion" isn't my cup of tea, (or energy drink in this case, as I'm enjoying a caffeinated beverage as I write this) there's no doubt that it became a cult favorite during the past year. I could be completely wrong, and more fans will jump on the deletion bandwagon once they watch the product. If Anthem takes Impact on the road for house shows again, "Total Nonstop Deletion" could draw crowds. Fans enjoy chanting "Delete!" and "Obsolete!" so why not make money from it? The fact is, despite the success of "Broken" Matt Hardy, the ratings have remained the same, which is why better distribution would allow the company to see how much of a draw the gimmick is for a main stream audience. A side note, Matt Hardy deserves a lot of credit for how he made the gimmick work because he could've easily replied on his name value from his time in the WWE to make decent money for the rest of his career. Perhaps, the reason that the new version of Hardy garnered a following is because it was progress toward a goal in his career and thus progress for the company. For the past 5-6 years, Impact Wrestling was associated with Hulk Hogan being Hulk Hogan, the performers that built of the company leaving on less than ideal terms, and almost constant rumors of the possible demise. Matt Hardy brought something new to the organization that built toward something even if it's not for everyone.

4. Branding
What is TNA? That's a simple question, but a very complicated answer. At one point, it was an innovative group with an innovative X-Division that did things most hadn't seen before. Eventually, it became known as a place where former WWE stars could collect a paycheck and then it became the company that made so many mistakes it was almost comical. There was the opportunity for the promotion to brand itself the "wrestling company," similar to what WCW in terms of showcasing a more fast paced style than the WWE. Instead, it became WWE lite and that wasn't be a successful formula.

Considering the lack of brand identity that already exists, Anthem should change the name.

If Nordholm wants to keep the Impact name for TV that's one thing, but the letters "TNA" have always been a terrible name for the promotion and implies an innuendo for those that aren't aware that it's a wrestling company, which doesn't help the possibility of the previously mentioned sponsorship. The general public identifies pro wrestling with initials, an aspect that further necessitates the change and emphasizes a new acronym as opposed to just a term such as "Impact Wrestling."

The booking is a completely additional matter, but generally speaking, Anthem will have to decide what performers represent their "brand" and that will work toward establishing an identity. Impact Wrestling usually has a solid roster, but the past few years haven't marketed or put the spotlight on the talent. Hopefully, Anthem Entertainment can use their resources to do that. I'm still puzzled as to why Bobby Lashley, the 40-year-old part time MMA fighter, continues to be featured so prominently in the title picture. It goes without saying that the former WWE star is a great athlete, but his success on the big stage was minimal at best so he didn't really bring star power to TNA. At his age, is it worth investing that type of TV time for him? More importantly, will Bobby Lashley draw money for Impact Wrestling? That's not a sarcastic question either, but despite his MMA record, that doesn't automatically make him a TNA version of Brock Lesnar.

There must be some tough decisions made  for the direction of the product going forward.

5. Revenue
The reason I've emphasized the previously mentioned points is because it has to translate to revenue. The entire point of a company is to generate money and make a profit. Without revenue and establishing revenue streams, the company will remain stagnant. The bottom line is, will Anthem Entertainment be able to make Impact Wrestling profitable? Anthem certainly has the funding to market the product and that investment will allow them to determine if the content of TNA can draw money. Pay-per-views, merchandise, house shows etc. are all possible revenue streams if Anthem is willing to spend the money to promote it. Right now, the revenue streams mentioned are either minimal or nonexistent so eventually more viewers will be what allows them to make money.

Ironically, there's a pay-per-view event scheduled to air this week, but don't expect staggering numbers, simply because Anthem didn't have the chance to start to market the promotion yet. I was very surprised to read that PWinsider reported that Dutch Mantell and Jeff Jarrett, both of whom worked for the company previously, had signed to work backstage. It was also mentioned that Jarrett's role in TNA won't affect Global Force Wrestling, and supposedly, Anthem might help GFW secure a TV deal, which would provide their networks with more programming. Jarrett is one of the most seasoned veterans in the industry, and fans aren't necessarily clamoring for another Double J title run, but it will be interesting to see what he brings to the table. Dutch Mantell is one of the most underrated and brightest minds in the history of the business. A former booker in Puerto Rico, Mantell resurfaced on the national stage as Zeb Colter and cut some of the best promos on WWE TV. Quite frankly, I was shocked that Mantell was released from the company instead of transitioning to the creative team or working with the younger talent in NXT. It was reported that Dutch will work on the booking team for TNA, and he's an extremely valuable asset for the company, mostly because in his role as the booker of territories in the past, he was successful enough to draw money.

The distribution of the company, the production of the TV shows, the branding of the product, and the star power to get more viewers to watch the shows must all translate to revenue for TNA to be a successful project for Anthem Entertainment. In some ways, this scenario could almost make Impact a small scale version of WCW and it terms of promoting, that's a good thing. Similar to Turner, Anthem has the funding and owns the TV networks to at least make it possible for TNA to get more exposure. Obviously, Anthem doesn't have the amount of money that Turner had to fund a wrestling project, but enough pieces of the puzzle are there that Anthem could legitimately market TNA as the  second biggest professional wrestling company in the United States.

If any of these strategies are used or effective remains to be seen, but if nothing else Impact Wrestling actually has a chance to make some progress. More than anything, Dixie Carter finally doesn't have the power to run a wrestling company, which could give the promotion more of a chance for success than it ever had previously.

What's next for Ronda Rousey?

A flurry of punches, a lightening fast victory, and much discussion after the final bell.

Those are traits of a Ronda Rousey bout, but she wasn't victorious in her return to the octagon after a year absence. Ironically, "Rowdy" Ronda looked similar to some of her previous opponents when she squared off with Bantamweight champion, Amanda Nunes. During the first exchange, Nunes landed a stiff jab, and the Judo bronze medalist looked lost in the cage. It was almost as though the former champion froze after she was surprised with a punch and landed only one punch after Nunes swarmed toward her, landing vicious combinations.

In just 48 seconds, all the speculation of the past year was answered and Amanda Nunes retained the championship after the referee halted the action to rescue Rousey from any further damage. Post-fight, Ronda was still standing, but looked as though she wasn't sure where she was. The replay showed a dozen unanswered punches before the contest was halted so it was certainly a justified stoppage.

Ronda exited the octagon immediately after the result was announced and didn't take part in an interview with Joe Rogan before the conclusion of the pay-per-view or the press conference that followed it. Since that time, she released a brief statement to ESPN to say thank you to the fans and explain that she needs time to consider what to do next in her career.

Prior to the fight, I penned an article that emphasized that Rousey's mentality toward combat sports would be the key to the bout. Clearly, Ronda's head wasn't in the game because she generated virtually no offense after she was clipped with a punch and appeared not to know how to react. It's very possible that the KO loss to Holly Holm in November of 2015 took away her desire to fight, and considering that she knew nothing but success before the championship lost, it's possible that she didn't know how to handle the defeat.

If Rousey is done, what does this mean for her legacy?

One of the common measures of a champion is how they handle adversity, both during a fight and in their overall career. If Rousey retires at this point, what does it say about how she handled setbacks in her career? She's unquestionably the best female fighter in the history of the sport, but let's not overestimate that evaluation. Women's MMA has existed on a notable platform for about a decade, a relatively small sample size so while her profile is topical now, it might be another decade before her accomplishments can truly be put in context of the history of the sport. For example, Gina Carano, the first face of women's MMA, retired after one loss and a brief career, which led to a decline in her main stream popularity. Granted, Ronda is much more dynamic in the cage and much more charismatic outside of it, but the point being, the totality of her career could be taken down a few notches if other competitors surpass her in terms of title defenses. As much as Rousey accomplished, she only started fighting in 2011 and that's a relatively short career so if she retires directly after two losses, it might take away from the notion that she somehow already reached "legendary status."

Just my two cents, Ronda Rousey is mentally done as an MMA fighter. If she took over a year away from the octagon and looked like a deer in the headlights after the first punch she took then chances are that the KO loss changed her mindset as a fighter.

That said, for anyone that wants to criticize her, their hostility is misguided. While she might not exactly be a "legend," she unquestionably took female fighting to an entirely different level, and historically, she will be considered a pioneer. She wasn't as dominate for as long as some of the other champions in the UFC, but she became a major star, something that she can use going forward if she decides to hang up the gloves. It's well known that Ronda is a pro wrestling fan so the WWE is an option for her. I don't think that Rousey as a full-time sports entertainer would translate, but the occasional special appearance could generate major money for everyone involved. She also has film work already scheduled and there's always the possibility of full-time acting, similar to The Rock after he went to Hollywood.

Again, those that want to criticize her are misguided. For an athlete to reach the level of popularity that "Rowdy" Ronda achieved, it takes a tremendous amount of dedication and skill. If she decides to read a movie script instead of the grueling training sessions for 2-3 months before a bout, who can blame her? Quite frankly, there's easier money in film roles than combat sports. She had a notable career and if she decides that getting punched in the face as an occupation hazard isn't the direction she wants to continue to go, who can blame her? The bottom line is, Ronda Rousey became a mega star that transcended the sport so an early retirement doesn't erase her accomplishments. If she retires remains to be seen, but I would guess that it would probably be the right decision for her.

As for Amanda Nunes, the Brazilian champion proved that she was overlooked before the bout and now has the spotlight on her for the next title defense. However, simply because fans will recognize her as a legitimate champion doesn't mean that she will automatically become the next face of women's mixed martial arts. Holly Holm had the notoriety for a few months, but become just another fight after she lost the belt because she didn't build upon the KO victory. It will be interesting to see if Nunes continues to win and the direction of the Bantamweight division in the future.