Mick Foley vs. The Undertaker

Today marks the twentieth anniversary of the infamous HIAC match that saw Mick Foley, who portrayed his Mankind persona for that bout, plunge over 15 feet from the top of the cell through the Spanish announce table before his body sprawled on the concrete floor with his legs protruding underneath the guardrail into the front row of ringside. The unbelievable spectacle shocked everyone that saw the force that Foley landed with and prompted the legendary Jim Ross to proclaim, "as God as my witness he is broken in half!," one of the most iconic calls in the history of the sport. The dangerous bump was a part of the culmination of Foley's feud with the legendary Undertaker, a rivalry that defined much of Mick's early years in the WWF and introduced him to the main stream audience in the United States.

That June night in "the Igloo," the Pittsburgh Civic Arena that hosted Penguins games for years before the current PPG Paints Arena was built, hosted the King of The Ring in 1998. Mick Foley started his journey into the professional wrestling industry 15 years previously, training under the guidance of former WWWF star, Dominic DeNucci. Without the traditional look of a star, Foley made a name for himself with a combination of passion and sacrifice. From a broken nose at the monstrous hands of the late Vader to second-degree burns after death matches in Japan, the Long Island native paid a tremendous physical price to make it to the stage of global television during the boom period of the Attitude Era, a time frame that saw record-setting ratings as Vince McMahon's promotion competed to maintain the audience against Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling.

As a result of the competition, the envelope was pushed, and Mick willingness to take risks suited the industry at the time. Despite his accomplishments prior to the King of The Ring, Foley's famous flight in Pittsburgh cemented his legacy and remains a topic of discussion two decades later. Mankind crashed to the cement just minutes into the match, prompting officials to rush to the ring to provide medical attention. With a dazed look in his eyes, Foley clutched his separated shoulder as he was put on a stretcher to be taken backstage. With staff huddled around, the stretcher stopped mid-way down the aisle. Unbelievably, Mick was not only on his feet, but wanted to continue the bout. As Mick staggered back toward the cage, his mentor, Terry Funk pleaded, "Cactus, you need a stretcher, damn it" in a very real moment.

Incredibly, Foley began to climb the structure again just as he had done minutes earlier. The Undertaker, who climbed down as his opponent was being wheeled away, obligated and made his way up the other side of the cell to meet Mankind on top of the roof again. After a brief exchange of punches, Undertaker set up for his signature choke slam and the impact of Foley's 300-pound frame unhinged the panel of the roof, sending his body violently crashing to the canvas over 10 feet below. After he hit the mat, his contorted body froze when he was knocked unconscious from the unplanned fall. Again, the staff rushed the ring to check on him. This time, Jim Ross, who was an advocate of Mick's work since his days in WCW, yelled, "would someone stop the damn match?!" with concern for Foley's safety. Somehow he continued the match, including the memorable thumbtack spots that saw him pierced with dozens of tacks. With a tooth that went through his lip stuck in his nose, Mankind was pinned as the referee counted three for the conclusion of the bout.

Following the contest, Mick refused the stretcher again, deciding he wanted to walk from the ring. As the weary grappler walked backstage, the fans in attendance gave him a well-deserved standing ovation, chanting, "Foley! Foley! Foley!" in a show of respect.

The sum total of the sacrifices that Mick Foley made during his career can't be summarized in an article or DVD set. Ultimately, the HIAC match led to an early retirement from full-time competition for the hardcore legend, but his passion for the industry inspired an entire generation. Did the famous falls from the cage define his career? No, but the willingness to sacrifice for the paying audience was a theme throughout his career, and that match at KOTR might be the most direct example of it.

Before Mick hung up his leopard print boots for the final time, he thrilled fans with several moments and matches, but that night in Pittsburgh in 1998 will always remain among the most memorable events in the industry. Ironically, beyond the brutality, that night saw things go full circle for the competitor that once jumped off his friend's garage as a teen to emulate his wrestling heroes. A decade and a half before Foley sailed through the air at the Civic Arena, he was in attendance at Madison Square Garden the night that his idol, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka dove off the top of the cage onto Don Muraco to etch his own name into the history books. Foley credited that dive as the inspiration for his pursuit of professional wrestling after he hitchhiked to MSG to see it live, a story that he chronicled in "Have A Nice Day," the first of several best-selling books he wrote as an author.

While an incredible amount of punishment carved a legacy, similar to the way scar tissue was carved into his left arm, it was actually Mick's traits as a person that made him such an enduring figure through the years. Foley's heart and dedication earned him the admiration of the audience. In many ways, there was a point that the fans didn't want to see him take his trademark risks because they genuinely care about his health after everything he did to give them their money's worth.

Even two decades later, watching the match will generate chills because hindsight allows for a complete perspective of the risks that took place. In many ways, the HIAC classic changed the standard of the business and while there were attempts to replicate the moment, nothing done with the HIAC stipulation surpassed the organic reaction or had the impact that Mick Foley vs. Undertaker generated twenty years ago.

Is the WWE product stale?

Last week, I penned an article about the Universal title situation, and more specifically how the limited Brock Lesnar schedule hindered, not helped the importance of the belt. Along with the perception of the championship, Brock's matches became repetitive and complacent, which sums up his current title run. It appears that Lesnar's stale act had a ripple effect on the other aspects of the WWE product, as many of the current feuds show a lack of any progression from either a storyline or character prospective.

At the top of the card, it was hinted on Raw that Reigns will challenge Lesnar for the title again. Again, as I wrote last week, the entire Brock/Roman angle has a "been there, done that" atmosphere to it. The feud peaked a WM 34 and if management was going to switch the title, which is still the plan then it made the most sense to book it at the biggest stage possible. Anything after that yields a diminishing return. But, WWE brass booked themselves into a corner with how they made Roman look inferior to Lesnar so many times, as it's counterproductive to their intention of the "big win" for the anointed champion. The whole "Roman's journey to the title" scenario already played out ahead of WM 34 so at this point, it's a completely recycled concept that the audience already watched previously. At the same time, management wants the payoff of Roman Reigns beating Brock Lesnar so that will result in yet another rematch that doesn't seem to be too in demand for one of the marquee shows of the year.

Sure, Braun Strowman's MITB cash-in will probably play a role in the outcome of Summer Slam, but even that  dilutes the process. Theoretically, if Braun cashes-in to disrupt the Brock/Roman match at Summer Slam, it gives Roman yet another excuse that he didn't get a "fair" shot at the title, which is exactly what he said after the cage match against Lesnar in April. Is constantly complaining really a trait of a top babyface? It was said many times already, but the writing team does Reigns absolutely no favors with how he's scripted on a weekly basis. When the dust settles and Brock leaves, will Roman Reigns be more over than he was previously?

This might be too pessimistic, but I didn't necessarily see the value in Braun's MITB victory. That's not because he shouldn't be the champion, he definitely should've worked the main event of WM this year, but rather that the stipulation doesn't really suit his character. Strowman's entire gimmick is that he's an unstoppable monster, and he does a tremendous job of adding entertainment value every week. He portrays the character very well and that gives his persona versatility within the context of a storyline. Since Braun is over with different demographics of audience while maintaining his monster gimmick, it's possible for the heels to get heat. That said, should the unstoppable monster really need a surprise cash-in to win the belt?

The Nia Jax/Alexa Bliss rematch at Extreme Rules is yet another retread from a storyline done earlier in the year, specifically when the angle peaked at WM 34 with the Nia win. Granted, the Bliss cash-in at MITB was a way to protect Ronda Rousey's status, but if it involved another rematch of a recycled feud, maybe it would've been better to avoid a Ronda title shot right now entirely. Essentially, the Nia/Bliss story was already told and there's not much new ground for this angle to cover so the rematch at Extreme Rules is mostly pointless. In fact, with the solid talent in the women's division on Raw, it appears that it wouldn't have been too difficult to book something fresh, even if it's just a way to keep Bliss busy until the eventual Rousey return.

At the MITB pay-per-view, AJ Styles defeated Nakamura again in a WWE championship match, which more or less is all of the production that WWE brass is going to get from this feud. Styles and Nakamura was promoted as a "dream match," which it was for American fans that didn't see the two compete against each other in New Japan previously. The WM 34 match seemed underwhelming, but that might've been because of unrealistic standards for the bout. The AJ/Nakamura match was booked for four consecutive pay-per-views so there's not much else for them to do at least for now.

If management wanted to keep the title on AJ, that's understandable, but when you pair that decision with how Nakamura's original push on Smackdown was handled, it certainly seems like management missed the boat with the Japanese star. The former IWGP heavyweight champion arrived on the scene in NXT with a lot of hype behind him and lived up to that hype with stellar matches against Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe on the brand. With his debut on SD in 2017, much of his mystic was minimized, and when he was booked in the title picture, he was basically used to attempt to get Jinder Mahal over, but that title reign flopped. Nakamura's baby face run went nowhere and as unbelievable as it sounds, the charismatic striker floundered on the show. After the heel turn at WM, it freshened up his character, but again as a heel, there's still no progression because he didn't win the championship. Depending on the situation, that might be understandable if a particular challenger was just used to put over the champion, but was the long term goal for Nakamura really to be just another challenger for the title?

Surprisingly, Rusev won the number one contendership on SD and that provides a new match-up for the title, but even that decision was made at the wrong time. Rusev was one of the most over performers on the roster prior to WM, and the audience reaction has lessened since that time. The Rusev title push might be a few months later than it should've been if management wanted to maximize the potential of his main event run.

Finally and perhaps the scenario that will make you shake your head the most, is the Bayley/Sasha Banks angle. This storyline reduced two of the most over and talented characters to mostly cringe worthy segments on Raw. The way these two are booked to confront each other one week and then team together the next week makes them both look weak and leaves the audiences wondering what the logic is for this situation. This continuous confrontation was booked for months on TV to the point that you would rather see the segment end than an actual resolution to the conflict. If Bayley is a legitimate baby face, why would she continue to team with someone that attacks her backstage? If Sasha is going to be a heel that gets heat, why would she accept Bayley's offer to team again after a confrontation? Don't get me wrong, these two are some of the most talented athletes on the roster, but the scripted segments have completely hindered, not helped them display their ability on Raw.

I understand that WWE produces weekly content for the entire year so not every episode can be historic or memorable, that's just not the nature of the situation, but the past few months haven't featured much progression for either characters or entire storylines. In my opinion, the top of the card will dictate the direction of the rest of the Raw brand so a decision must be made about what to do with the Universal title. Hopefully, there will be a decision that moves the brand forward to avoid stale characters on Raw.

The career of Vader

Leon White, known around the globe as Big Van Vader, passed away earlier this week after a bout with pneumonia that complicated his already extensive heart problems. White's family confirmed the news on his official twitter account, revealing that his death followed a month in the hospital because of the previously mentioned pneumonia. Sadly, the news of his passing was less than two years after he announced publicly that doctors informed him that he didn't have long to live when it was discovered that he had numerous heart problems.

The career of Leon White is as extensive and accomplished as it is sometimes complex and misunderstood. A standout center on the gridiron for the University of Colorado, the native of Boulder was a two-time All-American that was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round in 1978. After just two seasons in the NFL, he was forced into retirement as a result of a serve knee injury, but played in Superbowl XIV that saw the Steelers defeat the Rams.

As a highly-touted prospect from his time in football, White had the athleticism, but needed a new venture to apply his skills. Brad Rheingans, an extremely accomplished Olympic Greco-Roman amateur, recruited him to learn the craft of professional wrestling. Through Rheingans' association with Verne Gagne's AWA, White got his start in the industry in 1985. Despite the inexperience, his size and football background garnered him a push in the AWA, which eventually got him noticed by Otto Wanz, the promoter of the Catch Wrestling Association in Europe. Debuting there in 1986, Leon White actually took part in a very unique aspect of history when he defeated Wanz for the CWA title at an AWA event in 1987, making it the only time that the championship was switched outside of Europe. White's stay in the AWA was relatively brief, as he worked for the Minneapolis-based promotion during the latter stages of its existence, and was offered a much more intriguing opportunity that had a profound impact on his career.

New Japan Pro Wrestling was in the middle of an intense rivalry with All Japan in the 80s and looked to create another money-drawing star to counter the competition. After a few names were discussed, Leon White was chosen as the athlete to portray the Vader gimmick, a character based on mythical Japanese traditions. Wearing an ominous helmet that emitted smoke on cue, Vader made his NJPW debut in 1987, defeating Antonio Inoki in just minutes. As the company's founder, Inoki had legendary status in his home country and the virtual squash match infuriated the crowd. The audience at the Sumo Hall threw garbage at the ring in protest to their hero's defeat. For Leon White, Japan was ultimately the place where he developed the stiff style that he used to define his legacy. Granted, some might call it reckless, but Vader's very physical, hard-hitting style was one of the reasons that he became a star around the globe, winning championships in different countries throughout his career.

Vader's smash-mouth style made him a top draw in Japan, often drawing sell out crowds during his initial run there, but it also took a toll on his body. During a bout in early 1990 against Stan Hansen, the infamous "eye pop out" incident happened when Vader suffered facial fractures before a club to the face from Hansen accidentally knocked Vader's eye out of the socket. The IWGP Heavyweight champion pushed his eye back into place, but surgery was required to repair the damage. Still, the match with Hansen got Vader noticed by WCW and after he recovered from the injury, he debuted for the promotion at The Great American Bash that year. While working full-time in New Japan, he appeared occasionally for WCW until he began a full schedule for the Turner organization in 1992, concluding his original run in Japan as a former three-time IWGP champion.

The next three years contributed much to Vader's reputation in America as a brute with incredible agility, landing a moonsault from the top rope as a trademark move at over 400 LBS. He won the WCW World Heavyweight championship three times and worked as a main event star for a majority of that era. In fact, regardless of the criticism of his recklessness at times, Vader's involvement helped make the career of many competitors that went on to become major stars. When Cactus Jack took risky bumps to secure a contract with World Championship Wrestling in the early 90s, it was brutal bouts against Vader that really elevated him to the next level. During Ric Flair's two-year hiatus from the Tuner group after a dispute with former Pizza Hut executive, Jim Herd, it was Sting that had to step up as the top star for the organization. Sting's series of bouts with the monster really did solidify him as a main event performer. Another very well-known example was when Ron Simmons pinned Vader to become the first African American world champion, a classic moment that had those in the audience crying tears of joy as Simmons made history.

On the flip side, Leon White was also known for being difficult to work with and that sometimes caused friction throughout his career. While the early 90s were arguably the best run of his career in terms of his in-ring performances and the big paydays he made, the WCW business was in a slump, as a revolving door of executives changed the direction of the company often, making it difficult for the organization to generate momentum. The previously mentioned Jim Herd should've continued to make bread sticks, and when former Mid-South owner, Bill Watts was signed to replace Herd, the cowboy was too far behind the times and too uncooperative to work within the Turner structure. By the time Eric Bischoff took over as Executive Vice President in 1994, he knew he had to completely change the image of WCW, which meant an investment in more well-known stars from the WWF, such as Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. As a result of all this, some of the best work of Vader's career in America either went under the radar or was simply lost in the shuffle when other stars arrived. Another problem that surfaced was that Vader's weight ballooned at various times during the later part of his full-time career. He was still very agile for his size, but the excess weight undoubtedly took a toll on his body, which ultimately cut the prime of his career short.

In mid-1995, Vader reached a point of frustration, as his once monstrous persona was downgraded in some ways when his series of matches with Hulk Hogan earlier that year featured the Hulkster no-sell some of his trademark moves. The matches made Hulk look like a hero, and Vader was reduced to just another monster for him to slay. During a TV taping, Leon White got into a physical altercation with Paul Orndorff, who worked as an agent for the company after a serious neck injury ended his career. The details of the backstage brawl depend on who you ask, but the scuffle led to Vader's eventual release from WCW.

Before he surfaced in the WWF, Leon White made a one-off return to New Japan for a rematch against Antonio Inoki at the Tokyo Dome, drawing 54,000 fans to witness Inoki's victory in January of 1996. Just a few weeks later, Vader made his WWF debut in the Royal Rumble match on pay-per-view, but made an even more impactful start to his career on Raw the next night. Gorilla Monsoon, a legendary grappler and one of the most respected figures in the history of the industry, was the on-air president of the company at the time. After wrestling, promoting, and announcing for the previous few decades, Monsoon was nearing retirement so as a way to write him off of the show, Vader attacked the honorable Monsoon in one of the most memorable moments in the history of WWF TV. The fact that nobody dared to put their hands on such a respected figure made it that much more effective when Vader attacked. He was suspended in the storyline so that he could get shoulder surgery before he began to compete regularly for the company.

 Unfortunately, despite the memorable start, Vader's run in the WWF was a total flop for a variety of reasons. The more exposure he had in the United States was probably also the most underwhelming stage of his career. More than anything, his physical style wasn't compatible with the WWF and he wasn't able to adapt to the environment. His tendency to complain didn't do him any favors either. Plus, the series of injuries prior to his arrival caught up with him and he gained weight again before he asked for his release in late-1998.

Leon White knew he needed a fresh start and slimmed down considerably before he had a stint in Japan that rejuvenated his career. This time under the All Japan banner, Vader had another big run in 1999 and won the All Japan title on two occasions. Eventually, he transitioned to the newly-formed NOAH in 2000 and had notable matches with Misawa. He and 2 Cold Scorpio formed a tag team and won the GHC tag team titles. He more or less retired from full-time competition in 2003, working random independent matches on a rare occasion or the sporadic Japan tour since that time. In 2012, he made a surprise one-night return to the WWE and defeated Heath Slater for a nice response from the crowd.

The reduced schedule allowed for Vader to heal his body, which saw him lose weight and quit drinking. However, some of the damage was already done from the years of punishment he took in the ring, and he developed serious health problems later in his life. As mentioned earlier, he tweeted in November of 2016 that doctors told him that he had less than two years to live. Earlier year, he was involved in a social media dispute with Will Ospreay about the British aerial wrestler's thrilling match against Ricochet in New Japan. The veteran criticized the performance, and it led to a match against Ospreay in England. Unfortunately, Vader refused to lose the match and was reportedly very difficult to work with when the show took place.

I'm not sure what Vader's motivation was for shoehorning himself into a match with one of the best aerial wrestlers of the current generation. Hopefully, he wasn't doing it for the money, considering how much he made during the course of his nearly 30-year career as a full-time competitor. It would also be disappointing if Vader was still seeking the spotlight at 62 years old because he was already known as a legend. But, in some ways, it's understandable because many grapplers from that era give their lives to the industry and some view their legacy as all they have to show for it. Maybe Leon White still searched for that validation? Clearly, he didn't have to because his peers and fans recognized his legacy. It's sad that Leon White passed away at a relatively young age, but Vader certainly reached legendary status around the globe during an accomplished and extensive career.

The importance of the Universal title

Last week, Brock Lesnar surpassed CM Punk's previous record of 434 days as WWE champion, the longest reign of the title of the "modern era" of sports entertainment. What exactly that translates to, and perhaps the motivation behind it depends on perspective. When Punk had the run in 2012-2013, it was set in motion by the infamous promo on Raw in 2011, which had the main stream public take notice of the wrestling business again. That momentum was quickly squashed when Triple H pinned CM Punk at a pay-per-view a few months later. The former Ring Of Honor and WWE champion got over because he voiced his frustrations with management, an aspect of the industry that the audience identified with. The real-life tension he had with the direction of the product was cleverly weaved into the storyline and he became the anti-hero that stood up to the corporate machine.

The problem was, the discontent Punk had and the way it portrayed management were a little too real for WWE brass. His momentum after the pipe bomb promo was diminished as a way for the office to make sure they could dictate the narrative of the company. Ironically, it was yet another reason that legitimate competition is important for the best product possible because even today, personal agenda, not business can dictate the direction of the promotion.

As we all know, CM Punk quit WWE and his account of his exit on Colt Cabana's "Art of Wrestling" podcast resulted in a four-year lawsuit by a WWE doctor. Last week also saw a jury rule in favor of Punk and Cabana, which meant they don't have to pay a settlement to the doctor. After a four-year debacle and expensive legal fees, clearly CM Punk won't send the McMahon family any holiday cards. That said, it's laughable that some people assume that because the lawsuit was finalized that Punk would return to the WWE. Still, before he walked out of Raw in 2014, his name was etched in the record book as the longest reigning champion in the past few decades.

So, when Brock Lesnar went on a year-long run to build up for a Roman Reigns win that didn't happen, it put the former UFC Heavyweight champion in the unique position to replace Punk at the top of the list of champions. Management knew that Reigns would get booed at WM 34, but went along with the plan for the match to be booked. They also knew that Saudi Arabia was a place that Roman wouldn't get booed because of the newer fan base there. However, the decision was made for Brock to retain to continue his run as champion that get closer to the record after both matches.

Is it possible that Vince McMahon made the decision to keep the title on Lesnar long enough to beat Punk's previous record?

I doubt it, but on some level, it does seem possible. At this point, Roman will get booed no matter when he wins the title from Lesnar so why exactly delay the switch? If anything, it made more sense for Lesnar to drop the belt as originally planned because the feud peaked at WM 34 and anything after that yields a diminishing return. Granted, if Roman was over as a possible champion to any considerable extent, he would've won the title a few years ago, and this wouldn't be a point of discussion. Make no mistake about it, Roman Reigns will still be the champion at some point in the future since WWE brass invested too much TV time and marketing strategy into the Reigns push to change the plan. Plus, the company dominates the industry and the market share so they can present their chosen star. Again, it's possible Lesnar was kept as champion to break Punk's record, but I doubt Vince McMahon would be that petty.

But, what happens with the Universal championship?

Reportedly, the direction of the belt and Brock Lesnar's schedule for it are undecided. Originally, the plan was supposedly a switch at Summer Slam, which makes sense because it's one of the company's marquee events. Recently, there was speculation that Lesnar might not appear at Summer Slam and isn't scheduled for any Raw events. This could simply be a way for the writing team to buy time until there's a solution as to what to do with the title. As I said, the Brock/Roman feud peaked a few months ago, and another bout will have a "been there, done that" atmosphere to it. Maybe there will be a transitional titleholder between Lesnar and Reigns? The MITB stipulation could allow for a cash in on Brock before Roman challenges that particular competitor.

I wrote an article last year following the Brock/Samoa Joe match about the diminishing effect of Lesnar for the product. His matches became repetitive and his performances reached a level of complacency, which is still the situation nearly a year later. The initial reason or manufactured justification for Brock's limited schedule might've been to create rare appearances to present more of a "special event" when he defended the belt, but the argument could be made that the opposite effect took place. Instead of being viewed as rare, the concept of the champion is almost non-existent and gets further lost in the shuffle when there's a three hour show. Sure, the premise might be that a limited schedule leads to rare appearances, but at the same time, what about the concept of a fighting champion?

This is just a guess, but I'd say that the whole scenario is probably a way for management to buy time to figure out what to do with the championship. The MITB pay-per-view gives them a gimmick event as an excuse for Lesnar not to be there, and as mentioned, maybe the cash in stipulation will be used for Brock to drop the belt. Still, the whole situation has a rather flat atmosphere around it, is anyone really looking forward to the next Lesnar title defense? In some ways, the plan to give the championship more credibility with limited defenses and a legitimate athlete as the titleholder has actually reduced it to an occasional prop at pay-per-views. Without the credibility or importance in terms of storylines, what exactly is the point of title matches? The importance of the championship is the foundation of feuds for the title. This might seem like a fundamental problem with the product, but after the WWE signed TV deals for a few billion dollars over the next five years, the perception of a title might be a moot point. Considering the talent on Raw,  it just seems like the quality of the product could increase exponentially if the belt was used as a way to elevate the full-time competitors on the roster.

Pittsburgh wrestling charity event

The statistics of the amount of people affected by cancer and the ripple effect it has on those around are staggering. The horrible disease impacts patients from every aspect of life, regardless of notoriety, income level, or background. Basketball coach, Jim Valvano took to the stage in 1993, and during his acceptance speech for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, he inspired the world with a phrase that lives on even today. "Don't give up, don't ever give up." Valvano passed away just two months later, but his legacy lives on through the Jimmy V Foundation, an organization dedicated to cancer research.

But, a national television stage isn't necessary to combat the awful illness.

Matt and Kenny Tressler, two brothers that are lifelong professional wrestling fans, are among the most well-known faces in the Pittsburgh area. Attending independent events for over two decades, the siblings are often spotted at shows nearly every weekend. Over the years, they became involved with several different groups in a variety of roles, and thus networked to know many involved in the sport on the local scene. As is sadly the case with many others, the Tresslers saw cancer impact their family in a devastating way. Originally, their grandmother fell ill with the disease, which prompted them to step up as caregivers to her for the last few years of her life as she battled breast cancer. A short time later, their mother, Mrs. Tressler, passed away suddenly after a brief bout with cancer at the age of just 54 in 2011.

Matt and Kenny wanted to make a different and to honor the late Mrs. Tressler, who worked for nearly twenty years as a nurse, before he untimely passing. The brothers decided to use their passion for professional wrestling to contribute to the fight against cancer, and organized "Stomp Out Cancer," a fundraising event that contributed proceeds to the American Cancer Society last year. The event saw Pittsburgh veteran and owner of Ryse Wrestling, Brandon K offer his venture to showcase the show, and the efforts of stars from around the tri-state area to make the venture as success.

"We saw the impact that cancer can have on someone. After my mom passed away, we said we wanted to try and start helping out the American Cancer Society by running a show. When Brandon moved into the Stronghold, we mentioned it, and he was all for it and it became a reality," Matt explained.

The stellar event saw talent from the past, present, and even future stars showcase their skills. The show was such a success, both for the funds it donated and for the entertainment it provided the fans that rallied toward the great cause that buzz began for a follow-up.

"We had a great response for last year's show as workers we have befriended over the last 23 years were on board to help make the show a great success. We were able to raise $2680.00 from the sell of shirts, sponsors, and tickets. It was great seeing all of Pittsburgh wrestling come together with  no egos, just a great group of guys being united to help raise money for a great cause," Matt said.

With last year's event unanimously praised as a tremendous success, the Tresslers put their passion to work again, and organized "Stomp Out Cancer 2," another fundraiser that will see proceeds go to the American Cancer Society, on June 23, 2018 at the Stronghold Arena in Lemont Furnace, PA. Once again, grapplers from every major promotion in the Pittsburgh area will work together in an effort to benefit a great cause. The hype is already building for what should be a memorable night.

"This year the response has been great again as fans and wrestlers seem to be excited to come together for the common goal.  We have tripled our sponsors with over 25 this year and again, were able to sell over 100 shirts where a portion of them goes to the charity. The toughest part is trying to fit everyone who wants to donate their time on the show, but the most rewarding would be seeing everyone united and working together and being able to make the donation to the ACS," Matt commented.

With dozens of items donated for raffles from local sports teams and businesses, "Stomp Out Cancer 2" really is a collaborative effort from many people that want to make a difference toward a great cause. Grapplers from around the tri-state area are scheduled for the event, including Super Henti, Lee Moriarty, Andrew Palace, Honey Badger, Duke Davis, Ganon Jones, Shawn Phoenix, and many others.

Even villainous manager, BC Steele is enthusiastic about the potential of the fundraiser saying, "Stomp Out Cancer is an all-star game of sorts for independent wrestling in the tri-state area.  You have guys teaming up that you may never see again. There's a lot of talent from other areas that don't get to this area often.  It's a vast array of different types of talent, different types of performers, and a nice mix of youth and veterans. There's a great way to see the professional wrestling in the Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania area and it's Stomp Out Cancer 2."

Regardless of it's on a national stage or a local squared circle, the fight against cancer can help toward research that will hopefully save lives. On June 23, 2018, the Pittsburgh wrestling scene will come together with a common goal to contribute to a great cause that will benefit the American Cancer Society.

Independent wrestling helps fan

Professional wrestling allows for many things to be possible, both for the fans and the athletes. A lifelong dream can be achieved for the competitors that start on the dirt-stained canvases of the independent scene and work their way to the biggest stages of the industry. Fans can find motivation and inspiration through the accomplishments of their heroes. The common thing that the genre can bring for those inside the ring or outside of it is hope through the challenges of life. The grapplers can find themselves questioning if the countless miles on the road are worth the sacrifice, or if those ventures will lead to a break in the industry. The fans that passionately follow their favorite stars get an escape from some of the stress or hurdles they experience with daily life, more specifically something to enjoy for a few hours that takes priority over anything that might be difficult to deal with.

For Kayden Reinke, an 18-year-old fan, the sport was apart of his life almost as long as the health problems that have plagued him. Since his early youth, Kayden dealt with Common Variable Immune Deficiency and Immune Thrombocytopenia that caused several health conditions, including a platelet disorder. Chronically ill for the majority of his life, Kayden couldn't play sports or participate in many activities, but discovered the world of sports entertainment during his elementary school years.

"My aunt showed me an Undertaker entrance in late 2007, I was hooked. Something about it was just so cool and different from all the other sports, and I couldn’t stop watching," he explained.

As time went on, Kayden discovered independent wrestling and began attending local shows around Cleveland, Ohio. Several hospital trips and stays become a routine in his life, but he found a way to deal with the medical process through sports entertainment. He watched countless hours of any wrestling he could find and searched for stars that he hadn't discovered yet. His passion and dedication to the events made him a favorite among many of the grapples that often saw him at ringside. Over the past several years, he became one of the most well known fans of independent wrestling. When his health issues became known, many of his favorite wrestlers rallied to support him, something he still values today. Polished professionals such as, Johnny Gargano, Ruby Riott, and many others voiced their support for him.

"It’s just crazy to me because I really don't see myself deserving of any level of the support I get, but people care that much and it means the world to me. Independent wrestlers are basically like Hollywood celebs in my eyes. I can't really pick out one person in particular, everyone helps me so much," he said.

A recent graduate of Mentor High School, the humble youngster made plans to attempt a bone marrow transplant, hoping to finally find a solution to his numerous health hurdles. While the details of when and where he can receive the new marrow aren't finalized yet, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to prepare to help with a variety of living expenses after the procedure. Kayden is very optimistic about the potential of the transplant.

"This is hopefully the last step to curing everything I have," he enthusiastically said.

As was the case since he discovered the genre, several stars have supported him on the venture and went to social media to voice praise for him. Absolute Intense Wrestling, widely regarded as the premiere promotion in Ohio, is one of his favorite groups, and several stars on their roster spoke very well of him. However, Kayden's dedication and appreciate to the sport earned him praise from grapplers around the tri-state area as well. As was the case in the past, Kayden used professional wrestling to help persevere through the next phase of this ongoing health situation.

"Well, I basically just live off wrestling. If I'm not at the doctor, the house is pretty close to having wrestling on all the time," he said.

With plans to attend college after he recovers, Kayden has already witnessed an outpouring of support from the independent wrestling community with half of his goal reached within the first week of the campaign. Kayden's kindness towards others was recognized by those within the sport by the response to this effort to help him with such a chronic health situation. More than anything, the response to this fundraising effort is a shining example of the power of pro wrestling. While health problems can cause uncertainty, one thing is for sure, Kayden will continue to find his spot at ringside, where he can provide inspiration and strength to persevere to all those that know him.

IWC Super Indy

As independent wrestling changed along with the rest of the industry during the past decade, new stars and ways of distribution played a critical role in how fans consumed the product. While new influences replaced traditions of the past, some aspects of the indy scene remained notable benchmarks of the circuit. The ECWA's Super 8 tournament doesn't hold as much prestigious as it did during its initial years because it was more the names involved that made the tournament as opposed to the tournament that made the names. However, an event such as The Battle of Los Angeles, a stable of the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla calendar, remains a highly anticipated event on the west coast.

Locally and for much of the independent scene on the east coast, the International Wrestling Cartel's Super Indy tournament, a collection of top-tier talent from various places, is considered by many to be one of the most prestigious events in the storied history of the Pittsburgh area. The IWC is known for its mixture of outside talent, occasional legends, and a solid group of local stars. Local competitors that made a name for themselves under the IWC banner include DJ Z and Elias. With seventeen years of history, the IWC was promoted for several years by Norm Connors, who is one of the godfathers of independent wrestling in the region. Involved as a manager before his ownership of the original Steel City Wrestling prior to IWC, "Notorious" Norm spent over 15 years in the business before he retired from the industry in 2009. Under the direction of Connors, the Super Indy tournament showcased the early skills of stars that would go on to make a major impact in the direction of the sport. Names like AJ Styles, CM Punk, Low Ki, Chris Sabin, Chris Hero, Colt Cabana, Johnny Gargano, and many others showcased their skills in their formative years before they went on to mainstream and international success.

Quite simply, Super Indy became known as a place for talented athletes to make a name for themselves and elevate their profile on the independent circuit.

After Connor's retirement, ownership shifted until eventually, Justin Plummer, who previously worked as an on-camera host for the group, purchased the organization in 2014.

"It was exciting, but unexpected. I learned earlier in the year that Chuck Roberts would be stepping down and I didn't want to see the premiere promotion in Western PA might disappear. So, I stepped up and offered to buy the company to keep the legacy alive," Plummer explained.

This weekend's seventeenth edition of the eight-man tournament provides yet another combination of top locals and national talent. Once again, the stage is set for those on the card to have a standout performance. Jaxon Argos, a loud-mouthed student of the underrated legend Lance Storm, will continue his rivalry with rising star, Johnathan Gresham in the first round. Argos is known as much for his outrageous antics as he is for his wrestling, but still provides an entertaining performance. Gresham is an athlete that has completed more regularly with Ring Of Honor in recent months, and I'd say that he has the talent to really make a name for himself if he's given a continuous platform. The Super Indy tournament could be a career making night for him.

Another opening round contest puts the eccentric Joey Janela against Impact Wrestling's Ethan Page. Janela is a wild card and it seems like there's no risk that he's not willing to take so you just don't know what to expect from this bout. Janela was tossed from a two-story building a few years ago, and also wrestled Japanese legend, The Great Sasuke during Wrestlemania weekend earlier this year. Despite the national TV exposure, Page is another one that could make a run in the tournament to further establish himself, specifically because I think Impact has yet to see what he brings to the table.

The third quarter final match features the current Super Indy champion, Gory defending his championship throughout the brackets, and will square off against Anthony Henry. Gory is a dynamic aerial competitor that made his name in Pittsburgh with a series of stellar matches against DJ Z early in their respective careers. For some reason, Gory has yet to break out on a national stage, but he's undoubtedly one of the hidden gems of the area that certainly has the skills to do so. Henry is similar to Gory, in terms of his impressive resume in recent years working with Evolve and other well-known groups, but he still needs that platform to get the exposure his skills deserve. Considering that streaming is becoming more of a standard within the entire sport, it could simply be a matter of time before Gory or Henry get more publicity. Perhaps, Super Indy could be the stage for them.

The final opening round bout features two well known stars of the independent world. David Starr, a six-year pro, has already worked for nearly every major organization in the United States, as well as international tours. If Starr is victorious in the tournament, it brings a new dynamic to the Pittsburgh area if he returns as a regular for IWC. His opponent, Jeff Cobb is a former Olympian and a mainstay on the indys, competing as far away as PWG and around the world for New Japan Pro Wrestling. His Pittsburgh debut is very anticipated, as his feats of strength thrilled crowds. The only downside of this match-up is that one of them will be eliminated and only compete once that night.

Who advances and ultimately wins remains to be seen, but there's certainly a noticeable amount of buzz ahead of this event.

"It's going to be very difficult to top last year's Super Indy, which saw a record crowd for that particular venue. But we are bringing in the best up and coming stars from across the country to come together for one night, 7 dream matches, and a lot of surprises in hopes we can recapture last year. We are going to swing for the fences on Saturday," Plummer exclaimed.

"The Super Indy tournament shows that Pittsburgh has some of the best home grown talent around," veteran manager, BC Steele said.

A non-tournament match also garnered much hype prior to the event, as Ring Of Honor star, Shane Taylor, who worked Pittsburgh prior to his time on national television, faces off with an old rival Jack Pollock. Shane's tremendous agility is showcased regularly on TV and pay-per-view, while Pollock is another that I would describe as a hidden gem of the area. Pollock learned under Lance Storm in Calgary and is one of the best well-rounded wrestlers on the roster. Pollock and Taylor has a brutal series of matches prior to Shane's full-time ROH contract, and as someone that did commentary for those bouts, I can tell you that Taylor vs. Pollock will deliver a hard-hitting, physical match.

Impact signed for Jericho project

Earlier this week, it was announced that Impact Wrestling will join an all-star line up for Chris Jericho's cruise that will take place in October. Already signed for the unique venture are several professional wrestling legends, entertainment figures, music acts, and the Ring of Honor tournament. Along with the Impact announcement, this week will also see Jericho return to New Japan for an anticipated match against Naito at the stacked Dominion show this weekend.

Despite Jericho's longtime friend, Don Callis' role as one of the vice presidents of Impact, it was still somewhat surprising to hear that the organization will be involved in the Jericho cruise, simply because Y2J will always be known as a loyal WWE star. For Impact, it does a lot from a PR prospective to help present a new image for a company that under Dixie Carter. was on the brink of collapse before Anthem Sports rescued it. I've written several times that Callis was a hidden gem of the wrestling business, and his direction with Scott D'Amore has somehow put the promotion in a progressive direction. The association with Jericho alone is enough to create a sense of optimism around the group.

It creates an intriguing "alliance" so to speak, as stars from ROH, Impact, and New Japan will all be a part of the same event. Keep in mind, Impact and ROH have somewhat of a working agreement already after Austin Aries appeared at an ROH pay-per-view while he was the Impact World champion. Plus, there was the recent addition of Lucha Underground talent to Impact shows. As I mentioned in a previous article, it makes sense for these groups to work together instead of essentially dividing what is already a small piece of the pie in terms of market share. It might be a harsh reality, but the WWE owns 95% of the audience in the United States and used the monopoly they had post-WCW to expand their empire into a truly global entity. Especially after the recent $2 billion TV deal that the company secured, the WWE is playing with house money in many ways. The massive payday just for the rights to distribute Raw and Smackdown is only one of many revenue streams for the publicly traded company. Don't get me wrong, the WWE isn't perfect, but regardless of any criticism of the direction of the project, from a business viewpoint, it's a major success, as they secured literally billions of dollars for the next five years.

That said, even the WWE knows that there must be options and alternatives for any industry to maintain itself. If management decided to sign as many talents as possible in an attempt to keep them from working other places, and basically scorch the earth of any other major companies in the process, the entire industry would eventually become stagnant, which is more or less what happened for a few years after the WCW shutdown. Remember, there was a tremendous buzz for performers like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Nakamura, and others when they finally arrived in WWE because of their accomplishments in other companies. These working agreements among the smaller promotions help keep the business fresh. Again, why divide the audience when everyone can benefit from a working agreement? It's refreshing to see the current management avoid the pitfalls of the territory promoters of the past, work together when you can to maintain positive momentum instead of disagreements that could be counterproductive to any group's overall goal.

Some might wonder, would Jericho's work with Impact cause any friction with WWE?

Let's be honest here, as I said before, the WWE is a global publicly traded company and the TV deal gives them at least five years of major money just through distribution so there's really no other company in the world that poses any threat to them. In fact, WWE benefits when smaller promotions have more exposure because it allows new stars to make a name for themselves, which could eventually lead to an offer from the WWE. All things considered, it's very doubtful that there's any disagreement between Jericho and management.

However, could the Impact announcement lead to more than just the cruise event?

On the surface, it seems like a long shot that Chris Jericho would appear for another company in the United States because of his close association with WWE, but for the reasons I just mentioned with no threat, could there possibly be a Jericho match for Impact? More specifically, Jericho has evolved during his career and built himself into a commodity that makes it seem like anything could be a possibility. In many respects, Jericho is in a league of his own in the way that he keeps his career fresh and he's still ahead of the curve after such an extensive career. Who else could bring ROH, Impact, and stars from New Japan to the same event?

After the Sami Callihan/Eddie Edwards incident a few months ago, Callihan and Impact made the best of a negative situation, using it to further Callihan's character, which he has done very well. Recently, Callihan posted a promo online and mentioned Jericho so it might be a set up for a match. It speaks volumes to Callihan's ability to create questions about if his persona is scripted or not. Obviously, Callihan is portraying a character, but the fact that some are questioning it in 2018 is proof that the formula works. He was actually on Jericho's podcast a few months ago so maybe there was a plan for the events that unfolded this week. More than anything, the entire scenario is very intriguing and it will be interesting to see what happens in the next few months.