Where's the hype for Wrestlemania?

 With less than two weeks away from the two-night Wrestlemania 37 event, the biggest showcase of the calendar year appears to be set with half a dozen matches on each night. While I think the concept of two WM shows any particular year only dilutes the importance of the event, I'd rather watch two shows during the weekend than a ridiculous seven-hour marathon show where you can barely remember the first four matches by the time the show goes off the air.

That said, the road map that got the WWE to these particular bouts and more specifically, how they were booked has been rather lackluster. A brief discussion about the matches will reveal why WM 37 lacks the traditional sizzle.

Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins might steal night one, but that becomes moot when you realize that the quality of the bout will be irrelevant to management since they've already typecast Cesaro as just a mid-card guy. Sure, promos aren't Cesaro's strong suite, but the guy has everything else, and at times has been paired with good talkers throughout his career, but the office still didn't move him beyond the same level. It's tough to be enthusiastic for a contest when you know that no progress will truly be made from it. Just for the discussion, let's assume that Cesaro/Rollins is the match of the night on night one. A few weeks later, Cesaro will still be a mid-carder without any direction to progress his character, and Seth Rollins will still have the same monotonous persona with the same stale scripted promos. All things considered, Rollins has been swimming against the stream for the past few years in the company because the writing team has done him no favors with the presentation of his character, regardless of if he was cast as a heel or a baby face.

Braun Strowman vs. Shane McMahon...enough said

The New Day vs. AJ Styles and Omos could be solid, depending on how the match is structured. I hope that Omos does well because he has the look to be a giant of this generation, but as we know, that role requires more than just the height. Hopefully, Omos' spot is kept simple and he's not put in a position to look clumsy in his official debut match. Kofi, Woods, and AJ are all polished pros, but how that gels with a giant athlete remains to be seen. Basically, the established three have already proven themselves so the focus will be to see what Omos can really bring to the table.

There's not much to say about the Bad Bunny vs. Miz match other than Bad Bunny's popularity has done good business for WWE. That said, the segments to hype this angle, including from Raw this past week, have been absolutely horrendous. At a time when ratings are sluggish, the cringe worthy Miz segments almost ask viewers to change the channel. The best case scenario here is that Bad Bunny wins in roughly two minutes so that the company can get the publicity from it, but the actual match doesn't bring the entire show to a halt.

The two world title matches are both lacking any sizzle, but for very different reasons. Bianca Belair delivered one of the best baby face promos of the modern era after her emotional win at The Royal Rumble. The WWE had a top level baby face ready for the WM moment that could make her a legitimate star. I don't know if it was because there were two pay-per-views between the Rumble and Wrestlemania so the writing team needed something to keep the angle going or if what was presented on television just didn't translate as the writing team planned. After Bianca had such an incredible baby face promo, the decision to portray Sasha as the heel is easy. The tag team stuff might've just been filler to get the angle to WM, but how the post-match segment was booked at Fastlane really hindered Bianca's momentum as a baby face. Sasha slapped her in the face and then left the ring without any repercussions. Instead of throwing a punch, Bianca pointed to the Wrestlemania sign instead. How is posing more important when you've been slapped in the face? If someone slapped Stone Cold Steve Austin, would he just stand there and then point to the Wrestlemania sign? A top baby face can't be made to look foolish or weak, which is exactly how Belair was presented. Hopefully, these two talented athletes can have a stellar match, and Bianca will get over as a new star, despite the terrible scripting of this storyline.

Based on the results of Raw, Wrestlemania 37 will be used to give Drew McIntyre another moment, this time under better circumstances in front of a live audience, which makes sense if the office sees him as the future. In truth, we really don't know how Drew does in the role of champion because he hasn't been put in a scenario where the audience can react to him as champion. Granted, that's not his fault, but it is the reality of the situation. As I've written previously, and I don't want to be too repetitive here, the stop/start aspect of his title reigns only halted his momentum as champion, and I think the overall booking of his time as a main eventer, including when he said he "didn't want to fight" on a few occasions early in his tenure as champion, haven't helped the situation. It almost appears that WWE brass considered a change in direction with Bobby Lashley as champion because I'm not sure how a one-month title reign justifies his status as one of the most protected stars on Raw within the past year. However, it was clear from the split with The Hurt Business and the bounty angle that Lashley is going to drop the title at Wrestlemania. This is where Drew dropping the title twice ahead of this match ruined some of the shine because if McIntyre went undefeated for a year and was challenged by the dominate Lashley, not only the championship, but also the winning streak is on the line so in many ways the story writes itself. Instead, the main event match at Wrestlemania has a one month build up without much of a story behind it.

Thankfully, night two looks better on paper, but there's also a lot of variables for if it will actually be a quality show.

Riddle vs. Sheamus should be a solid bout, but does anyone actually care about it? That's not meant as a jab against the competitors, but the office has managed to make Riddle's character so foolish and annoying that his segments are just cringe worthy.

Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn might steal the show, but there's literally a "been there, done that" atmosphere to it. Owens and Sami are such tremendous performers and they should be used in better roles on TV. This match just seems like lazy booking because the writing team didn't have anything better for them so they recycled an angle they know worked in the past.

On paper, Big E vs. Apollo should be a very good match, but for whatever reason, their match at Fastlane was less-than-stellar so there's not much of a reason to look forward to the rematch. A side note, Apollo's sudden fake accent is ridiculous and it insults the audience's intelligence. On a better note, Big E should be the world champion this year, he has all the talent and the skills to be a top star.

The Fiend vs. Randy Orton...next

Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka is one I'm looking forward too, and let's hope management doesn't make the same mistake this year that they did at WM 36. Yes, I will still say that Ripley should've pinned Charlotte, which is actually meant as a compliment to the second generation Flair. Charlotte is already an established star and the win at WM 36 did nothing to improve on that status, while a defeat would've done nothing to diminish it. On the flip side, a win for Rhea Ripley could've put her career on another level. The circumstances are very similar this year because a defeat doesn't harm Asuka, especially because she's the MVP of the pandemic era, but a victory for Ripley might put her on the map.

The main event is too convoluted, and I have to be honest, I don't have much of an opinion on it one way or the other. As happy as fans were to see Edge return at the Rumble again, it's another "been there, done that" aspect of the product. The story has already been told and it just doesn't have the same effectiveness as it did previously. I understand that Edge cost Daniel Bryan the championship at Fastlane to set up the triple threat at WM, but how is Edge supposed to be considered a baby face when he attacked one of the most over stars on the roster with a chair? Furthermore, Roman Reigns is on the best run of his career and shouldn't drop the title under there's another major baby face ready to win it. At 47, is Edge the one to dethrone Roman after he finally gets over with the heel persona? In recent months, Daniel Bryan has been defeated in most of his matches to help put over other stars so he's not exactly in the spot to claim the title. Reigns retains seems to be the most logical option and there's just not a lot of intrigue around this match.

So, why is there a lack of hype for Wrestlemania 37?

Essentially, the card of Wrestlemania 37 is a product of WWE programming, shows that have lacked the intrigue or the angles to retain viewers throughout most of the show. Let's be honest here, some of the main angles on television, including The Fiend's goofy return where he looks like a toasted marshmallow, makes the audience shake their head so a portion of that will be represented on the WM card. Obviously, the pandemic has an effect on the product, which is understandable, but the second half of the year will require some type of jump start for the product because even Wrestlemania doesn't seem like a major event.

Is Kenny Omega a draw?

A few weeks ago, underrated legend and trainer, Lance Storm got into a friendly social media debate with Jim Valley, an associate of Bryan Alvarez's Figure Four Daily, which is under the same general umbrella with The Wrestling Observer site. A few quick side notes, I look forward to Lance's discussions with Bryan Alvarez every week for their podcast, as it shows the insight Lance brings to the table. Plus, Bryan's rants are always entertaining. For those that haven't heard it, I'd suggested finding his ramblings on Youtube about the purchase of a gold boat. More importantly, Jim Valley, who was hospitalized for five months with a life-threatening condition, continues to make improves in his recovery. It's truly great that Valley kicked out at 2.9 and he's a great guy.

Now, the debate the former leader of Team Canada and the wordsmith of podcast had was, "Is anyone a draw in professional wrestling?"

In truth, they are both right, depending on the perspective that you want to take on the situation, but why the industry reached this point, and more importantly, the impact it can have on the future is a topic itself.

As I've written in the past, there are positives and negatives to "the brand" being the draw in professional wrestling. For roughly the past two decades, the WWE has promoted the company as a whole ahead of any individual star, something that isn't a coincidence when Vince McMahon didn't have major competition. From a corporate prospective, the upside of strengthening the brand is, it improves the accessibility and the revenue associated with sponsorships, something that is very valuable to the WWE stock price. That's what many of the diehard fans that are in the "wrestling bubble" don't consider when they complain on social media about some of the more infamous mishaps in recent years. Management's top priority is often the shareholders and the stock price because that's where the most money is to be made within the organization. One of the main reasons that the company inked their massive TV deals in 2019, as well as the Peacock deal, is because the organization has a very strong public profile that was further established by the success of the stock price. Are the Saudi shows controversial and clutter the timeline of angles for big matches? Sure, but the company makes millions of dollars from those shows and that looks great for the conference calls.

Don't get me wrong, I shake my head watching "The swamp fight" or Randy Orton puking the Papa Shango ooze, but the company just landed another $1 billion for the Peacock deal so how can you argue with the success?

If the organization is sacrificing the short end money for truly building stars for the future remains to be seen, but the selling point of the brand is success for the corporation. Speaking of which, the other positive for the organization of the brand ahead of talent is that it gives the promotion much more flexibility when negotiating with talent than in the past. For example, when Hulk Hogan was the cash cow for the WWF in the 80s, he was promoted as the top draw and did big business for the Titan Sports organization, but at the same time, Vince McMahon had to keep Hogan happy, both with storylines and with payoffs to keep the train on the tracks. After Hulk distanced himself from the WWF following the steroid scandal of the early-90s, the company was left with a rather thin roster in terms of star power because such a focus was put on Hulk for the previous several years. Granted, the argument could be made that Hulk's popularity began to fade somewhat at that time, which was seen later in WCW in 1995, but he was still the top draw for McMahon for the previous ten years.

Even when the company is built around a small core of main eventers, there can still be a major dip in star power if a piece of the puzzle is shifted. When Stone Cold walked out, Mick Foley left, and The Rock had started his work in Hollywood, the WWE in 2003 had much less sizzle as compared to the all-star cast from just two years earlier. That's not to say there weren't still great performers on the roster because there were obviously stellar competitors under contract, but the top-tier names that draw the general public is a different conversation.

One of the very few advantages of the infamous 50/50 booking that more or less keeps everyone around the same level of star power today is that if someone get injured, the writing team simply puts someone else in the same spot and can continue along the same path. The example I will use for this is, Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins at Wrestlemania 35, and something to consider is, would the amount of tickets sold or WWE Network subscriptions have really been any different if it was Lesnar vs. Finn Balor instead? That's not a jab against Rollins, but to point out that in the grand scheme of things, regardless of what brand they are booked for on TV, Rollins and Balor will generate roughly the same numbers.

The biggest downside of the brand as the selling point is that, in my opinion, the "brand" as an entity can only get over to a certain level with the audience before it hits a ceiling because for the most part, fans make the emotional investment into characters, and the emotional investment is what ultimately draws the money. The audience identified with Stone Cold, Mick Foley, and others so they were willing to spend money to follow the storylines. Without the emotional investment from the crowd, the product becomes interchangeable with any other entertainment option. The ability to create "must see" TV is what generates money.

Jim Valley cited Kenny Omega as a draw, which, as mentioned, is possible depending on the specific context. There's absolutely no doubt that when Kenny Omega is involved, fans pay attention, with the prime example being that his involvement with Impact garnered the group the most buzz they've had since Anthem rescued the company from the brink of collapse.

Perhaps, the key to the Storm/Valley debate is that there might be a difference between the ability to generate buzz and the ability to draw money, especially in an era when the WWE Network is $4.99 a month and selling traditional pay-per-view is much more difficult.

I'm not going to attempt to declare a winner, but the discussion seemed to bring up some points that maybe the concept of a "top draw" is in the past? Sure, the WWE designed the product to be a brand first initiative because it maximize the corporate aspects and somewhat minimizes the risk of investment in specific talent because injuries don't have as much of an impact on the general direction of the show when another competitor can easily be booked for the same spot. At the same time, when there's countless hours of television, social media, and Youtube content, is it really possible to protect someone's aura enough that they can shift the needle as much as the stars of the past? By nature, when there's seven hours of weekly WWE TV, how do you prevent any particular talent from being at least somewhat overexposed? One of the reason that Stone Cold drew record-setting ratings during the Attitude Era is because fans knew that had to tune into Raw to watch him, particularly before the addition of Smackdown, the audience knew that if they wanted to see what Stone Cold would do next they had to watch Raw for the weekly content.

In some ways, it's a little disappointing that today's era, the majority of pro wrestling is based on the brand as the selling point because just how over particular talents were is one of the entertaining aspects of the industry. However, it's great to see the competition and the options for the fans because it benefits the entire industry.

Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou

This weekend's highly-anticipated UFC Heavyweight title bout will headline UFC 260 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV. The Apex, usually reserved as a state-of-the-art training center for fighters in the organization, hosted several live cards during the pandemic when both crowd and travel restrictions made it difficult for the organization to run events outside of its own venue. The building has provided the stage for memorable fights and title bouts, and offered a unique viewing experience, as direction from the corners that is usually not heard because of the crowd was audible during most of the bouts. Recently, Dana White announced that next month's UFC 261, which is set to feature a rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal, will be held in Jacksonville, FL with a full capacity arena so it's possible that UFC 260 will be the final pay-per-view at the Apex.

As far as the pay-per-view, Stipe Miocic will defend his title against Francis Ngannou in a rematch of their original bout from just over two years ago that saw Miocic win a one-sided decision after he dominated the contest of the score cards at UFC 220. 

Since these two entered the octagon for those five rounds in early-2018, they've taken similar paths in that they have both remained dominate in the division, but if or how the challenger has evolved his game might be the key to this rematch.

Francis Ngannou has an incredible story, an aspect of his career that is almost as marketable as his dangerous punching power. Surviving poverty in his native Cameroon, Ngannou worked in a salt mine at a young age to help provide for his family before he eventually went to France to pursue combat sports. He arrived in the UFC in late-2015 and went on a six-fight win streak, with five of those victories via TKO or KO early in the contest. His highlight reel knockout of savvy veteran, Alistair Overeem put him in the championship conversation.

From a marketing prospective, UFC brass might've had its version of Mike Tyson, who was one of Ngannou's inspirations to pursue fighting. Ngannou looked intense and had brutal KO power that saw the majority of his foes get sent crashing to the canvas in the first round. As much as MMA purist enjoy and appreciate the incredible skill displayed in MMA, the KO power is still a bigger draw to the general public. Ahead of the initial Stipe/ Ngannou bout, the champion expressed discontent for the lack of promotion he received ahead of the fight, as the UFC marketing machine put a spotlight on the challenger's dangerous KO power.

As we know, there's a reason that most of the general public are just casual fans, and the reality of the situation was that while Ngannou's punching power is very dangerous, at that point, he hadn't fought outside of the second round in his entire career. Furthermore, he had a one dimensional style, simply because he hadn't been in a scenario in the octagon where he had to do more than land the powerful punches.

If the challenger has improved his cardio will probably be the key to the entire fight.

Ironically, the champion is a slight underdog ahead of this bout, which might be more of a way for the sports books to generate some betting action because of all the divisions in MMA, the heavyweight group is the most unpredictable, simply because most of it is built on punching power, and it only takes one punch to end a fight.

That said, Stipe probably shouldn't be an underdog ahead of this contest because he already proved he can avoid the challenger's KO punch and use his more technical skills to push the pace of the fight. Outside of when he lost the first bout in the trilogy with Daniel Cormier, Miocic hasn't lost a fight in over six years, defeating the top competition of the division.

As much as Ngannou's cardio will probably be a deciding factor, his chances, which are reflected with the odds makers, are based on his ability to land that KO punch, similar to the most effective strategy that he had in the original bout. The difference is, if  Ngannou can have the cardio to land the signature punch beyond just the first or second round then he will increase he chances of winning the championship.

As far as the actual fight, Ngannou always has a puncher's chance, an aspect that isn't meant as a criticism of his skills, but rather, he made his name with the KO power so that will be his best option. Still, I have to pick Stipe Miocic to retain the championship because he already has the game plan to be successful. If Stipe can use his boxing skills, defensively as much or more as offensively, he can probably avoid the KO punches of the challenger. In fact, it would be wise for him to use the clinch to close the distance to not allow Ngannou the space to set up for the major punch. Finally, a potential take down might be a way for him to neutralize the challenger's offense and reduce his cardio. That said, Ngannou will be very dangerous for at least the first two rounds, while the championship rounds would test any possible improvements to his cardio. Is Stipe a more well-rounded fighter? Yes, but for at least the first two rounds, Ngannou has a chance with one punch to finish the fight, which is why this is an intriguing championship fight.

The Nitro effect

Today marks twenty years since the final broadcast of WCW Monday Nitro on TNT, a night that changed the industry forever and was the beginning of the end of the biggest boom period in the history of the professional wrestling business. The truth is than fiction era of the sport was so jam-packed with classic moments, controversy, and fierce competition that despite several books and documentaries over the years, the topic remains a staple of podcasts and a part of the wrestling discussion today.

The reason for this is because there were so many different aspects that were involved and had a domino effect on numerous other pieces of the puzzle. Three years ago, I penned an article to chronicle the anniversary of the final Nitro, with a focus on the specific business decisions and the aftermath from it. But, there are so many angles to take because of the nature of the subject, which is why the previously mentioned podcast market exist for these stories. The narrative you will get on this time frame almost fully depends on who you ask, and if they had an investment in the results. For example, Eric Bischoff, who doesn't deserve the amount of grief he gets for his time as executive producer of WCW, but doesn't necessarily deserve the amount of credit he sometimes gives himself on his podcast, isn't going to be as critical of his own decisions as someone with an outside perspective. On the flip side, The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer, who is one of the best historical resources for the business, usually boils Bischoff's success down to two good years with Vince McMahon's stars and the lightening in a bottle of Bill Goldberg, which isn't accurate either.

Still, it's more or less unanimously agreed that when WCW was bought for pennies on the dollar by Vince McMahon, it completely changed the landscape of the industry, and in many ways, has been a different business in the past two decades.

Most importantly, the purchase of WCW scorched the earth in terms of the landscape of wrestling because for the first time in the history of the business, there was only one national organization with no alternative and it can't be understated how that aspect itself was a total shift in the dynamic of the sport. When McMahon's national expansion of the 80s overwhelmed the territory system, the industry consolidated, but there were still two major competitors in the United States. Classic regions like Mid-South, Florida, and Texas faded away when big budget wrestling made it more difficult for smaller territories to compete with other products. The AWA existed, but stumbled upon its attempt to expand, with the only reason it survived to 1990 from the money Verne Gagne made in the group's heyday. So, for the purposes of this discussion, the national level of the late-80s was WWF and Jim Crockett Promotions.

Even when almost half a dozen territories closed, Jim Crockett Promotions was still there to offer an alternative. When JCP spent itself too far in debt, Ted Turner, who credited pro wrestling as a staple of his network, rescued the organization and kept it a national entity with the purchase to keep it on TBS. The point being there was always a foundation for a new chapter to be built upon, but when Vince bought WCW, another option would have to be built from scratch, which is exponentially more difficult than a new chapter of an already existing organization.

The story of NWA-TNA and its peaks and valleys is a another story for another time, but if nothing else, the tale of TNA underscores just how difficult it is to truly become an established national company. A group can have the right talent and the right distribution, both being extremely difficult tasks in their own right, but if there's not the right philosophy then there will be limited success.

As we've seen, it took almost the twenty years since the final Nitro for another national group to be considered a contender in the business. All Elite Wrestling isn't perfect and nobody should expect it to be, but it's a profitable project that gave fans and talent more options, which has already been extremely beneficial to the industry.

In some ways, diehard fans in the "wrestling bubble" don't realize just how many hurdles All Elite had to clear and the progress its made so far in its existence.

The ability to land a national television deal and the amount of money that must be invested for it to even be a possibility will prevent almost every organization from trying to attempt it. Keep in mind, the production costs alone are thousands of dollars and after that type of investment there's no guarantee that the show would be offered a TV deal, which is why Global Force Wrestling didn't get off the ground. TV Networks aren't looking for pro wrestling content and with WWE as the representation of the sports in the United States, it's possible that executive would look at anything else as secondary.

All Elite had the ability to use the All In pay-per-view as a "pilot" to sell something to TNT, which eliminated much of the initial risk involved in trying to land a TV deal. Still, this is why Tony Khan was one of the few investors that could've launched a national company because it takes millions of dollars to start a project from scratch.

Another aspect of the WCW purchase and the further consolidation of the industry is that it allowed WWE to dominate and expand its market share. Make no mistake about it, one of the many reasons that the company is worth billions of dollars is because of its ability to take advantage of the fact it was the only national company for several years. Ultimately, the biggest aspect of the purchase of WCW was that it emphasized the many reasons that the Monday Night war and the competition provided some of the most entertaining TV in the history of the industry.

HWA documentary

It's often said in the professional wrestling industry that even during the midst of the surges in popularity of the industry, there will always be an emphasis on the development of talent for the future because that's how the sports entertainment genre, which has been a staple of American entertainment for decades, remains a part of the sports landscape.

With the addition of NXT, the once-niche product, to the main stream WWE TV line-up the development of the stars of the future is spotlighted as one of the continuous conversations of social media. Before that, Florida Championship Wrestling, a nod to legendary promoter, Eddie Graham's legacy in the state, put the pieces together for WWE's in-house developmental program that eventually evolved to the NXT brand that we see on the USA network today.

Before TV contracts put the stars of the future on network television, the concept of a developmental league was to get prospects exposure as a way to get seasoning in front of live audiences, but to keep it under the radar enough that any mistakes wouldn't taint their first impression on a national audience. For example, it's well-known that the Louisville-based Ohio Valley Wrestling was used as the minor league operation for World Wrestling Entertainment for most of the first decade of the 2000s, with its reputation known as the place that an all-star cast of future main eventers learned their craft. Names like Brock Lesnar, John Cena, and Randy Orton were just a few of the famous alumni that went on to make names for themselves.

Before that the USWA, a group that was established from the ashes of the Memphis territory of the 80s, and even Puerto Rico served as places that an aspiring talent would be sent to get valuable reps inside the ropes.

However, there was an organization that even in the modern age of the internet and all the resources that go along with it, is still one of the best kept secrets of a developmental era of the business.

The Heartland Wrestling Association, a league that was based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, was launched in 1996 and ran for nearly two decades before it ceased operations in 2015. During that time, the promotion played a pivotal developmental role for World Championship Wrestling in the 90s, and later the WWE in the early-2000s. Among those that learned the ropes in an HWA ring were former Ring Of Honor and current NXT UK announcer Nigel McGuinness, accomplished veteran, BJ Whitmer, and several others that made an impact on the national scene.

Even more of a hidden gem than the HWA is it's founder, the legendary Les Thatcher, who has made continuous contributions to the professional wrestling industry in some form or fashion for several decades. As a wrestler, announcer, promoter, or trainer, there's very few roles that Thatcher hasn't taken during the course of his stellar career.

"I don't think he gets the credit he deserves, maybe because his name hasn't been plastered all over mainstream wrestling TV as much as others, but he's worn every hat and become one of the most respected trainers and minds over 60 years in this business. He has a story to tell that could fill an entire encyclopedia set," said Joe Dombrowski, a play-by-play announcer and video producer that has spent his entire adult like involved in the industry since he started calling cards in his hometown of Pittsburgh before he branched out to several other states and even other countries.

Ironically, Dombrowski has known Thatcher for almost as long as his tenure as an announcer when he started calling the action in 2003. Known as a true student of the game with a deep dedication toward the extensive history of the business, a young Dombrowski sent two dozen e-mails  to notable minds of the industry, looking for feedback on his work. Les was one of four that responded and the two have stayed in touch ever since. During a rather typical discussion, the seed of an idea was planted and would later become one of Joe's trademark video releases.

"I think it was just an ordinary conversation with Les one day, it had to have been around 7 or 8 years ago by now, where he had mentioned he still had the rights to every HWA event he ran before he sold the company, which included his time as a WWF developmental territory. It really caught my attention because OVW TV from that era is out there if you know where to find it, so is FCW, and of course NXT, but no one really talks about Heartland as much and all the amazing talent they helped produce in Cincinnati. Especially too considering Les had house show tapes which were never sold anywhere beyond the merchandise tables at his live events, and some were even never sold at all and just used for internal review, so I was literally uncovering things that no one had ever seen unless you were in the building that day," Dombrowski explained.

That seed of an idea would eventually be realized as his recently released "Wrestling From The Heartland" series, currently consisting of two volumes that are jam-packed with some of the rarest footage possible. As much as the stellar compilations deliver for diehard fans, the process to produce them wasn't easy, and Dombrowski found himself in front of his computer screen for many late-night viewing sessions to unearth the gems hidden in Les' video library. Before that, Joe quite literally had to unearth the VHS tapes of these events that were stored at Thatcher's home.

"Somewhere around 2015 or so, I was working an event in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and I decided to take a detour on my drive home to stop and visit Les and my friend Jimmy Yang, who both lived in Cincinnati at the time, and that's when I had the chance to look at Les' tapes for the first time.  There were probably at least 150 tapes in Les' storage. I'm not saying I watched every single second of every single match, but I went through every single tape start-to-finish, play or fast-forward, looking for future stars that have mainstream appeal today, globally known vets having classics that slipped through the cracks of history, hidden gems that would captivate audiences, and a blend of different styles, eras, and talents. Some of the footage is crude or primitive but I think anyone around long enough to remember tape trading will appreciate that authenticity of the era," Joe commented

The depth of the project was a deep dive for even Dombrowski, as he transferred VHS footage to DVD and digital platforms, uncovering some gems that only the HWA could've offered at a pivotal time of the industry. A pair of bouts from the formative years of John Cena's career, the final matches of Dean Malenko's career, and never-before-seen contests were just some of the action the veteran play-by-play announcer found during the course of this production. Of course, he had to bring Les' insight onto the presentation so while Dombrowski narrates the bouts, Thatcher adds incredible details for the stories behind the action.

"Working with Les was amazing. Peering into his brain was like opening a gold mine in itself. Usually when I call matches, the focus is always on the story and personalities unfolding in the ring. This time, while I didn't want to ignore the match, I knew the real story to tell was what these guys went through when the cameras were off - training every day, hoping to get a main roster dark match or call-up, the dreams coming true, and the ones that unfortunately didn't come to be. So I had fun just picking Les' brain and getting his perspective on working with talent as well as the WWF/E office, and you hear a lot of stories that have never been mentioned publicly before," Dombrowski said.

"Wrestling From The Heartland" is just the latest production from Dombrowski, who looks to carve a niche for himself in an often crowded market of digital platforms and streaming services. It's a challenge, similar to those of any small business model, but it's a challenge that Dombrowski accepted.

It's an overwhelming challenge in today's market because you're literally competing with everything from streaming services to social media feeds to video games to traditional TV. There's no one today that can say there isn't enough content to consume, wrestling or otherwise. To me, the challenge has always been to make my projects something you can't find anywhere else. In other words, something that doesn't have a limited shelf life," Dombrowski explained.

So, in an era when thousands of hours of professional wrestling content is available with just a push of a button and more options on how to view the content than any other time in history, The "Wrestling from the Heartland" series gives fans the chance to watch never-before-seen footage with the insight of Les Thatcher during the matches.

Hulk Hogan announced for Wrestlemania

Sometimes you have to wonder about the optics.

Yesterday, it was announced that WWE Hall of Famer, Hulk Hogan will be the host of Wrestlemania 37 next month in Tampa, Florida for a show that will have social distancing restrictions, despite the state's lift of any mandated precautions for events. Considering that NXT just had another outbreak of COVID cases among its roster, resulting in a very small crew to work this past week's episode of TV, it's probably a wise decision for management to install those precautionary measures for the live audience.

Reportedly, because of the limited capacity for attendance, ticket prices are much more expensive, even for a Wrestlemania stadium show, and obviously, WWE brass wants as full of a house, as well as big of a gate, as possible for the return of a live crowd. Sports Entertainment kingpin Vince McMahon wants the presentation of his signature event to look like the spectacular it's known for, especially for the initial exclusive offering on Peacock, a five-year deal that NBC inked for the distribution rights worth an estimated $1 billion.

The optics of a mostly full stadium let's the entertainment business, and more importantly, the stockholders know that WWE emerged from the pandemic era as strong as before, or at least that's the message that's intended. The debate on the safety or lack thereof for a full-scale public event will continue until the pandemic is completely done, but it's irrelevant because its within the guidelines of the state of Florida that public events can be held there.

On the surface it makes sense for the office to put Hulk Hogan on the show because despite his critics, he was the biggest star of the 80s and one of the top draws in the history of the business. Hulk Hogan remains one of the most recognizable figures in entertainment, particularly to the casual fans, a demographic that management might look to draw toward the Peacock app as a key accomplishment for the next conference call for shareholders.

That said, the fact that Titus O'Neil, known as one of the real-life good guys on the roster and for his work within the community, is hosting alongside Hogan just isn't a good look. Don't get me wrong, Titus is a great representative for the company,  he has good mic skills and is a credit to the organization so if WWE had him host as a former member of the University of Florida football team and the event being held in his hometown, it completely makes sense. The hometown football star that is known for his charity work as the host of the biggest event of the year is definitely good PR.

Instead, Titus is being used in the role to suggest it's "okay" for Hulk Hogan to host the show after he was booted from the organization in 2015 for the infamous sex tape scandal where Hogan was heard using several racial slurs while being secretly recorded. Hogan had an encounter with his friend, Bubba The Love Sponge's wife and eventually sued Gawker, the website that leaked the footage, winning a massive settlement that bankrupted the gossip website. On the recording, Hogan admits he's a racist and uses vulgar language toward African Americans throughout the clip.

As I wrote at the time, Terry Bollea's actions shattered much of the image of Hulk Hogan. Of course, in the aftermath of the leaked footage, Bollea went on the press tour to tearfully apologize on television shows for his comments. Is it possible that Hogan was actually remorseful for what he said? Sure, but I doubt his sincerity because aside from his career-long track record to manipulate his way into a better spot in sports entertainment, it was in his personal interest to apologize. The WWE contract that was terminated and the merchandising is big cash for Hogan so obviously, he will do what he thinks will give him the most access to the money on the table.

If Hogan turned his life around and is truly remorseful for his comments then it's some form of redemption for him, but I just don't believe that someone that spewed that type of venom, especially when they didn't know they were being recorded, suddenly has a realization how wrong it is after there were financial consequences for his actions.

Not surprisingly, when the dust settled, Hulk Hogan was brought back into the WWE orbit in 2018, with an entire new line of merchandise to go with it. Since that time, he made semi-regular appearances on WWE programming, including in Saudi Arabia for big paydays. Some within the WWE, including The New Day, expressed their lack of enthusiasm with Hogan's involvement in the company again. He made a cameo at the start of Wrestlemania 35, and Paul Heyman breezed by him without any acknowledgement on the ramp before he introduced Brock Lesnar for a title defense.

The bottom line is, there's no place for racism and hate in the world. People that are racist are narrow-minded and generally irrelevant. Some of Hogan's longtime friends have said that he's not a racist, but only he knows his true thoughts or if he was truly remorseful for the terrible comments. Anything on the outside of that is just speculation. I don't buy Hogan's excuse or his apology, but that's just my opinion on the subject.

The point being, it's blatantly obvious that Titus is being paired with Hogan to try to present the image that Hulk is a changed person. He can't be racist if he's hosting with an African American wrestler, right? Again, there's money in it for Hogan, and in that scenario the only color he cares about is green. The pairing and the message it attempts to send is so blatant that it's almost insulting to the audience. Titus deserves better than this, and it's extremely disappointing that he's being used as a PR pawn.

Sure, using Hulk Hogan for such a public event as the return to the live crowd might be a good business decision, but does that make it the right personal decision? Make no mistake about it, Titus isn't a bigger star than Hulk, but he's definitely a better person, and outside of the realm of sports entertainment that counts for something. But, business is business and sadly, pro wrestling using less-than-ethical tactics to sell tickets isn't anything new in the industry.

Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker

During the past few months, I've written about how professional wrestling is about the moments, and more specifically, how All Elite Wrestling has provided some of those moments, which have helped it plant a flag among the landscape of the history of the industry. Sting's surprise debut, Kenta's shocking attack, and other occasions from the All Elite group are moments that will be remembered, regardless of how successful AEW will be in the grand scheme of things.

This past week on Dynamite, not only did the promotion have another moment that will be etched into the history books, but the athletes involved had what could be a career-defining performance when fans reflect on the match in several years.

Britt Baker, the six-year pro, was one of the original women inked to a contract for the company after its launch in 2019, and in many ways, she's grown as a performer on a national stage, which isn't a bad thing. One of the main points that I made when the "Wednesday Night Wars" started was that one of the major draw backs of NXT is that polished performers that were already capable of big runs on main stream television for the company were often used in NXT for some of the prime years of their careers, which ultimately decreases their time on the main stage of WWE in front of the most viewers possible to become as big of a star as possible, which allows them to draw as much money as possible. As an example, in my opinion, Adam Cole has all the skills to be a main event star and a top draw for the promotion, but he's working on the least-watched brand during the prime of his career.

On the flip side, All Elite takes a chance to allow performers to evolve under the bright lights of television, and there is a risky there to expose their inexperience, but it also makes it possible for them to become even more polished than they would've been working for smaller crowds on the independent circuit. The environment of national television and the chance to work with the stellar veterans is a situation that could allow talents to flourish to their maximum potential. Most importantly, this scenario allows the company to maximize the exposure to the prime of a talent's career on national television so that they can become a more established star instead of floundering those prime years on the independent scene.

For Baker, early in his tenure in AEW, some of the inexperience showed through, but that's to be expected because working for television is completely different than a typical independent match. As unfortunate as the injuries were, they allowed her to find herself as a performer and she's done very well in the heel role. Granted, is Britt Baker as polished as she should be or is going to be? No, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that because much of the investment that is made into characters from the audience is from the narrative of the journey.

Wednesday night, Britt and her opponent, Thunder Rosa took an important step in that journey.

Since she landed on the main pro wrestling radar, I've found Thunder Rosa to be a hidden gem in some ways because while I appreciate the passion and dedication of Billy Corgan to make the NWA relevant for the first time in years, as I wrote at the time, I just didn't think the Youtube model could sustain a promotion, especially within the already crowded landscape of the industry. Truth be told, Rosa is a talent that has the skills to be on national television, and a smaller platform just doesn't maximize her potential. She has the character, the presentation, and the in-ring ability to be a major star for AEW. There was much discussion in recent years about the Latino market and the ability for organizations to attempt to capitalize on the demographic. Along with the Lucha Brothers, Thunder Rosa is another great choice to market toward the Hispanic audience.

For the match itself, it will have its critics because women athletes and the blood isn't usually seen, but as far as a performance, it summed up a star-making performance for both competitors. It's something that can't be measured or quantified, the organic emotion involved in that bout is why it will be remembered as a classic contest.

It appeared that Britt Baker received a hard way cut from the ladder and she was spilling blood on the canvas. Understandably, she looked a little stunned, but continued the bout, and the visual of the blood in her eyes as she looked up is her "Stone Cold moment" in many ways. Granted, she's a heel, but the passion and determination it takes to continue a bout under those circumstances goes beyond the narrative of a professional wrestling show. There's a level of real-life dedication that can be seen even through the heel persona as Baker and Rosa battled toward the conclusion of the match.

The emotion generated from this contest wasn't because of the blood or the tacks themselves, but rather the determination that was showed to continue through it so the critics of the violence are misguided in some ways. Granted, AEW can't have these types of matches on a regular basis or it wouldn't have the same effect, but this spontaneous scenario was a major win for everyone in the company.

Ryse at Ringside 6

This week marks 13 years that I've been involved in the professional wrestling industry, starting as a photographer in 2008 before I landed on the mic the following year. To attempt to even sum up the past dozen years as a commentator would be too lengthy for one article, but for this edition of "Ryse at Ringside," I'd like to explain a few of the many reasons that this crazy business is so special to me.

I tweet about it occasionally because I enjoy self-deprecating humor, but I don't mention it publicly too often, simply because it's rarely ever relevant to the events that I'm at the commentary desk for, but I have Spastic Cerebral palsy, a neurological muscle disorder that primarily affects my legs. It resulted from a birth injury and is classified as an unchanging condition. Ironically, I don't have a moment where I discovered the sports of professional wrestling the way that others have because I've watched the sports entertainment spectacle as long as I can remember. The only way I can confirm the time frame is that I still have magazines from 1992 when I was too young to read, but flipped through the pages to see the pictures of the larger-than-life stars. Quite simply, I've never had a time in my life without Cerebral Palsy the same way I've never had a time in my life without professional wrestling.

As I mentioned, to try to even summarizes the totality of the impact of the sport in my life would be too lengthy, but I will try to pick a few examples that illustrate it here, and if there's enough feedback, perhaps I could provide more stories about it for this Patreon page in the future.

I shared an image on my Twitter page a few months ago of a drawing from Kindergarten of the typical "what I want to be when I grow up" picture. Of course, I wanted to be a wrestler and despite using a nifty walker to get into the building in 1994, I had no doubt that I was going to be WWF champion. Maybe that's an example of the naivety of being so young, the fact that as we get older we let some of the struggles of life deter us, or a combination of both. Young Jim, still doing occupational therapy to go along with the physical therapy every Monday before I would get home to watch early editions of Raw, sloppily drew the classic blue Hasbro ring in this Kindergarten picture, complete with three turnbuckles and two stick figures ready to battle for championship glory. As can imagine, even at that early age, when I wore leg braces to try to assist with my walking pattern as much as possible, I was asked, "well, what else do you want to be?" For five-year-old Jim, there wasn't another answer because there didn't need to be, I just assumed I would show up on WWF TV "when I grow up" and the walker or leg braces were irrelevant.

Growing up with Cerebral Palsy isn't easy and I wish I had some type of inspirational message that it didn't get in my way, but the reality is that dealing with the physical pain and mental frustration remains an obstacle that I try to do the best I can with every day. Some days I win, some days I lose, but if I've learned anything, specifically through the past few years, it's that pushing forward at least give a chance for success. That said, people far tougher than me that deal with circumstances much more difficult are a true inspiration.

Still, professional wrestling was always there to provide a measure of solace at even the most difficult times. In 1993, just weeks after one of my first leg surgeries, with a cast of my left foot, I met Big Bossman, who had a cast on his wrist so me and my new friend Bossman had something in common. Fast forward to 1996, after one of the major leg surgeries that put me in two full-leg casts for nearly two months, I specifically remember my parents bought me a wrestling magazine at the gift shop at the hospital. "Rest in Pieces" was the headline on the cover as the publication was based on Paul Bearer's shocking turn on The Undertaker a few months earlier at Summer Slam that year.

Fully recovering from that 1996 procedure took nearly a year, particularly to build up strength again, including more physical therapy, this time on Tuesdays. I can't recall his last name, but a very nice guy named Steve worked at the PT group, where I did therapy at the time. I probably owe the guy a beer or an apology because every Tuesday through the duration of the Attitude era, he would hear the weekly wrestling report I would give as he stretched my legs and had me complete step exercises. What Mankind did the prior night was big news. My dad was nice enough to tape (remember VCRs?) the replay of Nitro so I watched it when I got home from Elementary school on Tuesday before I went to the weekly appointment. Obviously, I also had to tell Steve who the NWO spray painted on Nitro as well. I'm almost 100% sure his interest in any of this was minimal, but it kept these therapy sessions fun.

When I was almost 15, I realized pro wrestling might be possible, (Hey, if Jay Leno had a match, don't doubt me too much) but it wasn't practical. I was considered to have the "gift of gab" for years before this, which I'm guessing is because I spent so much time with various doctors or physical therapists that eventually, generating conversation becomes more fun than looking at the wall while your legs are stretched. I was always a fan of Jim Ross since I heard so many of his iconic calls throughout my time following the sport, and I thought to myself that being an announcer would be a way for me to be involved in wrestling without Cerebral Palsy being a factor. Keep in mind, I had no idea any of this would ever happen, it was just a thought of a way I could be involved in the industry.

To think of the many things I've been able to experience through my involvement in professional wrestling is almost overwhelming because as I've dealt with diagnosed anxiety and depression for the majority of my life, there were several times that I was frustrated with my disability or the limitations from it, but getting to the venue surrounded by so many people that I'm honored to consider friends did more to lift my spirits than I can truly put into words. I can list several examples, but I don't want to leave anyone out either, and the fact that so many people have been so kind to me is one of the gifts of the involvement of pro wrestling. The villainous BC Steele might be a con artist at ringside, but he's one of my best friends outside of it. He's helped me more than I can explain and I wouldn't trade his friendship for anything. Jeff Gorman set the standard for quality commentary in Pittsburgh over two decades ago, and when he complimented my work earlier this year, it truly meant a lot to me. Learning from Joe Dombrowski for a few years in a dilapidated building before I made my Ryse debut is something I will always appreciate. Working with Paul Atlas has been my favorite time in wrestling and I'm very happy to call him a friend. For someone that barely spoke to me when I started in wrestling, we've become a good team. His compliments of my work on a podcast a few years ago meant a lot to him and his contributions are a major reason why I enjoy doing commentary at Ryse.

For much of my tenure as a commentator, I honestly thought that I kept a spot more because the bar was set so low on the majority of the independent scene that the fact that I made the talent in the ring the priority, it put my ahead of the standard by default. Too often, especially throughout the early period of my time as a commentator, you would hear indy shows from different places, and despite well-known talent in the ring, the promoter's cousin's mailman was talking about something completely unrelated to the action in the ring. I assumed, I still had a spot in wrestling because I wasn't the worst option possible, but then again, as we've established, self confidence isn't my strong suit.

It actually wasn't until I was at the desk at Ryse that I felt a sense of confidence in my skills because I knew that the basis of the promotion didn't fall into the indy trap of nepotism, and quality was the primary focus. Specifically after a few months, I knew I wouldn't still be at the desk if I didn't get the job done so the fact that I was still there reassured me that I was doing a quality job. Plus, Brandon K is a quality human being and one of the people in wrestling that I respect the most so his stamp of a approval remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my time in wrestling. As a whole, Ryse has been such a positive environment where there is an atmosphere of a team effort, and it's something that I always look forward to. It's very humbling to even be included with such a talented crew.

In truth, I'm reminded of Cerebral Palsy on an almost constant basis because literally every step I take is a way that the disability affects my life. There are very few things that allow me a break from that or the stress that goes along with it. However, when the red light is on and I have a chance to call the action, my disability or any aspect that it affects is irrelevant. It's a level of peace because no matter how I walk, it can't take away what I can do on the mic. Speaking of which, outside of professional wrestling, I'm very self conscious about the way I walk and it can sometimes be embarrassing in public. That said, walking through the curtain and getting to the table to call the action as the music blares are steps that I look forward to taking in front of the crowd every event.

I'm always going to have Spastic Cerebral Palsy and there are going to be difficult times, but it's okay because in some form or fashion, I will always have professional wrestling, too.

The AEW Roster

After last weekend's AEW Revolution pay-per-view and the follow up to it on last week's episode of Dynamite, there's a prominent discussion among both fans and pundits about the status of the roster. More specifically, has Tony Khan brought in too many stars from the past, and will the company that was based on youthful enthusiasm skew too old going forward?

I have to say, I think most of the chatter is simply fans hitting the panic button when anything resembles anything close to TNA because the organization had the ingredients to become a truly national promotion at a time when the industry needed the alternative option before a series of critical mistakes sent the Dixie Carter project off a cliff. Let's be clear, AEW is going to make its share of mistakes, but to automatically group that into the same category as Dixie Carter is misguided. As mentioned before, All Elite is already profitable because of its TNT extension so that alone puts it far ahead of what Dixie accomplished when Bob Carter paid for his daughter to be a TV star.

That said, as much as its successes are important to the longevity and expansion of the brand, it's just as important, if not more so that All Elite avoid the major pitfalls that put WCW and TNA into bankruptcy. Let's remember, similar to any entertainment venture, the sports entertainment business isn't easy, and the capital needed to even attempt to be competitive keeps the vast majority of companies on the independent level. Marketing and drawing on a national basis are aspects that are a completely different level, which is why even independent groups with a niche following draw low numbers by comparison. If an indy show draws a few thousand buys for an iPPV, it's considered a big success for that level, which is definitely an accomplishment, but AEW and even TNA in its heyday measure viewers by how many hundreds of thousands of fans tune in to watch the show.

Ultimately, that's the main reason national success is such a difficult task because a company has to cover as many bases as possible to maximize the amount of viewers from the biggest demographic possible. It's an even more difficult balance for All Elite because they won't find success with an attempt to be "WWE lite," which was proven by TNA, so they have to be an alternative, but still  be enough of a main stream product that the causal fan could have a reason to watch the show, too. Maybe this is one of the current hurdles for AEW, they must differentiate themselves from the WWE, but if they book too "inside baseball" so to speak then they only market to a niche audience.

For the purposes of this discussion, I'm going to use a few examples of stars from each category, and see if the balance skews too far toward the older generation or not. Before we get there, I have to say that as great as it is to see talented performers get a break at the big time or land a spot with a national organization, I think AEW simply has too many wrestlers on its roster and there's going to be a point where most of them just become random names on secondary shows that don't make a noticeable difference in the product. Granted, I completely understand it's absolutely wonderful for an aspiring talent to get the contract to achieve their dream, but there's realistically only so many spots for a national wrestling company.

That actually brings up the first signing to discuss. As I wrote in an article a few weeks ago, Paul Wight, as much as he accomplished in the ring during his legendary career, is much more valuable at this point as a PR tool, which completely makes sense. The former Big Show is a recognizable star and he's known as a real-life nice guy so when AEW needs someone to to press for the company, he's a quality choice. Considering the beneficial working agreement that All Elite has with TNT, The Big Show making a guest appearance at an NBA game, Nascar, etc. are all ways to created brand awareness for the Khan-owned organization. Plus, a few select matches could theoretically draw money and publicity for the promotion. Obviously, the Shaq match that didn't happen in the WWE for whatever reason would be a major match under the All Elite banner. While I understand Big Show being used in a non-wrestler role for commentary, I honestly don't think another Youtube exclusive show will make a noticeable different for the organization and might actually had to the problem of too many wrestlers on the roster.

I covered the underwhelming nature of the Christian in-depth in a previous write-up so I want repeat everything here, other than to say he's a tremendous talent, but doesn't have the main stream star power that was expected with the amount of hype that was used for the announcement. That said, Cage is on the roster, and he definitely could have some very solid matches with many on the AEW roster, but outside of the in-ring quality, what purpose does Christian bring to the table? That's not a jab against him, but more to point out that with a career as extensive and as accomplished, how does he break new ground in AEW? As mentioned, the return pop was at the Royal Rumble the previous month so fans have already had the chance to see him in the ring again. One of the main reasons there was so much buzz about his arrival in TNA in 2006 was because he was so underutilized in WWE at that time. TNA already did the "Christian finally wins the world title he deserved" storyline and it was replicated to some extent when he had a main event run in WWE in 2010.

At 47, Christian looks like he hasn't aged much since he was wrestling full-time, but the confrontation with Kenny Omega last week implied that he might be involved in a storyline for the championship. Again, the "Christian wins the world title" storyline has already been told, and while I don't think he will actually win the title, outside of a one-off match against Omega on TV, what's there for Christian to do among the AEW landscape? I'm not saying he's not valuable to the organization, but Tony Khan will have to find a way to book him that isn't a retread of something that was done before or it will actually be a copy of the TNA era. The biggest takeaway from this Christian situation is just because someone is a name in the industry, it doesn't mean they will necessarily have a productive place in any other major promotion. Don't get me wrong, I hope that Christian has a great run under the AEW banner, but I'm skeptical that it will actually be a new chapter in his career.

Along the same line, Sting is a legend in the industry, but what he can realistically do in AEW might've already been seen so I don't know how the company will further his story on TV unless he is used as Darby's mentor in the future, which would be fine. The only downside to that is that AEW already has enough managers on the show. At 62, aside from Tony Schiavone yelling, "Sting!" before a repetitive promo the past several weeks, and the cinematic match at the pay-per-view, I'm not sure what else Sting can do in the company. Granted, Lance Archer interrupting him might be an indication of a bout in the future, but it's doubtful Archer would be the best in a cinematic environment or that Sting should take choke slams at his age.

On the flip side, Jungle Boy is going to be a major star for the company and the pace that they have pushed him works very well. Too often, fans want to see someone spring board toward the main event, but Jack Perry's journey is a much more important piece of the puzzle than just an eventual main event run. Allowing Jungle Boy to work his way up the ranks over time will generate an even better narrative when he is one of the featured performers on the card in a few years. Eddie Kingston is absolutely money, and his confrontation against Omega and Don Callis is a perfect example of the use of a baby face. Considering the notable run that Omega is on right now and the nature of the angle with him as champion, I'm not sure how an Eddie Kingston title win would work into those plans, but it should happen at some point because he brings a level of credibility that very few have in the industry. In a similar way that it makes sense to allow for Jungle Boy time to build his name for the future, MJF is on that path as a heel. It would be easy to put the title on him because he's such a stellar heel, but getting the most steam from his story, including the faction vs. faction angle against Jericho, is a way to ultimately get the most out of his villainous persona before a main event run so he can be as established as possible when he gets to the top of the card.

So, does AEW have too many older stars on their roster?

Technically, no, but most of the answer will be determined by how those performers are used. If someone from the previous generation consistently gets more TV time or a more prominent spot in the organization than a few of the younger names mentioned, it's very possible that AEW stumbles into TNA territory. There's a fine line between the use of recognizable names and a retread of angles from the past. It will be very interesting to see the direction this going in the next few months because older stars on TV just because they were stars in a previous generation doesn't build for the future so the key is how those performers are used in a way that progresses not only the narrative of their careers, but the narrative of the company.

The career of Tatiana Rose

Rocky Balboa entered the ring alongside grizzled trainer, Mickey Goldmill to challenge Apollo Creed for the boxing Heavyweight championship of the world, being a 50-1 underdog in his hometown on Philadelphia. As Rocky nervously spent sleepless hours the night before the bout, pondering how he went from a debt collector for the local mob outfit to challenger for a world championship, he proclaimed his goal was to make the final bell.

With a record of 44-20, the odds were against the gutsy south paw.

Sylvester Stallone's 1976 classic film remains such an endeared part of not only American cinema, but also much of sports culture because the protagonist within that narrative personifies so many admirable traits. Rocky is thoughtful when he takes the once-shy Adrian, portrayed by legendary actress, Talia Shire, on a date to the local ice rink, as he glides around on his shoes because his clunky footwork as a boxer didn't suit skates. He's courageous because he took a chance to chase greatness, despite the long-shot odds that sports books gave him in the final scene against Creed. Most importantly, amid the blood, bruises, and a broken nose, he never gave up.

The Rocky series continues today because quite simply, audiences enjoy an underdog story for all the traits mentioned.

Similar to film, professional wrestling is a genre built on stories and human psychology. There are heroes the crowds admire and flock to the box office to pay to watch in combat. There are villains that draw the jeers of those in attendance. Of course, there are the underdogs that through adversity punch, kicks, and clothesline to claim victory at the final bell.

As we know, sometimes art intimidates life.

Tatiana Rose, a 24-year-old aspiring wrestler, began her journey in the sports entertainment world in mid-2018. In that time, she's had exactly seven pro bouts and four injuries that sidelined her progress for months at a time. These mishaps range from something as simple as a sprained ankle early on during in-ring exercises with her fellow trainees to a broken elbow as recent as August of last year during a training session. She spent two months on the shelf with the elbow, but had broken her left wrist just two months earlier, as she was set on continuing to polish her skills with additional in-ring practice when live shows were shuttered because of the pandemic.

The series of setbacks have been mentally and physically taxing for her to say the least.

"Being injured so much with so few professional matches and in such a short span of time is difficult. It makes you question your ability to wrestle, to work, to be a reliable person for the companies you work with. It's made my journey as a wrestler far more taxing than most of my fellow wrestlers. That being said, I love wrestling. I love being a wrestler and I am a very, very stubborn woman. I have goals, I have met almost none of them. So, injuries and doubting aside, I am going to meet my goals before I tie my bootstraps up," Tatiana said.

Not to be denied, Rose has continuously shown a passion and dedication to the sport, as before she broke her left wrist last year, she had actually broken her right wrist during her rookie year in the sport, while she worked as valet during a mistimed spot inside the ring ropes. Instead of sitting at home, she continued to attend training classes and diligently absorbed information from the sidelines to allow her to keep pace with the rest of her training class, and faithfully attended live events to assist behind-the-scenes whenever she could. Gloom never entered her mind, she still showed up to venues with a smile on her face and a sharpie in hand for her wrestling pals to sign her cast.

"For me, once I got through the initial tryout, it was like lightning for me. I couldn't get enough of learning and I still can't. One of the biggest things I learned however is to take things slowly. Break lessons down step by step if you need to, because at the end of the day you make your own pace to learn and be the best you can be. The fourth injury was the worst to date I and was shelved for the following two months. It was a very humiliating and bad experience, and unlike the previous injuries where I openly talked about being injured or joked about it, I tried to keep this as much to myself as possible. I was ashamed that I had gotten hurt yet again," she explained.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Tatiana has received a substantial amount of encouragement from her peers within Fight Underground, the area's newest organization that was founded by Quinn Magnum, one of the respected figures in the region, in June of 2020. Unable to wrestle at the group's closed set tapings since its launch, Tatiana still showed up dressed as a professional and helped with any requests that were made. From going on a coffee run for 30-year grizzled vet and color commentator, Paul Atlas to assisting with background sets, Rose enthusiastically enjoyed the atmosphere at the organization's tapings.

In truth, working quite literally in the background is her forte, as her pursuit of higher education consisted of an art degree that specialized in Scenic Design and Scenic Painting from Point Park University, an establishment that got its name in reference to the notable landmark in the city, in 2019. Surrounded by the area's well-known bridges, notorious Penn Dot construction, and trademark Primanti's french fries, the theatrics of stage shows were one of the reasons she identified with the over-the-top nature of professional wrestling.

"I wanted to be a part of it based on the theatrical nature of wrestling, but it wasn't until I saw Mickie James wrestle for the first time that I realized I wanted to be a wrestler. I started as an actress, doing all of the singing and dancing that came along with being in musicals. You can catch me belting show tunes in my kitchen at least twice a week, but at the end of the day I prefer to be backstage getting covered in paint," Tatiana said.

With the injuries just over half the total number of matches she had in nearly three years, perhaps the odds say that enthusiastic hopeful look for a less risky hobby, but didn't the odds makers write-off Rocky before that inspiring final scene? For Rose, her path inside professional wrestling is much more than merely a self-serving process to back herself on the back or get credit as a star from live audiences. She sees her platform as a chance to have a much deeper impact on the sports world. She remains focused on continuing her journey to wrestle on a regular basis after the pandemic.

"The most rewarding part of becoming a wrestler has been getting to live out my dream. For years, wanting to become a wrestler was like telling people a joke. I never had anyone tell me that I could do it, except for my brother. My brother has always believed in me and told me so. I want to be part of more all women's shows, and LGBT run shows in the future. The world of wrestling is opening doors for so many people, I want to be a part of events that open those doors. I'm doing something special and I wouldn't trade it for the world," she commented.

A sprained ankle, two broken wrists, and a broken elbow tell a story, but they certainly don't tell the whole story. Passion, dedication, and determination tell the other side of that tale. It would've been much easier for Tatiana hang up her elbow pads after one or two of those four injuries and admit that professional wrestling just isn't for her. However, the decision to continue to show up in the bandages and the casts show a level of tenacity that is required for those that make their mark on the wrestling scene.

Rocky made the final bell, and the odds are that Tatiana Rose will, too.

AEW Revolution review

All Elite Wrestling's latest pay-per-view offering, Revolution went off the air just hours ago after being a very hyped event for the organization. The promise of a Hall of Fame level signing and a mystery opponent in a ladder match for the number one contendership for the TNT title were just some of the things promoted by Tony Khan ahead of the broadcast. In addition, the main event was advertised as an exploding barbed wire match, with landmine explosions outside of the ring, a gimmick that a few groups have tried over the years, but All Elite was the first to do it on a full-scale in America. Obviously, the major question is, did Revolution live up to the hype?

In truth, it depends on how you look at it, and what your expectations were going into the show. If Tony Khan planned to hit a home run, he might've secured a double at best.Right now, not long after watching it live, I'd say Revolution was somewhat of a mixed bag because some aspects of the event delivered, while some of the misses on the show might overshadow the good things that happened.

The Young Bucks beat Chris Jericho and MJF in a solid opener. It lacked the intensity of a bout where the heels pummeled the baby face's dad a few weeks before, but it got the job done in terms of a good way to start the broadcast. I understand why they booked the tag team battle royal, as it gives The Bucks another feud to build around the tag titles, which definitely makes sense, but this particular format made for a nearly 30-minute battle royal in just the second bout on the card so it dragged at certain points. Perhaps, giving the match about half the time would've suited it better. That said, Pac/Fenix vs. The Bucks for the tag titles should be some tremendous matches. As far as Jericho and MJF, I think this title shot gets about as much mileage out of the team as they can reasonable get from a booking perspective. Still, I think this can ultimately be used for MJF to become the new leader of the Inner Circle and a feud against Jericho. Considering all that Jericho has done in his career prior to this, a baby face run in AEW would be a fresh chapter for him since he was a heel at the start of the company.

The Women's title match just didn't seem to click and went too long. Hikaru Shida has done well in her role as champion and has consistently had quality matches, but this missed the mark. I don't know if Ryo Mizunami was the sole reason for that or not, but for a title match that had an entire tournament used to build up the challenger for the championship match, it fell very flat. I understand the logic of a tournament adds credibility to the prestige of the title, but there were better women's title matches on episodes of Dynamite prior to this so it had a rather lackluster conclusion. That said, Thunder Rosa, Serena Deeb, and Brit Baker provide some much needed depth in the division and can be used as potential challengers for Shida in the future.

Another rather flat match was the Orange Cassidy and Chuck Taylor vs. Kip Sabin and Miro contest. Chuck Taylor was more or less in a handicapped match until Cassidy made his way to the ring after a pre-match attack. Miro and Kip won a roughly five-minute match that didn't really stand out at all.

The Face of Revolution ladder match was risky and had its moments. At around 25-minutes, this one also went a little too long, but there were several memorable spots. Each competitor had their time to shine without getting lost in the shuffle, which is difficult to do in these types of matches. Ethan Page is a great signing for the company because he's a talented athlete in the prime of his career, which adds very valuable depth to the roster. Page got himself in great shape in recent years and he was arguably misused during the latter stages of his Impact run so I'd expect him to become a key play for the organization in the next few months. Scorpio Sky winning might not jump out immediately as anything too stellar since he hasn't been featured on Dynamite regularly in recent months, but if this ladder match was simply a way to add something special to the PPV card while getting another challenger for Darby Allin than it was successful. Plus, Darby vs. Sky should be a good match on Dynamite as well, assuming that Sky isn't hindered with an injury.

Adam Page vs. Matt Hardy was a solid in-ring bout, and Page getting the win gives him momentum to work his way up the card. This isn't meant as a knock against Matt, but considering he had to shift gears on a few occasions with his character from the time that he signed with AEW, along with the many times he successfully reinvented himself before, I'm not sure how much there is left for him to do as an active wrestler. Don't get me wrong, Hardy deserves a lot of credit, but just his stint in AEW saw broken Matt, a baby face turn after the scary bump during the match with Sammy, and then a heel turn as the carney so I don't know what else he can do from a character perspective, simply because he's already so accomplished. Matt Hardy would be a great agent to help the younger roster develop and get some solid guidance from an established veteran, but it might depend on what direction Hardy wants to take his career.

I have to be honest, as great as Christian Cage is and as great as it was to see him return to the ring at the Royal Rumble, the "mystery competitor" to sign with the company was somewhat of a disappointment. That's nothing against Christian, he had a great career and deserves more credit than he got for the majority of it, but this is one of the reasons that promotions must be careful when they hype major surprises. It's a harsh reality, but the logistics of those type of situations lead to it being underwhelming about 95% of the time. At 47, Christian can have some good matches with many on the AEW roster, but he doesn't have the mega star power to live up to the type that Khan put around it. The type of hype AEW went for had many people speculating it might be CM Punk or Batista, two stars that had a level of main stream star power. Christian just doesn't, and if he hadn't been seen already at the Rumble, at least there would've been the pop for his return to wrestling, but that was done a month ago.

As far as the tag team cinematic match, I'm just going to say what I've said about these types of matches before. I'm not a fan of them and I think they stretch the limits of logic even too much for professional wrestling because the nature of the match is that it looks blatantly staged. If Sting accompanies Darby to ringside going forward, it would be great to see him in a mentor role, but at a specific point, smoke and mirrors make the whole situation too convoluted. Nobody should expect Sting to have matches or take bumps at 61, but then maybe it's better off if he isn't booked in those scenarios.

As far as the pay-per-view being hit or miss, the main event exploding barbed wire match was a perfect example of this. I wrote after this contest was announced that the company had to be very careful with how this type of gimmick match was presented because there's a fine line between spectacle and a flop. If the match was going to work, it had to look visually impressive and have a sense of danger, which is how Onita drew big crowds with the gimmick in the 90s because FMW exploding barbed wire matches were a violent spectacle. Yes, there's a risk with these types of matches, but if that's too much of a risk then you're better off not booking the match. They way they promoted it, AEW made the right call because they used FMW footage to give viewers a look at the concept, and they had Onita cut a promo, which added to the aura of the gimmick.

When I saw that the ring ropes were still in place before the match started, I immediately had doubts because even the visual presentation isn't the same when the ropes are there, especially with some of the barbed wire set up about a foot outside of the ring ropes. Depending on the angle, some of the explosions spots looked good, but other times, you could see a clear distances from where the competitors were and where the pyro was at that point. Still, the match had it's moments with barbed wire board spots, and both wrestlers made a great effort in the main event. The "landmine explosion" on the floor looked hokey when Moxley landed the DDT, and it wasn't anywhere near some of the previous FMW style matches. Again, if you can't do the match as fans expected with the footage you used to promote it then it might've been a better decision not to present it at all. I also found it somewhat puzzling and another reason I had doubts when the match started that it was being held in the same place as the rest of the show. I honestly thought, they would use the stadium next to the venue to host the match so that they could do more with the pyro and it would still be safe for the production.

Eventually, The Good Brothers interfered and Omega retained the championship. The post-match beat down went on way too long and lost most of its steam for any heat it might've generated. The conclusion saw Eddie Kingston run to the ring to try to shield Moxley from the explosions, which is a classic Onita spot, but the "exploding ring" looked like a very cheap, very underwhelming fireworks show in someone's driveway with sparks from the ring post and small pryo on the floor.

The bottom line is, AEW overplayed its hand and the conclusion was quite literally a dud. It doesn't matter what happened during the rest of the show, this pay-per-view will be known as the event with the lame fireworks at the end. I don't want this to be misinterpreted, All Elite Wrestling has an absolutely stellar roster, but when the company promotes an exploding ring match, and the "explosions" are way less than the pryo for entrances on the same show, it's going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. The organization has its critics because the style isn't for everyone and it doesn't have to be, but a situation like this reflects poorly on the company because even the most dedicated of AEW fans will acknowledge this was completely flat.

At the post-show presser, Tony Khan claimed the storyline is that Omega built a faulty explosion, implying that the dud was a part of the angle, but let's be honest here, that's nothing more than the promoter with a weak attempt to try to cover for a very underwhelming spot. In a situation like this, Khan could've just said "hey, mistakes happen" and there's a chance the fan base would more willing to forgive than to try to sell them that the Big Bob's fire works extravaganza was somehow part of an elaborate plot in the storyline at the event.

UFC 259

This weekend, UFC 259 takes place with an absolutely stacked card from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV when three title bouts will be featured on the event. Some of the under card was shuffled in recent weeks, but assuming the three key bouts stay intact, this broadcast could be one of the biggest pay-per-views  of the year for the company.

At the top of the card, the current Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya will move up in weight to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the 205 LBS belt, with the opportunity to claim two belts simultaneously in two divisions. While this feat was accomplished a few times in recent years with names like Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, and Henry Cejudo, I think the argument could be made that both McGregor and Cejudo claimed two belts at a time when at least one of their respective divisions lacked proper depth. That same argument could be made for the current middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. Still, Adesanya could solidify himself as possibly the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport today if he secures two championships this weekend.

In truth, the 205 LBS division, once the most competitive division in the organization when the genre surged in popularity during the original run of the Ultimate Fighter seasons, has been unsteady the past several years. Jon "Bones" Jones' ability to be as careless outside of the cage as he is stellar inside of the octagon saw him stripped of the belt on a few occasions. Eventually, Cormier won the title and had successful defenses before he vacated the belt when he won the heavyweight championship. After an interim fight, Jones captured the title again, but a razor close decision win against Dominick Reyes prompted "Bones" to vacated the title to move to heavyweight instead of a Reyes rematch.

Last September, Blachowicz beat the previously mentioned Reyes via TKO to win the championship. Basically, the division has been all over the place and the narrative of the belt didn't allow for any consistency for challengers to move up the ranks for a title shot. Instead, UFC brass was tasked with trying to find challengers for the 205 LBS belt. Throwing the Middleweight champion in the mix almost confirms the lack of structure in the light heavyweight division, but as mentioned, it gives Adesanya a chance to really put a spotlight on himself.

As far as the actual fight, it makes sense that the undefeated Adesanya is the favorite, but I doubt this will be an easy fight for the young star. Keep in mind, he is moving up in weight to challenge Blachowicz so the key to the contest might be the clinch for the light heavyweight champion to use his size advantage to make the fight more difficult for Adesanya. If Blachowicz stays on the outside or tries to make it a kickboxing match, it will give Adesanya the chance to pick his shots and land enough punches to win the fight. If I had to guess, I'd say that Adesanya does win the fight, but that's more of a guess than anything because it's very possible that Blachowicz uses his power to get a victory. The middleweight champion is rightfully going into the bout with a lot of praise because his victories have been impressive, but Blachowicz has a chance to derail the hype.

Amanda Nunes will defend her Women's Featherweight championship against Megan Anderson. Nunes, who is currently on an 11-fight win streak, is an 11-to-1 favorite to beat Anderson, who has a two-fight win streak against lesser known competition. No disrespect intended to Anderson, but those odds are probably accurate and while a shocking upset is possible, I have to pick Nunes to get the win. The 32-year-old Brazilian is in the prime of her career and the run she had in the past few years will possibly obtain legendary status when she finally hangs up the gloves. Nunes is the best female fighter in the sport and this will probably be more of an exhibition of her skills than anything.

The Bantamweight belt will be on the line when Petr Yan defends against Aljamain Sterling in a virtual "pick 'em" as far as the odds for the bout. It makes sense considering that they are evenly-matched and have similar records. Yan has only one blemish on his record and won the 135 LBS title when he defeated Jose Aldo last July. Sterling brings a five-fight win streak into the octagon, but doesn't have a signature win in his career yet so this is an opportunity for him to establish himself. I'd guess this will be a razor-close decision and a toss up as to who gets the victory. I could be wrong, but this might be the start of trilogy series between this two talented athletes. As far as a winner, I will be Yan to get the decision on the score card.

From an overall perspective, this could be a big night for the UFC, promotion-wise because Adesanya, the champion in his prime, has a chance to cement himself as a top draw in the organization, which would be extremely beneficial to UFC management, especially because the drawing power of mega star, Conor McGregor might be diminished if he loses his next fight. Adesanya has drawn some comparisons to Anderson Silva because of the similar style, and while there will be only one Anderson Silva, another dynamic champion would be useful for the UFC marketing machine to promote on pay-per-view.

The career of Nick Lendl

"Put your money where your mouth is."

As cliche as that phrase is, it can prove to be true more often than not. Ring Of Honor ring announcer, Nick Lendl did it.

In 2015, Nick paid the fee for a WWE Performance Center tour, a $2,000 price tag to get in the doors of one of the premiere training facilities in the world. Of course, that fee didn't cover the airfare to Orlando or the hotel accommodations for the duration of the trip.

"I couldn't have cared less about meeting the NXT wrestlers or the tour itself. What intrigued me was the live Q&A session they had mentioned in the press release with the NXT talent and staff at the conclusion of the tour. That was my chance to simply raise my hand and ask 'How do I become a ring announcer?' I had spent $2,000 to just ask that one question. I took a chance on myself and it paid off," Lendl explained.

But, this flight to sunny Orlando wasn't made on a whim. Similar to any venture where the intention is serious, Nick did research. A few years before he sat in front on the NXT staff, he contacted Justin Roberts, who was working with the company at the time and is now the lead ring announcer for All Elite Wrestling. Roberts told Nick to obtain a degree in Communications so Nick did just that, graduating with the degree Roberts recommended, and minored in Psychology from Robert Morris University in 2013 while he wrote for the school's newspaper and appeared on their local TV show.

So when the accomplished Matt Bloom, who worked around the world as Giant Bernard in Japan and as A-Train in the WWE, gave Lendl the chance to climb inside a WWE ring and perform the duties, Nick was more than ready. Bloom, one of the head trainers at the facility, was very impressed by the visitor's impromptu audition.

"The staff was blown away by my performance. They couldn't believe I had never ring announced before. Bloom told me to start working indies, get experience, and keep in contact," Lendl said.

In truth, Nick always felt at home with a mic in his hand because home is where he discovered his gift of gab. Nick's father played in a local band for years, and as earlier as his toddler phase, the youngster found himself on stage with his dad, jammin' to a variety of cover tunes. When not in front of a live audience at local music festivals, a young Lendl would recite songs in the family living room.

With Bloom's instructions cemented in his mind, Nick set up to earn his stripes and get some valuable seasoning on the local circuit. A native of Pittsburgh, a region known almost as much for its history of wrestling as for the steel it once produced, Nick sought out the International Wrestling Cartel, one of the longest-running organizations in the area. The IWC, promoted for years under the direction of Norm Connors, one of the godfathers of the Pittsburgh scene before its current promoter, Justin Plummer took the reigns, hosted countless stars during its lengthy history.

"I was in contact with IWC here in Pittsburgh and owner, Justin Plummer. We agreed to meet at the next IWC show at the Court Time Sports Center to talk, and by the start of 2016, I was on camera as a commentator, backstage Interviewer, and ring announcer. IWC is the top indy promotion around. I'll never be able to thank Justin Plummer enough for giving me my start. I've made so many friends and learned so much over the last five years there. It's a place I can always call home," Nick remarked.

With steady work in his home town, Lendl knew he didn't want to slow his momentum, and began to bridge out in other ventures, announcing pro wrestling, boxing, and mixed martial arts around the tri-state area. Along his travels, he announced a show that featured Punishment Martinez, who is currently on WWE television as Damien Priest. The former Martinez told Lendl to consider attending the next Ring Of Honor training seminar, which Nick did in late-2017.

Nick bet on himself to get inside the WWE Performance Center, and he doubled down to get a foot in the door at Ring Of Honor.

"I was invited to their next show two weeks from then in North Carolina to hang out and meet the guys. So, I got some friends together and we rented a hotel room in North Carolina and drove ourselves there," Nick said.

With no guarantees for anything other than the 10-hour car trip to get to the venue, Nick showed up just hoping for a chance to show his natural talent. He met with Bobby Cruise, the long-time ROH ring announcer, who etched himself in the history books of professional wrestling with the iconic sound bytes when the prestigious ROH World title changed hands. Cruise could immediately see the passion and determination from the eager Lendl and opened the door for the aspiring wordsmith to get his chance with ROH.

"At that show, I met Bobby Cruise and we clicked. He let me announce the dark match that night and told me to come to every show I could reasonably drive to, and he would let me announce some matches. I did that for Philadelphia, New York, Columbus, Michigan and Chicago. Three years later, I no longer need to worry about booking my own flights or hotels, I'm paying my bills doing what I love, I'm on the official ROH roster page, I've announced multiple episodes of ROH TV and ROH pay-per-views by myself, and I'm living my dream ," Lendl commented.

While Nick credits Cruise with his tenure in Ring Of Honor, the veteran voice of Honor was also responsible for what Lendl considers the highlight of his career so far, the opportunity to announce a bout at the legendary Madison Square Garden in 2019.

 "Bobby Cruise pushed really hard for me to get a match at The Garden and thanks to him, I did. I ring announced a six woman tag team match featuring the late Hanna Kimura," he said.

When his not zigzagging the country to proclaim the winners of sports entertainment glory, the dad of two young kids trades watching Pure title matches for episodes of Paw Patrol. On the weekends, he makes the tag to his wife, who's work during the week, allowed him to travel to events on the weekend, which he cites as a good balance of family time and the unique occupation of the wrestling business.

While the past five years have been somewhat of a whirlwind for Nick, as he dove into his passion and his desire to make it as a full-time fixture in the industry, he emphasized he always looks for the next step in his journey, which grew from a fandom that inspired him after he stumbled across a VHS copy of Wrestlemania 14 over twenty years ago. Lendl's dedication his his craft hasn't gone unnoticed by his peers.

"Nick is an incredibly talented announcer, who picked up the art of the craft as naturally as anyone I've ever seen. He has natural credibility and likeability that translates to the audience well. He's a great friend, family man, and credit to the industry," said Joe Dombrowski, veteran IWC play-by-play announcer, as well as a producer of a variety of pro wrestling content.

Obviously, Nick Lendl's journey in the sport isn't complete, and to say he will continue to a role as a mainstay in professional wrestling would be a safe bet. Ironically, Nick's story and his successes were when he gambled on himself without knowing what moves would or wouldn't pay off. Perhaps, the biggest takeaway from his story is that hard work and the belief in yourself can pay off.